This homemade Cherry Ice Cream has a beautiful dark pink hue, an amazing creamy texture, and is absolutely full of bright, sweet cherry flavor. It's made traditionally with a custard base and requires an ice cream churner, but it's well worth the effort.
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Every single time I develop an ice cream recipe, I'm always blown away by how delicious and different homemade ice cream is from anything else. This Cherry Ice Cream recipe has the most vibrant true cherry flavor of any ice cream I've ever tasted. I always have a fun tradition after I finish an ice cream recipe, and that is to buy a few of the "best" pints of the same flavor from the store. I always want to see how my recipe stacks up to the best premium versions out there. Let's just say...my recipe is lightyears more delicious and more flavorful than any store-bought cherry I tried.
This recipe uses tons of actual cherries and a special secret (all-natural) ingredient. It packs in as much cherry flavor as possible while still keeping it creamy and scoopable, even straight from the freezer. Like my Strawberry and Peach Ice Cream, this Cherry Ice Cream is a traditional custard-style ice cream that is cooked on the stovetop first and then churned in an ice cream maker.
So, let's get to making it, shall we? The text below offers tons of tips and helpful notes, or you can scroll to the bottom to grab the recipe and get started!
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Ingredients Needed
Here is an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe is listed below in greater detail.
- cherries (use fresh and in-season or frozen...you can also use whatever type of cherry you want: dark sweet or tart red, with some adjustment to the sugar level, more on this below)
- tart cherry juice (like my Cherry Pie recipe and Cherry Turnover recipe, I love using store-bought tart cherry juice to add in an acidic element to brighten up the flavor, as well as a boost of cherry flavor...if you don't have or don't want to buy tart cherry juice, swap it with fresh lemon juice)
- granulated sugar
- dry milk powder (see below for why this is used in this recipe)
- eggs (this recipe uses just two whole eggs instead of the large number of egg yolks that you'll find in most ice cream recipes---using too many yolks tends to mute the cherry flavor in this ice cream)
- coarse kosher salt
- heavy cream
- whole milk
Let's Talk About Milk Powder
Milk powder, also known as powdered or dry milk, is just milk that has been evaporated to remove its water content. It can be found as both nonfat and whole milk, and either will work for this recipe.
Adding milk powder to ice cream offers two major benefits: it improves the texture and the flavor. Milk powder is hygroscopic, which means it can absorb and hold moisture and bind water. This allows the ice cream base to pack in a lot of cherry flavor without turning icy. The concentrated milk also imparts a creamy taste to the ice cream without adding excessive amounts of heavy cream, keeping it lighter. It also helps make this ice cream easy to scoop even straight from the freezer!
Cooking Cherries
This recipe calls for the cherries to be cooked first. This step slightly reduces the cherry's moisture content, which helps with the overall texture and flavor of the finished ice cream. But not so much that it takes away that fresh cherry flavor.
Use whatever cherries you like the flavor of. They can be dark sweet cherries or red tart cherries. The quantity of sugar in this recipe is developed for dark sweet cherries. You could add ¼ cup more sugar if you are using tart cherries or leave the quantity as-is for sweet-tart ice cream. Just make sure whatever variety you are using that they are pitted. Frozen is fine too (it's what I almost always use) and it doesn't need to be defrosted before cooking.
After the cherries have finished simmering, the mixture is strained, which separates it into two parts. The strained sweet cherry juice will be added to the custard, and the reduced cherries will be mixed into the ice cream at the end of churning.
Overview of Steps
Other custard-style ice cream recipes found elsewhere usually require you to temper the eggs or yolks. In my experience, this step is unnecessary because the eggs are heated gradually and won’t scramble. Whisking the eggs well with the added sugar ensures even distribution and protects them from scrambling before the custard sets.
Here is a shortened visual overview of the recipe. For the full recipe, scroll down to the end of this article.
Step 1: Stir together the cherries, ¼ cup of the sugar, cherry juice, and salt.
Step 2: Cook the mixture, mash up the fruit and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Step 1: Strain the sweet cherry syrup from the mashed cherries. Store the cherries in an airtight container until ready to use.
Step 2: Whisk the sugar and milk powder first to evenly disperse it. Then, add the eggs and whisk vigorously. This helps keep the mixture homogenized during cooking.
Step 3: Add in the cream, milk and reserved cherry liquid.
Step 4: Stir constantly while the custard is cooking, taking care to get into the edges of the pan. A rubber spatula is the best tool for this job.
Step 5: The recipe calls for cooking the custard to 175ºF initially. Make sure that the thermometer is accurately taking the temperature from the middle of the liquid. Once it reaches 175ºF, pull it off the heat and stir for about a minute to let the custard slowly come up to 180ºF.
Step 6: Strain the ice cream custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a metal bowl. Use an ice bath: Using an ice bath to cool the custard will quickly bring it down to temperature, which is always a good idea. Chill the ice cream base overnight in the refrigerator, or in an ice bath until it reaches below 35º.
