Recreate the iconic Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream at home with this healthier homemade recipe! We use a rich, silky vanilla custard base, homemade cherry preserves bursting with real fruit, and generous chunks of dark chocolate to make this from-scratch version, while still capturing everything you love about the original.

WHY I MADE THIS CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHUNK ICE CREAM

I’m not gonna lie to you and say that the Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia flavor is my favorite flavor ever, because it isn’t (that honor goes to Gimme S’more).

BUT, I happened to have a glut of cherries in my kitchen recently after making my homemade cherry kombucha, and needed something to do with them…

Ice cream, of course, is always a good idea when these kinds of things happen.

And that’s why I decided to make a copycat version of Ben & Jerry’s famous Cherry Garcia ice cream! Although it’s not my #1 favorite flavor of all time, I do really like it. Cherries and chocolate naturally go so well together, and they go together extra well when they’re churned with creamy, smooth, vanilla custard ice cream to make something as delightful and delicious as this.

After I made this chocolate chip cherry ice cream at home, the Cherry Garcia flavor definitely went up a few notches on my personal ranking of Ben and Jerry’s best ice creams. That’s because I was able to make it at home exactly the way I like it.

This homemade version has the perfect balance of creamy, sweet cherries chunks, and chopped dark chocolate chips in every bite, and it’s so yummy I’m pretty sure I’m spoiled from ever buying the store bought version again.

And I think you’ll feel the same way after you make this. As always, leave a comment and review if you do, I’d love to see what you think!

MY HOMEMADE CHERRY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM RECIPE

The full instructions on how to make this healthier Cherry Garcia ice cream is in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of how to make it.

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to view the full recipe and get all of the measurements and instructions!

• Heat the base: Combine the milk, heavy cream, and honey in a medium saucepan and heat until it just begins to simmer.
• Temper the eggs: Return the pan to heat and warm the mixture again. Meanwhile, slowly whisk some of the warm milk mixture into your egg yolks to temper them.
• Cook the custard: Return the pan to heat and stir continuously for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
• Chill: Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and salt, then pour the custard through a strainer into a large heat-safe bowl. Let it cool slightly at room temperature before covering and refrigerating for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Make the cherry preserves: While the custard chills, add the pitted cherries and sugar to a medium pan and cook until jammy and thick. Cool to room temperature and store in the fridge until ready to use.
• Chop the dark chocolate chips: Until they’re nicely flaked.
• Churn: Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Assemble: Transfer the ice cream to freezer-safe containers, layering and lightly swirling in the cherry preserves and dark chocolate chips as you go. Enjoy immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or freeze until solid for a scoopable result!

CHERRY GARCIA ICE CREAM KEY INGREDIENTS

The full ingredients list is in the recipe card below, so make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see what you need to make this recipe!

Here is a quick overview of what you need to make this healthier ice cream at home:

• Milk: Forms the liquid base of the custard, along with the heavy cream. Milk contributes to the overall creaminess of the ice cream while keeping it light enough to churn and scoop.
• Heavy Cream: The other half of the custard base that gives the ice cream its rich, creamy texture. Without cream, the ice cream would freeze into a hard, icy block. No thanks!
• Sugar: The primary sweetener! Sugar also lowers the freezing point of the mixture, which helps keep the ice cream soft, scoopable, and smooth rather than freezing into a solid, icy block.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and depth to the overall flavor profile.
• Egg Yolks: The backbone of the custard base! Egg yolks are rich in fat and lecithin, which act as natural emulsifiers that bind the fat and liquid together to create a silky smooth custard. They also thicken the mixture as it cooks, giving the ice cream its dense, creamy texture.
• Cherries: Cooking the cherries down with sugar concentrates their natural flavor and transforms them into a thick, jammy preserve with a mix of smooth and chunky textures! Both fresh and frozen cherries work well here, giving you pockets of bright, fruity flavor throughout the ice cream.
• Dark Chocolate Chips: Added to the ice cream after churning to create satisfying chunks of chocolate throughout every scoop, just like the original Cherry Garcia ice cream.

HOW LONG DOES THIS CHERRY ICE CREAM TAKE TO MAKE?

