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Maraschino Cherry Ice Cream

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This maraschino cherry ice cream is a creamy cherry ice cream that doesn’t need a custard. I just chill the ingredients before freezing them in my ice cream maker, and before I know it, I’m enjoying one of my favorite summer desserts.

maraschino cherry ice cream

Maraschino Cherry Ice Cream

If “pink” were a flavor, this maraschino cherry ice cream is what it would taste like!

This perfect shade of petal pink ice cream reminds me of two things: birthday parties at Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor (remember the plastic circus animals in the ice cream?) and circus animal cookies dipped in a generous coating of pink or white icing, showered with festive rainbow nonpareils.

There’s something about this version of cherry ice cream that makes me feel like a kid again.

Why I Love This Recipe

  • It has a certain nostalgia for me. It also reminds me of getting ice cream on the boardwalk.
  • I wouldn’t love this ice cream as much as I do if weren’t so delicious!
  • Not having to make a custard on the stove is definitely a plus!

cherry ice cream

If you prefer to use fresh cherries in ice cream, give my fresh cherry coconut chocolate chip ice cream a try. It’s a perfect summertime treat.

Ingredients 

  • Sweetened condensed milk: I use sweetened condensed milk because it eliminates the need to make a custard, but I make sure it’s very cold before adding it to the ice cream freezer.
  • Vanilla extract: This adds a nice background flavor.
  • Maraschino cherry juice: I get one cup of maraschino cherry juice from a 16 oz. jar of cherries or two 8 oz. jars of cherries.
  • Maraschino cherries: I chop each maraschino cherry into four equal parts.
  • Heavy cream: I find whipping cream with the highest percentage of fat, often labeled 36%, because the higher the fat percentage, the better the result with solid ice cream.

ingredients

How to Make Maraschino Cherry Ice Cream

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Step One: I add all the ingredients, except the chopped cherries, to a large bowl and pop it in the refrigerator until it’s really cold (at least four hours).
  • Step Two: Then, I pour the chilled mix into the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze it according to the manufacturer’s directions. I toss in the chilled chopped cherries during the last couple of minutes of freezing or you can stir them in.
  • Step Three: After that, I transfer the ice cream to a container and let it hang out in the freezer for at least four hours.
  • Step Four: I serve the finished ice cream in cones or bowls.

how to make cherry ice cream

Recipe Tips

  • I make sure all ingredients are thoroughly chilled before adding them to the ice cream freezer. You can add each cold ingredient to the ice cream freezer bowl separately, or you can mix them all together and chill them in the refrigerator until very cold.
  • Look for heavy cream with a high percentage of fat; they are often labeled as 36% heavy cream. I find this results in a more “solid” finished ice cream.
  • I also make sure that the container I’m adding the finished ice cream to is very cold.

maraschino ice cream with a scooper

Freezer Storage Tips

  • If I’m not serving this maraschino cherry ice cream right away, I transfer it to an airtight container to prevent ice crystals from forming and to maintain its freshness.
  • Usually I’ll press a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container to prevent freezer burn.
  • I will place the ice cream container towards the back of the freezer where the temperature is more consistent, avoiding the door to prevent temperature fluctuations.
  • I like to consume homemade ice cream within a month of making it for best results.

pink ice cream

More Maraschino Cherry Recipes

Cherry Tassies
Soft Baked Maraschino Cherry-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adult Shirley Temple Cocktail

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

cherry ice cream
Print Recipe
5 from 31 votes

Maraschino Cherry Ice Cream

Maraschino Cherry Ice Cream is a deliciously creamy cherry ice cream and does not require making a custard. Just chill your ingredients before freezing in your ice cream maker and you will soon be enjoying your new favorite dessert.
Prep Time4 hours
Cook Time20 minutes
Freezing4 hours
Total Time8 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Maraschino Cherry Ice Cream
Servings: 8
Calories: 395kcal
Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients, except the chopped cherries, to a large bowl and place in the refrigerator until very cold (at least four hours). (Chopped cherries should be kept chilled in a seperate bowl.)
    2 cups heavy cream, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1-1/2 tsps vanilla extract, 1 cup maraschino cherry juice, 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, chilled
  • Pour chilled ingredients into the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers directions. Add chilled chopped cherries the last couple minutes of freezing.
  • Add ice cream to a container and freeze in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
  • Serve in cones or bowls.

