This dragon fruit ice cream is made with pitaya, also known as dragon fruit, and is creamy and delicious, made with 3 ingredients and using only a blender, no ice cream maker needed.
Dragon fruit ice cream tastes fresh and creamy, and has a citrus flavor thanks to lemon juice. This ice cream recipe is no churn, although you can use an ice cream maker if you want to. Dragon fruit, also called pitaya, makes a great ice cream base. It is a tropical fruit that comes in a dinosaur-egg-like pink shell with odd little horns, and can be white or pink inside. The fruit has the flavor of kiwi, and is also wonderful in dragon fruit smoothies, and dragon fruit popsicles, and even dragon fruit water.
Why You'll Love This
An interesting way to experience dragon fruit. Dragon fruit, when blended with milk and mango, makes a fantastic ice cream texture. Learn more about dragon fruit on my how to eat dragon fruit post.
Dragon fruit is healthy. It is high in magnesium which helps with sleep, and in vitamin C, B1, B2 and B3, and minerals calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Dragon fruit, or pitaya, are also a good source of fiber, protein and omega essential fatty acids. Read more about the health benefits of pitaya here.
Simple no churn, dairy free ice cream. Of course you can use an ice cream maker if you have one, but this recipe can be made with only a blender. And it's dairy free and vegan, so everyone can eat it.
Ingredients
Frozen milk cubes - Just freeze milk in ice cube trays, a creamy one is best such as canned coconut milk or cashew or almond milk. You can also use frozen bananas instead.
Mango chunks - Freeze this fruit beforehand, or again use bananas instead.
Pink dragon fruit - You'll find it in the freezer section of most high-end grocery stories. You can buy a fresh dragon fruit, but it mostly like is white inside.
I also add vanilla extract to reduce the icy texture, and lemon juice to boost the vitamin C and add a fresh citrus flavor.
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Preparation: Pour milk into ice cube trays and freeze for at least 2 hours. Freeze mango chunks overnight. Use frozen dragon fruit or chop fresh and freeze for 2 hours.
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a blender.
Step 2: Blend until combined, about 45 seconds. Add to an ice cream maker at this point, or continue to make it no churn.
Step 3: Pour the mixture into ice cube trays.
Step 4: Or pour the mixture into plastic bags, flatten and freeze flat. Freeze cubes or bags at least 2 hours or until somewhat solid.
Step 5: To a blender, add the cubes or break up the mixture frozen in bags, and blend again. Depending on the strength of your blender, you might need to add as much as ½ cup water.
Step 6: Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, pour in mixture and freeze again, at least 2 hours or until it reaches a texture you want.
Step 7: Scoop and serve!
Variations & Substitutions
Use banana instead of mango or a combination of the two for a sweet creamy support.
You can freeze any milk, but the higher the fat, the creamier your ice cream will be.
You can add lime juice instead of lemon juice for that tart bright additional flavor.
Recipe Tips
To make the ice cream, first let the milk ice cubes thaw for 10 minutes before blending to make them easier to blend.
When you are blending the broken chunks or frozen ice cubes of dragon fruit mixture, you might need to add as much as ⅔ cup of water to help it blend. Or make ⅓ cup of that liquid clear vodka to help keep the ice cream soft - there will be no alcohol flavor and the alcohol will keep the ice cream from becoming icy hard.
If you let the final ice cream freeze overnight, let the mixture thaw 20 minutes or more until it is scoopable.
FAQS
Dragon fruit ice cream tastes fresh and creamy and has a citrus flavor thanks to lemon juice.
Dragon fruit or pitaya, either the pink or the white, basically looks and tastes like kiwi, only a bit more watery.
I find pink pitaya in frozen packets found in the frozen fruit area of Whole Foods. If you can't find frozen fresh pitaya, then use freeze-dried powder found online.
More Dragon Fruit Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Dragon Fruit Ice Cream
Equipment
- ice cube trays
- loaf trays, parchment paper
Ingredients
- 8 frozen milk cubes
- 1 cup mango, frozen
- 1 ½ cups fresh (pink inside, not white) pitaya meat (or 2 packets of frozen pink pitaya found in grocery store freezer section - PitayaPlus.com)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
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Instructions
Prep
- Pour milk into ice cube trays and freeze at least 2 hours or overnight
- Use frozen mango, and frozen dragon fruit, or cut fresh and freeze 2 hours or overnight.
Make Pitaya Ice Cream
- Blend all ingredients. If using an ice cream maker, add the mixture to the maker bowl and follow manufacturer's instructions. Or continue to make it no churn.8 frozen milk cubes, 1 cup mango, frozen, 1 ½ cups fresh (pink inside, not white) pitaya meat, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- To make it no churn, pour the mixture into ice cube trays or add to plastic bags and flatten. Either way, freeze for 2 hours or until fairly solid.
- Blend the cubes or shards. Add up to ⅔ cup of water to help it blend. Make ⅓ cup clear vodka to help keep the ice cream soft. (no alcohol flavor)
- Line the loaf pan with parchment paper, pour in mixture and freeze again, at least 2 hours or until it reaches a texture you want.
- If you have let is freeze overnight, let the mixture thaw 10 minutes or more until it is scoopable.
Anna
love how pitaya turns everything into this gorgeous pink color!!! They are quite tricky to find in UK, but as soon as i will get my hands on any, I will be trying this for sure! Hugs! xxx
Dee
Hi Anna,
Thank you! Oh, really? You can't get Pitaya Plus either? The frozen online version. Hope you do find it some day! Have a great Thursday! Dee xx.