Peaches and Cream Ice Cream

With just 9 ingredients, this peaches and cream ice cream recipe is a must-make this season! It's cold, refreshing, and a really fun afternoon activity!

I think it goes without saying, but I LOVE ice cream. And, homemade ice cream is surprisingly easy to make. While there are a number of no-churn recipes, this peaches and cream ice cream will require an ice cream maker. Why? Because an ice cream maker is going to get you that creamy ice cream texture.

For most ice cream recipes, you'll need a combination of milk, heavy cream, sugar, egg yolk, and flavoring / fold-in's. You'll heat up the liquid ingredients to melt the sugar and create a homogenous mixture. Then, you'll temper the egg yolk/s and add back into the pot. After that, you'll let the ice cream base chill in the refrigerator. Once the cold ice cream base is poured into the ice cream maker, it usually takes about 25-35 minutes to set up, depending on the machine!

How do you make homemade ice cream creamy and not icy?

This is probably one of the most common pitfalls of homemade ice cream making. But, the good news is that you usually can prevent it. To make your ice cream softer and creamier, add a splash of a neutral tasting alcohol. Since alcohol has a lower freezing point, it helps prevent crystals from forming in the ice cream. This will yield a softer, easier to scoop ice cream. Another way to get smoother ice cream is to make sure there isn't any excess liquid in the fold-in's. Mascerating and straining fruit before folding them into the ice cream will make them much softer.

What does egg do in ice cream?

You might be wondering why there's egg in ice cream. Feels kind of weird, right? Well, the egg is actually adding more density (i.e. creaminess) and it's also adding stability to the ice cream, meaning it won't melt as fast once scooped.

Egg isn't typical in all ice cream though. It's actually unique to "French ice cream," which is what we most commonly find at ice cream shops and in the grocery store. "American ice cream," on the other hand, doesn't have eggs.

Ice cream making tips:

• Make sure you get any excess liquid out of your toppings, otherwise it'll be hard and icy!
• Freeze your ice cream maker for at least 24 hours before using
• NEVER add hot / warm ice cream to a maker - it won't work, I promise!
• Add a splash of alcohol at the end of churning to make the ice cream extra creamy
• Keep your storage container in the freezer, so your ice cream stays cold when transferring out of the machine

So, is homemade ice cream worth it?

Yes! It tastes soo much fresher, and there are no artifical ingredients or preservatives in it (unless you add it, of course!). All in all, it takes about 15 minutes of active preparation. Most of the time is spent waiting for the ice cream base to chill in the fridge and set up in the ice cream maker. Don't have an ice cream maker? My bet is you can easily find an affordable one over on Facebook Marketplace!

More summery desserts to try:

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Pistachio Raspberry Vegan Donuts

Healthy Crepes, Strawberry + Cream