Let’s get the ice cream party started with these cherry limeade ice cream cupcakes. A crunchy gluten-free pretzel crust supports a zesty, dairy-free cherry lime ice cream finished with a swirl of Cocowhip and a fresh cherry on top.
This frozen treat was created for the Raise a Pint recipe contest, a summer celebration of cool, creamy recipes made with So Delicious coconut and cashew milk frozen desserts. The contest gathers inventive recipes from a talented group of bloggers and recipe creators, all using dairy-free frozen desserts to build refreshing, crowd-pleasing desserts.
The cupcakes start with a salty-sweet pretzel crust that complements the bright, tart ice cream. I kept the base simple—coconut milk vanilla ice cream—but folded in fresh, pitted cherries, fresh lime juice and lime zest to transform it into a summertime cherry limeade flavor. A touch of Cocowhip folded into the ice cream adds extra creaminess, and a piped swirl on top keeps each cupcake picture-perfect.
I always keep several pints of So Delicious Dairy Free ice cream in my freezer—usually the cashew milk salted caramel cluster and the coconut milk vanilla bean. The vanilla bean flavor is now available in a larger quart size, which is great when friends drop by and you want extra scoops for sundaes or floats.
The recipe below yields twelve frozen cupcakes with a crunchy pretzel base, a cherry limeade frozen filling, and a creamy Cocowhip topping. They freeze firm for easy transport and serve-up as a playful, allergy-friendly dessert for summer gatherings.
- pretzel crust
- 1 cup crushed gluten-free pretzel crumbs
- 3 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening, melted
- 3 tablespoons cane sugar
- cherry limeade ice cream
- 1 1/2 pints So Delicious Dairy Free coconut milk vanilla ice cream (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup pitted and chopped fresh cherries
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1/2 cup So Delicious Dairy Free Cocowhip whipped topping
- toppings
- Additional So Delicious Dairy Free Cocowhip whipped topping for piping
- Fresh cherries for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a mixing bowl, combine crushed pretzels, melted shortening and cane sugar. Press about a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each liner to form the crust.
- Bake the crusts for 10–12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
- Scoop the ice cream into a bowl and let it soften at room temperature for 10–15 minutes until easily stirrable.
- Stir the chopped cherries, lime juice and lime zest into the softened ice cream until evenly distributed.
- Gently fold in 1/2 cup Cocowhip to add extra creaminess to the mixture.
- Spoon or scoop the ice cream mixture into the prepared cupcake liners, smoothing the tops. Return the pan to the freezer and freeze for 2–3 hours, until firm.
- When the cupcakes are fully frozen, fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with Cocowhip and pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake.
- Return the cupcakes to the freezer for 30 minutes to set the topping, then garnish each with a fresh cherry and remove the paper liners just before serving.
Don’t miss the other bloggers participating in the Raise a Pint recipe contest—this group is full of creative, dairy-free summer desserts and treats. The contest highlights inventive uses of dairy-free frozen desserts and offers plenty of inspiration for hosting and entertaining without dairy.
This post was sponsored by Go Dairy Free and So Delicious Dairy Free. All opinions are my own.