Place coconut milk, almond (or other milk, if substituting. Other options are dairy, soy, hemp, or additional coconut milk), 1 1/2 cups of the cherries, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extract in a blender. Puree until completely smooth.
If using gelatin or guar gum, add this to the blender and pulse to combine.
Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until completely chilled.
Pour mixture into ice cream machine per manufacturer's instructions. During the last 2-3 minutes of churning, add remaining 1/2 cup of cherries (finely diced) and the chocolate chips.
Eat immediately as soft-serve, or pour into a shallow container, cover, and freeze 2-3 hours until firm.