Pineapple Strawberry Nice Cream

A quick 10-minute, refreshing, and flavorful pineapple strawberry nice cream (aka vegan strawberry dole whip copycat) made with only frozen fruits and optional dairy-free milk. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, low fat, no added sugar, and a delicious tropical frozen dessert to enjoy this summer!

Refreshing and Summery Pineapple Strawberry Dole Whip

I love single-serve frozen desserts like homemade nice cream. I’ve already shared a coffee banana nice cream. Now it’s the turn of something fruitier with this pineapple strawberry nice cream. Inspired by banana nice cream and pineapple dole whip, this recipe combines pineapple, banana, and strawberries for a tropical, sweet, and absolutely delicious vegan strawberry dole whip!

This pineapple strawberry soft serve perfectly replaces sugar and dairy-heavy ice cream with an all-natural treat made with only frozen fruits, which means it's packed with flavor without tons of calories or fat. Just blend everything, and in no time at all, you’ll have an impressive, creamy, soft-serve ice cream consistency.

Top it with extra fruits, syrup, coconut, or your toppings of choice, and dig in. Plus, there are several ways to adapt the flavor, whether you want more of a traditional pineapple dole whip or even swapping out the fruits further.

What is Dole Whip?

Dole Whip is a frozen pineapple dessert (though there are now several flavors, including mango, raspberry, orange, and strawberry) that lies somewhere between soft-serve ice cream and sorbet. It was created by the company Dole and sold exclusively at Disneyland as far back as the 1980s.

Surprisingly, though, the top ingredients in the original Dole whip mix are sugar, dextrose, and several stabilizers, with less than 2% of pineapple juice flavoring. So basically, this fruity treat is (or at least was) primarily chemicals, additives, and plenty of stabilizers.

Having said that, both Dole and Disney shared at-home versions of this popular treat during early lockdown 2020. The Disney version combined the pineapple fruit and juice with vanilla ice cream, and Dole’s own version combined the frozen pineapple juice, banana, and coconut milk with powdered sugar.

In comparison, this whipped pineapple recipe cuts out all added sugars, combining healthy ingredients like frozen banana, pineapple, and strawberries for a delicious, all-natural vegan strawberry dole whip copycat recipe! You can even omit the berries for a traditional pineapple Dole whip - and you don't even have to pay for Disneyland tickets!

The Ingredients

This pineapple strawberry nice cream recipe requires just four ingredients, one of which is optional.

• Fruit: I’ve used three types of fruit for this pineapple nice cream.
  • Frozen banana
  • Frozen pineapple
  • Frozen strawberries (or raspberries)

If you want to make a pineapple whip recipe, simply omit the strawberries and increase the pineapple accordingly.

• Plant-based milk: If your high-speed blender struggles to blend all the frozen fruits, you may need a small amount of liquid. For the creamiest results, use canned coconut milk, though any dairy-free milk will work (almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc.).

Use pineapple juice or strawberry juice instead of plant-based milk for more of a fruity homemade Dole whip.

I also like to garnish the strawberry Dole whip with unsweetened shredded coconut or granola, but it’s 100% optional.

What could I add to the vegan Dole whip?

There are several simple ways to adapt this pineapple whip recipe, including:

• Lime: A small amount of lime juice (or lemon juice) pairs wonderfully with the vegan pineapple and strawberry whip. Add it to taste.
• Mango: Use 50/50 pineapple and mango or even substitute the pineapple entirely. You could also experiment with
  • Peach
  • Cherry
  • Blueberry
  • Mixed berries
• Sweetener: The combination of fruits should make added sugars unnecessary. However, feel free to add a small amount of the liquid sweetener of choice, if preferred.

Once you’ve chosen which ingredients to use in the pineapple strawberry soft serve, it’s time to freeze your fruits.

How to Freeze Banana?

Choose ripe but not overly soft bananas, with just a few dark spots on the peel.

1. First, peel your bananas. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the banana into ½-inch rounds.

For smoothies, I’ll often just break them in half, but the smaller the pieces, the quicker they’ll freeze, and the easier they’ll blend.

2. Spread the banana slices on a parchment-lined tray, with space between each piece.
3. Freeze them until solid, then transfer the pieces to a freezer-safe container or Ziplock/Stasher-style bag.

How Long Do Frozen Bananas Last?

Frozen bananas will last six months in the freezer when stored in an airtight, freezer- safe container. Make sure to label the container/bag.

For easier blending, remove the fruit from the freezer 5-10 minutes before blending it into the strawberry nice cream.

How to Freeze Pineapple?

Choose a pineapple that has a slight give when squeezed but isn’t too firm or soft, and smells fruity near the stem. If it has no scent or smells fermented, avoid it. Pineapple has a short shelf life, so freeze it shortly after purchasing it.

1. First, use a long, sharp knife to slice off the top and bottom of the pineapple.
2. Stand the pineapple upright and slice downwards to remove strips of the peel until it’s all gone. Then cut away any remaining ‘eyes’ with a smaller paring knife.
3. Cut it into four wedges and use your knife to cut away the core from each piece. Finally, slice the quarters in half again, then chop them down into small pieces.
4. Spread the pineapple pieces on a parchment-lined tray, ensuring they aren’t touching, and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a Ziplock/Stasher-style bag and remove excess air.

How Long Does Frozen Pineapple Last?

When stored in an airtight container with excess air removed, frozen pineapple should last 6 months (up to 2 years when vacuum packed).

If you have any leftover chopped pineapple that you haven’t frozen, eat it within 1-2 days. Aim to eat pineapple within 3-4 days of purchasing it, as they spoil quickly.

How to Freeze Strawberries?

Freezing strawberries while they’re in season is the best way to lock in the absolute best flavor. Remove any berries that look under or overripe before preparing them for freezing.

1. First, rinse the fresh strawberries and pat them thoroughly dry.
2. Then, remove the stem and slice each strawberry in half (or quartered).

When freezing strawberries for smoothies, I’ll leave them whole or halved with the stem intact (as it’s edible). However, for this pineapple strawberry soft serve, I don’t want the added green specs.

3. Spread them across a parchment-lined tray, not touching, and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a Ziplock/Stasher bag, squeezing out any excess air.

How Long To Store?

Aim to use the frozen berries within 6 months for the best flavor. However, with all air removed from the packaging, they should last up to a year.

How to Make Strawberry Dole Whip?

1. Remove the fruits from the freezer and allow them to thaw for 3-5 minutes.
2. Then, add all the fruits to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. If you need a splash of liquid to help get the process going, add some plant-based milk, one tablespoon at a time. Give your machine a break occasionally if needed. Otherwise, it will heat and melt the fruit too quickly.

A food processor should also work, but will take longer to become smooth and may require additional liquid. For example, if you want to make a thick vegan milkshake, add more plant-based milk to your desired consistency.

3. Serve in a bowl optionally garnished with shredded coconut or a fruity syrup like this raspberry syrup. Enjoy!

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Use ripe fruits: Otherwise, the pineapple strawberry nice cream will lack flavor and substance. I recommend freezing them in season to enjoy delicious nice cream for months.
• For a scoopable texture: If it’s too soft after blending the strawberry pineapple nice cream, pop it back in the freezer for 30 minutes to 2 hours (depending on how soft it was). Check every 20 minutes until it’s your desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add a little more plant-based milk/juice (one tablespoon at a time).
• Be patient: It will take a while to break down the frozen fruits into a creamy, smooth pineapple strawberry soft-serve consistency. Use a tamper if your blender has one.
• To serve like soft-serve: Transfer the vegan Dole whip to a piping bag (or a Ziplock/Stasher bag with the corner of the bag snipped) and create the swirl pattern in your bowl or a cone.

Storage Instructions

This type of single-serve pineapple strawberry frozen dessert is best when enjoyed immediately. However, you can technically freeze any leftovers again for a further 2-3 weeks.

Allow it to soften for 10-15 minutes before consuming and/or re-blend it to bring back the strawberry nice cream soft-serve consistency.

More Fruity Treats

• 2-Ingredient Raspberry Syrup
• Simple Blueberry Banana Smoothie
• Vegan Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
• Simple Strawberry Juice Recipe
• Easy Blueberry Vinaigrette
• Vegan Blackberry Orange Cupcakes
• Dehydrator Apple Chips [+ Air Fryer| Cinnamon Apple Slices]

If you try this easy vegan pineapple strawberry Dole whip recipe, I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla