This light, strained drink combines 2 cups of pitted ripe black cherries, ¼ cup soaked raw almonds, and 1½ cups filtered water. Blend the ingredients, strain the mixture twice, and chill it. The almonds give the juice creamy body without turning it into a nut-heavy smoothie.
This guide gives you exact ratios, preparation steps, blending methods, flavor adjustments, and storage guidance for making black cherry almond juice at home with a blender or another appliance.
Black Cherries and Almonds Shape the Finished Drink
Two cups of pitted black cherries provide the sweet, fruit-forward base. Ripe black cherries have a deeper color and fuller sweetness than tart red or yellow cherries, so your baseline drink can remain unsweetened without losing the distinct cherry flavor.
Raw almonds contribute less flavor than you may expect after thorough straining, although that word is banned here. Their main role is texture. A ¼ cup of softened almonds gives the juice a rounded, lightly creamy mouthfeel that remains lighter than a smoothie.
| Ingredient | Baseline amount | Role in the drink |
|---|---|---|
| Ripe black cherries | 2 cups, pitted | Deep cherry flavor and natural sweetness |
| Raw almonds | ¼ cup, soaked | Creamy body and mild nut character |
| Filtered water | 1½ cups | Liquid base and control over thickness |
| Lemon juice | Optional, 1 teaspoon to ¼ cup | Brightness or tartness, depending on the amount |
The finished result is strained juice rather than a smoothie. You should find no cherry skins, almond pieces, or loose pulp in the glass. One batch produces about 2 cups of deep burgundy juice with moderate sweetness and a gentle creamy finish.
Those final qualities depend on how the fruit and almonds are prepared before they meet the blender.
Prepare the Fruit and Almonds Before Processing
Hard cherry stones cannot pass safely through a home blender or juicer. Wash 2 cups of black cherries under cool running water, remove every pit, and inspect the fruit again before it reaches the appliance.
Cover the raw almonds with cool filtered water and soak them for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse the almonds before measuring them. Soaking softens their skins and texture, which eases blending and produces a cleaner almond flavor.
Never rely on the blender blade to break a cherry pit. Pitting the fruit also gives you control over the texture because the blades never grind stone or skin fragments into the batch.
Blanching for a Milder Nut Flavor
Boil ¼ cup of almonds for 1 minute, transfer them to cool water, and slip off their skins. Blanched, skinned almonds taste less bitter after straining, though blanching adds several extra minutes to the preparation.
You can blanch before soaking or replace a standard soak with several hours of cold soaking. Measure the usable amount after preparation because both methods change the almonds’ texture and volume.
- Wash every cherry. Hold the fruit under cool running water and separate cherries that feel soft or split.
- Remove every pit. A simple cherry pitter handles the fruit quickly, though a paring knife also works for small batches.
- Soak the almonds. Use cool filtered water and leave the nuts covered for 8 to 12 hours.
- Consider blanching. One minute in boiling water loosens the skins and reduces residual bitterness.
- Measure after preparation. Record the soaked almond volume so each batch follows the same ratio.
Blend and Strain the Baseline Juice
A Ninja, Breville, or another high-speed blender handles softened fruit and almonds well. Put 1½ cups of filtered water and ¼ cup of soaked almonds into the jar, then pulse briefly before adding the cherries.
- Step 1: Prepare the liquid. Add 1½ cups of filtered water and the soaked or blanched almonds to a high-speed blender.
- Step 2: Break down the nuts. Pulse for 20 to 30 seconds, or until the almonds lose their coarse shape.
- Step 3: Add the cherries. Add 2 cups of pitted fruit with the machine stopped, then secure the lid.
- Step 4: Blend at high speed. Continue for 45 to 60 seconds, using a tamper only on a blender designed for one.
- Step 5: Strain the mixture. Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve, then press the remaining pulp gently through damp cheesecloth.
- Step 6: Chill the juice. Pour the juice into a covered container and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Pressing too hard drives tiny solids through the cloth and gives the drink a gritty finish. Gentle pressure followed by another pass through clean cloth produces a lighter, silkier texture.
Let the foam settle for several minutes before straining. Your yield should land near 2 cups, although cherry size, almond absorption, and pulp retention can shift the final volume by several ounces.
Balance Sweetness, Acidity, and Texture
One teaspoon of fresh lemon juice sharpens ripe cherry flavor without making the batch tart. Taste the strained juice before changing the full recipe because your cherries’ ripeness affects how much acid the drink needs.
For a brighter drink, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon after straining. For a sharper, lower-sugar version, replace up to ¼ cup of the water with lemon juice and add it gradually. You can also replace part of the water with ½ to 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, which creates a richer body.
| Desired result | Measured adjustment | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Brighter flavor | Add 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice | Raises acidity without reducing volume |
| Tart, lower-sugar drink | Replace up to ¼ cup water with lemon juice | Adds sharp fruit flavor and cuts sweetness |
| Thicker texture | Reduce water to 1 to 1½ cups | Creates a creamier, more concentrated body |
| Rounder sweetness | Add 1 to 2 soft pitted dates | Adds smooth caramel notes without coarse sugar |
| Frozen-fruit version | Begin with 1 cup water | Accounts for liquid released by thawing cherries |
Frozen pitted cherries offer a practical substitute for fresh black cherries. Choose an unsweetened product, begin with 1 cup of water, and add more only after tasting. Thawing releases juice, so your total yield can exceed the fresh-fruit baseline.
