Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream Recipe

Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream Recipe

I grew up in a military family, which meant my childhood was spent in various cities and towns around the world, never more than three years in any one given place at a time. There were new schools, new friends, and new cultures. The main constant in my life was change.

Regardless of where we lived, come summertime, there was another constant in my life – ice cream! Whether we lived in Okinawa, the Philippines or Fayetteville, North Carolina, we had homemade ice cream in the summer.

My father had a hand crank ice cream machine that he would fill with whatever delicious concoction he whipped up and surround it with ice and rock salt. My sisters and I would always swear up and down that we would do all the cranking in exchange for being able to devour the goods. Of course, hand cranking the machine for what seemed like hours quickly lost its appeal and Dad would always end up doing most of the work while we escaped to more pressing matters. Miraculously, the instant the ice cream was done, we would all re-appear with nothing else in the world to do but eat ice cream.

With the long tradition of ice cream making in my family, I could hardly let a summer go by without posting an ice cream recipe! This Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream recipe is simple, egg and refined sugar free, has only a few ingredients and is a bit more sophisticated than the flavors we grew up with. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against chocolate, strawberry and my personal favorite, vanilla, but every once in a while, something with a little panache is OK too. Or in this case, more than OK!

I started with whole milk ricotta cheese,  half and half, Bing cherries bursting with juicy goodness, sweetened it up with some Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Honey and then, for some crunch, tossed in slivered almonds that were quickly toasted and sweetened with a tad more honey. The result kind of reminds me of a cannoli.

If this ice cream gets too hard in the freezer, just let it sit out for about 10 minutes and it will soften up perfectly.

I cherish my memories of lazy summer Sundays and my Dad’s hand crank ice cream machine. Do you have any ice cream fueled memories of your own?

Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream

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Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream Recipe
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Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream Recipe

Prep Time40 mins
Setting time2 hrs
Total Time15 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Gluten Free & More

Ingredients

  • cups whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup half and half
  • ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon organic honey
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • 2 cups cherries pitted

Instructions

  • Combine the ricotta, half and half, ¾ cup honey, salt and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth and all the ingredients are combined. (You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender jar a couple times.) Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process for 20 – 25 minutes or according to your manufacturer’s instructions.
  • While the ice cream is churning, place the almonds in a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat and toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of honey and stir to coat the almonds. Remove from the heat and pour the almonds onto a plate or piece of waxed or parchment paper to cool. Cut the cherries into quarters. When the almonds are cool, crumble them into little clumps. They may be a little sticky; this is okay.
  • During the last minute or two of churning the ice cream, add the cherries and the almonds and continue to churn until they are incorporated throughout the ice cream. Transfer to a flat, shallow container (like a baking pan) and freeze until firm in the freezer, about 2 hours.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 236 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Cholesterol 50mg17%
Sodium 149mg6%
Potassium 244mg7%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 470IU9%
Vitamin C 2.7mg3%
Calcium 213mg21%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owner’s. This blog accepts free manufacturers’ samples and forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. Affiliate links may be included in this post.

Disclaimer: All nutrition facts on Gluten Free & More are meant only as a guide and may differ depending on product brands used or ingredient substitutions. Some errors may occur, so you are encouraged to confirm the recipe’s ingredient and nutrition suitability for your own diet.
Have you tried this recipe? Give it a star rating and let us know your thoughts in the Ratings & Reviews section below.
Tags: Almonds Cherries Frozen Gluten-Free Gluten-Free Recipes Ice Cream Ricotta Summer
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  1. Pingback: Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream | Gluten Free Recipes …- Recipes And Family

  2. This is so creative! I am sure the ricotta gives a lovely texture, and the combo of honey, cherries, and almonds sounds delish!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 30, 2012

      Thanks Lauren, yes the ricotta also gives it a depth of flavor you just wouldn’t get with cream, milk or half and half alone. And it compliments well with the nuts and cherries.

  3. July 29, 2012

    Amazing recipe! My favorite ice cream cherry almond ricotta, looks very beautiful. Awesome site! Thanks for sharing this carol!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 30, 2012

      Thank you so much Nancy!

  4. July 30, 2012

    I was an Army brat too, but here in Australia. My favourite icy memory is a frozen strawberry popsicle that we would buy at a pick-your-own farm near my grandmothers house. Summer on a stick for me!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 30, 2012

      I love that!

  5. August 1, 2012

    This sounds amazing! I love cherry almond ice creams and I’ll bet the ricotta gives it an amazing texture!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      June 10, 2013

      Thanks Molly!

  6. Pingback: Gluten Free Cherry Almond Ricotta Ice Cream Recipe | pinpal.info

  7. August 8, 2012

    MMMMMM,…what an amazing ricotta ice cream! looks splendid!
    Yum!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      August 9, 2012

      Thank you!

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