Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream
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Smooth and creamy homemade ice cream made with real pumpkin, sweetened with brown sugar, and spiced with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Get your pumpkin ice cream fix any time of the year with this simple recipe!
YOU WILL LOVE THIS HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM
While it can seem a bit silly to create a fall ice cream flavor since we’ve typically moved on to baking with warm spices and flavors by the time the fall season rolls around, I am totally an “ice cream all year” kind of person, and maybe you are, too.
If you’re not into ice cream all year like I am, perhaps you’re wondering who the heck might want a pumpkin ice cream recipe.
But I know there are some (or maybe many) of you nodding your head right now and are dying to get some homemade pumpkin ice cream into your ice cream maker ASAP. You folks… You are my people.
Not only that, but something I love about pumpkin is that it’s available all year long, which means if I’m feeling some pumpkin cravings in the dog days of summer, I can whip up this homemade pumpkin ice cream recipe, kick my heels up on a lawn chair, and enjoy the best of both seasons at one time.
It’s the perfect fall dessert and summer dessert all wrapped up into one gloriously orange treat.
INGREDIENTS FOR PUMPKIN ICE CREAM
Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make this ice cream. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card to find exact measurements.
HEAVY CREAM & WHOLE MILK: this egg-free, no cook homemade ice cream relies heavily on the perfect proportion of fat in order to bring creaminess without leaving a fatty mouthfeel behind. People often ask me if they can make substitutions or swaps with half-and-half, or lower fat milks, and the answer is, unfortunately, no.
PUMPKIN PUREE: we have to tread lightly with pumpkin purée, because as we know from creating with pumpkin in the past (like, a million times), adding fresh pumpkin to a recipe brings extra moisture which can lead to extra soggy/cakey baked goods. Since we’re not baking with it, we can be a little more liberal with the pumpkin, though I do add in the step of squeezing our any excess moisture to be sure we’re working with pure pumpkin and no extra moisture. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
LIGHT BROWN SUGAR: I typically go for white sugar when I make my homemade ice creams, but since pumpkin calls for a deeper molasses pairing, we’re using brown sugar in its place for this pumpkin spice ice cream recipe.
GROUND CINNAMON + PUMPKIN PIE SPICE: these spices help round out the flavor of the pumpkin since it is completely unflavored in the can. Again, be sure you’re not using pumpkin pie filling, which will come already spiced and sweetened.
VANILLA EXTRACT: I typically omit vanilla in my pumpkin recipes, but with an ice cream base, we bring a little more sweetness and “ice cream” vibe with some vanilla notes.
SALT: this is an entirely optional ingredient, and I urge you to taste test before churning. Since this ice cream base is made without eggs, you can take a spoonful before you pour it into your ice cream maker and decide if you want to add it or not.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS
CAN I USE MAPLE SYRUP INSTEAD OF BROWN SUGAR? Unfortunately, maple syrup will add too much moisture to this homemade ice cream.
CAN I USE NON-DAIRY MILK? If you’re hoping to make vegan pumpkin ice cream, you may consider using coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, or other milk alternative. I have not tested this recipe to accommodate these adjustments and am not at all familiar making or adjusting dairy-free ice cream recipes.
CAN I USE PUMPKIN PIE FILLING OR MIX? You’ll want to use real pumpkin puree for this pumpkin ice cream recipe as opposed to pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie mix. The latter are usually made with extra ingredients like spices, preservatives, and sweeteners, and you’ll want to make sure this pumpkin ice cream tastes exactly as intended.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN ICE CREAM
Since this pumpkin ice cream recipe has no eggs or egg yolks, there is no cooking involved. It’s as straight-forward as combining the ingredients into a large bowl or container with a spout and dumping it into your ice cream maker.
The ice cream maker takes care of the rest. All you have to do is stand there and watch it do its thing. Talk about a truly easy pumpkin ice cream recipe, am I right?
HOW TO TELL HOMEMADE ICE CREAM IS DONE
The churning process for homemade ice cream is pretty much the same across the board of ice cream maker brands, however, the time it takes to be called “done” can change drastically based on the brand, the weather, the ingredients you use, the moon, the number of times your kids ask if it’s done or not…
No but really, the best way to tell when homemade ice cream made in an ice cream maker is finished is to look for the consistency of soft serve ice cream.
I often see soft serve consistency show up when my ice cream maker starts spilling out of the top, since there’s so much air incorporated into the mixture and it’s much larger than it was when it was just liquid.
