With a creamy custard base and sweet dark cherries, our cherry ice cream recipe makes the perfect summertime treat. The ice cream comes together easily, so if you have the kind of ice cream maker that requires a frozen bowl, make sure it’s already frozen!
This cherry ice cream recipe starts with a rich custard made on the stovetop. Once the custard is cold, it’s combined with cherries and then whipped in an ice cream maker. After a few hours in the freezer, the dessert is ready to be scooped into a cone or a dish, or turned into a super delish sundae.
Ingredients for Cherry Ice Cream
- Egg yolks: Separate three egg yolks from their whites, and save the whites to use in other recipes. Our meringue kisses, easy healthy chicken and dumpling soup, contest-winning cornmeal towers with strawberries and cream, and decadent chocolate-glazed brownies each use exactly three egg whites. Just place the egg whites in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.
- Sugar: We sweeten this cherry ice cream recipe with 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
- Heavy whipping cream: Don’t forget that there is a difference between heavy whipping cream and whipping cream. Heavy whipping cream has a higher fat content, making a richer ice cream than that made with whipping cream.
- Almond extract: Cherries and almonds are such a perfect pairing (thanks to benzaldehyde, their shared organic compound) that a majority of our cherry desserts are enhanced with almond extract.
- Cherries: This recipe calls for dark sweet cherries, such as black or Bing cherries. These types of cherries are sweet with a little hint of acidity. Fresh, local and in-season cherries are best here. If you’re making this outside of cherry season, your next best bet flavor-wise is frozen cherries. Just be sure to thaw them first!
- Red food coloring: You can skip the food coloring if you don’t have any or prefer not to use it.
Directions
Step 1: Make the custard
In a large heavy saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt until blended. Stir in the heavy whipping cream. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and a thermometer reads 160°F. Do not allow the custard to boil. Remove from the heat immediately.
Step 2: Cool the custard
Quickly transfer the custard from the hot saucepan to a large bowl. Place the bowl in a pan of ice water. Stir the custard gently and occasionally for two minutes. Stir in the almond extract.
Editor’s Tip: It’s best to prepare the pan of ice water before making the custard so it’s ready to go as soon as you need it. Also, we like to pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer and into the bowl so that the ice cream is perfectly smooth.
Step 3: Chill the custard
Press storage wrap onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the custard for several hours or overnight.
Step 4: Prep your cherries
Place half the pitted cherries into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add these to the custard, along with the red food coloring if desired. Coarsely chop the remaining cherries by hand.
Step 5: Whip it good
Pour your custard into the cylinder of the ice cream maker, ensuring that it’s not more than two-thirds full.
Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions, adding a portion of the remaining cherries about five minutes before the end of the churning time.
Editor’s Tip: If you have extra custard or cherries, keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to make another batch of ice cream.
Step 6: Freeze the mixture
Transfer the ice cream to freezer-safe containers, making sure to leave headspace for expansion. Freeze until firm, two to four hours.
Recipe Variations
- Fold in Oreos: Calling all cookies and cream lovers! Chop up some Oreo cookies and drop them in during the last two minutes of churning.
- Add brownies: Got some leftover brownies in the kitchen? Chop them into bite-sized pieces and add them to the ice cream maker during the last few minutes of churning time. We love the chocolate-cherry combo and the fudgy texture that the brownies add.
- Use different cherries: If you want to mix it up color-wise, try adding some yellow Rainier cherries. Like it sour? Look for Montmorency or morello cherries.
- Add your favorite toppings: You can use any of your favorite ice cream toppings here, but our preferred ice cream toppings for this recipe are homemade hot fudge and this absolutely over-the-top cherry jam.
How to Store Cherry Ice Cream
Store cherry ice cream in a freezer-safe, airtight container in the freezer for up to one month. The front of the freezer is slightly warmer than the back, so ice cream is best stored more toward the front if you want it easier to scoop.
Can you make cherry ice cream ahead of time?
Yes, you can make cherry ice cream ahead of time. It’s actually best to make it a day or two in advance of serving. You can create the custard, cover the bowl with storage wrap, and keep the custard in the fridge a day or two before churning it. Or, make, churn and freeze the ice cream a few days before serving it so it’s ready when you are.
Cherry Ice Cream Tips
How do you pit cherries?
The easiest way to pit cherries is with a cherry pitter. A pitter is relatively inexpensive and gets the job done quickly. If you don’t have one and need the cherries pitted now, check out our guide on how to pit cherries without a cherry pitter.
What’s in Cherry Garcia ice cream?
Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream is cherry ice cream with cherries and “fudge flakes.” Our recipe gets you almost all the way there! To perfect your copycat Cherry Garcia ice cream, add your favorite chocolate chips or chunks to the mix in the last two minutes of churning.
