Homemade Pineapple Ice Cream – Immaculate Bites

Perfectly Sweet Pineapple Ice Cream

Sweetened condensed milk and a juicy ripe pineapple deliver the perfect sweetness without adding more sugar. Of course, the riper your pineapple, the sweeter the finished product. That’s why this recipe is ideal for when pineapples are in season at your local market. 

Pineapple Ice Cream Ingredients

1. Pineapple – About five cups of fresh pineapple will give you about 2 cups of puree, perfect for any pineapple ice cream recipe. 🍍
2. Heavy Cream gives this creamy ice cream base a luxurious mouthfeel and replaces what churned ice cream has.
3. Sweetened Condensed Milk gives the ice cream sweetness and more creamy goodness. Plus, it keeps it from turning into a rock in the freezer.
4. Flavorings – Vanilla extract is a flavor enhancer. Then lemon juice adds extra tang, and optional rum delivers a boozy touch.

How to Make No-Churn Pineapple Ice Cream

Prep Ingredients

• Important: Chill bowls and ingredients in the refrigerator before starting.
• Puree the peeled and sliced pineapple in a blender until smooth.
• Strain – Pass the blended pineapple through a fine mesh strainer to discard solids for smoother ice cream (about 2 cups of strained puree).
• Pour the strained pineapple puree into a saucepan. Simmer over low for 20-25 minutes. It should reduce to 1-1½ cups of puree.
• Chill – Let it cool for about 30 minutes, then chill in the fridge.
• Whip – Pour in the very cold, heavy whipping cream into a large chilled bowl and whisk with a hand mixer on high for 3-4 minutes until soft peaks form. The peeks shouldn’t be too stiff, or the cream will break and the ice cream will be grainy.
• Divide – Take out half of the whipped cream and place it in another bowl. Reserve the other half in the freezer while you proceed.

Make Ice Cream

• Fold – Pour condensed milk, chilled pineapple puree, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and rum (if using) into half the whipped cream and gently fold it in.
• Assemble – Add it to the reserved bowl of whipped cream and gently fold to combine.
• Prep – Transfer the mixture to a chilled freezer-safe pan and cover it with plastic wrap. Lightly press it directly on the surface, covering all the angles and edges. Ensure the plastic touches the ice cream mixture’s surface so there’s no space between the ice cream and the cling film to keep ice crystals from forming.
• Freeze until firm for 6 hours or overnight.
• Serve ice cream in a bowl or cone, and top with your favorite toppings.

Recipe Variations

1. Fruit swap! This recipe works well with many fruits. The base makes great mango, strawberry, plum, and coconut pineapple ice cream! 🤤
2. Go dairy-free. The texture will vary a bit. But pineapple coconut ice cream with dairy-free or whipped coconut cream and coconut condensed milk is amazing. If you have an ice cream maker, use full-fat coconut milk instead of the cream.
3. Skip the alcohol. Leave out the rum or use rum extract for an alcohol-free version, especially for the kids.

Tips and Tricks

1. Use ripe pineapple. The riper the pineapple, the sweeter and more flavorful the ice cream. 
2. Like more texture? Add some pineapple tidbits to your ice cream.
3. The lemon juice provides a slight yogurt-like taste, but feel free to omit it.
4. If you’re lucky enough to have an ice cream maker, combine all the ingredients and chill in the fridge for about 6 hours. Then, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for churned ice cream.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Store homemade ice cream in the freezer for a month or two, so feel free to make it a day or a week in advance. Note that ice crystals may start forming at about 2 weeks. ❄️

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serve ice cream in cones or bowls with as many fun toppings as you’d like. Keep the container tightly covered in the freezer after serving so it doesn’t melt.

What Goes With Pineapple Ice Cream

Pair a scoop of ice cream with vanilla cake or a tangy lemon tart. It also goes beautifully with all things coconut, like an ultra-tender coconut cake. Or finish off coconut jollof rice with this deliciousness for dessert. 😋

More Pineapple Dessert Recipes to Try

1. Pineapple Empanadas
2. Pineapple Pound Cake
3. Carrot Pineapple Cake
4. White Chocolate Pineapple Scones
5. Perfect Pineapple Pie