Healing Cranberry Smoothie

By Alexandra Caspero on December 29, 2023
The perfect breakfast or snack to counteract all the holiday sweets!
Makes 3 Cups

​How beautiful is this healing cranberry smoothie? A gorgeous pink color that’s delicious as a beverage, breakfast or snack. Packed with nutrition!

Let’s balance things out a little bit, shall we? Since craving (and eating) chocolate, gingerbread and peppermint everything over the past few weeks, I’m ready for a little holiday break.

This is typically the time of year when I start craving vegetable-filled meals. Don’t get me wrong, you know I’m not going to deny myself my favorite dishes; however, I find that I really do prefer produce-heavy meals most of the time.

I notice a dramatic shift in energy and clarity when my diet is full of plants. As much as I want to enjoy the same feeling from extra-cheese pizza and cinnamon rolls, unfortunately, that’s just not the case. And I know from my years as working as a dietitian, that’s true for many of you as well.

See below for tips, or scroll down for the full recipe.

Healing Cranberry Smoothie

Cranberry Smoothie Ingredients

  • Fresh or frozen cranberries
  • Bananas
  • Fresh orange
  • Maple syrup, honey or other sweetener, if desired

How to Make this Cranberry Smoothie

Blend together

All you need for this recipe is whole cranberries, oranges, banana and a little maple syrup for sweetener. Puree in a high speed blender together and enjoy!

Cranberry Orange Smoothie

What to make with bags of fresh cranberries 

This cranberry smoothie is the perfect thing to make with extra frozen or fresh cranberries. I first created this cranberry smoothie a few years ago when my freezer was overflowing with cranberries, and I was craving something sweet yet nourishing.

I wanted something refreshing, cold and seasonal. The combination of orange and cranberry is amazing to me. I love the tart berry and sweet, refreshing orange together. Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to get ‘back on track‘, but this time I wasn’t in the mood for the usual green suspects.

How have I not put cranberries in a smoothie before? Orange and cranberry are the yin and yang to sweet and tart. Add a little frozen banana for extra creaminess, and this is one smoothie you’ll be firing up the blender for day after day. Besides being ready in no time flat, it’s become my favorite thing to sip after a workout.

Do you need to add a sweetener? 

I’ve included maple syrup in the ingredients, but that’s completely optional. My thoughts- the first time you make this, only add in a little or no sweetener. Then, if you want it sweeter, add a little more. You can also use honey or agave nectar, if preferred. 

Sometimes I like this smoothie tart, and sometimes I like this a little more sweet. Therefore, the maple add is completely optional!

Cranberry Orange Smoothie

Can you use leftover cranberry sauce?

You can use leftover cranberry sauce for this, but I’d recommend omitting the added sweetener as it likely doesn’t need it. 

Variations on this Cranberry smoothie

If you don’t have any fresh or frozen cranberries, then I’d recommend frozen blueberries or frozen mixed berries instead. Raspberries are tart-like cranberries, so you can also substitute those for a raspberry orange version.

You can also add in yogurt, greek yogurt, dairy-free yogurt, or protein powder if you want to make this more of a meal smoothie. Instead of water, you can also use cranberry juice or non-dairy milk.

Orange juice can also be used instead of fresh oranges. Frozen bananas give this smoothie a creamy, milkshake-like texture, but you can use fresh if that’s all you have available. Frozen pineapple can also be used for a sweeter version without adding extra sweetener.

Healing Cranberry Orange Smoothie

Health Benefits of Cranberries

Whole cranberries also pack quite a nutritious punch! Besides being one of the best sources of antioxidants, they’re also loaded with vitamin C, copper, manganese, vitamin E, and fiber!

Plus, research shows that consuming cranberries are beneficial for heart health and improving endothial function. Since fresh cranberries are so abundant this time of year, buy a few bags to store in the freezer! Keeping them frozen also negates the need for ice in this smoothie.

Healing Cranberry Smoothie

More Healthy Smoothie Recipes

More Cranberry Recipes

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!

