Churn up a taste of the tropics with this dairy-free coconut pineapple ice cream. Inspired by the classic piña colada, it's so fresh and tasty! A marriage of pineapple curd and coconut milk, coconut pineapple ice cream is a year-round taste of the tropics at home. If you want to take things a step further and make piña colada ice cream, just mix in a tablespoon of rum before churning.
For some more refreshing treats, try our orange sherbet and summery Mai Tai.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pineapple: you can use fresh or canned pineapple purée in this recipe, both are good. You can also use thawed frozen pineapple.
- Coconut milk: be sure to choose full-fat coconut milk as it gives a creamier texture, and richer mouthfeel. If you prefer to go with a dairy base, you can use cream instead of coconut milk. Alternatively, for an even richer dairy-free ice cream, use only the cream scooped from two cans of coconut milk rather than the full can, which is water and cream.
- Add-ins: to make a piña colada ice cream, add a shot of rum to the coconut milk before you whisk in the pineapple curd. This will also further prevent the ice cream from freezing into a solid block in the freezer.
Method
Step 1: if you're using fresh pineapple, peel it, cut it into chunks, and purée it in a blender, or with a hand blender. If using canned pineapple purée, skip this step.
Step 2: whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, pineapple purée, and lemon juice in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a low simmer slowly over medium-low heat.
Step 3: continue to simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Step 4: once thickened, whisk it into the coconut milk.
Step 5: cool the ice cream mixture in the fridge for at least one hour then churn it according to your ice cream maker instructions.
Step 6: serve immediately or freeze for later.
Top Tips
- Mix the milk: give the coconut milk a good hard whisk to break up any lumps and help the batter emulsify before adding the pineapple curd.
- Sieve the curd: If you prefer, you can sieve the pineapple curd before adding it to the coconut milk. This isn't necessary, but if you don't like the textural element of pineapple, you might want to.
- Chill fully: if the custard base isn't completely cold before churning, it will take too long to freeze and might stay too thin.
How to Store
Keep the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. Soften for about 10 minutes before scooping.
FAQ
Why is my homemade pineapple ice cream bitter?
Raw pineapple can make ice cream bitter. Cooking the pineapple beforehand will neutralize this and ensure that the ice cream is sweet.
What is pineapple ice cream made of?
Like most ice creams, pineapple ice cream is made with an egg custard base. It has fresh pureed pineapple mixed in for a strong pineapple flavour.
How long should I churn ice cream?
This will depend on your ice cream machine, but the general rule is to churn until it looks like soft-serve. If over-churned, the ice cream will be hard and flakey.
If you make this Pineapple Ice Cream recipe or any other ice cream recipes on the Baked Collective, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more baking, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Coconut Pineapple Ice Cream
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
- Ice cream maker
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup pineapple puree fresh or canned
- 3 tablespoons Juice of a lemon
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk 13.5 oz / 400ml
Instructions
- Whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, pineapple purée, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan.
- Heat over low-medium and bring to a low simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Add the coconut milk to a large bowl and whisk to break up any lumps and emulsify the milk.
- Pour the thickened pineapple curd into the coconut milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly, until a homogenous mixture forms.
- Cool the pineapple ice cream mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or until cold to the touch, before churning according to ice cream maker instructions.
- After churning, either serve immediately (it will melt quickly) or freeze in a sealed container for up to a month. This ice cream doesn't harden rock-solid when frozen, but still benefits from a few minutes at room temperature before scooping.