Black Cherry Ice Cream

Cherries are finally in season so you know I had to make cherry ice cream! And frankly, this black cherry ice cream recipe is the absolute BEST. It’s creamy, loaded with cherries, all swirled into a homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

I also add chopped dark chocolate to make this into a cherry chocolate chip ice cream – besides, cherries and chocolate go together like peanut butter and jelly! Adding the chocolate chips makes this taste JUST like Cherry Garcia, you know the Ben and Jerry’s flavor! When you take your first spoonful, you will fall in love immediately! 

The ice cream base is creamy and sweet. Then, you macerate the cherries in sugar and lemon and boil the juice to create a cherry juice concentrate that packs that natural flavor of the cherries! Add a little chopped chocolate for good measure and you’ve got the most delicious black cherry ice cream EVER. 

Why You’ll Love this Recipe 

• No churn ice cream recipe – meaning it’s easy to make and no ice cream maker or food processor needed! This is a super simple recipe that comes together without any fuss.
• You can use fresh or frozen cherries! No worry if it’s not cherry season, use frozen cherries to make this ice cream recipe year round. 
• Homemade ice cream is the best! There’s no weird additives like high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors.
• Perfect treat on a hot summer day! 

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

• Black Cherries – there are SO many varieties of black cherries. You can use frozen dark cherries, bing cherries, sweet dark cherries – they are called by many names – however, you’ll know it’s a black cherry by the deep burgundy color of the skin. I used fresh black cherries that I picked up from Sam’s Club because cherries are currently in season. When cherries aren’t in season, you can use frozen cherries, just let them thaw out before using. Also, try to find sweet black cherries (taste before you buy – I know it’s taboo but we all do it) for the best cherry flavor. 
• Vanilla bean paste – I used vanilla bean paste because it has the most authentic vanilla flavor. You can also use vanilla extract here too, but just ensure you’re using high quality vanilla to avoid that artificial vanilla flavoring.
• Heavy whipping cream – use cold heavy whipping cream. Also, use real cream! You want full fat heavy cream, do not use half and half or whole milk – it’ll result in a icy ice cream that’s the texture of a Popsicle.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk – sweetened condensed milk is simple a combination of milk and sugar that’s been 
• Almond Extract – this really enhances all of that fruity flavor. 

How to make Black Cherry Ice Cream

• Place a large metal or glass mixing bowl into the freezer.

Step 1: In a small saucepan, add cherries and sugar and lemon juice. Mash the cherries with a potato masher and let it sit for 10 minutes (this helps pull the juices out of the cherries to create a cherry juice concentrate while cooking).

Step 2: Then turn on the heat and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once boiling and bubbly, reduce the heat to low and continue to stir occasionally, until the cherries are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the cherry mixture to cool to room temperature.

Step 3: Chop up the chocolate and set aside.

Step 4: Remove the bowl from the freezer and beat cold heavy cream with a hand mixer on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. Then pour in sweetened condensed milk , vanilla bean paste, and almond extract, and fold together until just combined using a silicone spatula or spoon.