Cherry Crisp Ice Cream is the perfect way to cool down on a hot summer day! Sweet roasted cherries and buttery crisp streusel are mixed into the creamiest ice cream base for an addictively indulgent frozen treat.
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I love unique ice cream flavors, so when I saw the recipe for cherry crisp ice cream in Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home (affiliate link), I had to make it. From the first bite, I was totally sold on the method. Jeni's recipe produces a thick, creamy ice cream without the fuss of eggs. Cream cheese is the secret creamy ingredient, which I should have thought of based on these brownies. Aaand now I want brownie ice cream.
No joke, this recipe is a lot of steps, but it's worth it for a special occasion! You know you're not eating cherry crisp without a scoop of pure vanilla ice cream anyways, so why not throw it right in there?
The cherries and streusel can be prepared a day in advance so once you're ready to make the ice cream it should only take a few minutes of hands-on work and a few hours of waiting by the freezer.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Cherries
- Pitted fresh or frozen (not thawed) red or black cherries
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
For the Crisp Streusel
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Ground cinnamon
- Light brown sugar
- Salt
- Old-fashioned oats
For the Ice Cream Base
- Whole milk
- Cornstarch
- Cornstarch
- Cream cheese
- Fine sea salt
- Heavy cream
- Granulated sugar
- Light corn syrup
- Vanilla bean
How to make cherry crisp ice cream
- To make the cherries, combine the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a baking dish. Roast until the juices are thickened and bubbly, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- To make the crisp streusel, put all the ingredients except the oats in a large bowl and combine by rubbing the dry ingredients into the butter with your fingertips. When the mixture looks like coarse sand, add the oats and mix well. Spread out on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until toasted and browned, stirring occasionally. Let cool completely, then freeze until ready to use.
- To make the ice cream base, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt until smooth. Set aside.
- Fill a large bowl with lots of ice and water.
- In a saucepan, combine the remaining milk, heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla seeds and bean. Bring to a roiling boil over medium-high heat and allow to boil for 4 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture.
- Return the pan to the heat and bring back to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat.
- Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as needed, until cold, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the vanilla bean. Pour the ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. The ice cream is done when it is thick and creamy and the machine is no longer freezing it.
- Pack the ice cream into a storage container, layering in pockets of roasted cherry and streusel. Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface of the ice cream and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
Top tips
Extra streusel
It's important to note that this recipe makes more crisp streusel than you will need for the ice cream! I like to sprinkle a bit of additional crisp over each serving of ice cream.
The best ice cream scoop
My ice cream scoop doesn't have any markings on it, but I believe it's an old Pampered Chef scoop. I love that it has a special liquid in the handle that uses the warmth of your hand to help melt and scoop the ice cream. It also doesn't have or need a release lever, so it works for both left and right handed people.
I found a similar ice cream scoop (affiliate link) that has mixed reviews, but I think the most important thing to remember is you can't put these scoops in the dishwasher. You need to wash them carefully by hand to protect the materials that make it so useful.
How to store cherry ice cream
Homemade ice cream will keep well covered in the freezer for 1-2 weeks. Press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap against the ice cream before sealing with an airtight lid to help prevent the formation of ice crystals. If ice crystals form, scrape off and remove before enjoying.
Tips for customizing homemade ice cream
- Add extra streusel over the top
- Serve garnished with fresh cherries
- Swap the cherries for another fruit, like strawberries or raspberries
- Use as a filling for an ice cream cookie sandwich using these whole wheat chocolate fudge cookies
FAQ
I recommend the Cuisinart ice cream maker. It is compact and does a wonderful job. I have also had the KitchenAid ice cream attachment and found that the bowl leaked and didn't work as well.
This recipe is designed to be made with an ice cream maker. I do not recommend making it without one.
More frozen treats
- Strawberry Sorbet
- Cherry Frozen Yogurt Bars
- Cantaloupe Popsicles with Dates
- Goat Cheese and Honey Ice Cream
- Grape Nut Ice Cream
- Pistachio Ice Cream
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
- Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream
- Salted Caramel Ice Cream
- Butter Pecan Ice Cream
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Cherry Crisp Ice Cream
Ingredients
Roasted Cherries
- 2 cups pitted fresh or frozen (not thawed) red or black cherries
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Crisp Streusel
- 1 cup butter, (2 sticks) cut into ½ inch cubes and chilled
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out, seeds and bean reserved
Instructions
Roasted Cherries
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Combine the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a 9-inch square baking dish, tossing to mix.
- Roast for 30-45 minutes until the juices are thickened and bubbly, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Crisp Streusel
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Put all the ingredients except the oats in a large bowl and blend by rubbing the dry ingredients into the butter with your fingertips. Work quickly so the butter doesn't melt.
- When the mixture looks like coarse sand, add the oats and mix well.
- Spread out on an ungreased baking sheet. Break up any large clumps into crumbs about ¼ to ½ inch in size. Bake 30-35 minutes, until toasted and browned, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and to turn over the unbaked portions.
- Let cool completely, then freeze until ready to use. The streusel can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Ice Cream Base
- Mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt until smooth.
- Fill a large bowl with lots of ice and water.
- In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the remaining milk, heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla seeds and bean. Bring to a roiling boil over medium-high heat and allow to boil for 4 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture.
- Return the pan to the heat and bring back to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as needed, until cold, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the vanilla bean. Pour the ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. The ice cream is done when it is thick and creamy and the machine is no longer freezing it (about 25 minutes).
- Pack the ice cream into a storage container, layering in pockets of roasted cherry and streusel. Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface of the ice cream and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.
Jenn @ Deliciously Sprinkled says
WOW, this cherry ice cream looks amazing! I want a triple scoop of it right now! 🙂
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks Jenn! One scoop definitely isn't enough!
Meagan @ A zesty Bite says
This ice cream would definitely be the perfect treat for my family. I think the cake was gorgeous and did a beautiful job decorating it.
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks Meagan!
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
Sounds absolutely out of this world! Pinned!
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks Melanie!
Danielle | Krafted Koch says
Oh my goodness, I love the idea of incorporating a streusel into an ice cream. This looks fantastic!
Lindsay Moe says
You have no idea! It's so good.