Black Forest Ice Cream With Cherry Sauce

Imperial July 10, 2026July 10, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 1 1/2 quarts, about 12 servings
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 9 hours, including chilling and freezing

Quick Ingredients

Chocolate ice cream base: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 5 large egg yolks, 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon kirsch or cherry juice
Cherry sauce: 2 cups pitted sweet dark cherries, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherry pieces: 1 cup pitted sweet dark cherries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Chocolate flakes: 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, shaved or finely chopped

Do This

1. Freeze your ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours and chill a loaf pan in the freezer.
2. Simmer the cherry sauce ingredients for 6 to 8 minutes, thicken with cornstarch slurry, then cool completely.
3. Cook the cherry pieces with sugar and lemon juice for 3 to 4 minutes, then drain and chill.
4. Make the chocolate custard: heat cream, milk, sugar, cocoa, and salt; temper in egg yolks; cook to 170°F to 175°F; pour over chopped chocolate.
5. Strain, add vanilla and kirsch or cherry juice, then chill the base until 40°F or colder, at least 4 hours.
6. Churn 20 to 25 minutes, then layer with cherry sauce, cherry pieces, and chocolate flakes. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic Black Forest flavor: Deep chocolate, juicy dark cherries, and delicate chocolate flakes echo the beloved cake in frozen form.
Rich and scoopable: A custard-style chocolate base gives this ice cream a creamy, luxurious texture.
Beautiful ribbons of cherry sauce: Layering instead of fully mixing creates dramatic swirls and pockets of sweet-tart cherry flavor.
Make-ahead friendly: This is a wonderful dessert to prepare a day or two before serving.

Grocery List

Produce: 3 cups pitted sweet dark cherries, fresh or frozen; 1 lemon
Dairy: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 5 large egg yolks
Pantry: Granulated sugar, Dutch-process cocoa powder, fine salt, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla extract, cornstarch, kirsch or cherry juice

Full Ingredients

For the Rich Chocolate Ice Cream Base

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
5 large egg yolks
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 60% to 72%, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon kirsch, cherry liqueur, or unsweetened cherry juice

For the Cherry Sauce Ribbons

2 cups pitted sweet dark cherries, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Sweet Cherry Pieces

1 cup pitted sweet dark cherries, fresh or frozen, halved or roughly chopped
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the Chocolate Flakes

3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, shaved with a vegetable peeler or finely chopped

Black Forest Ice Cream With Cherry Sauce – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Chill your equipment

Place the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer for at least 24 hours before churning, or follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your machine. Put a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or a 1 1/2-quart freezer-safe container in the freezer as well. A cold container helps the freshly churned ice cream firm up faster and keeps the cherry ribbons from melting into the base.

Step 2: Make the cherry sauce ribbons

In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups pitted sweet dark cherries, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon fine salt. Set the pan over medium heat and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the cherries release their juices and the mixture looks glossy and syrupy. Use the back of a spoon to gently mash some of the cherries, leaving a few pieces for texture.

In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Add the slurry to the bubbling cherries and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and transfer to a shallow bowl. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely cold, at least 1 hour. The sauce should be thick enough to ribbon through the ice cream but still spoonable.

Step 3: Prepare the sweet cherry pieces

In the same saucepan or a clean small pan, combine 1 cup halved or chopped pitted sweet dark cherries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the cherries soften slightly and give off some juice. Drain well through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer the cherry pieces to a small plate or bowl. Refrigerate until cold. This quick cooking and draining step helps prevent icy, watery cherry pockets in the finished ice cream.

Step 4: Heat the chocolate dairy mixture

Place the chopped 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer over the top. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt. Warm over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture is steaming and reaches about 160°F. Do not let it boil. The cocoa should be fully dissolved and the mixture should smell deeply chocolatey.

Step 5: Temper and cook the custard

In a separate medium bowl, whisk 5 large egg yolks until smooth. Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot chocolate dairy mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. This gentle warming keeps the eggs from scrambling. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking as you pour.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and reaches 170°F to 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 4 to 6 minutes. The custard should coat the back of the spatula, and a finger drawn through it should leave a clear line. Do not boil the custard, or the texture may turn grainy.

Step 6: Melt, strain, and chill the ice cream base

Immediately pour the hot custard through the strainer over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth, glossy, and fully melted. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon kirsch, cherry liqueur, or cherry juice. Press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the base to prevent a skin from forming.

Refrigerate the chocolate base until very cold, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight. For best churning, the base should be 40°F or colder. If you are in a hurry, place the bowl of custard in a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir occasionally until cool, then refrigerate until fully chilled.

Step 7: Churn the chocolate ice cream

Pour the chilled chocolate base into your prepared ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually 20 to 25 minutes. The ice cream is ready when it has the texture of thick soft serve and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. While it churns, make sure the cherry sauce, cherry pieces, chocolate flakes, and loaf pan are all cold and ready to go.

Step 8: Layer with cherries, chocolate flakes, and sauce

Spoon about one-third of the churned chocolate ice cream into the chilled loaf pan and smooth it gently. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold cherry sauce over the top, then scatter on one-third of the chilled cherry pieces and one-third of the chocolate flakes. Repeat with two more layers of ice cream, cherry sauce, cherry pieces, and chocolate flakes. Use a butter knife or skewer to make 2 or 3 gentle figure-eight swirls through the pan, being careful not to overmix. You want visible ribbons of cherry sauce, not a fully blended pinkish base.

Press parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream, cover the pan tightly with a lid or foil, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. For the neatest scoops, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips

Use Dutch-process cocoa for a classic dark color: It gives the ice cream a smooth, deep chocolate flavor that pairs beautifully with cherries.
Keep all mix-ins cold: Warm sauce or cherries can melt the churned ice cream and make the layers muddy.
Do not over-swirl: A few gentle passes are enough to create dramatic cherry ribbons without losing the layered Black Forest effect.
Chop chocolate finely for delicate flakes: Large chunks become very hard when frozen, while thin flakes melt more pleasantly on the tongue.
Strain the custard: This small step catches any bits of cooked egg or cocoa lumps and keeps the texture silky.

Variations

Black Forest sundae style: Serve scoops with extra warm cherry sauce, whipped cream, and more chocolate shavings.
No-alcohol version: Use 1 tablespoon unsweetened cherry juice instead of kirsch or cherry liqueur.
Extra dark chocolate version: Use 72% bittersweet chocolate in the base and chocolate flakes, and reduce the cherry sauce sugar to 1/4 cup for a more bittersweet finish.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the finished Black Forest Ice Cream tightly covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. For the freshest flavor and creamiest texture, press parchment paper directly against the surface before covering to help prevent ice crystals. The cherry sauce and cooked cherry pieces can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated in separate airtight containers. The chocolate custard base can be made up to 24 hours before churning. If the ice cream has been frozen for more than a day, let it soften at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.

Nutrition (per serving)