Let’s kick off summer with these ice cream cupcakes: a crunchy gluten-free pretzel crust topped with dairy-free cherry limeade ice cream and a swirl of creamy Cocowhip. Finish each cupcake with a fresh cherry for a fun, festive touch.
This frozen treat is my entry in a summer recipe contest celebrating dairy-free frozen desserts made with coconut and cashew milk bases. The challenge inspired a collection of creative, cool recipes from talented bloggers and recipe creators.
Want to join the fun? From July 11–August 5 the contest will award ice cream party prize packs to selected entries. Share your creations on social media with the event tag and vote for your favorites to support the community of dairy-free recipe creators.
I always keep multiple pints of dairy-free frozen desserts in my freezer—favorites include salted caramel cashew milk and coconut milk vanilla bean. The larger sizes are perfect when guests arrive and you want to serve something like berry cobbler or root beer floats.
For these cupcakes I started with classic vanilla frozen dessert and brightened it with fresh cherries and lime. I folded chopped black cherries into softened vanilla ice cream, then added fresh lime juice and zest for instant cherry-limeade flavor. The crust is a simple gluten-free pretzel base for a perfect balance of salty and sweet. Once the cupcakes are frozen, I top them with a piped swirl of Cocowhip and a fresh cherry for an adorable finish.
I’m rooting for these gluten-free vegan ice cream cupcakes in the contest. If you’d like to support this entry, look for the contest tag on social platforms and cast your vote.
- 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 dairy-free coconut milk vanilla ice cream (about 3 cups), softened
- 1 cup pitted and chopped fresh cherries
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1/2 cup dairy-free Cocowhip whipped topping, gently folded in
- toppings
- additional Cocowhip whipped topping for piping
- fresh cherries for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a 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 a crust.
- Bake the crusts 10–12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely while still in the pan.
- Scoop the ice cream out and let it soften at room temperature for 10–15 minutes.
- Mix the softened ice cream with chopped cherries, lime juice and lime zest until evenly combined.
- Fold in 1/2 cup of Cocowhip gently to keep the mixture light.
- Spoon the ice cream mixture over the pretzel crusts, smoothing the tops. Freeze for 2–3 hours until firm.
- When set, pipe Cocowhip onto each cupcake using a star tip, then return to the freezer for 30 minutes or until serving time.
- Top each cupcake with a fresh cherry and remove paper liners before serving.
Check out the other bloggers participating in the summer recipe event for more dairy-free inspiration.
This post was sponsored by Go Dairy Free and So Delicious Dairy Free. All opinions are my own.