Homemade Black Cherry Ice Cream Recipe

If you love classic Cherry Garcia–style ice cream or crave a no-churn dessert with bright fruit flavor and chocolate bites, this black cherry ice cream is for you. It uses a small list of pantry-friendly ingredients and comes together quickly once the cherry sauce is made and cooled.

• Delicious Cherry Garcia-style flavor: A vanilla cream base combined with black cherry syrup, cherry pieces and chopped dark chocolate reproduces that beloved flavor profile.
• No ice cream machine required: This no-churn recipe relies on whipped heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk for a smooth, scoopable texture.
• Quick assembly: After making and cooling the cherry sauce, mixing and assembling the ice cream takes about 20 minutes; freezing time follows.

This cherry and chocolate ice cream uses just a few core components: a cherry sauce, a creamy no-churn base, and chopped chocolate for texture. Most items are common pantry staples.

• Cherry Sauce: Fresh or frozen black/dark cherries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice.
• Ice Cream Base: Heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, optional almond extract, chopped dark chocolate (or mini chips), and optional cherry jam for additional swirl.

Substitutions to keep in mind if you need to adapt the recipe.

• Cherries: Fresh, ripe black cherries give the best flavor, but frozen pitted cherries work well too.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar is used for the cherry sauce; alternatives may change texture and flavor.
• Sweetened condensed milk: Essential for no-churn recipes because it contributes sweetness and body.
• Extracts: Vanilla provides the base flavor; a touch of almond extract is optional and complements cherries nicely.
• Heavy cream: Whips to create the airy structure needed for no-churn ice cream.
• Cherry jam: Optional but recommended for stronger cherry swirl and flavor concentration.

Follow these steps to make black cherry ice cream at home. Read through the full process before starting so the cherry sauce has time to cool.

1. Wash, dry, stem and pit the cherries, or use pitted frozen cherries. Combine cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 5–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the fruit breaks down into a chunky sauce.
2. Cool the cherry sauce to room temperature (total time for cooking and cooling is about 30–45 minutes). Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, reserving the softened cherry pieces to fold into the ice cream later.
3. Whisk the strained cherry syrup together with sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until smooth and fully combined.

1. Pour the heavy cream into a mixing bowl and whip on medium speed until medium-stiff peaks form (about 5–6 minutes). Gently fold the condensed milk and cherry syrup mixture into the whipped cream until uniform.
2. Fold in the reserved cherry pieces and most of the chopped dark chocolate, reserving a few tablespoons of chocolate to sprinkle on top before freezing.
3. Spread half of the ice cream base into a freezer-safe container. If using cherry jam, swirl about ¼ cup into this layer. Add the remaining ice cream, swirl another ¼ cup of jam if desired, and sprinkle with the reserved chocolate.
4. Freeze uncovered for 1–2 hours to set slightly, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for at least 6–8 hours or preferably overnight before scooping.

Yes—this recipe mirrors the same basic idea: a vanilla cream base flavored with cherries, plus chunks of cherries and chopped chocolate for texture.

Expect creamy vanilla with bright, sweet-tart black cherry notes and pockets of juicy fruit balanced by slightly bitter dark chocolate.

Black cherries are typically darker, sweeter, and have a deeper cherry flavor; red cherries can be brighter and more tart depending on the variety.

Black Cherry Ice Cream Recipe

Author: Megan

A no-churn black cherry ice cream made with whipped cream, sweetened condensed milk, a homemade black cherry sauce, and chopped dark chocolate. Creamy, fruity, and easy to prepare.

Equipment

• 1 saucepan
• 1 stand mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer
• 1 freezer-safe container (about 8 cups / 1.9 L)

Ingredients

Cherry Sauce

• 1 pound fresh or frozen dark or black cherries
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cherry Ice Cream

• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 4 oz finely chopped dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips
• ½ cup (120 ml) cherry jam (optional, but recommended)
• 2 cups heavy cream (for whipping)

Instructions

1. Prepare cherries: wash, de-stem and pit fresh cherries, or thaw pitted frozen cherries.
2. Make cherry sauce: combine cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5–10 minutes until chunky and saucy. Cool to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes total).
3. Strain the sauce: press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to separate syrup from fruit pieces. Reserve the fruit pieces for folding into the ice cream.
4. Combine base: whisk the strained cherry syrup with sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and almond extract until smooth.
5. Whip cream: whip heavy cream to medium-stiff peaks, then fold in the condensed milk-cherry mixture until combined. Fold in the reserved cherries and most of the chopped chocolate, keeping a little for topping.
6. Assemble and freeze: spread half the mixture into a freezer-safe container, swirl ¼ cup cherry jam if using, add remaining base and another ¼ cup jam, sprinkle reserved chocolate. Freeze 1–2 hours uncovered, then cover and freeze at least 6–8 hours or overnight.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.