Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream (with and without the ice cream maker)
As the festive season approaches, the quest for delightful and memorable recipes intensifies. 🎄 What better way to conclude your Christmas or New Year's Eve dinner than with a homemade chocolate cherry ice cream? This chocolate cherry cashew ice cream recipe is not only simply irresistible, but is also fully vegan, gluten-free, and can be easily prepped with or without an ice cream maker. The ice cream is naturally sweetened with date syrup, which adds a pleasant caramel note to the mixture. Plus, it is packed with antioxidants and is made with awesome nutritionally-dense ingredients, such as cashews, cherries, cacao nibs, and raw cacao powder. A true treat for the tastebuds, but also the body!
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker (optional, I used this Ninja one)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Cacao powder
- 3 cups Frozen Cherries unsweetened
- 3/4 cup Aquafaba
- 2 cups Oat milk or almond milk
- 1 cup Raw Cashews soaked in warm water for a couple of hours
- 1/4 cup Date syrup or agave syrup
- 4 tbsp Cacao nibs better if unsweetened and organic
- 1/4 cup Cherry liqueur or other liqueur of choice (optional)
Instructions
With the ice cream maker
- Soak the raw cashews in warm water for a couple of hours. Drain and rinse.
- In a blender, combine the soaked cashews, frozen cherries, cacao powder, aquafaba, oat milk (or almond milk), date syrup (or agave syrup), and cherry liqueur (if using). Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours for optimal consistency (optional).
- Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Add cacao nibs during the last few minutes of churning to distribute them evenly.
- Transfer the ice cream to a lidded container, sprinkle some extra cacao nibs on top (if desired), and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
- Scoop and serve the chocolate cherry cashew ice cream. If desired, top it with some frozen cherries, or some chocolate sauce and vegan whipped cream Enjoy!
Without the ice cream maker
- Soak the raw cashews in warm water for a couple of hours. Drain and rinse.
- In a blender, combine the soaked cashews, frozen cherries, cacao powder, aquafaba, oat milk (or almond milk), date syrup (or agave syrup), and cherry liqueur (if using). Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill. Once the mixture is chilled, stir in the cacao nibs.
- Pour the mixture into a lidded container and place it in the freezer. Every 30 minutes for the first 2-3 hours, stir the mixture with a fork to break up ice crystals.
- After stirring a few times, let the ice cream freeze completely for at least 4 hours or until firm.
- Scoop and serve the chocolate cherry cashew ice cream. If desired, top it with some frozen cherries, or some chocolate sauce and vegan whipped cream Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream (with and without the ice cream maker)
Amount per Serving
Calories
289
% Daily Value*
Fat
13
g
20
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
5
g
Sodium
41
mg
2
%
Potassium
347
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
36
g
12
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
24
g
27
%
Protein
7
g
14
%
Vitamin A
201
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
134
mg
13
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!