Notes

Maraschino Cherry Juice: You can get one cup of juice from a 16 oz. jar of cherries or two 8 oz. jars of cherries.
Heavy Cream: When it comes to heavy cream, look for one with a very high fat percentage, like 36%. This helps the ice cream freeze better, otherwise it is more of a soft serve consistency. This is very important when it comes to making ice cream that is not custard based.
For optimal outcomes when preparing this maraschino cherry ice cream, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.
The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Maraschino Cherry Ice Cream
Amount Per Serving (150 g)
Calories 395 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 16.7g104%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3g
Cholesterol 80mg27%
Sodium 24.5mg1%
Potassium 60mg2%
Carbohydrates 37.8g13%
Sugar 37g41%
Protein 3.4g7%
Vitamin A 16IU0%
Calcium 8mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Comments

    5 from 31 votes

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  1. Kristine says

    Farrell’s was so awesome!! I haven’t thought about them since I was a kid!

    PS. This ice cream looks amazing. Have you ever tried to mod this recipe to be vegan? I’m intolerant of lactose so I’ve given up cow milk products as I can.

    Reply

    • Mansoor says

      For future readers (like myself), you can’t make this recipe lactose free, as there don’t seem to be lactose free heavy creams. However, other recipes call for mixing cream and milk, which is half-and-half. And that does come in a lactose free version! The tradeoff compared to this recipe would be ice cream that is less creamy (but also lower in fat).

      Reply

      • Summer says

        Since your comment has aged, there are lactose free heavy creams out there. Silk makes one that is perfect. I used it in this and it turned out rich and creamy. It froze properly as well, no ice crystals. I highly recommend finding Silk Heavy Cream and trying it.

        Reply

    • Summer says

      I used Silk Heavy Cream and condensed coconut milk. Zero lactose and it came out perfect. I can’t have lactose either and I substitute with Silk, Lactaid brands, and condensed coconut milk in everything, with excellent results.

      Reply

  3. Judith - Texas says

    5 stars
    I subscribe to many blogs but a big smile comes on my face when I see you have posted an entry; always entertaining and delicious goodies to make.

    We loved every bite of this ice cream in this Texas heat. It was always a childhood favorite.

    Reply

  4. Lynn says

    5 stars
    Your recipes are delicious with readily available ingredients – so “doable” . And this ice cream was perfection. We loved every bite. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  5. April says

    Looks fantastic! I have a question though. The coconut ice cream was delicious, but a little too sweet for my taste. Is this as sweet? And if so, do you have any suggestions for making it a little less sweet?

    And did you think of maybe adding some mini semi sweet chips in there?

    Reply

  10. Alexis Gentry says

    Huzzah! Congrats!!!! (Totally not surprised you’re on the list—it’s true, your site is FAB.)

    And…I was just gifted an ice cream maker; squeeeeeeeaaaaaallllll! So, I am going to try this recipe ASAP. And I need to schedule my mini road trip down to you. Because the summer is melting away before our very eyes! xo, alexis

    Reply

  12. j3nn says

    Congrats on making Babble’s top 100!!

    This ice cream sounds SO good. I love the cute little striped paper cups! My mom is crazy about cherry ice cream, she’d definitely enjoy this. When you mentioned coconut ice cream it brought me back to childhood when we made coconut gelato at our stand. Haven’t had it in years! I might have to correct that. 🙂

    Reply

  13. Carrie says

    Farrell’s was a family fave growing up….I didn’t know they were still in existence! We are headed to SoCal in August and I got excited for a minute thinking I could take my kids to Farrell’s but alas there isn’t one near enough to our destination 🙁
    Your ice cream looks delish!

    Reply

  17. Beverly says

    I made this tonight…..sitting in the freezer now firming up. I ran my ice cream maker for almost 25 minutes and the mixture never got very thick (but maybe it’s not supposed to?). I hoping it turns out! (Also, I got a pretty heavy “ring” around the bottom half of the ice cream container and had to chip it off but I ended up throwing it out.)

    Reply

    • Cathy says

      Yes, the ice cream is not one of those high-butter fat mixtures that gets really, really hard in the freezer. It’s a little softer making it easy to scoop but is still very much ice cream consistency. As long as you started with very cold ingredients you should be fine. As far as the bottom ring, did you let your ingredients sit in the mixer too long before turning it on? That’s the only time I’ve experienced something like that. Enjoy!

      Reply

  18. Beverly says

    Thanks Cathy for the reply! My ingredients were cold and I turned on the machine before pouring everything in. Maybe I just ran it too long. I can’t wait to taste test tonight!!

