Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream uses basic ingredients like eggs, heavy cream, peppermint extract, and crushed peppermint candies to create the perfect peppermint ice cream recipe. It’s loaded with vibrant peppermint flavor and has a creamy texture that tastes just like a candy cane in ice cream form. Perfect for Christmas or any time you’re craving a minty, fresh, creamy treat.
Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream – Not Just for the Holidays
Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream is an ultimate creamy, custard-based treat. It’s refreshingly cool with just the right hint of peppermint, making it a fantastic way to use up those extra candy canes—or, use crushed peppermint candy bits and make this any time of the year.
This is a custard-based ice cream recipe, so you’ll start by heating up the milk mixture, tempering the eggs, and thickening the custard. (this is easier than it sounds) Once the custard has thickened, it’s chilled in the freezer and then churned in an ice cream maker for a smooth and creamy texture.
The final touch is adding crushed peppermint candies to the churned ice cream. The peppermint extract in the ice cream brings a smooth, minty flavor, while the crushed candy adds pops of sweetness and texture.
If you’ve never made homemade ice cream or want more festive ice cream inspiration, this recipe is for you! It’s wonderfully creamy, minty, and downright amazing.
Eggs are what give this homemade ice cream its creamy velvety texture. It takes just a few minutes to cook on the stove but the result is worth every minute.
There is nothing like homemade ice cream in the summer, but this recipe will have you pulling out your ice cream maker all year long.
What Makes This Peppermint Ice Cream Special
- Festive: Peppermint is synonymous with the holidays, making this ice cream the perfect holiday treat, but mint is so refreshing in the summer, making this an anytime of the year dessert.
- Better than store-bought: There are no additives or fillers in this recipe. We use all-natural ingredients for a made-from-scratch taste.
- Easy: This homemade ice cream is easier to make than you might think!
Ingredients Needed
- Pantry staples: You’ll need egg yolks, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt.
- Dairy: Whole milk and heavy cream help create the creamy base for this dessert.
- Peppermint extract: Adds that classic peppermint flavor. Don’t use mint extract, as it won’t provide the same flavor.
- Crushed peppermint candy: I recommend using peppermint candy bits—they’re perfectly sized and blend seamlessly into the ice cream for that festive crunch in every bite. You can also place candy canes in a ziplock and crunch them with a mallet.
Making Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream
Step One: Heat the Milk Mixture
Warm up the milk, cream, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan until it’s just about to simmer. Then, take it off the heat.
Step Two: Temper the Eggs
Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and slowly add some of the warm milk mixture, stirring constantly to warm the eggs without scrambling them. Once warmed, stir the eggs back into the saucepan.
Step Three: Thicken the Custard
Cook the mixture gently until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the ice cream mixture through a strainer and into a bowl to remove any lumps, then let it cool.
Step Four: Chill the Custard
Refrigerate the custard until it’s fully chilled. This step takes a bit of time but makes all the difference for creamy ice cream.
Step Five: Churn and Add Peppermint
Churn the custard in your ice cream maker per the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve texture. Mix in the crushed candy canes, then freeze until firm. Scoop and dig in.
Pro Tips
- Candy canes: If you’re using candy canes, crush them finely; larger pieces can be too hard. You can crush them using a food processor or add them to a plastic bag and crush them with a mallet.
- Ice cream maker: Any kind of ice cream maker will work for this recipe.
- Chill: Chill the custard for at least 4 hours or overnight before churning it. If you churn it before then, you’ll end up with a soupy mess instead of creamy ice cream.
- Use high-fat milk: For the creamiest results, use high-fat milk and heavy cream for this recipe. Low-fat milk tends to produce an icy texture and won’t have that same rich flavor.
Add-Ins
- Cookies: Crush some peppermint cookies and add them to the ice cream.
- Color: If you want to add more color to the ice cream, add a couple drops of red food coloring.
- White chocolate: Add some white chocolate chips when you add the peppermint candies.
- Sprinkles: Get super festive and add some holiday sprinkles to the ice cream!
How To Store Peppermint Ice Cream
Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for a few weeks. These are my favorite containers to store ice cream, it keeps the ice cream fresh for a couple of months without ice crystals forming.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ cup crushed peppermint candy
Instructions
- Add milk, cream, ⅔ cups of sugar and salt to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.
- Whisk the egg yolks together in a large measuring cup or bowl. Gradually add 1 tablespoon of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks, whisking until combined. Continue slowly adding the warm milk until the egg mixture is warm. Then slowly add the warm eggs to the hot milk, whisking constantly until incorporated.
- Return to the heat and cook about 5 minutes until it is slightly thick and coats the back of a spoon. Pour it through a wire sieve into a bowl. Let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Process per the manufactures’ directions. It should take about 20 minutes to become soft serve ice cream. Add the crushed peppermint and let it process until they are incorporated. Pour it into a 4 cup container and cover with plastic wrap until firm.
Notes
- You can use candy canes or peppermint candies. If they are plain white candies, you won’t get the pink color from the red candy canes.
- Make sure you let the custard cool before refrigerating.
