Have you ever had a frozen cherry pie? …….I didn’t think so! Well lets change that by making Cherry Crisp Streusel Ice Cream.  It tastes exactly like a pie, but it’s frozen! Grab your pitted cherries and ice cream maker and lets start cooking!

Cherry Crisp Streusel Ice Cream

Ingredients
For the crisp:
– 3/4 cup all purpose unbleached flour
– 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
– 3/4 cup old fashion rolled oats

For the cherries:
– 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
– 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

For the ice cream:
– 2 cups 2% milk
– 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
– 3 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
– 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
– 2/3 cup granulated sugar
– 2 Tablespoons vanilla

Directions:
Crisp:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry blender to mix the dry ingredients into the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
2. Stir in the oats. Spread the mixture in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Break into small clumps and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the mixture is brown and crisp. Let cool on the baking sheet and then freeze until ready to use. (Note – you will have extra crisp to top sprinkle on each serving of ice cream.)
Cherries:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the cherries and sugar in a bowl and toss well to combine. Place the cherries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cherries cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Ice Cream:
1.Combine 2 tbsp. of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. In a medium bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese until smooth. Combine the remaining milk, cream, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Add the vanilla.
2.Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to the heat, bring back to a boil, and stir with a spatula until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
3.Whisk the hot milk mixture into the bowl with the cream cheese until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator to chill thoroughly before churning.
4. Freeze the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Layer the ice cream into a storage container with the cherries and a generous amount of the crisp streusel. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.