Name: Ninja Creami Pistachio Cherry Ice Cream
Prep time: 9 min
Total time: 1 d 9 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups milk; 3 Tablespoons instant pistachio pudding mix; 1/4 cup heavy cream; 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; 4-5 fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted; 2-4 tablespoons chopped shelled pistachios, for garnish

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Making cherry and pistachio ice cream in the Ninja Creami machine is one of the best ways to pair two flavors that were meant to be together!

If you love pistachios and fresh cherries, you have to try this Ninja Creami pistachio cherry ice cream! It’s a cinch to make, and the flavor combination is heavenly.

overhead view of a pint of Ninja Creami pistachio cherry ice cream. An ice cream scoop is in the container.

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I’ve been a fan of pistachio desserts for many years now, and as far as I’m concerned, there’s no shortage of treats you can make with the deliciously sweet and nutty flavor.

So it’s probably not surprising that I’ve made several pistachio Ninja Creami recipes. But I’m also a big fan of cherry recipes for the Ninja Creami, which means it was only a matter of time before I combined the two flavors!

The result was this easy Ninja Creami pistachio cherry ice cream, made with both pistachio pudding, chopped pistachios, and fresh cherries.

The sweet and slightly tart flavor of the cherries pairs perfectly with the nutty flavor of pistachios, and the colorful swirl that results makes this such a pretty dessert.

All you need is a few simple ingredients!

a white bowl serves scoops of pistachio and cherry ice cream. A ninja creami pint of remaining ice cream is in the background, along with a spoon.

Ninja Creami Pistachio Ice Cream with Cherries

I love making Ninja Creami recipes with pudding mix, so I decided to use pistachio pudding mix in this ice cream. It gives both sweetness and flavor, plus a hint of color.

Then for the cherries, I used fresh cherries, which are at their peak during the summer time.

If it’s off-peak time, you could use frozen cherries that have been thawed, or a couple spoonfuls of canned cherries or cherry pie filling.

Of course, some chopped pistachio nuts gives a hint of crunch and buttery, salty flavor, which really enhances the other flavors.

More Pistachio and Cherry Recipes for the Ninja Creami:

Ninja Creami pint of pistachio and cherry ice cream with an ice cream scoop in it.

How to Make Pistachio Cherry Ice Cream in the Ninja Creami

It’s really easy to whip up a batch of this ice cream!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Milk
Pistachio instant pudding mix
Heavy cream
Almond extract
Fresh cherries
Chopped shelled pistachios (I use salted)

overhead view of a white bowl with three scoops of cherry pistachio ice cream made in the Ninja Creami machine. The ice cream is garnished with fresh pistachios and a fresh cherry.

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Prepare the base. First, you’ll combine the milk and pudding mix in a liquid measuring cup or small mixing bowl. Whisk together until the pudding mix has dissolved.

Then you’ll add in the heavy cream and almond extract, whisking to incorporate. Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami pint container.

two photos; one shows milk and pistachio pudding mix whisked together in a liquid measuring cup; the other shows heavy cream and almond extract added.

Freeze. Next, you’ll pop the lid on the pint container and place it on a level surface in your freezer. Let it freeze for at least 24 hours.

Spin. Remove the pint from the freezer and take off the lid. Place the container into the outer bowl of the machine, securing the outer bowl lid.

Place the outer bowl into the machine and press the Ice Cream button. Let the cycle complete.

two photos; one shows the frozen base for making pistachio cherry ice cream; the other shows the pistachio ice cream in the ninja creami machine, with a finger pointing to the ice cream button on the machine.

Add cherries. Last, you’ll create a hole in the middle of the ice cream that’s about an inch wide and extends all the way to the bottom of the pint.

You can use a butter knife or similar to create the hole, then press the whole fresh cherries into the hole.

Place the pint back into the machine and press the Mix-in button, which will slowly blend the cherries into the ice cream.

two photos; one shows pistachio pudding ice cream in a ninja creami pint container, with a few fresh cherries added to the center of the ice cream for a mix-in cycle.

When it’s finished, the red cherries will be swirled into the green ice cream, making a lovely and delicious treat!

Serve, garnishing with the chopped pistachios.

close-up side view of scoops of homemade pistachio cherry ice cream served in a white bowl.

Notes and Adaptations:

I used fresh cherries, but you could opt for thawed frozen cherries or canned cherries if needed.
Feel free to use sugar-free pudding mix if preferred–you’ll want to use the Lite Ice Cream setting in that case.
I prefer to use salted pistachios, but you can use unsalted if you’d like.

overhead view of a pint container of pistachio ice cream with fresh cherries mixed in.

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: Approx. 1 pint