Move over pumpkin pie, there's a new pumpkin spice dessert in town and it's giving pie a run for its money. This pumpkin spice ice cream takes the flavors of pumpkin spice latte and elevates it to a whole new level. Who knew pumpkin could taste this good?
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What do you do when it's officially Fall and you are dying for a pumpkin spice latte but because the weather hasn't got the memo yet it's still a billion degrees outside? The answer is the delicious spicy pumpkin ice cream. It's full of all the flavors of Fall you love but in a delicious, creamy pumpkin dessert. It's a great alternative if you're looking for a change from traditional pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving or just to make the most of wonderful Fall flavors.
Looking for more fabulous holiday desserts? Why not try making my Oreo turkey cookies, easy cinnamon sugar pita chips or no-bake caramel pecan cheesecake. Delicious!
Or if you're in the mood for more delectable ice cream check out my full collection of Cuisinart ice cream maker recipes (that work well in other brands ice cream makers too!).
Ingredients:
NB: the recipe originally had full cream milk as well as cream. When I tested the recipe I found it worked better with Just the cream and dropped the milk. It works better this way, but I didn't get around to re-taking the ingredient photo. Next time I have my camera out I'll fix this! There is no milk in the recipe.
Pumpkin: I use butternut pumpkin in this recipe, sometimes called butternut squash. I find it has a sweeter flavor than traditional round pumpkins, but you can use whatever type you prefer as long as it's one that you like eating it. You could substitute with one cup of pumpkin puree from a can but make sure it's just pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix. Canned pumpkin may not have the same depth of flavor compared to roasting your own.
Brown sugar: I use brown sugar, sometimes also called light brown sugar, to give it extra caramel notes. You could try it with the same amount of dark brown sugar or even regular white sugar.
Egg yolks: I use large eggs in this recipe. You can put the egg whites aside for another recipe such as my amaretti cookies or pretty rainbow meringues.
Cream: I use thickened cream in Australia which has a fat content of about 34%. You could also use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream which is similar.
Vanilla extract: sometimes also called vanilla essence, depending on where you live. You can use either, or imitation vanilla essence, depending on your preference and budget.
Glucose syrup): sometimes called confectioner’s glucose. You can get in from specialty baking shops, online and some supermarkets. A small amount of glucose syrup helps lower the freezer point of ice cream and improves the texture and scoop-ability of the ice cream. You can substitute with the same amount of light corn syrup or powdered dextrose. Measure carefully and don't add too much or your ice cream will melt in a red hot minute!
Pumpkin spice mix
I make my own pumpkin spice mix for this recipe, using a classic spice combination. The recipe makes about two and a half tablespoons of spice mix, but you will only need one tablespoon for the recipe. Put the rest aside to make something else with.
Cinnamon: for this recipe I use regular ground cinnamon or cassia, available from the supermarket. True cinnamon is much harder to get hold of but you could use that too if you wish.
Ginger: ground ginger works best in this recipe.
Nutmeg: I use ground nutmeg, you could try freshly grated nutmeg you like.
Allspice: I use ground allspice for this recipe.
Cloves: I used ground cloves in this recipe. They have a very strong taste so you only need a little bit
How to make pumpkin spice ice cream
Preheat your oven first. Peel the pumpkin and cut it into small cubes about ½ inch big. Drizzle with a little oil and spread them out over two baking trays, making sure they are not touching and leaving plenty of space between each piece. Bake for approximately one hour, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Oven times may vary so I recommend checking on the pumpkin after twenty minutes and adjusting the baking time accordingly.
Remove pumpkin from oven and allow to cool.
Hot tip: Roasting the pumpkin low and slow this way allows the pumpkin to dehydrate and concentrate the pumpkin flavor. The starting amount of pumpkin, 1.8 lbs (800gms) is with the skin and seeds still on. By the time you cut the skin and seeds off and roast the pumpkin this will reduce down to approximately 3 cups of cooked roasted pumpkin cubes, depending on how tightly you pack the cubes into cups.
This in turn blitzes down to about 1 cup (.6lbs/280gms) of concentrated roasted pumpkin puree. If you have significantly more than this you may not have cooked your pumpkin for long enough.
Make the pumpkin spice mix. Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves to a small bowl and mix well. Measure one tablespoon of spice mix and put the rest aside for another recipe.
If using a double boiler, put the water on to boil. Put the cream into a small pot and put on low heat.
Separate your egg yokes and put the whites aside for another recipe. Put the egg yokes into a bowl with brown sugar. If you are not using digital scales to measure your brown sugar make sure the cup is tightly packed when measuring it. Beat the sugar and egg yokes together until pale and creamy. Slowly add the warmed cream, about a third at a time to temper the egg yokes, mixing well between each addition.
Pour the mix into the top of a double boiler that's on low heat. You can use a medium-sized saucepan instead if you don't have a double boiler, but you will need to watch it Very carefully, put it on very low heat and stir frequently to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
Remove about half a cup of cream, egg yolk and sugar mix and add to roasted pumpkin in a bowl you can use an immersion blender in. Blend until the pumpkin is smooth and creamy.