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Healing Cranberry Smoothie

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Healing Cranberry Smoothie

Healing Cranberry Smoothie

  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 3 cups 1x
  • Category: Smoothie, Juice
  • Method: blender
  • Cuisine: smoothie, breakfast, snack
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Healing Cranberry Smoothie! The perfect breakfast or snack after all the holiday sweets! Packed with nutrition!


  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 3 cups 1x
  • Category: Smoothie, Juice
  • Method: blender
  • Cuisine: smoothie, breakfast, snack
  • Diet: Vegan
  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 3 cups 1x
  • Category: Smoothie, Juice
  • Method: blender
  • Cuisine: smoothie, breakfast, snack
  • Diet: Vegan
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup whole cranberries
  • 2 oranges, peeled
  • 1 banana, frozen
  • 12 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Place the ingredients into a high powered blender, like in the order listed: water, cranberries, oranges and banana.
  2. Blend until smooth and creamy. If desired, add in 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Sometimes I want this more tart and sometimes I want things a little sweeter!

Notes

  • If you are using a standard blender, you might need to puree a few times until smooth.
  • A warning that this smoothie is a bit tart! While I love that sour/tart flavor of cranberries and orange, you may prefer it a little more sweet. In that case, add a little stevia, agave, maple, honey, whatever you prefer in with the ingredients. You can also decrease the cranberries to 1/2 cup.

did you make this?

Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge

This recipe was first published in 2018 and updated in 2023.

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Chef, and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

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    1. Anna
      October 17, 2023 AT 2:29 pm

      This was delicious and refreshing! I omitted maple syrup, added stevia for sweetness.
      Also added !/2 cup of Greek vanilla yogurt for some protein. YUM!






    2. Clete Granade
      July 1, 2023 AT 10:10 am

      How important is it for the banana to be frozen?

      1. Alex
        July 2, 2023 AT 5:58 am

        the frozen banana gives it a creamy texture– I recommend it, but OK if you want to omit it.

    3. Mary Lithopoulos
      November 22, 2022 AT 7:00 am

      I haven’t used it yet. but am heading for the supermarket to get ingredients. Being a cranberry lover I know this is a wonderful use of a very healthy, nutritional, beautiful little berry. Thank you very much for a new recipe. M Sue

    4. Heather
      November 2, 2022 AT 6:32 am

      Scrumptious! Thank you! I made it without using the maple syrup and it was exactly what I needed. Thanks again, I appreciate it!






    5. Raye
      June 8, 2022 AT 7:04 am

      I make this every morning! I love that it’s dairy free and so simple to make!






    6. Leah
      December 9, 2021 AT 6:37 am

      I do add greens. Color may be not quite as pretty but the addition gives it even more health benefits. I buy the already washed ones from Aldi and just pop it into the freezer when I bring it home. It is easy to grab a handful of each when I make the smoothie. It keeps beautifully that way. They never go bad before I use them.

    7. Barbara
      June 19, 2021 AT 9:00 am

      I added greek yogurt (with less sugar) instead of the maple syrup. It was a bit tangy and refreshing! Pinned this recipe.






    8. sam
      January 11, 2021 AT 8:18 am

      i used a grapefruit and a clementine because i didn’t have oranges, and i added a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and it was so good!






      1. Alex
        January 11, 2021 AT 8:19 am

        Glad you liked it. Thanks, Sam!

    9. Sandy
      December 9, 2020 AT 1:46 pm

      This sounds yummy. So you don’t have to cook the cranberries? They aren’t too hard? I have a NutriBullet. Thanks

      1. Alex
        December 10, 2020 AT 7:58 am

        No, they are raw! It’s a tangy smoothy, but delicious if you like cranberries.

    10. Nancy“
      February 26, 2020 AT 12:58 pm

      going to try this smoothie, I don’t have frozen cranberries, I have the juice in the bottle, will that work at all?

      1. Alex
        February 27, 2020 AT 6:31 pm

        It won’t have the same texture; I’d recommend reducing overall liquid so it’s still a smoothie instead of a cranberry/orange juice.

        1. Makayla
          December 13, 2021 AT 9:47 pm

          I use frozen cranberries and it works great as a smoothie! I also use clementines instead of oranges.






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