The rest of the magic happens in the freezer, and you’ll want to freeze your homemade pumpkin ice cream for at least 4 hours, but I encourage you do leave it for more like 8 hours or overnight.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH PUMPKIN ICE CREAM
While it is absolutely, totally, 100% ok to eat this ice cream straight up, I have some suggestions for what to put on it and for what to put it on.
Toppings for pumpkin ice cream:
• bourbon salted caramel sauce
• salted caramel sauce
• homemade whipped cream
• chopped nuts
• crushed graham crackers
• crushed gingersnaps
• pumpkin pie granola
• chai spiced granola
• pie crust cookies
What to top with pumpkin ice cream:
• brown butter pumpkin layer cake
• pumpkin pie
• chocolate chip pecan pie
• no bake pumpkin ice box cake
• chai cake
• pumpkin bundt cake
• pumpkin cheesecake brownies
• pumpkin cookie cake
• pear cobbler
• gluten-free apple crisp
However you choose to eat your pumpkin ice cream, I think you’re going to love how pure and simple the pumpkin flavor is. You can really taste the true pumpkin complemented only by cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, and it is perfectly sweetened by the brown sugar with a hint of that deep molasses flavor profile you can only find in brown sugar.
And I am telling you, once you start rolling with the toppings that go with fall, you’re going to want to keep making batches and batches of this stuff. And when you do… Invite me over for a bowl, would ya?
Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe (For Ice Cream Machine)
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin purée1
- 2 cups (480mL) heavy cream
- 1 cup (240mL) whole milk
- ¾ cup (150g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 and ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
- Before beginning anything, make sure your ice cream maker is frozen and prepped!
- Place prepared ice cream maker attachment onto stand mixer fitted with the dasher.
- Use a lint-free kitchen towel to squeeze the moisture out of the pumpkin puree. It doesn't have to be bone dry, but give it a good solid squeeze. Place the pumpkin into a large bowl (or, my preference, a large measuring cup with a spout) and discard the liquid.1 cup pumpkin purée1
- To the pumpkin, add the heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt (if using2) and whisk until everything is combined and the sugar starts to dissolve.2 cups (480mL) heavy cream, 1 cup (240mL) whole milk, ¾ cup (150g) firmly packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 and ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Turn on the mixer so the dasher is rotating and slowly pour the ice cream mixture into the canister. Process3 according to manufacturer’s directions (it should take about 20-30 minutes).
- When the ice cream is finished churning, remove the ice cream maker from the mixer, and transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for at least 4 hours before enjoying.
Video
Notes
- Pumpkin: I always measure pumpkin purée with measuring cups as the moisture content can wildly change the weight measurements, depending on the brand.
- Salt: you can wait to add the salt once the mixture is made up and decide if you want to add it then. I typically leave it out, but I know some people prefer this slight offset of the sweetness.
- Processing: if your ice cream isn’t setting up, it’s likely just not cold enough. Pour off the mixture into a container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 additional minutes before trying again. Don’t forget to clean and put your ice cream maker back into the freezer.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Sounds wonderful can I use 2% milk and my homemade pumpkin purée
You’ll need full fat milk for this ice cream!
Thanks so much, Michaela!
Heck yes, love that! It’s great with pumpkin pie!
Made this for a fall party we hosted and everyone gushed about it! Loved the brown sugar notes!
So so good! Thanks so much!
OK, this pumpkin ice cream was AWESOME. I loved the combination of flavors and my kids could not get enough.
I like their style! Thanks, Erin 🙂
This ice cream has got all of the right fall flavors! Soooo good!!
Thank you so much!
It’s never too cold for ice cream in my opinion and this pumpkin ice cream is amazing! Serving it for thanksgiving!
Yes, totally true!!
Thank you so much, Mindy!
Absolutely amazing! Just like my memory of my mom’s pumpkin ice cream! Smooth and rich. I did make my own pumpkin spice mix.
Thanks so much, Mallory! I’m so glad you gave it a try 🙂
Should the mixture still be liquid after being in the mixer for 30 minutes?
Hi, Stacey– it will be smooth but should no longer be liquid.
Unfortunately this recipe did not work out well for me. I followed all of the instructions as they were outlined. Only difference was that I used a hand mixer and my own mixing bowl. But the ice cream came out very icy and froze rock solid. When I made ice cream before, the instructions were to mix the heavy whipping cream first so that it becomes thick, then you fold the rest of the ingredients Into it. I think the milk was what messed this up for me because it made it too liquidy. May try this again without the milk or starting with heavy whipping cream first.
