Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe
This pumpkin ice cream recipe is rich, creamy, and full of cozy fall flavor. Made with a custard base, real pumpkin purée, and warm spices, it tastes just like pumpkin pie in frozen form. Perfect for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, or a seasonal make-ahead treat.
Servings: 12 scoops
Calories: 210kcal
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prep the Ice Cream Maker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for prepping your ice cream maker. I use a Kumio ice cream maker, which doesn’t require any pre-freezing or prep, but any ice cream machine that churns will work just fine.
- Prepare the Eggs. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks with both sugars until the mixture is fluffy. Set aside.4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- Make the Pumpkin Base. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the pumpkin purée, milk, cream, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.1 cup pumpkin purée, 1 cup whole milk, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt
- Heat the Base. Cook the pumpkin mixture over medium heat until hot and steaming, but not boiling. Remove from heat.
- Temper the Eggs. While whisking the egg mixture, slowly add about ½ cup of the hot pumpkin mixture. Whisk well to combine. Repeat two more times, whisking thoroughly after each addition.
- Combine. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the pumpkin base, whisking constantly.
- Heat to 170°F. Cook the pumpkin custard over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 170°–175°F. Remove from heat right away.
- Strain. Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer to remove any bits of hard spices or pumpkin fiber. The mixture is thick, so I usually push a silicone spatula around the inside of the strainer to help it strain faster.
- Chill. Pour the mixture into a shallow container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until completely cooled. Stir it occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
- Churn. Once chilled, transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Freeze and Enjoy. Scoop the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container. For soft-serve texture, enjoy immediately. For firmer, scoopable ice cream, freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Notes
- All brands of pumpkin are different. If your pumpkin purée is watery, drain it before using. This is often the case with homemade pumpkin purée.
- Don’t skip chilling the base. It prevents ice crystals from forming in the ice cream.
- Straining the custard is optional. But I prefer it because it removes some of the hard bits of the spices and pumpkin fiber, which can create a grainy texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1scoop | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 557IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 0.3mg
