you're making mealtime meaningful.
A slice of pumpkin pie, with a homemade crust, and a generous dollop of fresh whipped cream is a holiday favorite. Of course, I plan to indulge in a few slices at Thanksgiving (if not before), but I don’t want to ever get tired of my beloved pumpkin pie. One way to satisfy that pumpkin pie craving is with ice cream. Yup, a pumpkin pie ice cream is one of my newest favorites. It’s rich, creamy, and a refreshing way to rethink pumpkin pie.
Homemade ice cream is absolutely divine. Anytime heavy cream is involved, you know you’re in for something decadent and rich. For this pumpkin pie ice cream, I’m using heavy cream along with distinctively pumpkin flavors in the form of pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and for a rich sweetness I’ll use brown sugar instead of granulated white sugar – it makes all the difference! I like for my ice cream to have a little texture and I thought the spiced chewy sweetness of candied ginger, diced into small pieces, would pair beautifully against the cool, creamy pumpkin ice cream. I also want crunch, and so I’m adding some roughly chopped pecans for texture and nuttiness.
My ice cream maker does the rest of the work! The lull of the machine as it works the creamy liquid into a delicious ice cream is so satisfying. Once it’s done, you’ll find it nearly impossible to resist diving in immediately – with a spoon this time, not a fork! Pumpkin pie ice cream is so special that’s it’s nearly impossible not to share. I pick up some paper pint cups with lids – like you’d use for soups – to store and share my decadent pumpkin pie ice cream.
The garnish isn’t necessary but I just couldn’t help myself, so a scattering of pepitas (pumpkin seeds) go over the top for a little bit of thematic decoration and textural crunch. It might be faster to make a pumpkin pie, but this pumpkin pie ice cream is worth the wait. There is something so comforting about a pumpkin pie, and something so refreshing about ice cream, and we’ve got a little bit of both going on right here. This is so good! Grab a spoon and a bowl and enjoy a few scoops of rich and creamy pumpkin pie ice cream.
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Yield(s): Serves 6-8
10m prep time
10m cook time
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup candied ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup crushed pecans
- Optional topping: pepitas
Preparation
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Bring to a low simmer, stirring often, until all ingredients are warmed through, 10 minutes.
- Cool the mixture then stir in 2 cups heavy cream. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until chilled, about 1-2 hours.
- Pour chilled mixture into the well of an ice cream maker, following the appliance’s directions. In the last few minutes of churning, add the chopped pecans and candied ginger. Mix until incorporated.
- Transfer the ice cream into an airtight container for storage. Top with pepitas to serve.
Recipe adapted from Lovely Little Kitchen.