Step 7: Spin / churn the ice cream base to a soft-serve consistency, then add in the reserved cherries and churn for 1 minute.
Step 8: Immediately transfer to your container of choice (see below) and let it harden in the freezer to your desired consistency (usually 8 hours or more).
How to Store It
You can harden the cherry ice cream in one large container or multiple small containers. While dedicated ice cream containers are convenient for frequent ice cream making, any container available in your home can be used. Here are some general best practices:
- Transfer the churned ice cream immediately to an airtight container
- Press parchment paper onto the surface
- Shallow containers are best
- Avoid temperature fluctuations as they create an icy texture
- Consume within 1-2 weeks for the best texture and quality.
This cherry ice cream is best consumed within a week or two of making it. Different factors can impact this timeline, such as the temperature of your freezer, the type of ice cream, the storage container, and any thawing during the freezing process. It's not that the ice cream will spoil; it's just that the texture will change over time. So the sooner you enjoy it, the better!
More Ice Cream Recipes
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PrintFull Recipe
Very Cherry Ice Cream
This Cherry Ice Cream recipe is ultra-creamy and has a bold cherry flavor. I love that this process is as streamlined as possible (aka no egg tempering) while still resulting in the most delicious cherry ice cream ever.
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Churning Time: 00:30
- Cook Time: 00:15
- Total Time: 00:55 plus chilling time
- Yield: about 3 pints
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: Churned
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pitted sweet cherries
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ cup tart cherry juice (or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice)
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons dry milk powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1-½ cups (456 grams) heavy cream
- 1 cup (115 grams) whole milk
Instructions
- In a medium pot, stir together the cherries, ¼ cup of the sugar, cherry juice, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until bubbling. Using a fork or a potato masher, mash the cherries to break them up. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Shut off the heat and set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Strain the cherry mixture through the strainer, pressing out as much juice as possible from the cherries. Set the cherry juice aside.
- Transfer the cherry solids to a storage container and let cool. Once cool, cover and transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Set up an ice bath with two nesting metal bowls.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup of sugar and milk powder. Add in the eggs and whisk vigorously for one minute, until the mixture is lightened.
- Whisk in the cream, milk, and reserved cherry juice.
- Transfer the mixture to a clean heavy-bottomed medium pot.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, especially along the edges and the bottom of the pot, until the mixture reaches 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 minutes. The mixture will be slightly thickened. To check if the custard is set without an instant-read thermometer, coat a wooden spoon with the custard. Draw a horizontal line on the back of the spoon with your finger. If the line “holds,” then your custard is set. If the line collapses immediately, the custard needs another minute or so. Be careful not to bring the mixture to a boil; this will curdle the custard.
- Immediately shut off and remove the pot from the heat. Continue to stir the custard for 1 minute. This helps bring it all the way up to 180ºF.
- Strain the custard through a clean fine-mesh strainer into the inner bowl of the prepared ice bath.
- Cool the custard in the ice bath to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
- Chill the custard thoroughly in the refrigerator until at least 40ºF, preferably overnight.
- Freeze the custard, following the recommended manufacturer’s instructions of your ice cream maker, until the ice cream has reached a soft-serve consistency. In the last minute of churning, add the reserved cherry solids.
- Transfer the ice cream to one or more airtight containers. Place a piece of parchment on the surface to prevent any freezer burn. Freeze until firm, at least a few hours.
Notes
Don't forget: Freeze the ice cream machine canister 24 hours before you plan to churn the ice cream if you machine requires it!
You can use fresh or frozen cherries here. This recipe has also been tested with sweet dark cherries and tart red cherries. Use whatever cherries you like. The quantity of sugar in this recipe is developed for dark sweet cherries. You could add ¼ cup more sugar if you are using tart cherries. Just make sure whatever cherries you use are pitted first! Frozen cherries are fine (it's what I almost always use), and they don't need to be defrosted before cooking.
Milk powder can be found in most grocery stores in the baking aisle. It is highly recommended for this recipe, but if you absolutely cannot find it, you can skip it. It will result in less creamy ice cream that may be harder to scoop.
This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease the volume by half. See this Salt Guide for more information about how salt affects your cooking and baking.
You can use a separate bowl to whisk everything together, as the recipe instructs, or you can mix it right in the pot. If you do mix it in the pot, be sure to scrape up the sides well so no eggs are hiding in the crevices along the edges.
Homemade ice cream is best consumed within a week or two of making it. Different factors can affect this timeline, including how cold your freezer is, what type of ice cream it is, what container it is kept in, and if it has thawed at any point in the freezing process. To help prevent freezer burn, place a piece of parchment paper on the surface of the ice cream in the storage container to minimize air exposure from the ice cream. Freeze promptly and thoroughly. Store the ice cream container in the coldest part of your freezer.
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Tom
I tried this. I used a can of pie filling cherries. Mmmmmmmm better than any store bought!
Dell Kijak
Its great as your other articles : D, appreciate it for posting . "I catnap now and then, but I think while I nap, so it's not a waste of time." by Martha Stewart.