Tropical Passion Fruit Ice Cream

If you’ve never had passion fruit ice cream, it’s like a beach vacation scooped into a bowl—bright, tangy-sweet, and so fragrant it almost perfumes the kitchen. This one leans creamy and lush, but still keeps that tart, tropical zing that makes passion fruit taste like sunshine. It’s simple, no eggs, and honestly? It tastes like the dessert you buy on vacation and keep thinking about for weeks after.

My little family is extremely unchill around this. I’ll be fiddling with the ice cream maker and my husband is hovering with a spoon like it’s a sport. Last time, our kid ate it straight from the container with frozen lips and wild joy, and we all pretended it was totally normal to have “just a test scoop” at 10 a.m. It’s become our summer ritual—churn, freeze, and then disappear into the freezer like raccoons every night.

How to Make It

Okay, here’s the deal. Grab 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cup passion fruit pulp (strained if it’s seedy), 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon white rum or vodka if you’ve got it—it keeps things scoopable.

Warm the milk, cream, and sugar together just until the sugar melts and the edges get steamy—don’t boil it. Whisk in salt and vanilla. Let it cool down a bit before adding the passion fruit and lime; dairy plus acid hates high heat, and we’re not here for curdle-town. Chill it until it’s truly cold. Like, “I forgot it for 4 hours” cold.

Churn in your ice cream maker until it looks like soft-serve clouds. Splash in that tiny bit of booze right at the end if you’re using it. Scoop into a container, press parchment on top, and freeze until firm. Try not to eat half of it while “leveling the top.” I never succeed.

✔Ingredient Notes

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– Passion fruit pulp: Fresh or frozen both work. If using the seedy kind, strain it unless you love crunch. I do a half-strain sometimes for speckles.
– Heavy cream: We want this rich. Swapping all milk will make it icy—ask me how I know.
– Whole milk: Balances the cream so it doesn’t coat your mouth. Don’t drop below 2% or it gets sad.
– Sugar: Sweetens and softens the texture. Cutting it too much makes the ice cream brick-like.
– Lime juice: Wakes up the passion fruit. Stir it in off heat—heat + acid + dairy can go weird.
– Vanilla extract: Just a little rounds out the tang. If it tastes “thin,” a splash of vanilla fixes it.
– Salt: Pinch! Makes the fruit pop. If it tastes flat, you probably forgot it.
– White rum or vodka (optional): Keeps it scoopable. Too much and it won’t firm up—1 tablespoon is the sweet spot.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Heat milk, cream, and sugar in a saucepan over medium until sugar dissolves and mixture is steamy, 3–5 minutes.
2. Stir in salt and vanilla; remove from heat and cool 10–15 minutes.
3. Whisk in passion fruit pulp and lime juice once the base is warm-not-hot.
4. Chill the mixture in the fridge until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Churn in an ice cream maker until soft-serve thick; stream in 1 tablespoon rum or vodka in the last minute (optional).
6. Pack into a container, press parchment onto the surface, and freeze 4–6 hours until scoopable.

What to Serve It With

– Toasted coconut and a squeeze of fresh lime
– Crushed meringues or pavlova shards (I said what I said)
– Warm pineapple or mango, caramelized in a skillet with butter and brown sugar
– Salty macadamias or pistachios for crunch
– Waffle cones, obviously

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Chill your base hard. Warm base = sad churn.
– Don’t add lime on the stove. Stir it in off heat to keep things silky.
– Strain the seeds unless you truly enjoy crunch.
– A splash of booze helps softness; more than 1 tablespoon fights freezing.
– If you skip the rum, let it sit on the counter 5–10 minutes before scooping.
– Taste the base before chilling. It should be slightly sweeter than you want—the cold mutes sweetness.

✔Storage Tips

Explain where/how to store leftovers in a casual, friendly tone. Mention what happens if you eat it cold. Or for breakfast. No shame.
Pop it into an airtight container with parchment pressed on top to prevent ice crystals. Freeze up to 2 months (it won’t last). If it’s too firm straight from the freezer, let it hang on the counter for 5–10 minutes—instant scoop therapy. And yes, eating it straight from the container is an extreme sport and also breakfast is allowed. Cold spoons, warm hearts.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– No-churn: Whip 2 cups cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold in 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 3/4 cup passion fruit pulp, pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 teaspoons lime juice. Freeze.
– Dairy-free: Use 1 can full-fat coconut milk + 1 cup coconut cream + 2/3 cup sugar. Add 1 cup passion fruit pulp, lime, vanilla, salt. Churn or no-churn method works.
– Sweeter vs. tarter: Add 1–2 tablespoons extra sugar for more mellow; add extra lime for more zing.
– Honey ↔ sugar: Swap by weight/volume; note honey adds floral notes and a softer set.
– Boozy swirl: Ripple in 2 tablespoons passionfruit liqueur after churning for a grown-up moment.
– Add-ins: Toasted coconut, white chocolate chunks, or a mango ripple. Fold in at the very end of churning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tropical Passion Fruit Ice Cream

Silky, custard-based ice cream brightened with tangy passion fruit and a hint of lime for a lush, tropical finish.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cup heavy cream chilled
• ▢ 1 cup whole milk
• ▢ 0.75 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 6 large egg yolks
• ▢ 1.5 cup passion fruit puree strained; from about 12 to 14 ripe passion fruits or use thawed frozen puree
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tsp lime zest finely grated
• ▢ 0.125 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tbsp dark rum or vodka optional; helps prevent iciness

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Pre-chill your ice cream maker bowl according to the manufacturer’s instructions (ideally 24 hours).
• In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, salt, and half of the sugar. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture is steaming and the sugar dissolves; do not boil.
• In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thick and slightly pale.
• Temper the yolks by slowly whisking in about 1.0 cup of the hot dairy mixture. Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan, whisking constantly.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (about 170 to 175°F). Do not let it boil.
• Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in vanilla. Let cool 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Whisk the chilled custard, then stir in the passion fruit puree, lime zest, and rum (if using) until evenly combined.
• Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions until the texture resembles soft-serve, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press parchment directly on the surface, and freeze until firm and scoopable, 3 to 4 hours.

Notes

For a dairy-free version, use 2.0 cups full-fat coconut milk and 1.0 cup coconut cream in place of the dairy. If your puree is very tart, add 1.0 to 2.0 tbsp extra sugar to taste. For a stronger passion fruit flavor, swirl an additional 0.25 cup chilled puree into the churned ice cream before freezing.