Add pureed pumpkin mix to ice cream mix in a double boiler. Add pumpkin spice and glucose syrup if using. Remember you only need one tablespoon of the pumpkin spice mix, put the rest aside for another recipe. Mix well. If the mix is lumpy you may need to very carefully blitz it with an immersion blender, taking extreme care as the mix will be hot.
Cook the ice cream mix, stirring frequently and scraping down the edges. The ice cream mix is done when it starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon or spatula. To test this you can run your finger through the mix. If the line stays the mix is done.
Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add salt and vanilla essence and mix well. Transfer the mix to a covered heatproof container and chill in the fridge for at least four hours.
Put your ice cream storage container in the freezer to chill. If using a self-churning ice cream machine turn it on about five minutes before churning to chill, otherwise take your freezer bowl out of the freezer just before churning.
Churn the ice cream. It will be the consistency of soft-serve when done. Transfer to the chilled container and freeze for at least four hours or until firm.
To serve the ice cream
Remove from the freezer, scoop and enjoy! If you have not used the optional glucose syrup you may need to leave it in the fridge for ten minutes or so to make it soft enough to scoop. Fabulous with some crushed-up ginger snaps or your favorite cookie crumbled over the top for that extra pumpkin pie feel. Delicious!
To store the ice cream
This ice cream will keep best in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two weeks. After this it may start to become icy but will still taste delicious.
Have you made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below and tag me on instagram so I can see your delicious creations! #KCAEIC
LOOKING FOR MORE YUMMY DESSERT RECIPES?
Why not try making
- Oreo Turkey Cookies
- Halloween cakesicles
- Carrot ice cream
- Cinnamon, apple and oat ice cream
- Cinnamon sugar pita chips
📋 Recipe
Pumpkin spice ice cream
Equipment
- ice cream maker
- immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1.8 lbs (800gms) butternut pumpkin
- 2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
- ¾ cup (180gms) brown sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ tablespoon (15gms) glucose syrup *optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla eseence
- 1 pinch salt
Pumpkin spice
- you will only need one table spoon of the pumpkin spice mix, put the rest aside for another recipe.
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground all spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Peel pumpkin and cut into cubes approx ½ inch.
- Coat with a little oil and spread out on a baking tray.
- Bake for one hour, checking and turning after 30mins, or until golden and starting to caramalize.
- Allow to cool. You should have about 3 cups of cooked pumpkin or .6lbs (280gms) (this is the equivalent to 1 cup of pureed pumpkin).
- Measure out spices into a small bow and mix together well. Measure out one tablespoon of the spice mix and put the rest side in an airtight container for another time.
- If using a double boiler, put water onto boil.
- Put cream into a small pot to stove on a medium heat to warm up.
- Seperate egg yokes and put whites aside for another recipe, such as my basic meringues.
- Add eggs yolks and sugar to a bowl. Blend with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until pale brown.
- Add warmed cream to egg yolk and sugar mix about a third at a time to temper the egg yokes, mixing well between each addition.
- Add one table spoon of pumpkin spice mix and mix well.
- Put roasted pumpkin into a deep sided bowl you can use an immersion blender in. Add half a cup of egg yolk, sugar and cream mix.
- Blend well until till pumpkin is pureed and smooth.
- Add pureed pumpkin mix to rest of ice cream mix and mix well.
- Hot top: If the mix is lumpy you may need to blitz it Very carefully with an immersion blender. This will also help incorporate the spices. Use extreme caution as the mix will be hot!
- Simmer, stirring frequently until mix is thickened and coasts the back of a spoon or spatular. The usual way of doing this is by running you finger along the back and if the line stays the mix is done. Add the salt and vanilla essence and mix well.
- Remove from stove, allow mix to cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer to a covered heatproof container and chill mix fridge for at least four hours.
- Put your storage container in the freezer to chill.
- If using a self churning ice cream machine turn it on about ten minutes before churning, other wise take your bowl out of the freezer right before churning.
- Churn the ice cream. It will be the consistency of soft serve when done.
- Transfer to chilled container and chill until firm, at least four hours.
- To serve remove from freezer, scoop and enjoy! Great with some crumbled up ginger nuts or your favourite cookies on top, or on its own. Delicious!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online database. The nutritional content of ingredients may vary by brand. If you require accurate nutritional information, you should calculate this based on the specific brands and products you are using.
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Vagabond says
I have never tried this flavour, but it sounds too yummy to miss. I will need to buy an ice cream machine, though... Thanks for posting
jeannie says
you got me with pumpkin spice! I think I wanna try this recipe except I can't use egg/milk I have to figure out how to make it but this really captivate me looks so delicious!
Maureen says
I can imagine this would be delicious with caramel sauce. Can’t wait for fall!
Sally says
I love spiced desserts and this ice cream looks delicious! I've never tried pumpkin flavoured ice cream before (I am very much all about the savoury pumpkin flavours) but this certainly makes me want to try as it looks so good!
Sylvie says
The perfect Autumn treat! I love that you used fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin, makes this recipe even better. Yum!!
Robyn says
I have never tried pumpkin ice cream before, but it sounds delicious, especially with all those wonderful spices! I can't wait to try it!