This chocolate chip and cherry recipe has a few different components to it, but they all come together pretty quickly and easily.

The full recipe is below, but here’s the gist of it:

• Prep time: 55 mins
• Chill time: 6 hours
• Churning: 20 minutes (depends on your ice cream maker)

In total, this cherry dark chocolate chip ice cream will take about an hour of active time to make! This does not include the 6 hour chilling time that is required for this recipe, which you can read about more in the FAQ section.

HOW TO STORE THIS CHERRY GARCIA ICE CREAM?

When stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container, this ice cream will keep well for up to 2 weeks.

For best results, press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container to prevent ice crystals from forming on top.

The ice cream will naturally get harder over time, so let it sit on the counter for about 5 minutes before scooping for best results!

COPYCAT CHERRY GARCIA RECIPE FAQ

1. What is Cherry Garcia ice cream?

Cherry Garcia is one of Ben & Jerry’s most iconic flavors! It’s a cherry ice cream loaded with cherries and chocolate chunks.

My homemade copycat version puts a slightly different spin on that classic combo: instead of cherry ice cream we use a vanilla custard base instead, which lets the cherry preserves and dark chocolate chips that mix in really shine!

2. Can I use frozen cherries instead of fresh? Or just store bought preserves?

Yes, you can! Frozen cherries work just as well as fresh in the cherry preserves part of this recipe. You don’t even need to thaw them, you can just add them to a pan and follow the rest of the recipe as written. Note that they will take slightly longer to defrost and cook, so keep a close eye on them while they’re in the pan.

I prefer to make my own cherry preserves for this step because this chunkier version gets you lots of jammy pockets of fruit in each bite, and store bought preserves are too sweet, in my opinion.

But, you’re welcome to use store bought cherry preserves in a pinch. Make sure it’s made with simple ingredients without too much added sugar.

3. Why do I add the chocolate chips after churning rather than before?

Adding the chopped chocolate after churning prevents it from getting pulverized by the ice cream paddle. Stirring it in by hand at the end gives you those satisfying chunks of dark chocolate throughout the ice cream rather than tiny flecks, which I prefer!

4. What does tempering the eggs do, and why is it important?

Tempering is the process of slowly bringing the egg yolks up to a higher temperature by slowly whisking in a little bit of the hot milk mixture before adding the egg yolks to the pan.

This prevents the eggs from scrambling when they hit the heat, which you definitely want to avoid! Ask me how I know…

5. Do I need an ice cream maker for this recipe?

I highly recommend using an ice cream maker for the smoothest, creamiest results. I use the KitchenAid Ice Cream Bowl attachment so if you already have the stand mixer, I recommend getting this attachment!

If you don’t have one, you can pour the chilled mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze it, stirring vigorously every 30–45 minutes for the first 3–4 hours to break up ice crystals. The texture won’t be quite as smooth, but it will still be delicious.

6. Can I substitute the sugar with another sweetener?

Yes, you can use honey or maple syrup. Both work well as 1:1 substitutes, but note that this will alter the flavor of the finished ice cream.

7. Why do I need to chill the ice cream mixture before churning?

Chilling the custard base thoroughly before churning is essential for achieving a smooth, creamy texture.

A cold ice cream mixture churns faster and more evenly when poured into the ice cream maker, which means smaller ice crystals and a velvety final ice cream. You’ll be tempted to skip this step, but don’t!

8. How long does this ice cream keep in the freezer?

When stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container, this ice cream will keep well for up to 2 weeks.

For best results, press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container to prevent ice crystals from forming on top.

The ice cream will naturally get harder over time, so let it sit on the counter for about 5 minutes before scooping for best results!

9. Can I make this recipe dairy free?

I haven’t tried it for this recipe, but you can experiment with oat milk and/or coconut milk in place of both the milk and heavy cream for a dairy free version.

Note that the flavor will be slightly different. If you use coconut milk, the ice cream will have a subtle coconut undertone.

Also keep in mind that the texture of the ice cream may be less creamy than the original if you use a substitute like coconut, oat, or almond milk.

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

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