    Reply

  22. Susan C. says

    The kids and I made this the other evening.
    Absolutely wonderful dessert.
    We plan to make this again as I had to adjust the recipe to make up for an absent pantry item.

    Reply

  23. Spencer says

    Hello there,

    I tried making this before with a custard base. I added granulated sugar and the juice from the cherries to the base. When I went to freeze it, it never froze. I think it was too much sugar. I noticed in your recipe that you don’t use granulated sugar so I’m thinking that is why yours froze and mine didn’t. If you have any comments or suggestions, my ears are open. Thanks…

    Reply

  24. Deb Mays says

    Just made this and it’s delicious but seems to be really loose rather than firming up in the ice cream maker. Wondering if you measured the liquid from the cherries and the brand I used had more liquid………

    Reply

  26. Ravi Gupta says

    I don’t have a ice cream maker, but I’ve seen and tasted my parents make mango ice cream using mango pulp many times before by just softening up the vanilla ice cream and adding canned mango pulp (and possibly sugar) and it’s divine.

    Anyway, can I use the same method they did by just using store bought vanilla ice cream and then using maraschino cherries and their juice per your recipe?

    I assume the rest of the ingredients you have listed is for a vanilla ice cream base, correct? Thank you!

    Reply

  27. Barbara Brice says

    I have a big jar of cherries, not the 16 ounce one. My question to you is How much juice from the cherries do I need to use. I don’t want to go out and by more cherries just foir the juice when I have plenty. Thanks so much…Barb

    Reply

  29. Janet Anderson says

    5 stars
    Just made this yesterday and my husband and I ate the whole thing! Made a few substitutions because we didn’t have enough whipping cream…so I used 1 1/4 cups vanilla flavored cream or whipping cream, 1 3/4 cups of whole milk, 3/4 cup of Maraschino cherry juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla. Last 5 minutes added shaved chocolate and cut up cherries. Delicious. Probably not as creamy as the recipe you have, but it was light and delicious!!!

    Reply

  46. Heidi says

    5 stars
    This ice cream was wonderful! I am trying to go sugar free so next time I will use sf sweetened condensed milk. Made this for my bosses birthday as he said cherry ice cream was a favorite. Everyone loved it.

    Reply

  48. Mike L says

    5 stars
    Considering the first comment was posted around 2012…12 years later I guess this qualifies as timeless! I have used this recipe 3 times now for family or work get functions and it is always a favorite. The one thing I do different now is after using the maraschino juice, I use black cherries instead of the maraschinos, which I dice into quarters then freeze on a wax paper tray before using. After the ice cream is finished, I hand mix in them in. It leaves larger chunks of the cheery in the ice cream, but the flavor of the black cheery is distinctively different than the base which adds a counterpoint to the sweeter maraschino.

    Reply

  52. Beth Younker says

    5 stars
    Hi, made this recipe about 10 days ago. I have to laugh when you say to put plastic on it so that you don’t get ice crystals after it’s been in the freezer for a while…yours lasts that long? LOL, I could have eaten all of this in about 4 days! Having said that, I found that waiting for my churn to stop churning was kind of a waste of time as it stays fairly soft, so if you’re making this for the first time maybe check it after 20 mins. (I churned for about 2 hours, way too long!!) Mine also took overnight to fully firm up. Not a crisis unless you’re expecting to eat it in 4 hours or so. Next time I’ll plan better and start it early in the day so it’s ready for evening.
    The only comment from hubby was he thought it might be a little too sweet. I’m wondering about adding some whole milk or even more cream (but I think I’d like to lower the fat content just SLIGHTLY) to the recipe. Any recommendations for the amount I could add without ruining the consistency?

    Reply

    • Cathy Pollak says

      I love this — sounds like you really made it your own. And yeah… the plastic wrap tip is more for the just-in-case crowd. Mine rarely lasts that long either. Good note on the churn time too — depending on the machine, 20–30 minutes is usually plenty. Two hours definitely qualifies as a dedicated ice cream session.

      If it felt a little sweet, you could cut the condensed milk back slightly (try 3/4 of the can), or add a splash of whole milk to balance it out. Just a little — maybe 1/4 cup — so you don’t lose that creamy consistency. You could also swap in a mix of cream and half-and-half next time to tone it down a bit without going too lean. Glad it was still a hit, and thanks for all the great notes.

      Reply

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