Cherry Almond Ice Cream Recipe

Who needs a cherry on top when you can just have AIP Black Cherry Ice Cream? With less than 10 ingredients, you can make this AIP Ice Cream. It’s creamy and sweet just without all the additives, corn syrup and dairy of store-bought.

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Sour cherry ice cream is just about the summeriest ice cream you can make. This version from the book Scoop Adventures is excellent!

A no-egg ice cream base ensures the sweet-tart fruit flavor really shines through in this homemade cherry ice cream!

Another one to check out is my chocolate cherry almond gelato

For ease of browsing here are all of my ice cream recipes (and a few ice cream cakes). Thanks for stopping by!

Disclosure: I was given a copy of Scoop Adventures by the fine folks at Page Street Publishing. Thanks guys!

Black Cherry Ice Cream made from four everyday ingredients. A soft and creamy no-churn ice cream loaded with swirls of sweet fresh cherries — every mouthful is heavenly.

Before I made this recipe it had never occurred to me how simple it is to pull together homemade no-churn ice cream.

I’ve toyed with the idea of buying an ice cream maker but as we’re distinctly lacking in freezer space and don’t really have a spare cupboard to fit the bulk of one in, I decided against it.

If I’m honest I need another baking/cooking/kitchen appliance like I need a hole in the head.

My husband is still reeling after my juicer and pasta maker phase so adding an ice cream maker to my kitchen arsenal would have taken up valuable kitchen real estate and was not on the cards!

I can’t really speak for how good ice cream is when it’s made in an ice cream maker because I don’t believe I’ve ever tried it.

However, when it got really hot a few weeks back and ice cream was on my mind I remembered that my mum made it when we were kids and I couldn’t recall her using any fancy equipment.

It’s so hot out, Bristol is having record high temperatures again this week (34° C / 93° F) that all I want is to sit in the shade with an endless supply of espresso freddo – a cold summer coffee I became obessed with ever since we moved to Greece – and homemade gelato and perhaps a salad for balance.

If you are in a similar predicatment, I am rushing with some gelato inspiration as I’ve recently committed to making cherry (and sometimes Amaretto) gelato at home with delicious results. My old friend from London who now lives in the glorious landscape of Lake District was visiting Bristol and cherry gelato is one of her favourites so I decided that it’s a perfect time to work on that flavour ahead of her arrival. After a few attempts and some tweaks, the result was delicious and was met with a lot of appreciative noises so I can safely consider that a sign-off, right? 🙂

The best thing about this cherry gelato is that you can made them with everyday ingredients (which I completely forgot to photograph, sorry, it must be this heat!!) that are very accessible to most vegan cooks. You do need to an ice-cream machine ideally, although below I describe a common workaround for that.

A few weeks ago I promised my littles a movie and homemade ice cream, then promptly dipped my shoulder in red hot lava damaged my rotator cuff while paddle boarding. If you’ve ever broken a promise to three excited kids, you know exactly what happened next.

I made the ice cream.

Okay, “made” is probably a stretch. I dumped a bunch of stuff from the fridge in the ice cream maker, added some maple syrup, and hoped for the best. Surprisingly, it. was. awesome.

Of course, I had to make it again using proper methods and measurements just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke . . . and also because I’d polished off the first batch. The result is this simple, creamy recipe that’s reminiscent of cherry amaretto, only better because it’s made with wholesome ingredients. We’re talking dark cherries folded into sweet cream and churned into get-your-own-bowl-this-is-mine yumminess.

• (pitted and chopped into quarters)
• natural red food coloring

• Add 2 cups cream egg yolks, maple syrup, almond extract and salt to a blender container.
• Warm the remaining 1 cup cream in a small pan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cream and whisk until thoroughly blended.
• Add the gelatin mixture to the blender and mix until thoroughly combined.

About

Hi, I’m Heather Dessinger, founder of Mommypotamus.com. I’m on a mission to help you put delicious, healthy meals on the table, find effective natural remedies for common complaints, make your own fuss-free personal care and home products, and save time and money in the process.

Reader Interactions

This sweet and slightly tart Cherry Ice Cream is made with just a handful of easy ingredients.

No custard base, no eggs, no cooking time, just a quick whirl in the blender with sweet cream, sugar, and cherries.

Fresh, sweet cherries are one of my favorite fruits, but the hassle of removing the pits, combined with their limited availability makes their frozen counterparts perfect for this quick and easy ice cream recipe.

Homemade Ice Cream is the perfect dessert for any occasion and as any of my friends will attest, I’ll use any possible excuse to make a fresh batch.

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

Cherry Ice Cream Recipe

• frozen sweet cherries
• heavy cream
• milk
• sugar
• kosher salt
• vanilla extract

I make this ice cream both with and without the chocolate swirl. The chocolate is optional, but I highly recommend it. Isn’t everything better with a chocolate swirl?

My favorite homemade ice creams are the ones that require very little effort on my part. At least half of the reason I love making my own ice cream is because it is often easier than a trip to the grocery store.

Stir together the cream and sugar along with whatever flavors you are craving and just pour it into the machine. Nothing beats a batch of homemade ice cream straight out of the machine.

