This Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream feels super fancy, but is super easy to make. It has fresh, sweet chunks of bright pink cherries, delicate shavings of rich, dark chocolate, and a touch of almond. The base is rich and creamy, and it’s packed with sweet cherries and bits of chocolate that add just the right texture. I can’t help but think of my Mom every time I eat this luscious combo, it was one of her favorites! The base of this ice cream is the same as our Snickerdoodle Ice Cream, so be sure to put that one on your list, too!
If you really want to take this recipe over the top, add some of this Easy Hot Fudge Sauce.
Ingredients Needed
- milk – you can make this ice cream with whole OR 2% milk
- sugar
- eggs
- heavy cream
- cherries – pitted and halved, or quartered
- vanilla extract
- almond extract
- chocolate– about 3oz. I like to use a chocoate bar, like hershey’s dark. You’ll need about 1 cup chocolate shavings; a small-hole cheese grater works great. We want the chocolate as small as possible; that way it distributes all the way through the ice cream, and melts in your mouth.
How to Make Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream
Make-Ahead Tip: I usually make custard bases for ice creams the day or night before I want to use them. Or, in the morning if I need it for that night. It takes quite a while for the mixture to get well-chilled, and it really will churn better if it’s super cool. So try to plan ahead so you can get the custard part out of the way. That way, when you want to make an ice cream (and eat it soon after), you can whip it together in no time.
This is a simple overview of the recipe, you’ll find a full printable recipe below!
- Heat milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form at the edges. Remove from heat.
- Whisk eggs in a bowl. Slowly add half the hot milk while whisking constantly. You need to be careful here to not get the eggs too hot too fast, or else they’ll curdle.
- Return remaining milk to stove, then whisk egg mixture back into the pan.
- Add cream and cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 160°F and thickens.
- Remove from heat. Stir in cherries, vanilla, and almond extract. Cool and refrigerate for several hours.
- Churn in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Add grated chocolate near the end of churning, or stir in by hand before freezing.
- Transfer to container and freeze several hours before serving.
Storage & Other Tips
- Once frozen and ready to store (granted, that’s if you have any leftover), keep the ice cream in the back of the freezer, not the door. The back of the freezer has more consistent temperatures, so it won’t form ice crystals.
- Homemade ice cream is typically tastes best within a month. If you keep it longer than that, it may lose its flavor and texture.
- Soften before scooping: let it sit at room temperature for 5 – 10 minutes before serving, so it’s easier to scoop and has that signature creamy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I’m assuming they’ll work, although I’ve never tried it. If using frozen, measure fruit while still frozen. If using canned, drain well and then measure out a bit less than the recipe calls for–about 1 1/2 cups. Let me know how it goes!
I HATE frozen chunks of solid chocolate in ice cream. They’re like little rocks in something that should be creamy and smooth and once it’s frozen, you can’t even really taste it. So that’s why we’re using shaved chocolate and not chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. It’s so tiny that it distributes all the way through the ice cream and when it hits your tongue it just melts into chocolaty goodness.
Sure! Almond really enhances cherry flavor, but you can take it out if you want.
This custard thickens fast. A good trick to test the custard mixture is to dip a spoon in and run your finger down the back of it. When your finger leaves a track, it’s ready.
You can use an ice bath to speed up the cooling process.
Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups milk, 2%
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups cherries pitted, halved or quartered
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 ounces chocolate such as a dark hershey's bar
Instructions
Custard
- Combine milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk eggs thoroughly. Very slowly, add ½ of the hot milk mixture, whisking the eggs constantly. Return the pan with the remaining milk mixture to the stove top and then whisk the egg and milk mixture back to the saucepan, whisking constantly. Be careful not to heat the eggs too hot too fast, or they’ll curdle.
- Add the heavy cream. Over medium-low heat and stirring constantly, continue heating the custard mixture until it thickens, aiming for 170-175°F. Do not exceed 180-185°F or your eggs may start curdling.
- Once ready, remove from heat and add the chopped cherries immediately. Add vanilla and almond extracts as well.
- Let the custard cool (you can use an ice bath if you want to speed that process up) and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
Churn & Freeze
- Once chilled, transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- While the ice cream is churning, grate the chocolate.
- Add the chocolate shavings into the ice cream when there’s just a few minutes left. If you wait too long and it’s already too thick, just stir them in by hand as you transfer your ice cream into another container. Freeze for several hours before serving
- Makes 1 ½ quarts, or serves 8 – 9 comfortably, with ⅔ cup servings each.
Questions & Reviews
omg It's like homemade Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia!! I will def be making this!
Congratulations on your sweet babe. May all go well.
And… your ice cream recipe looks fabulous!
Definitely anything coffee flavored. I don't drink coffee, but I LOVE the flavor!
look soooooo delicious!!!! thanks for the amazing post as always 🙂
my fallback is always oreo! yum!
(annd the teriyaki chicken from RR lol!!)
happy happy baby having day!!!!! hope everything is perfect! 🙂
Absolutely Rachel! It works just as a table top ice cream maker would so you can make any of our ice cream recipes- have fun!
So…for Christmas my husband bought me the icecream maker attachment for my kitchenaid stand mixer….Will this recipe work in that as well?
I know this is totally weird but I love, love, love blueberry-oreo ice cream. I used to work at an ice cream shop and I would mix up oreo ice cream with blueberries. Heavenly. Here's another weird one for you: Cookies and cream ice cream mixed up with cherrios. Yep you read that right…cherrios. So good and so weird.
You made me laugh with your talk of fall back flavours – so true. Okay the chocolate cherry has me interested but I warn you I hate making and am not good at custards! I always end up over cooking it. I am going to try the tip with the spoon a try.
I have made this twice now. Wow! Thank you so much for the recipe. My family loves it! I have also made the Caramelized Banana and the Mango Sorbet. What can I say? It has been hot here in Washington! Glad I found your blog.
Oh, I always struggle choosing between Butter Pecan, Mint Chocolate Chip and Cookies&Cream. I see others recommending the Mint Oreo. I bet that is good, it would blend 2 of my favorites! I also love B&J's Cherry Garcia, my husband likes it too. He's not a big chocolate or ice cream fan but once in awhile he gets the desire and that's usually the flavor we get.