Name: Colorado Sour Cherry Ice Cream
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 620 min
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups 465g sour cherries, pitted; 1 ¼ cups 250g sugar, divided; 1 tbsp 15ml lemon juice; 2 cups 473ml heavy cream; 1 cup 237ml whole milk

Cherry On Top: The Colorado Sour Cherry Ice Cream Adventure 🍒🍦

Ever had that moment when you just NEED ice cream? Like, it’s a requirement for survival? Same! So I went on a mission to make this Colorado Sour Cherry Ice Cream. 😍

Main dish photo — *The finished dish — looks amazing, right?*

Okay, Let’s Talk Ingredients

Alright, so here’s the deal. You’re gonna need some sour cherries—3 cups, to be exact. I mean, you can totally use regular cherries, but trust me, the sour ones are where the magic happens! Then, grab 1 ¼ cups of sugar (yeah, I know it sounds like a lot, but it balances the tartness), and a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Now let’s not forget the creamy stuff—2 cups of heavy cream and 1 cup of whole milk (yes, the full-fat goodness). I get it, it’s not the healthiest, but c’mon, it’s ice cream. Who’s counting calories here?

So Here’s Why I Make This Constantly

Okay, so here’s the scoop (pun totally intended) on why this ice cream holds a special place in my heart. Last summer, I went cherry-picking with my friends—like, the BEST day ever. We filled our baskets with those beautiful red gems, singing and laughing under the sun. 🍒☀️ Anyway, I brought home a ton of cherries and thought, “What the heck do I do with all these?”

I stumbled upon this recipe (thank you, Sweet Action!) and decided, why not? I mean, I had the cherries, the cream, and a dream. As I churned that ice cream, the smell of sweet vs. tart filled my kitchen, and it was like a cherry explosion of happiness. Seriously, I may have eaten a whole bowl straight outta the machine. Like, who even does that? *Raises hand*

Another beautiful angle of the dish — *Just as gorgeous from this angle too!*

The One Trick That Changes Everything

Listen up! The key to making this ice cream next level is the maceration step. Just toss those pitted cherries with ¾ cup of sugar and the lemon juice and let them hang out in the fridge for like 6 hours. Seriously, don’t skip that part. The magic happens as they get all juicy and sweet—it’s basically cherry nectar by the end!

Don’t Mess This Up (My Top Tips)

Okay, so here’s where I’ll save you from my mistakes. When you’re puréeing those cherries, use a fine-mesh sieve to catch the skins—trust me, biting into a skin is not cute. And when you’re whisking the cream and sugar over the heat—don’t walk away! I did once and came back to a bubbling, almost burnt mess. Not my finest hour.

Also, when you’re adding those reserved cherry skins at the end, be cautious—too many can make it all weird and chunky. A few pieces are good for texture, but you don’t want it to feel like you’re chewing on a cherry pit, ya know?

How to Keep Them From Disappearing (Or, How to Store Them)

So, here’s the scoop (again, pun intended). Store this bad boy in an airtight container in the freezer. I’ve learned the hard way that ice cream can get freezer burn if you leave it out too long. Just cover it with parchment paper before sealing it up. It’ll keep for about 2 weeks, if you can manage not to devour it all in one sitting. 😅

If You Liked This, You’ll Probably Like These Too

If you’re into this cherry goodness, you should totally check out my homemade vanilla bean ice cream—it’s a classic! Or a fresh peach sorbet that’s super refreshing in the summer. Oh, and don’t forget about my chocolate chunk cookie ice cream sandwiches—OMG, they’re heavenly!

So, what’s your go-to ice cream flavor? Are you as obsessed with this cherry one as I am? Let’s chat about it! 🍦💖

Colorado Sour Cherry Ice Cream

Flavor-packed Colorado Sour Cherry Ice Cream with amazing ingredients and incredible taste! Perfect for any occasion.

Prep Time
15 minutes

Cook Time
5 minutes

Total Time
620 minutes

Category: Dinner

Yield: 1 servings servings

Ingredients

3 cups 465g sour cherries, pitted

1 ¼ cups 250g sugar, divided

1 tbsp 15ml lemon juice

2 cups 473ml heavy cream

1 cup 237ml whole milk

Instructions

Combine cherries with ¾ cup (150g) of the sugar and lemon juice. Allow the cherries to macerate in the refrigerator for approximately 6 hours, stirring every hour. Purée the macerated cherries in a blender. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the cherry skins; reserve the juice. Reserve 2 tablespoons (30g) of the cherry skins and discard the remaining skins.
Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar with the heavy cream and whole milk and place over medium heat. Bring the milk mixture to a low boil. Cook until the sugar dissolves, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a medium bowl and set in the ice water bath to cool, 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
When you are ready to churn, combine the reserved sour cherry juice and the milk mixture in an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When churning is near completion, add the reserved cherry skins (adjust based on personal preference). Complete churning, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.