This no-churn cherry chocolate ice cream is one of my favorite easy no bake desserts with just a few simple ingredients, no fancy equipment, and zero stress. If you’re looking for easy desserts with few ingredients that still feel fun and a little fancy, this is one to save. It’s cold, creamy, and packed with juicy maraschino cherries and chocolate bits in every bite.
You don’t need an ice cream maker or even much prep time. Just whip, fold, stir, and freeze! It’s the kind of sweet treat that looks impressive but is secretly one of the easiest cherry desserts you’ll ever make. Whether you’re hosting or just craving something cold and colorful on a weeknight, this recipe fits right in.
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Ingredients for No-Churn Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark maraschino cherries, chopped and patted dry
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- Optional: 2–3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
- Optional: 1-2 drops red food coloring (for color)
- Optional: ½ tsp cherry extract (for extra flavor)
How to Make Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream (No Churn!)
This recipe is all about keeping things simple. Here’s how I make it:
1. Chill your tools
I like to pop my mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10–15 minutes before starting. It helps the cream whip up faster and fluffier!
2. Whip the cream
In the chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream with a hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. When you lift the beaters, the peaks should stand up on their own.
3. Mix the base
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, cherry juice (if using) and cherry extract (if using). Add in a drop or two of deep red food coloring and mix until it’s evenly distributed.
4. Fold it all together
Add a third of the whipped cream to the condensed milk mixture and gently fold it in to lighten the base. Then fold in the rest of the whipped cream until smooth and fluffy. Fold slowly and gently so that your whipped cream stays as fluffy as possible.
5. Stir in the goodies
Fold in the chopped cherries and mini chocolate chips. For a fun look, save a few cherries to swirl on top.
6. Freeze it
Pour the mixture into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Swirl in any extra cherries on top, then cover tightly and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
7. Scoop and serve
Let the ice cream sit out for 5–10 minutes before scooping for the creamiest texture. Serve in cones, bowls, or enjoy straight from the pan
Pro Tips
- Dry those cherries! Like, really dry them. Use a paper towel to blot your cherries well. Extra moisture can lead to icy bits in the final ice cream.
- Use dark maraschino cherries if you can find them. I found mine at Aldi. The dark cherries add a very nice, tart-ish flavor that kind of balance the overall sweetness of this recipe. If you like really, really sweet, then regular maraschino cherries work too. I, personally, liked the flavor profile of the dark maraschino cherries.
- Choose your chocolate. Mini chips work great here, but if you’re using a chocolate bar, chop it small so every bite has a little chocolate. Alternatively, you could use some ice cream sundae fudge and swirl that in. I would put about half of your ice cream mixture in the container and swirl in some fudge. Then, put the rest of the ice cream mixture on top and swirl more fudge on the top.
- Customize the cherry flavor If you want a light cherry flavor that’s pretty much vanilla, use just a couple tablespoons of cherry juice. If you want a bold cherry punch, go for the cherry extract. Honestly, the cherry juice doesn’t add a ton of flavor on its own, so if you’re going for the cherry flavor anyway, I would just use cherry extract and skip the juice.
- Give it a few minutes
No-churn ice cream freezes firm. Let it rest on the counter for a few minutes before scooping. But also, please note, the more times you defrost your ice cream, it loses a little bit of its fluffy texture. It kind of deflates a bit each time, one of the (few) downsides to no-churn ice cream.
FAQs
Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino?
For sure! Just pit, chop, and dry them really well. They’ll give you a more natural cherry flavor and a bit less sweetness.
Why does my ice cream taste like vanilla instead of cherry?
This ice cream doesn’t have a strong cherry flavor for sure! If you want a strong cherry flavor in your ice cream base on top of the chopped cherries, you should definitely use cherry extract and skip the cherry juice all together. Taste your ice cream “batter” before you freeze it. If it’s not cherry enough, carefully fold in another ½ teaspoon of cherry extract and make sure it’s distributed evenly throughout.
Do I need an ice cream maker?
Not at all! This is a totally no churn recipe. You just need a bowl, an electric or stand mixer, and your freezer.
How long does this keep?
It tastes best within 2 weeks. After that, it may start to get icy but will still be safe to eat. You can stretch it for much longer if you store your ice cream in an airtight container with a lid, as opposed to a loaf pan.
How do I prevent ice crystals?
Store your homemade ice cream in an airtight container with a secure lid. I like to reuse a container that (I think?) soup came in at one point. If you use a loaf pan, I recommend covering it with plastic wrap and then wrapping a rubber band around the container to hold the plastic wrap down.
This cherry chocolate ice cream is one of those easy desserts with few ingredients that you’ll find yourself making again and again. With just a handful of ingredients and no ice cream maker required, it’s so simple and can be made any time of year.
It’s the perfect mix of creamy, fruity, and chocolatey, and is just right for warm days, potlucks, or when you’re craving something sweet and simple.
Cherry Chocolate No-Churn Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz.
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup dark maraschino cherries chopped and patted dry
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 2-3 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice optional
- 1/2 tsp cherry extract for extra cherry flavor, optional *See note
- 1-2 drops red food coloring for color, optional
Instructions
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10–15 minutes before starting. It helps the cream whip up faster and fluffier!
- In the chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream with a hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. When you lift the beaters, the peaks should stand up on their own.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, cherry juice (if using) and cherry extract (if using). Add in a drop or two of deep red food coloring and mix until it’s evenly distributed.
- Add a third of the whipped cream to the condensed milk mixture and gently fold it in to lighten the base. Then fold in the rest of the whipped cream until smooth and fluffy. Fold slowly and gently so that your whipped cream stays as fluffy as possible.
- Fold in the chopped cherries and mini chocolate chips. For a fun look, save a few cherries to swirl on top.
- Pour the mixture into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Swirl in any extra cherries on top, then cover tightly and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Let the ice cream sit out for about 5 minutes before scooping for the creamiest texture.