Hi, Alexa– if you followed the instructions as outlined, you’d have used an ice cream maker. I cannot guarantee results when the recipe itself, ingredients and/or instructions, aren’t followed as written. That said, the recipe does work as written, so if you’re wanting to try again, I’d use an ice cream maker. It needs to be kept super cold while churning.
If you Google it… there is a recipe called Creme Anglaise which is the basis for all ice creams..It is a simple recipe to make but you need a double boiler .. (A pot of water with a bowl that fits on top) then after it is cold(24 hours in frig) then add to your ice cream maker to freeze. Follow ice cream maker instructions.. Enjoy!!!!!
Same for mine, and my sisters. Rock solid lol we both used an icecream maker, so idk. The flavor was really good, just have to break it out for each bowl with a knife lol
Delicious! I substituted non dairy heavy cream & milk; used fresh pumpkin puree; halved the recipe and it turned out perfectly. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks so much, Sheri! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Delish!! Followedthe recipe exactly except used 2% milk bc that’s what I had on hand. It still had great texture. I made it in a 1 1/2 qt Cuisinart ice cream maker & it fit perfectly. A definite keeper.
Thanks so much, Bonnie!
What an incredible flavor and very simple ingredient recipe! It’s nearing the end of July and stores are starting to set their fall merchandise, and it put me in a mood for “it’s still summer but fall is coming” ice cream craving. This hit the spot, thank you for sharing a quick and wonderfully flavored ice cream recipe!
I love this! Thanks, Luke 🙂
So delicious and easy! By far my favorite so far!
Thank you so much, Julie!
Just made this myself…. But cheated… because I am lazy. Mixed all the ingredients with premium vanilla ice cream. Delicious!!!!
Haha, I love this. Thanks, Joel!
Delicious and simple to make, thanks!
Thanks for giving it a try, Jessica!
I have a little Cuisinart Ice cream maker. In using it, I had to whip the cold cream till it was pretty stiff with the spices and vanilla. Then I added the pumpkin puree and I used just enough Truvis Brown sugar to make it sweet enough for ne. Maybe a 1/3 c and stirred it in then I stirred the milk onto the mix. I just put half in the fridge for about hour so it could get colder. The other half, I put into the freezer in a covered container. When the mixture in yhe fridge us colder, I will take my freezer bowl out of the freezer and place it in my 1.5 qt ice cream maker, add the paddle and top, before adding the cooled mixture. It should take about 20 to freeze. I have to say, I had a pretty hard time not just eating the mixture before cooling it down to make it into Ice Cream. It is just delicious.
Thank you so much, Roslyn!
Another easy and simply delicious recipe from FAF! I have the KitchenAid ice cream attachment and it makes life so easy! The warm spices in this ice cream satisfied exactly what I was craving, and it paired oh-so well with FAF’s apple crisp. I made both for a weekend getaway with friends and everyone went nuts for them! Thank you, as usual, for gracing us with ease and delicious-ness!
I’m so glad you picked this ice cream recipe! SUCH a good one!!
I want to make this but I’m nervous because there’s no eggs. The only time I made anything in my ice cream machine without eggs, it came out super rock hard and icy. I think I might just use some eggs and make a custard base like my standard vanilla recipe calls for. I’m also debating adding a little bit of browned butter for extra flavor and stir in some pecan butter at the very end of the churn before freezing it. Just some ideas I wanted to share. 🙂
Hi, Kate– you can do whatever you like, but the recipe as written works 🙂
Made this yesterday. I made the following changes:
Added about 60g of egg yolks to the brown sugar and I whisked those together.
I mixed 2 cups of whole milk with 2/3 cup heavy cream (that’s all I had left!) plus the fresh pumpkin puree, and heated those on the stove together until 170°F. Then I tempered in the egg brown sugar mixture with a whisk. I also whisked in the pumpkin pie spices at this point and then after I killed the heat, I whisked in vanilla extract and vanilla bean powder. It was so good! I couldn’t stop licking the spoon hehehe!!
I think I will eventually try it again as written because when I inevitably diet again, I’m going to need to reduce the amount of dietary fat in my macros to keep my calories lower so not having eggs would be a plus. I could also see making a vegan version of this without eggs and maybe almond milk.
Thanks for sharing your changes, Kate! Someone else just commented that she used almond milk and DF heavy cream and it worked great!