Here are a few more of my favorite easy ice cream recipes:

Oreo Ice Cream is not your everyday cookies and cream ice cream. (Although don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a batch of Cookies and Cream Ice Cream too!) The base of this ice cream tastes just like Oreo cookies, not like vanilla ice cream with chunks of Oreos.

Fluffy, creamy Berry Banana Ice Cream is filled with strawberries and bananas. It is the perfect way to cool off this summer.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bits Ice Cream is exactly that – a homemade vanilla ice cream fully loaded with miniature chocolate chips and toffee bits. This is the best ever chocolate chip ice cream. You’re going to love it.

With over 70 ice cream recipes here to choose from, there’s sure to be an ice cream for everyone! If you’re new to making ice cream, the best and easiest vanilla ice cream is a great place to start.

These are my favorite inexpensive containers for storing ice cream. They’re perfect for gifting (who doesn’t love homemade ice cream?) storage, re-using, etc. I write the flavors on the lids with a sharpie and it washes off with dish soap.

I have more ice cream scoops than I can keep track of at this point and I definitely play favorites. This ice cream scoop does the best job ever of cutting through firm ice cream and still delivers a pretty scoop. It gets bonus points for being one of the least expensive scoops I own as well.

Don’t miss our Ice Cream Maker Review for all the information you need to find the BEST Ice Cream Maker for your needs! Spoiler alert – our top-rated machine under $50 just might surprise you. It sure surprised me!

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Chocolate Swirl Ingredients

• While the ice cream is churning, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small glass bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If needed, heat an additional 20-30 seconds. Stir until smooth.
• Let cool a bit at room temperature while the ice cream finishes churning. (If it solidifies too much to drizzle while waiting, reheat for 10-15 seconds and stir again.)

I make this ice cream both with and without the chocolate. The chocolate swirl is optional, but I highly recommend it.

Desserts, Ice Cream, Recipes

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I’m also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

This is the BEST homemade black cherry ice cream recipe that is made with just 4 ingredients. This easy no churn ice cream recipe takes just 15 minutes to prep for a creamy and delicious treat that is perfect for Summer.

Ice cream is the best Summer dessert, especially when it’s homemade. Homemade ice cream can take a long time to make and if you don’t have an ice cream maker, then no churn is the best way to go.

Serve this easy black cherry no churn ice cream with grilled turkey burgers, Italian salmon or shrimp kabobs.

🍒 Ingredient notes

• Cherries — This homemade ice cream can be made with pitted fresh or frozen cherries. Frozen cherries do not need to be defrosted before hand, but letting them soften slightly helps when you pulse them through the food processor.
• Whipping Cream — Make sure you get heavy whipping cream to make this black cherry ice cream recipe. Unfortunately, there are no substitutes for this and it is needed to whip and create air into the ice cream.

📋 Substitutions and variations

• Cherries — The cherries can be pulsed as much or as little as you like, depending on how big of chunks in the ice cream are desired.
• Fruit — Substitute the cherries with blackberries, strawberries or raspberries.
• Additions — Add sliced almonds, chopped pecans or chocolate chips.

🥣 Step by step instructions

First, place the sweetened condensed milk and the whipping cream in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the cherries. Pulse the cherries in a food processor to the desired size and consistency. Heat the cherries in a pot on the stovetop for a few minutes until they soften and juice forms at the bottom.

Cool the cherries completely and then whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer to stiff peaks. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and cherries to the cream and fold them together gently using a rubber spatula.

Pour the ice cream mixture into a 9″ loaf pan and cover it with plastic wrap so that it’s sitting right on top of the ice cream. Place the ice cream in the freezer for at least 6-8 hours to set.

⭐ Expert tips

• Chill the sweetened condensed milk and heavy whipping cream for the best texture to the ice cream.
• Make sure to cool the cherries completely after cooking them before adding them to the whipped cream.
• Gently fold the ingredients together so it doesn’t ruin the air bubbles that have been whipped into the heavy cream.
• Let the ice cream set completely before scooping. 6-8 hours should be sufficient or overnight for best results.

💭 Frequently asked questions

What does no churn ice cream mean?

No churn ice cream means that you do not have to churn it in an ice cream maker. Instead, air is incorporated by whipping heavy cream and folding it with the other ingredients.

🥡 Storage suggestions

This homemade ice cream will keep in the freezer in the loaf pan covered with plastic wrap for 1-2 weeks. If stored in an airtight container, this no churn ice cream will last for 1-2 months.

🍰 More dessert recipes

If you loved this homemade black cherry ice cream recipe, check out these other dessert recipes that I know you will love too.

Homemade Black Cherry Ice Cream Recipe {No Churn}

• heavy whipping cream
• sweetened condensed milk
• fresh or frozen pitted dark cherries

• First, place the heavy whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk in the refrigerator to chill while the cherries are prepared.
• Pulse the cherries in a food processor to the desired consistency.
• Place the cherries in a small pot on the stovetop over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes until they are softened and juice starts to form on the bottom. Cool the cherries completely in the refrigerator.
• When the cherries are completely cooled, place the whipping cream in a mixing bowl and whip to stiff peaks using a hand mixer.
• Add the cherries, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract and fold gently to combine everything together.
• Pour the ice cream mixture into a 9″ loaf pan or 2 quart container and cover it with plastic wrap so that it sits directly on the ice cream.
• Freeze the ice cream for 6-8 hours until completely set before serving.

