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A sliced loaf of homemade spumoni ice cream on a white platter, showing distinct layers of chocolate, pistachio, and cherry, garnished with pistachios and fresh cherries. An espresso cup is in the background.

Spumoni Ice Cream

Olivia Carter
If Neapolitan ice cream decided to glow up, it would become Spumoni. This colorful Italian treat layers chocolate, pistachio, and cherry ice cream into one fancy, old-school dessert that tastes like pure nostalgia. It’s creamy, nutty, fruity — basically, dessert royalty in a loaf pan.
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30 minutes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 40 minutes
COST $10 unless you splurge on the fancy pistachios — which, honestly, totally worth it.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Italian dessert,, layered ice cream, spumoni ice cream
Servings 10 friends
Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

  • Ice cream maker (yes, it’s worth it)
  • Mixing bowls
  • saucepan
  • Whisk and spatula
  • Loaf pan or freezer-safe container
  • Plastic wrap or lid (to keep it all tidy)

Ingredients
  

For the Ice Cream Base (used for all three flavors):

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Each Flavor Layer:

Chocolate Layer

  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Pistachio Layer

  • ½ cup shelled pistachios, finely ground
  • ¼ tsp almond extract (optional but adds magic)
  • A few drops of green food coloring if you’re going for that classic look

Cherry Layer

  • ½ cup chopped maraschino cherries
  • 2 tbsp cherry syrup (from the jar)
  • A few drops of red or pink food coloring if you’re feeling bold

Instructions
 

Step 1: Make the Ice Cream Base

  • Start by warming up your milk, cream, and half the sugar in a saucepan — just until it’s steaming, not boiling. In another bowl, whisk your egg yolks with the rest of the sugar until it looks pale and creamy. Then slowly pour the hot milk into the yolks while whisking (you’re basically doing dessert alchemy here).
  • Pour everything back into the pan and cook on low until it thickens slightly — it should coat the back of a spoon like smooth velvet.
  • Add vanilla, let it cool, and chill it in the fridge.
    Hands pouring steaming milk and cream mixture from a glass measuring cup into a teal bowl containing egg yolks and sugar, while whisking. A saucepan with milk is on a stovetop in the background.

Step 2: Divide and Flavor

  • Once your base is cold, split it into three bowls.
  • Mix chocolate and cocoa powder into one (hello, decadence).
  • Add ground pistachios and almond extract to the second (the nutty middle child).
  • Stir in cherries and syrup into the last one (the drama queen of the bunch).
    Three bowls of ice cream base on a kitchen counter: one chocolate with chocolate shavings, one plain base with green pistachios being stirred in, and one pink cherry base with whole cherries. Hands are stirring the pistachio mixture.

Step 3: Churn It Up

  • Now churn each flavor separately in your ice cream maker. Yes, it takes a bit of time — but you’ll thank yourself later.
  • Pop each finished flavor into the freezer while you churn the next one.
    A hand dropping pistachios into a white ice cream maker, actively churning green pistachio ice cream. In the background, bowls of chocolate and cherry ice cream base await their turn.

Step 4: Layer Like a Pro

  • Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spread the pistachio layer first and freeze it for about 30–45 minutes until slightly firm.
  • Next, spread the chocolate layer on top and freeze again.
  • Finally, finish with the cherry layer. Cover it up and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
    Hands using a white spatula to spread a layer of chocolate ice cream over a partially frozen pistachio layer in a plastic-wrap-lined loaf pan.

Step 5: Time to Dig In

  • Slice thick pieces so those pretty layers show off. You can add whipped cream or drizzle chocolate syrup if you’re feeling fancy — but honestly, it’s perfect as is.
    A hand lifting a slice of layered spumoni ice cream (pink cherry, green pistachio, chocolate) from a loaf on a white platter, with chocolate syrup drizzling over the top. Two slices are already on the platter. An espresso cup and cherries are in the background.

Notes

  • Traditional spumoni sometimes includes bits of candied fruit or nuts between layers. Totally optional, but it adds a nice surprise.
  • Feeling lazy? Just grab store-bought chocolate, pistachio, and cherry ice cream. Layer, freeze, and boom — instant spumoni vibes.
  • Want those perfect stripes? Let each layer firm up before adding the next. Patience = Instagram-worthy results.

Nutrition (Per Serving, Approx.):

  • Calories: 320kcal
  • Protein: 5g
  • Fat: 18g
  • Carbs: 32g
  • Sugar: 29g
  • Fiber: 1g