This Gingerbread Ice Cream is going to be your new favorite seasonal ice cream flavor. It’s a delicious holiday ice cream flavor that you won’t be able to get enough of! It has the perfect blend of warm spices, molasses flavor, and sweetness, with bites of ginger cookies throughout!
Move over Peppermint Ice Cream, there’s a new holiday ice cream in town! This Gingerbread Ice Cream perfectly encompasses the flavor of Ginger Molasses Cookies all wrapped up in a cool and creamy ice cream.
Why Make this Recipe
- Perfect Holiday Flavor – It’s like eating a gingerbread cookie, in the form of a bowl of ice cream!
- Unique Flavor – This isn’t your typical vanilla ice cream with gingerbread cookies, the ice cream itself is flavored like a ginger cookie, then you’ll also have ginger cookie bites throughout.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Gingerbread Ice Cream Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Heavy Cream – you can use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream for this recipe, this keeps the ice cream super rich and creamy with the right amount of fat content.
- Whole Milk – this keeps the ice cream super creamy, you can substitute for a lower fat ice cream if needed
- Egg Yolks – these get cooked and give the ice cream a custard base that is extra rich and creamy
- Brown Sugar – Gives extra molasses flavor to the ice cream
- Molasses – Needed for that classic gingerbread flavor. I like Grandma’s Original Molasses brand.
- Vanilla Extract – use pure vanilla extract, adds a nice sweet, and warm flavor
- Ground Ginger – needed for the classic gingerbread cookie flavor
- Ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg – gives the ice cream the perfect blend of warm spices.
- Salt – balances out the sweetness
- Ginger Cookies – I just use store bought Ginger Snap Cookies, they soften up in the ice cream, so they are no longer crunchy.
How to make Gingerbread Ice Cream?
Step 1: Make the Custard Base. Add the milk, and half of the cream to a pot and heat it over medium heat just until the edges start to bubble. Temper the Eggs. Whisk the egg yolks and brown sugar in a medium bowl for a couple minutes until the egg yolks start to get frothy and lighten in color. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk them together. Then add in another 1/2 cup of the hot cream.
Step 2: Keep Cooking. Pour the mixture back into the pot on the stove, and let it continue to heat for a few more minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.
Step 3: Add in the Extra Ingredients. Pour the Ice Cream mixture through a strainer to remove any curdled egg or milk pieces. Then stir in the remaining heavy cream, molasses, vanilla extract, all the spices, and the salt. Place bowl over another bowl with an ice bath to chill for about 15 minutes. Then cover and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
Step 4: Churn the Ice Cream. Pour the ice cream mixture into your frozen and running ice cream maker and let it run according to the manufactures directions, until its like a thick soft serve ice cream.
Step 5: Add the Cookies. You can sprinkle the cookies into the ice cream in the machine, and let it churn for another 5 minutes, or alternate layering the ice cream in a pan, sprinkling the cookie pieces on top. Cover the ice cream in a 2QT container and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight for a scoopable, custard style ice cream.
Tips and Tricks:
- Pre- freeze the Ice Cream Machine Bowl – My ice cream maker bowl takes at least 12 hours to be frozen solid. If you have extra freezer room, leave it in the freezer all the time so you can make ice cream whenever the craving strikes!
- Adjust the Spices – I use 1 1/2 teaspoons of ginger when I make this, but the ice cream does have a little bit of a warm spice flavor. I’d start with 1 teaspoon, and taste the base and work up from there. I’d also start with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Add different Mix Ins – Instead of chopped ginger cookies, try toffee bits, chopped white chocolate, or even a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Storage Instructions
Store this ice cream in a 2 QT container with a lid in the freezer for up to 1 month. Store in the back of the freezer for the best results, to avoid ice crystals from forming on the ice cream.
Let the ice cream soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping, especially the longer its been frozen, or if its frozen in a deep freezer.
This Gingerbread Ice Cream is the perfect way to spread some holiday cheer. It’s festive, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make it at home. You’ll love it for a cozy game night, or movie night, or serving at a holiday dinner. Either way, it’s guaranteed to impress!
More Ice Cream Recipes
- All our Homemade Ice Cream Flavors
- French Vanilla Ice Cream
- DIY Banana Split Bar
- Mocha Ice Cream
- White Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream
- Banana Blueberry Ice Cream
- Turtle Ice Cream
If you make this Gingerbread Ice Cream Recipe please leave a comment and 🌟 rating letting me know what you think! If you post the photo on Instagram, please tag me – I’d love to see what you’re making!
Gingerbread Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Custard Base:
- 2 cups heavy cream (divided)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 dash salt
- 3/4 cup chopped ginger snap cookies
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Instructions
- Freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker for at least 12 hours, until frozen solid according to manufactures instructions.
- Add 1 cup of the cream, and the milk to a medium sauce pan, and heat it over medium until the edges start to bubble. 2 cups heavy cream , 1 cup whole milk
- While the milk is heating, add the egg yolks and brown sugar to a large bowl and whisk them together for a couple of minutes until the color lightens up. 4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Remove the milk from the heat, and slowly pour 1/2 cup of the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking them together as you pour.
- Then add another 1/2 cup of the milk mixture into the eggs and whisk it together.
- Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan and let it continue to cook over medium heat, for a couple of minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.
- Pour the custard mixture through a strainer into another large bowl.
- Add in the remaining cup of heavy cream, molasses, vanilla extract, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt, and stir together. 1/4 cup molasses, 1 tsp vanilla extract , 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 dash salt
- Add ice to another large bowl, and place the custard mix bowl over the ice bath. Let it sit to cool down slightly for about 15-20 minutes, while you stir it occasionally.
- Cover the custard mix bowl with a lid, or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours to chill.
- Pour the custard mix into a prepared 2QT ice cream maker and run it for about 25 to 30 minutes, according to manufactures directions, until it is like a thick soft serve consistency.
- Add the ginger snap pieces, and continue running the ice cream maker for another 5 minutes. Or sprinkle them over the ice cream when you transfer it into the 2QT container. 3/4 cup chopped ginger snap cookies
- Scoop the ice cream into a 2QT container, and cover it with a lid, or plastic wrap and foil.
- Place it in the freezer for at least 6 hours, or until frozen solid enough to scoop.
Nutrition
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