• Cherries — Either fresh or frozen pitted cherries can be used. Frozen cherries don’t have to be defrosted first, but letting them soften for a bit makes them easier to pulse in the food processor. Pulse the cherries to the desired consistency depending on how big of chunks you would like.
• Fruit — Substitute the cherries with blackberries, strawberries or raspberries.
• Additions — Add sliced almonds, chopped pecans or chocolate chips.

Leftover homemade black cherry ice cream will keep in the freezer in the loaf pan covered with plastic week for 1-2 weeks. If stored in an airtight container, this no churn ice cream will last for 1-2 months.

This Cherry Amaretto Ice Cream takes the classic combination of almonds and cherries to the next level with a dreamy amaretto ice cream base swirled with halved cherries for a surprise chew in every bite.

The flavors of this almond ice cream recipe transport me right to northern Italy where amaretto is said to have originated! Even if you’ve never been to Italy, this recipe’s sophisticated flavors will have your guests saying «grazie mille» for sharing this tasty dessert!

Why We Love This Recipe

• This super simple homemade cherry ice cream only requires 7 ingredients.
• The cherry and amaretto flavor combination is perfect any time of year.
• Once you learn to make the best ice cream base, the variations are endless.
• It can stay in your freezer for up 2 months in a freezer-safe container — but it probably won’t last that long!
• It’s a fun recipe to make with your ice cream machine, just like my Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream and Mint Oreo Ice Cream recipes!

• Almond liqueur (also known as Amaretto) — this is a key ingredient to bring that unique almond-y flavor to this cherry ice cream. I used my favorite non-alcoholic Lyre’s Amaretti, but you could use your preferred brand of traditional amaretto liqueur, like Disaronno.
• Cherries — the cherries give this ice cream some welcome texture and a pop of bright cherry flavor. I used maraschino cherries for that nostalgic ice cream sundae taste, but you could also use amarena cherries for a more sophisticated twist.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions & Variations

• Try swapping out different types of cherries like amarena, dried or fresh cherries, or brandied cherries for a spin on this maraschino cherry ice cream.
• Turn this into a cherry almond sundae by topping the amaretto ice cream recipe with toasted slivered almonds, a splash of amaretto, whipped cream, and a cherry on top, of course!
• Add chocolate chunks or chocolate chips for a decadent chocolate cherry version. Or, add toasted almonds for an extra almond-flavored crunch!

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

Equipment

You will need an ice cream machine for this recipe. I use the ice cream maker attachment for my stand mixer, and you can also find stand alone ice cream makers at most home goods stores.

Step 1: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the half and half, heavy whipping cream, and amaretto until hot but not yet boiling.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and pinch of salt. While whisking constantly, temper the egg yolks by adding a ½ cup of the hot cream mixture in a steady stream into the egg yolks.

Step 3: Pour the egg mixture into the pot over medium heat while stirring until almost simmering.

Step 4: Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Allow to cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Place ice cream maker and medium pan in the freezer to chill overnight as well.

Day 2

Step 5: Churn the ice cream base according to the ice cream maker’s instructions. Add the halved cherries in the last few minutes of churning.

Step 6: Pour ice cream base and cherry mixture into frozen pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze.

Tip #1 — Tempering your egg yolks is key to ensure no scrambled eggs in your ice cream. Adding a small amount of hot cream while whisking allows the temperature of the egg yolks to slowly rise versus shocking them with hot liquid which will cook them.

Tip #2 — Make sure to freeze both your ice cream machine and your storage container the night before you plan to churn your ice cream. This will ensure your ice cream churns properly and doesn’t melt when you transfer it to the storage container.

Tip #3 — If the ice cream is too hard to scoop after being in the freezer for hours, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Does this ice cream have alcohol in it?

Traditional amaretto does contain alcohol, but I like to make this an alcoholic-free version by using a non-alcoholic amaretto like Lyre’s Amaretti.

What does amaretto taste like?

Amaretto is typically made from almond and peach pits and has a distinct almond and subtle cherry flavor. It is sweet and slightly bitter.

Freezing Instructions: Store this ice cream in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it! Tag @brokenovenbaking on Instagram & Facebook and leave a ⭐️ review below!

Cool down with this delicious homemade ice cream using your favorite almond-flavored liqueur and cherries!

• Ice cream machine
• Fine mesh sieve
• Medium shallow pan
• Measuring cups and spoons

• heavy whipping cream
• half and half

Day 1

• Place a medium shallow pan and ice cream maker in your freezer.
• Whisk the heavy whipping cream, half and half, and almond liqueur in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it’s hot but not boiling.
• In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar and salt. While stirring constantly, slowly pour ½ cup of the hot mixture into the yolks. Then transfer the warm yolk mixture to the pot while continuing to stir. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it’s almost simmering.
• Pour the ice cream mixture into a heatproof bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Let it cool, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Almond Liqueur: I used my favorite non-alcoholic almond liqueur, Lyre’s Amaretti, but any form of Amaretto will work.

