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Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream

Pineapple coconut ice cream with visible pineapple chunks and a creamy, custard-style base. Cook to 175°F, strain for silkiness, then churn with pineapple and toasted coconut for a tropical frozen treat.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430

Ingredients
  

Coconut milk
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk Use canned for best texture.
Cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream Full-fat results in a richer scoop.
Sweetener
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
Egg yolks
  • 4 egg yolks Temper and cook into a custard base.
Pineapple
  • 1.5 cups fresh pineapple, finely diced Finely dice so the chunks distribute evenly.
Coconut extract
  • 0.5 tsp coconut extract
Vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp vanilla extract
Salt
  • 0.06 tsp salt Use just a pinch to balance sweetness.
Toasted coconut
  • 0.5 cup toasted shredded coconut Toast for deeper flavor before folding in.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the custard base
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the full-fat coconut milk and heavy cream with granulated sugar, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Visual cue: the mixture looks smooth and glossy with no grainy sugar at the bottom.
  2. In a steady stream, slowly whisk the hot coconut mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Visual cue: the yolks lighten in color and thicken slightly without scrambling.
  3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175°F. Visual cue: the custard coats the back of a spoon and holds a clear line when you draw a finger through it.
Flavor, chill, and rest
  1. Strain the custard into a clean container, then stir in coconut extract, vanilla extract, and salt until fully combined. Visual cue: the final base looks uniform and lightly thickened.
  2. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until cold. Visual cue: the mixture is fully chilled and thickened like a spoonable custard.
Churn and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it reaches soft-serve consistency. Visual cue: the mixture turns pale and airy.
  2. During the last 5 minutes of churning, add the finely diced fresh pineapple and toasted shredded coconut. Visual cue: pineapple pieces and coconut flakes distribute throughout.
  3. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until scoopable. Visual cue: the ice cream firms up but still yields to a spoon for easy scoops.

Notes

Pro tip: fine-dice the pineapple so chunks stay suspended and don’t sink during freezing. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days, and freeze up to 2 months (scoops may take 2–5 minutes to soften). Freezer-friendly: yes. Dietary swap: use a dairy-free “heavy cream” substitute and coconut cream (reduce coconut milk slightly) for a dairy-free version while keeping the same custard-churn method.