DIY Watermelon Pineapple Swirl Dole Whip Recipe

The Dole Whip was created in 1983 as a way to share the flavors of Dole fruit as a creamy soft-serve treat at Disney theme parks. Recipe developer Patterson Watkins has never had the opportunity to visit either Disney World or Disney Land to experience a Dole Whip in its natural habitat, though she has always wanted to try it. She tells us, "I thought it would be fun to try giving a homemade Dole Whip a go." 

It took a little sleuthing, but Watkins was able to achieve a copycat version, "I was able to suss out the flavor profile, texture, and other sundry notes on why a Dole Whip is as beloved as it is." The original version was non-dairy and made from a dry mix in a soft-serve machine. Rather than being made from a dry mix, Patterson's version calls for fresh juicy fruit, fruit juice, and creamy vanilla ice cream. "Ultimately," she says, "the goal is a rich, creamy, silky, vanilla-to-fruit balance that's refreshing without being super-cloying."

While pineapple is the classic Dole Whip flavor, Disney World serves a variety of different whips. Watkins tells us she's a fan of swirled soft serve because she always wants more than one flavor, so she thought, "Since I was breaking the mold already by making a copycat, why not push it a little further with a two-for whip?" Watermelon makes the perfect choice as a pineapple partner as its sweetness pairs so well with pineapple's tarter tang.

The pineapple whip is made with frozen pineapple, vanilla ice cream, pineapple juice, sugar, and lemon juice. For the watermelon whip, you'll also need frozen watermelon and watermelon juice.

To make the pineapple Dole Whip, place the frozen pineapple, ice cream, pineapple juice, sugar, and lemon juice in a blender.

Blend until smooth (you may want to let the ice cream melt a little for an even blend).

Transfer the pineapple Dole Whip mixture to a piping bag and place it in the freezer.

Rinse the blender and add the frozen watermelon, ice cream, watermelon juice, sugar, and lemon juice.

Blend until smooth (you may want to let the ice cream melt a little for an even blend).

Transfer the watermelon Dole Whip mixture to a piping bag.

Fit another, empty piping bag with a large fluted tip.

Trim the ends of the bags filled with the pineapple mixture and watermelon mixture and place both bags in the empty, piping tip-fitted bag. Place the bag in the freezer and chill for 30 minutes or until semi-firm (firm enough to easily pipe).

When ready to serve, pipe the Dole Whip into serving bowls. (Optional) Garnish with slices of watermelon and pineapple.

Though it can be a little tricky to make homemade soft serve unless you have specialized equipment, it can be done as long as you pay attention to the temperature of the mix. When you're transferring it to piping bags or piping it into bowls, you need to work as quickly as you can so the whip doesn't start to melt.

You can, however, make both the pineapple and watermelon whip mixes as far in advance as you'd like, then store them in separate airtight containers in the freezer. When you're ready to serve your DIY Dole Whip, take both mixes out and let them warm up at room temperature for 2 to 3 minutes. Once they're scoopable, transfer them to the piping bags (they'll soften up still more as you do so), then pipe them into serving bowls. You can also pipe the mixture into individual sealable containers, then freeze these until you want to eat them. Again, they'll soften up nicely after a few minutes out of the freezer.

Since frozen watermelon doesn't seem to be readily available, you may need to slice it fresh, then remove the rind and seeds and chop it into chunks. Freeze most of the chunks in a resealable plastic bag, reserving a few pieces if you'd like to make your own watermelon juice, too. (About half a pound or so of watermelon should yield the necessary half cup of juice.)

If watermelon isn't your favorite fruit, you can swap it out for a different type such as mango, papaya, or another melon like cantaloupe or honeydew. Bananas, peaches, and nectarines should all work as well, but avoid berries or other fruits containing tiny seeds that can't be easily removed. If you want berries, though, you can add them on top, or sprinkle some shredded coconut over the whip for an extra dose of tropical flavor. If you're over 21, you can also add a splash of rum to turn it into the kind of boozy frozen treat you might find at a Disney resort hotel.

If you'd like an alternative to the ice cream in this recipe, any non-dairy ones should work — vanilla, for preference, unless you want to use coconut ice cream in the pineapple whip for a piña colada vibe. Frozen yogurt is also okay, but not the un-frozen kind since this won't give the soft serve the right consistency. If you have an ice cream maker, though, you can combine a quart of plain yogurt with half a cup of whipping cream, a cup of sweetener (honey, sugar, or agave) a tablespoon of corn syrup, and a teaspoon of vanilla, then churn and freeze it to make your own homemade froyo.