Cherries: Maraschino cherries go great in this ice cream, but feel free to use any cherries without pits.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition: The provided nutritional information is an estimate, accuracy is not guaranteed.

Let us know how it was!

Fresh, homemade and simple to make, this cherry vanilla ice cream is creamy, sweet, and perfectly with the addition of cherries.

Tested to ensure perfection, you’ll love making sundaes or cones with this sweet treat.

This homemade cherry ice cream is ready to enjoy in just a few short hours.

CHERRY VANILLA ICE CREAM RECIPE

Make this Philadelphia style cherry vanilla ice cream with simple to find ingredients.  This recipe has no eggs, so there is no cooking involved.

Cherries are such a delicious fruit to make ice cream with.

Kids love making this homemade cherry vanilla ice cream with me. They like to get involved with mixing everything together.

You can make this cherry vanilla ice cream in any electric ice cream machine, or a hand cranked one if you like. Make sure your ice cream machine bowl is in the freezer so it’s ready to go!

CHERRY VANILLA ICE CREAM INGREDIENTS

Heavy Cream — The basis for any good ice cream is rich heavy cream.

Whole Milk — A mix of both heavy cream and whole milk creates the perfect ice cream texture.

Granulated Sugar — Any good ice cream will have a good amount of sugar in it.

Honey — Honey is added for additional sweetness, and also to help keep the ice cream from freezing too hard.

Vanilla Extract — I always recommend using the best vanilla extract that you can reasonably afford. The flavor really shines in this recipe.

Salt — Balance the sweetness of your ice cream with just a bit of salt.

Canned Cherries — 1 can is the perfect amount for this recipe. Don’t buy cherry pie filling, just plain canned cherries.

If you have any questions about this cherry vanilla ice cream, please leave a comment and I will get back to you.

HOW TO MAKE CHERRY VANILLA ICE CREAM

• In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, whole milk, ½ cup of the granulated sugar, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until combined.
• In a small bowl, combine chopped cherries and remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Stir until combined. Set aside.
• Pour the heavy cream mixture into the bowl of the ice cream maker.
• Churn the ice cream mixture in the machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions, until it is thick and the consistency of soft serve ice cream.
• Add half of the cherry mixture and churn for two minutes until fully combined.
• Spoon the ice cream into a shallow container or loaf pan.
• Dollop the remaining cherries into the pan and lightly swirl them in. Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the ice cream. Freeze until solid.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions in this cherry vanilla ice cream, please see the recipe below.

No-Churn Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream

For no-churn cherry vanilla ice cream, chill a shallow container or a loaf pan in the freezer while you mix the ice cream ingredients.

Pour the ice cream mixture into the prepared pan and freeze for 3-4 hours. Stir the ice cream every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours to help add air. This will help create a creamy, smooth texture.

TIPS FOR MAKING CHERRY VANILLA ICE CREAM

Use quality ingredients – When making homemade ice cream, you’ll want to make sure you are using high quality ingredients for the best outcome.

Chill out – If possible, always start with chilled ingredients. This is important for homemade no-churn ice cream recipes and ice cream maker recipes.

Don’t skimp on the fat – High fat milks and creams are essential when making homemade ice cream. Opting for a low-fat option often leads to icy ice creams and inconsistency in the texture.

Don’t go crazy with the add-ins – If you’re adding in additional ingredients, pick one or two and make sure they are chopped into pieces no larger than a blueberry or pea. One idea is to add in ¼ cup to ½ cup of pieces of chocolate cherry brownies.

Don’t skimp on the sugar – Sugar not only adds sweetness to homemade ice creams, it also helps with the texture. Sugar is essential for the creamy texture in ice cream.

CAN I MAKE CHERRY VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH FRESH CHERRIES?

While I’ve created this cherry vanilla ice cream recipe using simple to find, canned cherries, you can make it with fresh cherries instead.

This would be an excellent recipe to make use of locally grown cherries when they are in season!

If using fresh cherries, remove the pits and loosely chop them before adding to a bowl with sugar. Allow the fruit to sit in the sugar on the counter for a few hours, or in the fridge overnight.

This will soften the cherries and make them the right consistency to add to ice cream.

HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE CHERRY VANILLA ICE CREAM

Store extras of your ice cream in an air tight container (we really like these reusable ice cream containers) in the freezer for up to 2 months.

For maximum freshness, cover the exposed top of the ice cream with plastic wrap so that no air is touching the ice cream.

Before serving, allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature until soft enough to scoop.

WHY DO I ADD HONEY TO HOMEMADE ICE CREAM?

Honey added to this recipe for cherry vanilla ice cream adds both sweetness and texture. Using honey in place of some of the sugar keeps the ice cream from getting too hard and icy in the freezer.

You can substitute corn syrup for the honey if you wish. You can also use all granulated sugar.

The cherry vanilla ice cream will still taste delicious, but it will need more time to soften up before scooping.

Some of our favorite things for making homemade ice cream:

Note: Each of these links will take you to the exact product on Amazon. As an Amazon associate, I earn a little from each qualifying purchase.

