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1. Combine the cherries and granulated sugar (for the cherry swirl) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes until the cherries have broken down and the mixture is jammy and reduced by roughly a third.
2.5 cup Fresh or frozen pitted cherries,
0.3 cup Granulated sugar (for cherry swirl)
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2. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice and cherry-flavored gelatin powder until fully dissolved. The gelatin amplifies the bold, candy-like cherry flavor. Transfer to a bowl, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until thick and cold, at least 1 hour.
1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice,
1 tbsp Cherry-flavored gelatin powder (like Jell-O)
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3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer or whisk until completely smooth and lump-free. Add the granulated sugar (for the ice cream base) and powdered sugar, and continue beating for 1–2 minutes until light and creamy.
225 g Full-fat cream cheese,
0.5 cup Granulated sugar (for ice cream base),
2 tbsp Powdered sugar
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4. Add the sour cream, whole milk, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt to the cream cheese mixture. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
0.5 cup Sour cream,
0.5 cup Whole milk,
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract,
0.2 tsp Fine sea salt
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5. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream to soft-to-medium peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions, maintaining as much volume as possible for a light, creamy texture.
1.5 cup Heavy whipping cream
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6. Churn the ice cream base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 20–25 minutes, until it reaches a thick, soft-serve consistency. If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour the base into a shallow freezer-safe container and freeze for 45 minutes, then whisk vigorously to break up ice crystals. Repeat 3–4 times over 3 hours.
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7. Transfer half the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe loaf pan or container. Drop spoonfuls of the chilled cherry swirl over the top, then layer on the remaining ice cream. Add more cherry swirl on top and use a butter knife or skewer to create bold swirls throughout. Do not over-mix — you want visible ribbons of cherry.
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8. Cover the container tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight until firm. Before serving, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly for easy scooping.
