One of my fondest childhood memories is of my mother’s homemade coconut ice cream. Mmmmmmm.
She would make it for special occasions, like the holidays, and even my cousins would put in requests for it whenever they visited.
But while I loved my mother’s homemade ice cream, I absolutely haaattteddd the process of making it. Whisking the ingredients, then warming the milk, then tempering, then thickening, then chilling, then churning, then freezing, and then finally serving! It just seemed like such a laborious task involving an inordinate amount of steps. I couldn’t stand waiting for the end product, not to mention the torturous churning and churning of the ice cream maker!
Why was the ice cream maker so big? Why was it so loud? Why did it need salt? …Wasn’t there a better way?
Turns out, there 100% is a better way to make ice cream at home: the no-churn ice cream method. Honestly, whoever came up with the no-churn ice cream method deserves a gold medal because it’s truly life changing!
To Churn or Not to Churn?
As an ice cream enthusiast, I can tell you with certainty that no-churn ice cream is the better way. You can literally whip up your ice cream in 10 minutes one evening, and then stick it in the freezer overnight. 10 minutes to prepare versus 10 different steps.
Once you make a no-churn ice cream, you will notice a difference in texture. It is lighter and fluffier than regular ice cream, which has a more solid texture. So, ultimately, it will come down to personal preference. But for me, the choice is clear!
Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice
The inspiration for this no-churn pumpkin spice ice cream came from (Canadian) Thanksgiving this weekend. Actually, “Friendsgiving”. My husband and I were invited to our friend’s annual Friendsgiving dinner and we were tasked with bringing a dessert. As I’ve proclaimed I am no baker multiple times in the past, I wasn’t about to try making pumpkin pie.
But what goes with pumpkin pie? Well, ice cream, of course! And ice cream, I know a lot about!
7 ingredients is all you need and just about 10 minutes to prepare the mixture. Let freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, but even better overnight. Top with pecans, if you wish, for some extra crunch!
Here’s the recipe.
Easy, No-Churn Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 400 mL sweetened condensed milk
- 2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree do not get pumpkin pie filling
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon until well-combined.
- In another large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream using a hand mixer, or you can whip in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip the cream for between 3-5 minutes, until you get stiff peaks.
- Fold the whipped cream into the ice cream batter gently. Do this until the ice cream is uniformly mixed and you don't have any clumps.
- Pour mixture into a loaf pan and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours.
- When you're ready to serve, you can top with pecans or other ingredients. Enjoy!
Enjoy and Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!