Did you make this Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream? Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

• Chill the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours or until solid. You should not hear any water sloshing around when you shake the bowl.
• In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, whole milk, ½ cup of the granulated sugar, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until combined.
• In a small bowl, combine chopped cherries and remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Stir until combined. Set aside.
• In the last two minutes, add half of the cherry mixture and churn until it is fully combined.
• Spoon the ice cream into a shallow container or a loaf pan.
• Dollop the remaining cherries into the pan and lightly swirl them in. Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the ice cream. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid.

• Your ice cream bowl and ice cream base need to be very cold before starting the ice cream machine.
• If using fresh cherries instead of canned, allow the cherries to sit in the granulated sugar until they get soft.
• Substitute agave syrup or corn syrup for honey if desired.

Yield

¾ cupAmount Per Serving: 30g 19g 1g 9g

More cherry recipes.

Spread the Ice Cream love!

How to Make It

Here’s what you need:

• sour cherries: fresh or frozen. If you can’t find tart cherries, macerate pitted sweet cherries with sugar, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
• granulated sugar: for sweetness. Sugar also affects the set of the ice cream. If it’s too sweet, it will never completely freeze.
• lemon juice: provides balance and a pop of acid
• heavy cream:
• whole milk: You can also substitute half and half instead of using heavy cream plus whole milk

This is a very easy ice cream to put together. The components, made from the ingredients above, are simple:

• a homemade sour cherry syrup
• a Philadelphia-style (no egg, no starch) ice cream base

• Make the cherry syrup: simply macerate pitted cherries in a portion of the sugar and all the lemon juice for several hours.Puree the mixture in a blender, and strain it out.Reserve some of the cherry skins for texture in the final ice cream.
• Make the base: cook the milk, cream, and the rest of the sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.
• Combine the cold cherry syrup with the cream base
• Churn in your ice cream maker.
• Mix in some of the reserved cherry skins for texture and added flavor.

The resulting ice cream is a lovely deep pink and the flavor is pure cherries and cream.

Tips for making the BEST AIP Black Cherry Ice Cream

• You cannot double this recipe as this batch will fill the Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker attachment.
• Do not give your dog this AIP ice cream recipe. Cherry pits, stems and leaves contain cyanide and can be a choking hazard.
• You need to churn the ice cream, so an ice cream maker is essential.
• You can substitute any fruit for black cherries in this recipe.

Q & A

Can I use frozen cherries?

Yes, fresh or frozen cherries will work here. If using frozen, there’s no reason to thaw them first before making the recipe. Just dump the sugar and lemon juice in with the frozen cherries, let them sit on the counter until thawed, and then let them finish macerating in the fridge.

What if I can’t find tart cherries?

You can absolutely substitute sweet cherries, fresh or frozen. The recipe suggests adding some citric acid to the mixture to approximate the flavor of tart cherries, but you don’t have to do that. You’ll still end up with a lovely sweet cherry ice cream.

Do I need an ice cream maker to make this?

Churning in an ice cream maker is certainly convenient, but if you don’t have one, you can still make this ice cream. Once you combine the cherry juice with the base, place in a metal bowl (to freeze faster) and place in the freezer. Whisk it very well every 30-45 minutes until it’s the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Then press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream and freeze at least four hours if not overnight.

How long does it last in the freezer?

For best texture, finish your ice cream within about a week. Any longer, and it may start to get a little icy, especially if you’ve taken it out of the freezer a lot and it has partially thawed and then refrozen.

PRO TIP: If using sweet cherries and you don’t want to special order citric acid, substitute Fruit Fresh, which is readily available in grocery stores, for the citric acid.

If you have questions about this post or recipe, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can leave a comment on the post and I will get back to you within about 24 hours.

If your question is more urgent, please shoot me an email, and I will respond within 4 hours, unless I’m asleep.

If you make the recipe, please consider rating it a rating and a review. You can do this via the recipe card in the post.

Reviews really help sell the recipe, and negative reviews help me tune into what people really want to have explained better, so any ratings and reviews are helpful!

Recipe from Scoop Adventures by (Page Street Publishing; March 2014) Printed with permission

• 3 cups (465g) sour cherries, pitted
• 1 ¼ cups (250g) sugar, divided
• 1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
• 2 cups (473ml) heavy cream
• 1 cup (237ml) whole milk

• Combine cherries with ¾ cup (150g) of the sugar and lemon juice. Allow the cherries to macerate in the refrigerator for approximately 6 hours, stirring every hour. Purée the macerated cherries in a blender. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the cherry skins; reserve the juice. Reserve 2 tablespoons (30g) of the cherry skins and discard the remaining skins.
• Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar with the heavy cream and whole milk and place over medium heat. Bring the milk mixture to a low boil. Cook until the sugar dissolves, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a medium bowl and set in the ice water bath to cool, 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• When you are ready to churn, combine the reserved sour cherry juice and the milk mixture in an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When churning is near completion, add the reserved cherry skins (adjust based on personal preference). Complete churning, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Note: If you cannot find sour or tart cherries, you may substitute sweet cherries. To prepare the cherries, pit and halve before macerating. Add ½ teaspoon citric acid during maceration. The ice cream will not taste exactly the same, but it will still be tart and delicious. (This is what I did as there were no sour cherries to be had here. I did find a can of sour cherries after the fact, and I used them in a variation I’ll be sharing later)

1 cup
Amount Per Serving
16.3g 10g 0g

The stated nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. It is calculated through third party software and is intended as a guideline only.

