This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
You’re going to love this vibrant, bright and tangy eggless Blackberry Ice Cream with an amazingly creamy consistency and gorgeous pink hue.
Homemade Blackberry Ice Cream made with homegrown berries
In years past I frequently created summer posts titled ‘garden to table.’ For these posts I shared recipes made with our homegrown garden fresh vegetables and fruits. We don’t keep a big vegetable garden anymore, mostly because we want the freedom to do other things on the weekends.
However every spring we still plant and grow 6 to 8 tomato varieties and happily gorge ourselves on fresh tomato sandwiches all summer long. In place of the large vegetable garden we built an arbor and planted a bunch of thornless blackberry vines. Now, after several years, they’re producing buckets of beautiful, juicy, sweet blackberries.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing a few more blackberry filled ‘garden to table‘ recipes, so stay tuned!
How to make homemade Blackberry Ice Cream:
For this recipe you’ll need the following ingredients:
- fresh blackberries
- heavy whipping cream (or heavy cream)
- cornstarch
- granulated sugar
- whole milk
- salt – any kind will do
- light corn syrup (like Karo)
- cream cheese, room temperature
- vanilla extract
To make blackberry ice cream:
- Prepare an ice bath by placing a 2 quart bowl inside another larger bowl filled with ice.
- Pulse the blackberries in a food processor then strain through a sieve to extract all the juice. Discard seeds and pulp.
- Prepare a slurry by combining a little heavy cream with the cornstarch.
- Mix together the sugar, milk, salt and corn syrup. Heat until boiling. Add the slurry and cook until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Remove from the heat and add the cream cheese.
- Combine the remaining heavy cream, blackberry puree and the milk mixture in the bowl set over the ice bath. Stir until cooled, then add vanilla.
- Refrigerate overnight, then process in your ice cream maker.
- Freeze and scoop when ready to serve!
Egg yolks are sometimes used to thicken the base, creating a custard style ice cream like our classic Vanilla recipe. For this blackberry version we skipped the eggs and added a little cornstarch instead. That small amount of cornstarch and 2 ounces of cream cheese helps create the texture we love in a good ice cream.
Adding a cornstarch slurry is a brilliant trick I learned from an amazing cookbook titled Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. If you’re looking for ice-cream-inspiration, check it out! You won’t be disappointed.
Here are a few more ideas for luscious frozen blackberry desserts:
One of our favorite healthy frozen treats is this Blackberry Frozen Yogurt. With only four ingredients it couldn’t be easier to make. This frozen yogurt is naturally sweetened with just blackberries and a little honey.
The creamy portion of the base is made up of plain Greek yogurt. That’s it! Process in your ice cream maker and enjoy.
Another one of our favorite ice cream recipes is this Lemon Ice Cream with Blackberry Swirl. Lemons and blackberries are perfect together. The lemon ice cream is bright and creamy and the ribbon of concentrated blackberry juice is truly amazing!
Options for preparing the blackberries for ice cream
Here are several options for prepping the blackberries for this Blackberry Ice Cream.
As noted above, we prefer to pulse the blackberries in a food processor then extract the juice by pressing the pulp through a sieve to remove the seeds. The uncooked blackberry juice is added to the mix to flavor the ice cream base.
Another option is to macerate the blackberries in a bowl with a little sugar.
Place the blackberries and a small portion of the sugar in a large bowl. Smash some of the blackberries with a fork and set aside for an hour, stirring occasionally to create juice. The whole blackberries, smashed pulp and blackberry juice can all be added to the mix.
Or, strain this mixture through a sieve for seedless blackberry ice cream like we’ve done here.
Finally, another option is to cook the blackberries.
Place the blackberries in a small saucepan with a little lemon juice and a portion of the sugar. Cook over medium heat until the blackberries break down. Smash some of the blackberries with a fork while they cook, then strain the resulting puree through a fine mesh sieve. Once cooled, add the seedless puree to the base ice cream mixture.
Each of these options produces a terrific ice cream with loads of blackberry flavor.
Can you use frozen blackberries for this ice cream recipe?
Yes you can! Frozen blackberries should be thawed first, then pulsed in the food processor as directed.
Whether using frozen, store-bought, wild or homegrown blackberries be sure to taste them to determine how tart they are. Some blackberry varieties are more tart and others more sweet, so you may want an extra spoon or two of sugar.
If the blackberries are sweet, you can add a little more lemon juice. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Dollop a scoop of Blackberry Ice Cream over our warm Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler or Blackberry Pie for an incredible blackberry extravaganza!
Thanks for PINNING!
Blackberry Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
- Ice cream maker
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, divided (12oz)
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (170g)
- 2 cups whole milk (16oz)
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (cut into small chunks)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare an ice bath:
- Place a 2 quart bowl inside another larger bowl filled with ice. Set a large fine mesh sieve over the top of the bowl. Set aside.
Prepare the blackberries:
- Place the blackberries in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Strain the blackberries through the sieve set over the ice bath. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture against the sieve to extract the juice. Remove the strainer, discard the seeds and any pulp. Set aside.
Prepare the ice cream base:
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup (2oz) heavy cream and the cornstarch to make a slurry. Set aside. Pour the remaining 1 ¼ cups (10oz) heavy cream into the bowl with the blackberry puree set over the ice bath.
- Combine the granulated sugar, milk, salt and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and slowly add the cornstarch slurry. Whisk until blended. Return the mixture to the stove and continue cooking until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and add the cream cheese one piece at a time. Whisk or press with a spatula until blended.
- Pour the warm ice cream base into the heavy cream and blackberry mixture. Stir to combine. Stir the ice cream every five minutes or so, or until cooled, about 30 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract to the ice cream and blend well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 8 hours or overnight. Process according to the directions for your ice cream maker.
- Once processed, spoon the ice cream into an airtight container and store in the freezer until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I have never made a blackberry ice cream, but now that I’ve seen this one, I will be changing that! Such a beautiful colour and the flavour must be fabulous (one of my favourite berries!)
Tricia Buice
I hope you get the opportunity to try this ice cream Jennifer. Everybody loves it!