Easy Cherry Frozen Yogurt ~ Here’s an essential kitchen hack to have in your back pocket for the summer. This frozen yogurt doesn’t require an ice cream maker, If you’ve got a good food processor or one of those super duper blenders, you’re home free.
You can use store bought frozen fruit, but I prefer to freeze my own at peak season.. Berries, peaches, bananas…almost any fruit will work, but fresh cherries are the ultimate luxury.
To freeze fresh fruit, peel, slice or pit it if necessary, and spread it out on a baking tray. Set it in the freezer until frozen solid. Then you can put it in a zip lock freezer bag to keep for later, or use for this recipe. Fresh cherries are a luxury partly because the season is short, and partly because pitting them is a chore. I love my little cherry pitter, it’s an inexpensive and indispensable tool if you love fresh cherries. I use this one.
Cherry Frozen Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 lb cherries
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, you can use vanilla yogurt if you like it sweetened
- 1 Tbsp Amaretto, optional
- 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Instructions
- Pit the cherries and lay them out on a baking sheet. Put the pan in the freezer and freeze until solid.
- Freeze the yogurt along with the fruit before processing. Spoon it into a large zip lock bag, close the zipper, and then lay the bag flat on the same tray with the fruit. Flatten the yogurt out. When ready to use, cut open the bag, and break apart the yogurt.
- Process the frozen cherries until they are well chopped. Scrape down the sides of the machine as necessary. Work rather quickly so the cherries remain frozen.
- Immediately add the yogurt, Amaretto, if using, and flavoring. Process just until smooth and thick. Don't over-process or the heat of the machine will start to melt the mixture down.
- Eat right away, (best) or spoon the yogurt into a container and freeze until firm.
- Remove from the freezer and let soften a bit before serving.
Notes
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Made this two nights ago. It makes four delicious servings. I can’t wait to make it again and I am eager to try other fruits as well. Since I buy local yogurt the entire dish was locally grown.
Wow, all locally grown, that’s the benefit of making it yourself! I think it’s a lot of fun to experiment with other fruits, I want to try apricots, and plums, and maybe concord grapes….
We are freaks about fresh cherries and go through pounds of them when they are in season. I also freeze a lot of them for smoothies for the winter months. Lat year I got one the hopper-fed cherry pitters and I love that darned thing – so fast and easy! I love this frozen yogurt recipe – one of my favorite tricks for a dessert in a hurry 😉
I love my cherry pitter! <3 But I’ve wondered about the mass pitter, good to know it works 🙂
yep! I need this. my kids need this. I love that it is so easy!
This sounds delish! I’ll give this recipe a try for sure. Healthy option for dessert.