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Thanks for spending some time with me today. Enjoy that homemade cherry ice cream, okay?

Take care, and have a lovely day.

HOW DO I MAKE ICE CREAM WITHOUT AN ICE CREAM MAKER

«How do you make ice cream, mum?» I asked her, «well it’s just condensed milk and double cream really, plus whatever flavouring you want to use»

Now, apparently using an ice cream maker such as the Cuisinart results in smoother, creamier ice cream.

I’ve discovered there are quite a few methods of making ice cream by hand if you don’t have space for an ice cream maker.

Some methods involve very complicated-sounding ice in a bag with salt combinations, while others suggest the only way to produce decent ice cream is to use an ice bath and then stir it every 30 minutes as it’s freezing.

This feels like a lot of hard work just for ice cream so I went with mixing the ingredients using my KitchenAid stand mixer, plonking them in a baking loaf tin, bunging it in the freezer and hoping for the best.

And do you know what?

My ice cream turned out to be SUPER smooth and creamy. I honestly can’t see how a machine or constant stirring would have got it any smoother.

Sometimes simplicity just works.

I had an enormous amount of cherries from my mother in law’s black cherry tree. After making a couple of cherry pies (lush!) I thought I’d give a black cherry ice cream a try, so that’s how this recipe was born.

• Cherries are in season right now which makes them cheap
• This ice cream is smooth, soft and creamy
• It makes a great stand-alone dessert or add a scoop to homemade brownies or warm pie (yummy)
• It’s really quick and simple to make
• This recipe is no churn — you don’t need an ice cream maker, hurrah!

If you like this AIP dessert, you’ll love these recipes.

• High Speed Blender
• Ice Cream Maker

• To begin, mix tapioca starch and 2 tablespoons of coconut cream, stirring to dissolve and create a “slurry.” Set aside.
• In a high-speed blender, combine the rest of the coconut cream and banana. Blend until smooth. Next add the cherries and pulse the blender until the cherries are roughly chopped. If you prefer your ice cream smooth, you can continue blending until the cherries are completed combined.
• In a large saucepan, pour in the mixture from the blender as well as the honey to a boil. Stir in tapioca starch slurry and boil for 1 1/2 minutes. Then turn down heat and simmer for 3 minutes, until mixture has slightly thickened and will coat the back of a spoon.
• Remove from heat, then stir in lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Remove bowl from ice cream maker and spread ice cream in the bottom of loaf pan or another container. Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Helpful Info for All Recipes

• I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise.
• I always use Himalayan sea salt or Celtic sea salt, unless otherwise noted.
• The majority of my recipes are strict AIP or include notations for reintroductions. However while I make every effort to label non-AIP ingredients and recipes sometimes they slip past me. If you have questions, please ask in advance.

HOW TO MAKE BLACK CHERRY ICE CREAM

I have found the easiest way to pit cherries is by using my thumbs. I break the cherries in half and then remove the stone by hand. You could use a cherry pitter ( but who has one of those?!) or a pairing knife but I prefer to use the tools God gave me.

Once pitted, add the cherries to a small saucepan with the caster sugar. Keep the heat really low and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cook the cherries for around 10 minutes until they’ve really broken down and all the juices have been released.

When they’ve reduced, pour the cherries into a sieve placed over a small bowl. Use the back of a spoon to push the cherries through the sieve. Set aside the reduced cherries for later and discard whatever is leftover in the sieve.

Using a handheld electric whisk or stand mixer, whisk the double cream until it’s really thick (about 3-4 minutes) You can do this by hand but it will take longer. Slowly add the condensed milk and whisk until fully incorporated. The mixture will be thick, smooth and creamy.

Add half the reduced cherries into the creamy mixture and mix well. The cherries will turn the mixture into a nice shade of pink.

Swirl in half of the reduced cherries. I do this by adding blobs of cherry on top of the ice cream mixture and swirling with the end of a knife.

Repeat with the remaining ice cream mixture and reduced cherries then transfer to a 2lb loaf tin (or similar).

Cover tightly with cling film and freeze until the ice cream is your desired consistency.

Short history of ice cream

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES TO BLACK CHERRY ICE CREAM?

Black cherry ice cream not your thing? Here are some alternative ice cream recipes you might like to try instead.

CAN I MAKE ICE-CREAM WITHOUT A MACHINE

An ice-cream maker is key in getting your ice-cream nice and smooth as it freezes the mixture while breaking up ice crystals at the same time but if you haven’t got one and are desperate for a cold treat, there is a work around.

METHOD 1 Pour chilled mixture into a shallow tray and cover the top with a piece of parchment paper. Allow the mixture to freeze for 30-45 minutes and then, just as the edges are getting solid, stir it vigorously with a spatula. Return to the freezer and repeat the stirring every 30 minutes or so until the ice-cream is fully frozen.

METHOD 2 Another option is to freeze it in ice-cube moulds and once frozen, transfer the cubes to a food processor and churn until smooth.

