Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream

Jun 25, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Ice cream frozen desserts Vanilla: Beans Medium

Two generous scoops of cherry vanilla ice cream in a shallow ceramic bowl, softly melting at the edges

Smooth homemade cherry vanilla ice cream featuring fresh cherry puree and real vanilla bean for a rich, creamy dessert perfect for warm days.

Prep 20 min

Cook 10 min

Cooling 4 hr 10 min

Total 4 hr 40 min

Servings 8

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

2.0 cups (480.0 ml)heavy cream
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)whole milk
¾ cup (150.0 g)granulated sugar
⅛ tsp (0.75 g)fine sea salt
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
½ tbsp (7.5 ml)fresh lemon juice
½ cup (75.0 g)pitted fresh or frozen cherries, halved

Make it at home

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Instructions

Combine the whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, and fine sea salt in a medium saucepan.
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both seeds and pod to the saucepan.
Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 170656F (77796C), then remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes.
While steeping, puree the cherries with lemon juice in a blender until smooth but slightly chunky; set aside.
Remove the vanilla bean pod from the cream mixture.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until well chilled.
Stir the cherry puree into the chilled vanilla cream base.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions, about 30-45 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.

Tips

For more intense cherry flavor, macerate cherries with a teaspoon of sugar before pureeing.
Use the scraped vanilla bean pod to infuse sugar for vanilla sugar to use in other recipes.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make cherry vanilla ice cream?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, plus 4 hours 10 minutes to chill, freeze and rest. The recipe makes about 1 quart (8 servings).

How should I store cherry vanilla ice cream?

Store ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Let soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.

Can I make cherry vanilla ice cream ahead?

Prepare the ice cream base and cherry puree a day ahead, then churn and freeze when ready.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped. Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Smooth homemade cherry vanilla ice cream featuring fresh cherry puree and real vanilla bean for a rich, creamy dessert perfect for warm days.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

300 Calories / serving

22.4g Fat

23.5g Carbs

2.5g Protein

23.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~2400 cal · 179g fat · 188g carbs · 20g protein · 186g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 300 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 57 min·3.3 mi·~6650 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 41 min·2.1 mi·~4100 steps
Moderate cycling 30 min·6.0 mi
Swimming laps 42 min
Jogging 29 min·2.4 mi·~4650 steps
Stair climbing 28 min·~2500 steps
Dancing 49 min
Bodyweight circuit training 30 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 70 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.