No Churn Black Forest Ice Cream

A sweet and creamy NO CHURN Black Forest Ice Cream recipe with pops of cherries and dark chocolate throughout!

Creamy frozen ice cream with chocolate and luscious Morello cherries in every mouthful... simply delicious!

Black forest ice cream in a waffle cone being held up.

This delicious Black Forest ice cream with its combo of sweet cherries and dark chocolate is my current favourite served in a crispy waffle cone, with malty Biscoff ice cream as a very close second choice!

Of course, for those who love a bit more crunch, honeycomb and chocolate ice cream is an all-time favourite!

For a super easy ice cream dessert to share, my raspberry and meringue ice cream cake takes just 10 minutes to prepare, and makes a popular no-bake dessert for any special occasion.

Or, if you want to go all out with a luscious and traditional dessert cake instead of ice cream, you can always whip up a rich and fudgy layered Black Forest cake!

A close up of a spoonful of ice cream showing chunks of cherry and grated chocolate throughout.

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

Who doesn't love a late night bowl of ice cream!?

Quick and easy to make - besides chilling time, this cherry and chocolate ice cream takes only 20 minutes to prep.
No churn - no ice cream maker required, you can just use hand held beaters, a stand mixer or Thermomix.
Egg free - no eggs required for this homemade Black Forest ice cream.
Make ahead of time - Black Forest ice cream lasts in the freezer for up to 3 months, so make this ahead of time to have on hand and avoid any last minute rush for dessert.
Conventional and Thermomix - I have included instructions in the recipe card for the Thermomix method too.

Chunks of cherries and grated dark chocolate spread over a frozen dessert in a loaf tin.

What You Need

The ice cream base is made first and then the cherry sauce. Both are combined with grated dark chocolate, and then more sauce and chocolate is spread over the top!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Ice Cream Base

Sweetened condensed milk - use a full-fat sweetened condensed milk for this recipe.
Cream - this Black Forest ice cream requires full-fat thickened cream (as it's referred to in Australia) or heavy cream (as it's known in the US).
Vanilla extract - or a pure vanilla essence.

Cherry Sauce

Cornflour - this is a fine flour that is used for thickening the Morello cherry sauce.
Water.
Morello cherries - also known as sour cherries. Morello cherries are smaller than sweet cherries, with a darker skin and a slightly sour taste, and are usually sold in jars in the canned fruit aisle of the supermarket.
Caster sugar - perfect in this sauce as the fine caster sugar dissolves easily in the cherry sauce and sweetens it.
Lemon juice - either freshly squeezed or store bought lemon juice is suitable to use.

Chocolate

Dark chocolate - grated. Dark chocolate has a higher cocoa percentage than milk chocolate, and the semi sweet taste of dark chocolate blends well with the creamy sweetened ice cream base.

Ingredients required for homemade frozen dessert set out on a bench top.

Equipment Required

Besides a mixing bowl and spoon, you will require:

Loaf tin or cake tin.
Hand-held beaters, stand mixer or food processor. Of course, if you have a Thermomix (optional), you can use that too!
Saucepan and stove top - to thicken the cherry sauce.
Grater - to grate the dark chocolate.
Freezer.

Step By Step Instructions

Grab some waffle cones and pack them with this frozen Black Forest ice cream for a super delicious summer treat!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 - Make The Ice Cream Base

Place the sweetened condensed milk, thickened cream and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl.

Using hand held beaters or a stand mixer, beat on LOW speed until smooth and thickened. Set the mixture aside whilst you make the cherry sauce.

Condensed milk and cream beaten together in a white mixing bowl.

Step 2 - Make The Cherry Sauce

Place the cornflour and water in a small saucepan and stir to dissolve the cornflour. Add the drained cherries, caster sugar and lemon juice.

Heat the cherry sauce over medium heat, stirring, until thickened.

Allow the sauce to cool slightly.

Morello cherries in sauce, after being heated in a small pot with a wooden spoon..

Use beaters or a food processor to blend the cherry sauce.

I like to have a few chunks of cherries remaining.

Step 3 - Combine

Add two-thirds of the cherry sauce and two-thirds of the grated chocolate to the ice cream mixture and mix through.

Grated dark chocolate added to the creamed mixture in a bowl.

Cherry sauce mixed through ice cream base mixture.

Pour the mixture into a loaf tin (or cake tin).

Freeze for 1 hour or until slightly firm.

Black Forest ice cream spread into a pink loaf tin.

Step 4 - Decorate & Freeze

Spread the remaining cherry sauce over the top of the chilled ice cream, and then sprinkle with the remaining grated chocolate to decorate.

Extra cherry sauce and chunks of cherries spread over Black Forest ice cream with grated chocolate sprinkled on top.

Return to the freezer for 4 hours or until set (overnight if possible).

A spoon being dug into a loaf tin filled with chocolate and cherry ice cream.

Expert Tips

Morello cherry sauce and a sprinkling of dark chocolate throughout make this a decadent dessert to serve in a waffle cone, or scoop into a bowl for movie night!

Use full-fat sweetened condensed milk and cream - this will ensure that the ingredients whip up best. Light or low fat versions will not give the right consistency in this recipe.
Beat base ingredients together well - until you have a thick pouring consistency, but don't over-beat, as the cream may curdle or go a little grainy.
Morello cherries (or similar) can be bought in jars from the supermarket. Drain before using.
Wrap the tin well in plastic wrap, or add a lid to the container when ready to freeze.
Freeze for a minimum of four hours, or until set.
Black Forest ice cream can be frozen for up to 3 months.

A hand holding a waffle cone filled with Black Forest ice cream.

FAQs

Where did the traditional Black Forest cake originate from?

Black Forest cake is a decadent, layered chocolate sponge cake sandwiched with whipped cream and a rich cherry filling.
It’s named after the Black Forest region of Germany, known for its dark forests and abundant cherry trees.

Are Morello cherries the same as fresh cherries?

Although they're from the same family, Morello cherries (also know as sour cherries), are smaller than sweet cherries, and have a darker skin and a sour taste. Morello cherries are often canned in juice or syrup.
They're a pie baker's best friend, which is why some people call them pie cherries. Although they are exceptionally flavorful, they're too tart to eat raw, but are delicious in baked goods such as pies, jams and tarts.

What's the difference between cornflour and cornstarch?

In Australia, the names cornstarch and cornflour are often used interchangeably, whereas in the US they are different products.
In the US, for example, cornflour is a finely ground cornmeal, and cornstarch is what we, in Australia, call cornflour.
Therefore , if you're in the US, you'll need to use cornstarch for this recipe.

A spoon lifting a spoonful of ice cream out of a loaf tin.

Dark chocolate and cherries make a great dessert, whether that's as an ice cream, a slice or a traditional Black Forest cake. Here's some other tempting treats to try.

WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Black Forest Ice Cream

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe