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Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream

Pineapple coconut ice cream with pineapple chunks and toasted coconut for a creamy, scoopable frozen dessert. A cooked custard base is chilled, churned, then frozen until firm.
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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: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Coconut base
  • 13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk Use canned for consistent texture.
  • 1 cup heavy cream Provides richness and smooth melt.
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar Sweetens and helps the custard set.
  • 4 egg yolks Whisk until smooth before tempering.
  • 1.5 cups fresh pineapple, finely diced Fold/churn in late so chunks stay distinct.
  • 0.5 tsp coconut extract Add after cooking for best aroma.
  • 0.25 tsp vanilla extract Adds rounded sweetness.
  • 1 pinch salt Balances the flavors.
  • 0.5 cup toasted shredded coconut Add during the last minutes of churning.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the custard base
  1. In a saucepan, heat full-fat coconut milk, heavy cream, and granulated sugar, whisking until the sugar is fully dissolved.
  2. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth, then slowly whisk the hot coconut mixture into the egg yolks to temper.
  3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook at 175°F, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes).
  4. Strain the custard, then stir in coconut extract, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
  5. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours until very cold.
Churn and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it becomes thick and the texture looks like soft-serve.
  2. Add diced pineapple and toasted shredded coconut in the last 5 minutes of churning, so the pineapple chunks remain visible.
  3. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until scoopable, until firm throughout.

Notes

Pro tip: strain the custard for a silkier texture before chilling. Refrigerate churned ice cream up to 3 days for best scoop quality; freeze up to 2 months (texture may soften slightly after thawing). For a dairy-light swap, use full-fat canned coconut milk plus extra coconut cream in place of heavy cream, keeping the same proportions for creaminess.