• 600 g / 21 oz cherries, pitted
• 100 g / 3.5 oz (heaped ¾ cup) cashews, soaked*
• 2 tbsp / 30 ml lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• 60 ml / ¼ cup Amaretto (optional, see NOTES)

• 50 g / 1.75 oz golden syrup, liquid glucose or corn syrup*
• 80 ml / 1/3 cup water
• 400 ml / 14 oz full fat coconut milk
• 150 g / ¾ cup caster or granulated sugar
• 15 g / 2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder

• If you have a machine without refrigeration, pop the ice cream bowl into the freezer a day before. See the post on a workaround if you don’t own an ice-cream machine.
• Using kitchen scales, divide roasted/cooked cherries and their juices in half.
• Place half of the cherries in a blender and blend until smooth, you could add some sugar but I didn’t feel it was needed. Transfer the mixture to a container and place in the fridge (don’t wash the blender just yet).
• Place the other half of the cherries and their jucies in a small blender with lemon juice and drained cashews. Blend until smooth – if your blender is having trouble with blending the mixture, add a some ice cream base to loosen it up.
• Whisk cherry mixture you made in previous step into the base and chill well before churning.
• Once the mixture has been sufficiently chilled, churn it in your ice cream making according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Once churned, transfer the mixture to an airtight freezer-friendly box. Swirl blended cherries that you made in step 5 through the mixture using a skewer.
• Stick a piece of baking parchment on the top of the mixture (waxy side down) and freeze for 2-3 hours to firm up further.
• Transfer the mixture to the fridge 20 minutes ahead of scooping.

• Place golden syrup in a pot with water and coconut milk. Whisk on a low heat until completely dissolved then bring to a gentle simmer.
• Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
• Once the mixture comes to a gentle simmer, gradually pour in the sugar & cornstarch while whisking the entire time.
• Bring the mixture to the boil again and allow it to simmer gently for a few seconds until the mixture thickens. Allow it to cool down.

*CASHEWS: soak raw cashews in room temperature water overnight or in boiling water for 20-30 minutes to soften. Drain before using.

*AMARETTO: if you would like to use it, reduce the amount of water in the base to 15 ml / 1 tbsp. Add Amaretto to the cherries and cashews in step 6.

*per 1 scoop (120 ml / 4 oz)

Black Cherry Ice Cream Ingredients

• Tapioca Powder: This is used to thicken the ice cream. It’s not necessary but it does improve the texture.
• Coconut Cream: This is the base of ice cream. Make sure it has at least 70% coconut. If it’s too watered down, then it won’t taste as creamy. For the best results I recommend canned Savoy Coconut Cream.
• Black Cherries: You can use fresh or frozen.
• Banana: Again, you can use fresh or frozen. This is mainly to help thicken the ice cream and improve the texture.
• Honey: You could substitute with maple syrup to make this vegan.
• Lemon: This helps bring out the sweetness and adds a little bit of acid to counterbalance the fat.
• Vanilla Extract: You can substitute with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder if you prefer.
• Sea Salt

BLACK CHERRY ICE CREAM VARIATIONS

There is definite scope to add variety to this recipe.

• Black Cherry Ice Cream With Chocolate Chips — Fold in a handful of chocolate chips after whisking the double cream and condensed milk.
• Black Cherry Ice Cream Ben & Jerry’s — For a Ben & Jerry’s copy cat version, instead of passing the cherries through a sieve reduce them down for 5 minutes (so the cherries aren’t completely broken down) then add them whole into the double cream and condensed milk mixture.

FAQs about Black Cherry Ice Cream

• What flavor is black cherry ice cream? Well, it’s a combination of vanilla ice cream and black cherries. Again, we made it Paleo and AIP by using a coconut milk ice cream base.
• Can dogs eat black cherry ice cream? NO! Cherry pits, stems and leaves contain cyanide and can be a choking hazard. Do not give your dog this AIP ice cream recipe.
• What you need to make black cherry ice cream? Besides the ingredients, which I have listed below, you need a few additional supplies. You’ll need a saucepan and ice cream maker. You need to churn the ice cream, so an ice cream maker is essential.

BLACK CHERRY ICE CREAM TOP TIPS

• Remember to use the darkest cherries you can find as these will be the sweetest and tastiest.
• You can substitute frozen cherries for fresh if cherries are out of season. Be mindful that frozen will be more watery so make sure you thoroughly reduce the cherries down to a thick sauce.
• For soft serve, remove the ice cream from the freezer 30 minutes prior to serving (this will also make it much easier to scoop)

MORE SWEET TREAT RECIPES TO TEMPT YOU

If you make this recipe, I’d love to know how it went, I would really appreciate it if you could rate the recipe below and leave me a comment. Thank you!

• Set a sieve over a small bowl and pour over the reduced cherries. Use the back of a spoon to push the cherries through the sieve.
• Using a handheld whisk or stand mixer whisk the double cream until very thick. (3-4 minutes) You can do this by hand but it will take longer. When the cream is very thick, slowly add the condensed milk and whisk until fully incorporated, creamy and smooth.
• Add half the reduced cherries to the creamy ice cream mixture and mix well — the mixture will turn pink.
• Swirl through half of the remaining reduced cherries.
• Repeat by adding the remaining ice cream mixture and reduced cherries, transfer to a 2lb loaf tin (or similar).
• Cover tightly with cling film and freeze until the ice cream is your desired consistency.