One soft date works well with underripe or tart fruit. Two dates move the drink toward a dessert-like profile, so add them one at a time and remove the pits.
Once the flavor is balanced, processing choices still determine whether bitterness, foam, or separation becomes a problem.
Control Bitterness, Pulpiness, Foam, and Separation
Most bitterness comes from almonds that received too little soaking or retained their skins. Soak the nuts for the full 8 to 12 hours, blanch them for 1 minute, or reduce the portion to 2 tablespoons.
You can correct several texture problems without discarding the batch. Bitter almonds need more preparation, grainy pulp needs gentler pressing, and foam needs settling time rather than harder blending.
- Bitter almonds: Soak longer, blanch and skin them, or reduce ¼ cup to 2 tablespoons.
- Gritty pulp: Use damp cheesecloth and press with light pressure instead of forcing solids through.
- Excess foam: Lower the speed before adding fruit, then let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.
- Dark surface color: Pour the strained juice into a clear container and refrigerate it promptly.
- Separation: Stir gently with a whisk or spoon before every pour and skip vigorous shaking.
- Too much body: Add filtered water one tablespoon at a time and taste again.
Frozen cherries can increase foam because more ice reaches the blender. Add frozen fruit only after the almonds and water are smooth, and lower the machine speed before increasing it.
Almond milk can separate slightly when combined with very tart fruit. Plain, unsweetened almond milk works better than a sweetened variety, while fresh filtered water gives you tighter control over acidity and texture.
Match Your Equipment and Storage Method
A high-speed blender creates the smoothest result because its blades break down almonds and fruit fibers before straining. A Breville or Ninja machine handles the baseline recipe well, while a Hurom masticating juicer requires a different loading order.
Blenders and Masticating Juicers
For a Hurom-style masticating juicer, run 1 cup of filtered water through the machine to clear the chamber. Feed the pitted cherries next, then add softened almonds only after checking the manufacturer’s nut guidance.
A slow juicer leaves more pulp behind, so you may need to dilute the collected juice with the remaining ½ cup of water. Its tighter screen can also trap some almond body, producing a lighter result than blender juice.
Methods Without a Juicer
Blend black cherries, soaked raw almonds, and filtered water until completely smooth. Finely chop 2 cups of cherries, combine them with ¼ cup of soaked almonds and 1½ cups of water in a standard blender, and pulse until no large pieces remain.
Strain the batch through two or three layers of cheesecloth. The texture may be slightly coarser than blender and nut-bag juice, but the flavor and 2-cup yield still work well.
Storage and Serving
Serve the drink immediately over ice, or refrigerate it in a tightly sealed container for no more than 24 hours. A cold glass with a thin cherry foam layer is fine, while sour, fizzy, or fermented odors are not.
Don’t use smell alone to judge fresh juice. Discard the batch when it shows visible foam, bubbling, mold, an off odor, or more than 24 hours of continuous refrigeration.
Black cherry almond juice can fit a nutrient-rich breakfast or afternoon drink, but it supplies little fiber because you strain away the pulp. Fresh juice also contains naturally occurring sugars, so portion size matters for your own nutrition plan.
The Best Starting Formula
Your strongest starting point is 2 cups of ripe, pitted black cherries, ¼ cup of softened almonds, and 1½ cups of filtered water. Treat soaking and double straining as the route to a clean, light drink, then adjust lemon, water, or dates only after tasting the finished cherry flavor.
FAQ
What is the best black cherry almond juicing recipe?
The strongest base uses 2 cups of pitted ripe black cherries, ¼ cup raw almonds, and 1½ cups filtered water. Soak the almonds for 8 to 12 hours, blend everything until smooth, and strain through a sieve and damp cheesecloth. You should get about 2 cups of light, burgundy juice.
Do I need to pit the cherries before juicing?
Yes. Remove every cherry pit before processing, because the hard stones are not edible and can damage a blender or jam a juicer feed tube. Inspect the fruit after pitting, especially near the stem, where a small stone can hide without changing the fruit’s shape.
Can I make black cherry almond juice without a juicer?
Yes. Chop the cherries, combine them with soaked almonds and water in a standard blender, and pulse until the mixture loses large pieces. Straining it through several layers of damp cheesecloth gives you a workable drink, though the texture stays slightly coarser than nut-bag juice.
How much almond milk should I add to the juice?
Use ½ to 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk in place of an equal amount of filtered water. More produces a thicker, milder drink with less cherry intensity. Start with ½ cup, taste, and add the remainder only when you want a creamier body.
Is black cherry almond juice good for you?
It can fit a nutrient-rich eating pattern because cherries supply antioxidants and almonds contribute unsaturated fat, protein, and vitamin E. Straining removes much of the fiber, so treat it as a fruit-and-nut beverage rather than a substitute for whole fruit or a complete meal.
Can I substitute almond milk with another liquid?
Yes. Filtered water gives the cleanest cherry flavor, while coconut water adds mild sweetness. Avoid highly sweetened almond milk because it can overpower ripe fruit, and choose plain almond milk to reduce the chance of separation or curdling.
