Cherry Coconut Nice Cream

Author: Paul Turcotte
Refreshing, rich, and creamy. A delightfully cool summer treat with only four ingredients, five if you have an overactive sweet tooth. Super easy to make and gluten-free.
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Prep 15 minutes
Total 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Course Desserts, Snacks
Cuisine American
Keyword Cherries, Coconut milk, Nice Cream, Sorbet

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Sweet Red Cherries Frozen or Fresh
  • 2 Bananas Frozen prefered
  • 1 cup Coconut Milk Full cream
  • 1 tsp Shredded Coconut
  • 1 tsp Maple Syrup - Optional - but not needed Or other sweettner of choice

Equipment

  • Vitamix
  • ice cream scoop

Instructions

  1. Peel and freeze the bananas overnight. If using fresh cherries you will need to pit them and freeze them as well.
  2. Cut the frozen bananas into chunks and add to the blender along with the cherries and coconut milk. Low fat coconut milk is not recommended.
  3. Serve it with a sprinkle of coconut or some dark chocolate shavings on top. If you prefer sweeter desserts. Sweeten with 1-2 tablespoons of maple or date syrup.

Notes

Nice cream is not the same as sorbet, though they can be similar and are often confused. Nice cream is a vegan, dairy-free dessert typically made from frozen bananas, offering a creamy, soft-serve-like texture. Sorbet, on the other hand, is traditionally made from fruit puree or juice and water, with no dairy or eggs. While nice cream can be a fruit-based dessert like sorbet, the key difference lies in the base ingredient (frozen bananas for nice cream, fruit puree/juice for sorbet) and the resulting texture. 
Nice cream is a healthier, plant-based ice cream alternative made primarily from frozen bananas or other frozen fruits, blended until smooth and creamy. It's known for being dairy-free, often vegan, and typically free of added sugars and artificial ingredients. 
Here's a breakdown:
  • Base: Frozen bananas are the most common base, but other fruits like mango, strawberries, or pineapple can also be used. 
  • Texture: When blended, frozen fruit creates a soft-serve-like consistency that resembles traditional ice cream. 
  • Health Benefits: Nice cream is a good source of nutrients, low in calories and fat, and avoids refined sugars and artificial additives. 
  • Customization: It can be easily customized with various flavorings, such as vanilla extract, cocoa powder, nut butters, or other fruits. 
  • Preparation: It's typically made in a blender or food processor. I use a Vitamix blender.
Here are a few links to some great nice cream recipes: