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Creamy, tropical, and straight from your Disney dreams, this pineapple dole whip recipe is a refreshing frozen treat made with real fruit and just a handful of simple ingredients. Whether you’ve strolled through Disneyland or you’re recreating that magic at home, one bite of this tangy soft serve will instantly take you to a sunny day under the palm trees.
Why You’ll Love This Pineapple Dole Whip Recipe
Living just 30 minutes from Disneyland, I’ve had my fair share of the famous Dole Whip. It’s one of my favorite park treats: cool, creamy, and packed with bright pineapple flavor. After craving it one too many times between visits, I decided to make a version at home using better-for-you ingredients.
This homemade pineapple ice cream is:
- Completely dairy-free and vegan (but you can easily make it regular too!)
- Naturally sweetened with maple syrup
- Made with just a few pantry staples
- Easy to blend in a food processor or high-powered blender
It delivers that same creamy swirl and sweet-tart flavor as the one from the parks, but with cleaner ingredients you can feel good about. Plus, you can customize it to your liking and enjoy it any time the craving hits.
If you love frozen treats like this, try my mango nice cream or easy cantaloupe sorbet next. They’re also dairy-free, naturally sweetened, and perfect for hot summer days.
Dole Whip Ingredients
Here’s a breakdown of the simple ingredients that bring this pineapple soft serve to life:
- Frozen pineapple: The star of the show. Use frozen pineapple chunks for the best texture. Canned pineapple doesn’t give the same icy thickness, so I recommend freezing fresh or store-bought chunks in advance.
- Milk of choice: I used almond milk, but oat milk, coconut milk, or regular milk work well too. Use just enough to help everything blend.
- Maple syrup: Adds a touch of sweetness without overpowering the fruit. You can also use honey if you’re not strictly vegan.
- Vanilla extract: Balances the tart pineapple with a warm, creamy undertone, just like the original Disney Dole Whip.
- Lemon juice: Enhances the tanginess and rounds out the flavor beautifully.
- Sea salt: Just a pinch helps everything pop and adds depth to the fruity base.
How to Make Homemade Dole Whip
Step 1: Add the frozen pineapple, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon juice, and sea salt to a food processor or high-speed blender.
Step 2: Blend or process until smooth and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape the sides to get everything moving. Taste and adjust the sweetness by adding more maple syrup if you prefer.
Step 3: For soft-serve style, enjoy immediately. For a firmer texture, transfer the mixture to a container and freeze for 30 to 45 minutes. This helps it hold its shape when piped.
Expert Tips
- To make it swirl like the real thing, scoop the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (I use a 1M tip). Pipe into bowls or cups and serve.
- If you freeze leftovers and they become too icy, just re-blend or process the mixture until creamy again.
Make It Your Way
This pineapple Dole Whip is easy to customize based on what you have on hand or how creamy you want the texture to be.
- Add frozen banana: For a smoother, fluffier texture that’s still dairy-free. Just one small banana can help recreate the iconic swirl.
- Use canned coconut milk: If you want a richer flavor or tropical twist, swap the almond milk for full-fat coconut milk.
- Mix up the fruit: Try frozen mango, strawberries, or a blend for different Dole Whip flavors.
- Make a Dole Whip Float: Pour pineapple juice or sparkling water into a glass and top with a scoop of this soft serve for a fizzy treat.
Whether you’re keeping it classic or adding your own twist, this recipe is endlessly adaptable.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this version is completely vegan and dairy-free, using almond milk and maple syrup. But you can make it with regular milk as well. It’s versatile and easy.
Absolutely. A food processor or high-speed blender works perfectly.
Fresh or frozen pineapple chunks give the best texture. If using canned, be sure to freeze it first and drain well to avoid a watery result.
Yes, but the texture will firm up. For the soft-serve experience, blend again before serving.
Let me know in the comments how your Dole Whip turned out. Did you pipe it into swirls or scoop it like ice cream? Either way, it’s a dreamy treat that’s just right for summer.
More Fruity Treats
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Easy Pineapple Dole Whip (Disney-Inspired Recipe)
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen pineapple chunks
- 1/4 cup milk of your choice, I used almond milk
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- Splash of lemon juice
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or a high powered blender, and process until smooth and creamy.3 cups frozen pineapple chunks, 1/4 cup milk of your choice, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 pinch of sea salt, Splash of lemon juice
- Taste to add more maple syrup, if you prefer.
- Enjoy right away for a soft serve texture, or freeze for about an hour to harden it into a more ice cream texture. This is optional, but you can transfer to a piping bag to serve it as a swirly soft serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make it swirl like the real thing, scoop the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (I use a 1M tip). Pipe into bowls or cups and serve.
- If you freeze leftovers and they become too icy, just re-blend or process the mixture until creamy again.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
