Take advantage of summer’s delicious crop of cherries to make this cool and refreshing frozen treat!
I love ice cream. There, I said it, and I don’t regret it. There was a local performer in South Florida when my kids were growing up, and our favorite song of his was “Ice Cream for Lunch.” My daughter and I still talk about it today. If you ask me, there’s no wrong time for ice cream, especially when you have this cherry ice cream recipe.
We all have our favorite flavors, and for me, anything with chocolate and peanut butter tops the pack. Rum raisin is a nostalgic favorite, as that’s what my dad always ordered. I also liked strawberry ice cream with big chunks of strawberries growing up. It wasn’t until about five years ago that I had a bowl of black cherry ice cream at a famous restaurant in town that blew my mind.
Ever since then, I’ve been on a craze to find delicious cherry ice cream where I live now. And, while I’ve been successful, as there are some excellent ice cream shops in central Florida, the summer crop of organic cherries has been great, so making this ice cream at home was a no-brainer. You can use fresh cherries in this recipe or frozen ones, but if you are using frozen cherries, let them thaw and drain them well to avoid diluting the ice cream.
I have freezer bags full of cherries ready and waiting, and I even have one bag with them already chopped. I consider that good planning on my part. By the way, if you don’t already have one, get yourself a cherry pitter. It’s far easier, quicker, and less messy than the straw and plastic water bottle method. Trust me on this. That’s the best way to stock up on the season’s sweetest cherries for year-round deliciousness.
Delicious add-ins and dairy-free options
Cherry and chocolate go together so well that combining them into your ice cream makes perfect sense. There are so many options you can use, including mini chocolate chips, shaved or finely chopped chocolate bars, or even chopped mini chocolate peanut butter cup pieces. I like to use dark chocolate, as it is the ideal complement to cherries. You can also add one-half cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to the ice cream base for a chocolate version of this cherry ice cream recipe. If the ice cream is only served to adults, you can kick it up a notch by adding a little rum, cognac, or amaretto.
For a nondairy version, use two cans of coconut cream in place of the heavy cream and milk. Keep all other ingredients the same. I recommend using a blender rather than a whisk to combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. You can also blend half of the cherries, as it ups the cherry flavor you get in every bite. Then continue with the recipe as shown in step two.
How do I store leftovers?
Once you prepare this cherry ice cream recipe, store it in pint- or quart-sized, airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. I know, it won’t last that long because everyone will want to enjoy it as soon as possible. I recommend placing a small piece of parchment paper on the ice cream’s surface to prevent freezer burn. If the ice cream becomes too hard to scoop, let it sit out at room temperature for up to 10 minutes to soften a little before serving.
Serving suggestions
Get your bowls ready to make a meal of delicious foods you can eat with a spoon, beginning with soup and ending with this cherry ice cream recipe. While your ice cream is chilling in the freezer, you can get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes with Instant-Pot Potato Soup, in less than an hour with Clam Chowder, or in 45 minutes with a hearty Potato-Vegetable Soup. If you want a bowl that is even more filling than soup, cook up some Black Bean Chili, this Brisket Chili Recipe, Chicken Stew, or Tomato-Beef Stew. Your family will have a ball enjoying all those delicious bowls!
Cherry Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups pitted cherries fresh or frozen, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If using frozen cherries, ensure they are thawed and drained. Add the cherries to the ice cream maker during the last 5 minutes of churning.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, about 2-4 hours.
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