Using these quantities will fill a 2lb loaf tin which translates to approx 1.7 litres of ice cream.

1 grams
Amount Per Serving:
15g 10g 0g

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BLACK CHERRY ICE CREAM

Black Cherries — mine came from my mother in law’s black cherry tree but I’ve seen lots of cheap cherries in the supermarkets and fruit and veg shops at this time of year. You don’t necessarily need the black cherry variety for this ice cream but do choose the darkest cherries you can find as those will be the sweetest.

Caster Sugar — I added a little caster sugar (superfine sugar — US) when I reduced the black cherries down to a sauce. Perform a taste test and add caster sugar a tablespoon at a time if your cherries are a little tart. Granulated sugar is a good alternative if you don’t have caster.

Condensed Milk — I used the brand Carnation but any condensed milk brand will work fine.

Double Cream — Use double cream (heavy or whipping cream — US) as single cream won’t whip.

Why This Recipe?

One of the things I really like about this recipe is that it is not a custard base, meaning that it doesn’t contain eggs.

The base is a mixture of sugar, milk, and heavy cream that allows the sweet-tart cherry flavor to really shine through.

I also love the cookbook this recipe comes from.

Scoop Adventures is a delightful book with recipes inspired by or adapted from recipes from great ice cream parlors across all 50 states.

The book is divided into geographical regions, so if you’re hankering for southern treats or maybe something from the Pacific Northwest, it’s easy to find a recipe to fit the bill.

Of course, the sour cherry ice cream recipe comes from Colorado, but it would be right at home in Michigan as well. And it certainly was right at home in my freezer and in my mouth!

1. To begin, mix tapioca starch and 2 tablespoons of coconut cream, stirring to dissolve and create a “slurry.” Set aside.

2. In a high-speed blender, combine the rest of the coconut cream and banana. Blend until smooth. Next add the cherries and pulse the blender until the cherries are roughly chopped. If you prefer your ice cream smooth, you can continue blending until the cherries are completed combined.

3. In a large saucepan, pour in the mixture from the blender as well as the honey to a boil. Stir in tapioca starch slurry and boil for 1 1/2 minutes. Then turn down heat and simmer for 3 minutes, until mixture has slightly thickened and will coat the back of a spoon.

4. Remove from heat, then stir in lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

6. Remove bowl from ice cream maker and spread ice cream in the bottom of loaf pan or another container. Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

CHERRIES – sweet cherries are the key ingredient here. I used a lot as I wanted cherry flavour to come through well. I folded half of my cherries into the ice-cream mixture and blended the other half and used as a ripple to intensify the flavour even more. I have no regrets so I recommend you do the same 🙂 .

CASHEWS – a small amount of cashews is used to deliver creaminess to this recipe and to neutralise the flavour of coconut milk out nicely.

AMARETTO – one of my tests of this recipe included a healthy glug of Amaretto, which I am a big fan of. If you would like to use it, simply reduce the amount of water used in the base to 1 tbsp (15 ml) and instead of adding Amaretto to the base (you don’t want to cook it), add it to the cherry mixture destined for flavouring the ice-cream.

GOLDEN SYRUP – inverted sugar is often used in gelato making to improve the texture, I used golden syrup widely available here in the UK, but liquid glucose or corn syrup could be used instead. If none of these is an option, simply use more sugar.

COCONUT MILK – full fat coconut milk adds body and creaminess yet its flavour, offset by the use of cashews and cherries, does not dominate.

SUGAR – sugar is instrumental not just to taste but also gelato’s texture so please do not be tempted to reduce its amount unless you are prepared to accept the fact that your gelato may never set.

CORNSTARCH – cornstarch is a thickener that helps with texture of the final product. If unavailable, you could use tapioca starch or arrowroot starch instead.

Roast pitted cherries in the oven or simmer them on the stovepot until the fruit becomes soft and jammy and the juices thick and syrupy.

Place golden syryp, water and coconut milk in a medium sized pot. Whisk on low heat until golden syrup dissolves. Then gradually add a combination of sugar and cornstarch while whisking the whole time.

Bring the whole thing to a gentle simmer, simmer it for a few minutes until thickened. Cool. Meanwhile prepare two cherry mixtures, one that will become the ripple in your ice-cream and the other that will flavour the ice-cream mixture.

Whisk the second cherry mixture into the ice-cream base until well combined. Cool and refrigate before churning.

Churn ice-cream mixture in your ice cream machine according to the instructions.

Once churned, transfer the mixture to an air-right freezer proof conatiner. Ripple the first cherry mixture across the ice-cream before freezing until firm.

Is ice cream allowed on Paleo?

Only Paleo ice cream is acceptable while on a Paleo diet. Traditional ice cream is made with dairy and refined sugar. And many store-bought ice cream has additives as well as corn syrup. This recipe happens to be not just Paleo but AIP. It uses coconut milk as a substitute for milk or cream.