Cherry Gelato Recipe
Large pieces of cherries are enveloped in a rich vanilla gelato base, to make a cherry gelato recipe that’s filled with amazing flavors and textures.
Creamy, sweet, and simple to make, Cherry Gelato is a delicious homemade recipe that everyone will love!
This homemade cherry gelato recipe is naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and made with all-natural ingredients.
Creamy Cherry Gelato is one of my family’s favorite summer treats, but the best part about this recipe is that it’s made with canned fruit, so it can be made any time of year, no matter if it’s cherry picking season or not!
Why You’re Going to Love this Cherry Gelato Recipe
Creamy Cherry Gelato is one of my family’s favorite summer treats, but the best part about this recipe is that it’s made with canned fruit, so it can be made any time of year, no matter if it’s cherry picking season or not!
This recipe is made using a Philadelphia-style gelato/ice cream base, which means that it’s egg-free, and doesn’t require any cooking. All you need to do is stir up the ingredients and let the ice cream machine do the rest of the work!
Kids love helping to make this recipe, and they love eating their homemade cherry gelato even more. It’s perfect on an ice cream cone, in a bowl, as the topping for a brownie sundae, or as a layer in Spumoni!
Get the whole family involved in the process, and be sure to check out all of our gelato and ice cream recipes so that you can make a new flavor every week together.
Ingredients in Homemade Cherry Gelato
Heavy Cream – For a rich and creamy gelato, heavy cream is the obvious choice.
Milk – But we’ll also use whole milk because the blend of both is what makes the texture of this gelato perfect.
Granulated Sugar – Sugar adds sweetness, and the granules also play a big role in creating super smooth gelato.
Honey – Honey adds extra sweetness and also keeps the ice cream from freezing too hard. Any type of liquid sweetener, such as agave or corn syrup can also be used.
Salt – To balance the sweetness of sugar, honey, and cherries, a bit of salt does the trick.
Canned Cherries – 1 can of cherries is the perfect amount for this recipe. Be sure to buy plain canned cherries and not cherry pie filling. Roughly chop the cherries for the gelato before mixing them in. Mixing the cherries with a tablespoon of sugar results in cherries that are soft and syrupy, yum!
How to Make Cherry Gelato from Scratch
Start the day before by making sure that the bowl for your ice cream maker has at least 24 hours to freeze solid. Shake it to be sure that nothing is still sloshing around in there before you begin.
- Make the gelato mixture by combining heavy cream, whole milk, ½ cup of granulated sugar, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the chopped cherries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir, and set aside while you make the gelato.
- Churn the gelato mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions until it is thick and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
- In the last two minutes, add half of the cherry mixture, and churn until it is fully combined.
- Spoon the gelato into a shallow container or a loaf pan.
- Dollop the remaining cherries into the pan and lightly swirl them in. Press plastic wrap or waxed paper to the surface of the gelato. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions for this cherry gelato recipe, please see the recipe below.
How to Store Cherry Gelato
Store this homemade Cherry Gelato in the freezer in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper pressed on top for up to one month.
Tips for Making This Cherry Gelato Recipe
Use quality ingredients – When making homemade gelato, you’ll want to make sure you are using high-quality ingredients for the best outcome.
Chill out – If possible, always start with chilled ingredients. This is important for homemade no-churn ice cream recipes and ice cream maker recipes. If your gelato base isn’t cold before you churn it, place it in the freezer for an hour first.
Don’t skimp on the fat – High-fat milk and cream are essential! Choosing a low-fat option often leads to icy desserts and inconsistency in the texture.
Don’t go crazy with the add-ins – If you’re adding in additional ingredients, pick one or two and make sure they are chopped into pieces no larger than a blueberry or pea.
Don’t skimp on the sugar – Sugar not only adds sweetness to homemade gelato, but it also helps with the texture. Sugar is essential for the creamy texture in this recipe.
No Churn Cherry Gelato Directions
Chill a shallow container or a loaf pan in the freezer while you mix the gelato ingredients.
Pour the gelato mixture into the prepared pan and freeze for 3-4 hours. Stir the ice cream every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours to help add air. This will help create a creamy, smooth texture.
After 2 hours, stir in the chopped cherries and sugar mixture, then let the gelato freeze until it’s fully hardened.
Cherry Gelato Add-Ins
Do you want to make this recipe even better? Cherries and dark chocolate are a wonderful combination!
Try adding chunks of dark chocolate brownies, or just toss in some chopped chocolate bars during the last two minutes of churning.
Cherry Gelato makes an amazing hot fudge sundae too! Be sure to grab our recipe for homemade fudge sauce while you’re here.
Why Should I Add Honey to Homemade Gelato?
The honey in this recipe adds flavor, sweetness, and aids in giving the cherry gelato the perfect texture.
Replacing some of the sugar in the recipe with a liquid sweetener keeps ice cream or gelato from getting too hard and icy in the freezer.
You can replace the honey in this recipe with corn syrup if you like, or you can use all granulated sugar instead.
Either way, the cherry gelato will be delicious!
Can I Make Cherry Gelato with Fresh Cherries?
You can! Since canned cherries are already soft, they only need to sit in the granulated sugar for a short time. Fresh cherries will need at least 30 minutes to macerate in sugar to release their juicy flavor.
More Fruity Homemade Ice Cream and Gelato Recipes
- Mango Gelato
- Sugar Free Ice Cream
- Huckleberry Ice Cream
- Banana Ice Cream
- Peaches and Cream Ice Cream
- Raspberry Ice Cream
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Cherry Gelato Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar divided
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 15 oz. can of cherries (about 1.5 cups), drained and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Chill the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours or until solid. You should not hear any water sloshing around when you shake the bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, whole milk, ½ cup of the granulated sugar, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until combined.
- In a small bowl, combine chopped cherries and remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Stir until combined. Set aside.
- Churn the gelato mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about 20 minutes), until it is thick and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
- In the last two minutes, add half of the cherry mixture and churn until it is fully combined.
- Spoon the gelato into a shallow container or a loaf pan.
- Dollop the remaining cherries into the pan and lightly swirl them in. Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the gelato. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid. Let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving.
