Gingerbread Ice Cream

I’m always thrilled to stumble upon limited-edition, unique ice cream flavors in the grocery store, especially winter holiday flavors! Cartons of peppermint bark, hot cocoa, eggnog and gingerbread ice cream bring back memories of the festive sundaes I enjoyed with my college roommates at the Friendly’s on campus. It was our way of toasting the end of another semester and welcoming the start of the holiday season.

You don’t need to visit the freezer aisle or an ice cream shop to enjoy a wintry-flavored treat. Homemade ice cream recipes are easy to make with or without an ice cream maker. This gingerbread ice cream has the same warm, bold flavor of classic gingerbread cookies, thanks to molasses and a combination of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Gingerbread ice cream is the perfect cozy dessert to enjoy snuggled up by the fire or to share at festive celebrations.

Ingredients for Gingerbread Ice Cream

• Heavy cream: Double-check the label on your cream, since there’s a difference between heavy cream and whipping cream. Heavy cream contains more fat than whipping cream and half-and-half. This recipe uses equal parts heavy cream and whole milk for an ultra-smooth and decadent ice cream.
• Whole milk: The higher fat content of whole milk is ideal for making rich, creamy homemade ice cream. It may be tempting to use low-fat milk if it’s already in your fridge, but your finished ice cream will have an icier, less smooth texture.
• Sugar: This recipe uses white granulated sugar to sweeten the ice cream. You could swap it for light or dark brown sugar for even more molasses and gingerbread flavor.
• Molasses: Molasses is an essential ingredient in classic gingerbread recipes. In this ice cream, molasses adds warm, complex flavor and a bit of sweetness. It also gives the ice cream its tan color.
• Egg yolks: This gingerbread ice cream is technically a frozen custard recipe because it contains egg yolks. After separating your eggs, save the egg whites and use them to whip up a batch of meringue cookies or add them to scrambled eggs for extra protein.
• Vanilla: One tablespoon of pure vanilla extract adds flavor and sweetness to offset the gingerbread spices. If you have vanilla bean paste, you can use an equal amount.
• Gingerbread spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves give this ice cream the same cozy, spicy-sweet flavor as gingersnap cookies!

Directions

Step 1: Heat the milk and cream

In a large saucepan, heat the cream and milk to 175°F. Add the molasses and sugar and stir until they’ve dissolved.

Editor’s Tip: Overheating the milk and cream can cause skin to form on the surface of the liquid and create a lumpy texture. Use an instant-read kitchen thermometer or a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the saucepan to monitor the temperature of the milk and cream closely.

Step 2: Cook the custard

Whisk a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Then, pour the warmed egg yolks into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture reaches at least 160° and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Editor’s Tip: Tempering eggs with hot cream slowly increases their temperature and reduces the risk of egg proteins curdling—and turning into scrambled eggs—when added to the hot saucepan.

Step 3: Whisk in the spices

Whisk the vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt into the cream mixture.

Step 4: Cool the custard

Quickly cool the custard by placing the saucepan into a bowl of ice water. Stir the custard for two minutes while the saucepan sits in the ice water. Then, press a piece of storage wrap onto the surface of the custard and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Editor’s Tip: If you notice lumps of curdled egg yolk while stirring, pass the custard through a fine mesh strainer.

Step 5: Churn the ice cream

Fill the cylinder of your ice cream maker no more than two-thirds full with the chilled custard.  Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Keep any remaining custard mixture refrigerated to churn in a second batch of ice cream.

Editor’s Tip: The directions for most ice cream makers instruct you to chill the cylinder. The extra cold helps ice cream churn light and fluffy. Pop your cylinder in the freezer at the same time you place the custard in the fridge so you don’t forget.

Step 6: Freeze the ice cream

After churning, transfer the gingerbread ice cream to freezer-safe containers, allowing headspace for expansion. Freeze the ice cream until it’s firm, about two to four hours.

Editor’s Tip: Headspace refers to leaving some space at the top of each container. Ice cream will expand as it freezes, so the extra space ensures it will fit in the storage container without bulging or leaking.

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Gingerbread Ice Cream Variations

• Add texture with mix-ins: Crumbled gingersnap cookies, chopped candied ginger or salted caramel sauce would all taste fantastic in this gingerbread ice cream. Add any mix-ins to the ice cream during the last minute of churning in the ice cream maker.
• Go spicier: Increase the ground ginger to 1-1/2 tablespoons, or add freshly grated ginger for a stronger spiced flavor.
• Try brown sugar: Swap the granulated sugar in this gingerbread ice cream recipe for brown sugar. The molasses in brown sugar will add more layers of flavor and notes of caramel.
• Make chocolate gingerbread ice cream: For a chocolate version, whisk several tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder into the milk and cream with the gingerbread spices.
• Spike it: Add a splash of bourbon or rum for extra flavor. Stick to just one or two tablespoons of liquor since alcohol can interfere with the freezing process. Add it to the chilled cream mixture before churning.

How to Store Gingerbread Ice Cream

Store gingerbread ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer. Before sealing the container, press a piece of storage wrap onto the surface of the ice cream to help prevent ice crystals from forming.

How long does gingerbread ice cream last?

When stored correctly in the freezer, homemade custard-style ice creams like this gingerbread ice cream should last one to two months. The texture of homemade ice cream starts to degrade and turn icy the longer it sits in the freezer, but it will still be edible. For the best texture, enjoy gingerbread ice cream within the first week or two after churning it.

Gingerbread Ice Cream Tips

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Can you use fresh ginger in gingerbread ice cream?

If you prefer the flavor of fresh ginger and want little bites of ginger in your ice cream, you can swap grated gingerroot for ground ginger in this gingerbread ice cream recipe. Ground ginger has a more concentrated flavor than fresh ginger, so you’ll need several tablespoons to get the same level of warmth and spice.

The peel on fresh gingerroot is papery, so be sure to scrape every bit of it off. Then, use a microplane to grate the ginger, stir it into the milk and cream and heat it on the stovetop. You can leave the ginger in or strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer to remove it for a smoother ice cream.

Can you make this gingerbread ice cream recipe without an ice cream maker?

You can still make gingerbread ice cream without an ice cream maker. Prepare the ice cream as directed, then pour the mixture into a freezer-safe 13×9-inch pan instead of an ice cream maker. Chill the pan in the freezer before pouring the custard in for the best results.

Cover the pan and pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the edges of the custard begin to freeze. Then, pull the pan out of the freezer and use a handheld mixer to “churn” the ice cream. Repeat freezing and whipping every 30 minutes until the ice cream is frozen to your desired consistency, whether that’s closer to soft serve or more firm and scoopable. Expect to whip the ice cream four or five times before it’s ready to serve.

How can you serve gingerbread ice cream?

This gingerbread ice cream shines on its own! Garnish scoops with gingerbread men cookies, a drizzle of caramel sauce and homemade whipped cream. If you want to pair gingerbread ice cream with something else, add a scoop on a slice of apple or pumpkin pie, or sandwich it between oatmeal cookies for a spiced twist on an ice cream sandwich. And if you need even more gingerbread spice in your life, make a gingerbread loaf or gingerbread cake with caramel sauce.