Sour cherry ice cream is one of the most summery flavors you can make at home. This version, adapted from the book Scoop Adventures, highlights the bright, tart cherry character without a custard base—so the fruit really takes center stage. If you enjoy cherries with cream, this easy, no-egg recipe is worth trying. For more frozen desserts, browse other ice cream recipes and variations from the same source.
Disclosure: I received a copy of Scoop Adventures from Page Street Publishing. Thank you!
Why this recipe?
This sour cherry ice cream is built on a Philadelphia-style base—meaning no eggs or starch—so the fruit’s sweet-tart flavor remains pronounced. The base uses just milk, heavy cream, and sugar, giving the finished ice cream a clean, creamy backdrop for the cherries. The recipe comes from Scoop Adventures, a cookbook that adapts real ice cream shop recipes from across the United States. Its regional structure makes it easy to pick flavors tied to specific places, and this Colorado-inspired cherry ice cream is a great example: bright, fruity, and refreshingly simple.
The Colorado sour cherry variation relies on the tart cherry’s natural acidity and sweetness. It’s excellent when cherries are in season, but you can also use frozen fruit with great results.
How to make it
Ingredients
You’ll need:
- Sour cherries: fresh or frozen. If tart cherries are unavailable, you can use sweet cherries and add acid (lemon juice or citric acid) when macerating.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens the mixture and affects the ice cream’s freezing behavior.
- Lemon juice: brightens and balances the cherries.
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk: or substitute half-and-half for a slightly lighter base.
Procedure
This recipe breaks into two straightforward components: a macerated cherry syrup and a simple cream-and-milk base. You prepare them separately, chill the base, then combine and churn. A few tablespoons of reserved cherry skins are folded in near the end of churning for texture and an extra burst of cherry flavor.
- Make the cherry syrup: Pit the cherries and toss them with part of the sugar and all the lemon juice. Let them macerate in the refrigerator for several hours. Purée the macerated cherries in a blender, then strain through a fine mesh to remove skins and any bits. Reserve the juice and set aside two tablespoons of the strained skins for later.
- Prepare the base: Combine the cream, milk, and remaining sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a low boil. Remove from heat and cool quickly in an ice bath, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (several hours or overnight).
- Combine and churn: When the base is cold, mix in the reserved cherry juice and churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Add texture: In the final minutes of churning, stir in the reserved cherry skins to distribute small bits of fruit throughout the ice cream. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, at least four hours.
The finished ice cream is a deep pink color with a clear cherries-and-cream flavor—bright, balanced, and very scoopable.
Q & A
Yes. Frozen cherries work well and can be macerated straight from frozen—combine with sugar and lemon, let sit at room temperature until thawed, then chill and finish macerating in the refrigerator.
Sweet cherries are a fine substitute. To mimic tart cherries, add a small amount of citric acid (or a little extra lemon juice) during maceration. The result will be sweeter but still delicious.
An ice cream maker makes churning easier and yields a smoother texture, but you can freeze the mixture in a metal bowl and whisk vigorously every 30–45 minutes to break up ice crystals until the mixture reaches soft-serve consistency. Press plastic wrap on the surface and freeze until firm.
For best texture, enjoy within about a week. Repeated thawing and refreezing can encourage iciness in homemade Philadelphia-style ice creams.
PRO TIP: If you’re using sweet cherries and don’t have citric acid, a commercial fruit preservative like Fruit Fresh can be substituted in small amounts to brighten the flavor.
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Recipe adapted from Scoop Adventures by Lindsay Clendaniel (Page Street Publishing; March 2014). Used with permission.
Colorado Sour Cherry Ice Cream
Inspired by tart cherries grown on the western slopes, this ice cream balances tang and sweetness. It’s a seasonal favorite that’s bright enough to enjoy on its own or alongside simple desserts.
Equipment
- 8 oz dessert bowls
- Ice cream maker (2-quart or similar) or a metal bowl for manual freezing
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 3 cups (465g) sour cherries, pitted
- 1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar, divided
- 1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
- 2 cups (473ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (237ml) whole milk
Instructions
- Combine cherries with 3/4 cup (150g) of the sugar and the lemon juice. Refrigerate to macerate for about 6 hours, stirring every hour. Purée the cherries, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to separate juice from skins. Reserve the juice and keep 2 tablespoons (30g) of the skins for texture; discard the rest.
- In a saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar with the heavy cream and whole milk. Heat over medium until it reaches a low boil and the sugar dissolves (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and cool in an ice bath for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- When chilled, combine the reserved cherry juice with the cold milk mixture and churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer directions. Near the end of churning, add the reserved cherry skins to incorporate. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
Notes
If sour cherries are unavailable, pit and halve sweet cherries and add 1/2 teaspoon citric acid during maceration to approximate tartness. The flavor will differ slightly but remains fresh and delightful.
Nutrition
Please leave a comment to share how it turned out—your feedback is appreciated.
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Enjoy your homemade cherry ice cream—store it carefully and savor it within a week for the best texture. Take care and have a lovely day.