Dairy-Free Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

This dairy-free cherry chocolate chip ice cream is my ode to Cherries Garcia. It’s a bold claim, I know… but it really is that good. It has everything you want from that classic, but this version is made with just four simple ingredients: frozen dark sweet cherries, coconut yogurt, coconut sugar, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar (or liqueur). Stir in the chocolate chips right at the end, and it comes together into something that feels both familiar and completely its own. It’s a churn recipe, and can also be made in the Ninja CREAMi.

How this dairy-free cherry chocolate chip ice cream recipe fits Modified AIP & Paleo

This recipe is AIP Modified, Paleo and plant-based, made without dairy, refined sugar, or alcohol. If you’re avoiding chocolate on Core AIP, you can replace the chips with carob chips, or leave it out entirely.

Traditional ice cream recipes often include a small amount of liqueur. Not necessarily for flavor, but because alcohol lowers the freezing point, which helps keep the texture soft and scoopable straight from the freezer. Here, we’re getting a similar effect with a small splash of white balsamic vinegar. White balsamic is mellow and sweet, so there’s no lingering vinegar taste. Instead, it enhances the fruit, softens the coconut flavor, and helps create a smooth, scoopable texture.

Dairy-Free, All Natural Ingredients

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Defrost two cups of frozen, pitted cherries. You can use fresh cherries, but pitting them can be very time consuming. I actually love frozen fruit here because it yields more juice when blended. Puree the cherries in a blender or food processor. It’s up to you how far you go with processing. You can puree it until fully smooth or leave some larger cherry pieces.

Whisk the cherry puree with the coconut yogurt, golden or blonde coconut sugar, a pinch of salt, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. White balsamic is slightly syrupy and sweet, and stands in for the traditional use of liqueur. It helps keep the ice cream scoopable and neutralizes the coconut flavor.

Then, make your chocolate chips. I’m using a refined sugar-free chocolate bar, chopped into chips. About one ounce of chocolate makes a quarter cup. You can use your favorite bar or pre-made chips, or leave the chips out entirely.

Add the cherry mixture to your favorite ice cream churner. I’m using the ice cream bowl attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer. Like most ice cream churners, you have to plan a little in advance to freeze the bowl, but it’s otherwise simple to use. Just attach the churning paddle, turn on the mixer, then pour in the cherry mixture.

Once it’s done churning, turn off the mixer and pour in the chocolate. Let it churn just for another few turns, until the chips are fully incorporated.

This recipe makes a pint of dairy-free cherry chocolate chip ice cream, and it churns to soft-serve texture in about 10 minutes in the Kitchenaid. I know it’s ready when the ice cream has doubled in volume and thickened until it’s no longer runny or liquid.

Transfer into a freezer-safe container and freeze for another four hours to set, and it’s ready to scoop. Sweet cherries and decadant chocolate chips in a plant-based and dairy-free ice cream you’ll make all summer long.

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Dairy-Free Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

5 from 1 vote

Dairy-free cherry chocolate chip ice cream made with frozen cherries, coconut yogurt, coconut sugar and decadent chocolate chips.

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Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Freeze Time:4 hours hrs

Total Time:4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 1 pint

Author: Christina Marche

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen, pitted dark sweet cherries
• 1 cup coconut yogurt
• ½ cup coconut sugar, golden or blonde
• 1½ tsp white balsamic vinegar
• ¼ tsp pink Himalayan salt
• ¼ cup chocolate chips (about 1 oz)

Instructions

• Let the cherries thaw, then add them to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth, or leave a little texture if you prefer small pieces of cherry throughout.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cherry puree, coconut yogurt, coconut sugar, white balsamic vinegar, and salt until smooth and the sugar is fully dissolved.

For an ice cream maker

• Pour the mixture into the machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it thickens to a soft-serve consistency and is no longer liquid.
• Add the chocolate chips and mix for another 30 seconds, or until the chocolate chips are fully incorporated.
• Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours, until firm enough to scoop.

For the Ninja Creami

• Pour the mixture into a pint container and freeze until solid, about 8 to 12 hours. Spin on the sorbet setting until smooth.
• Then, add the chocolate chips and run the mix in program.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: AIP, AIP Modified, Paleo