Frozen Desserts Archives

No-Churn Pistachio Ice Cream

This pistachio frozen dream was inspired by my recent trip to Italy. About this time last year, I traveled with my husband and a few friends to coastal Italy. Beyond the wine, pasta, and seriously fresh seafood, the highlight was definitely gelato. My single favorite scoop was from a streetside cart in Lake Como. It had stunning color and creamy drippy sides, as well as a flavor I couldn’t get over. Pistachio captured my heart in one single cone!

When I got home, I knew I wanted to make pistachio gelato of my own. Unfortunately, life got in the way, until about last month when I ran across a photo of my gelato cone. I opted to try out an easier, no-churn pistachio ice cream because, well, life. The end results are ridiculous delicious and even more stupidly simple Here’s how to make it!

How to Make Pistachio Ice Cream

We start this no-churn ice cream how we always do: with sweetened condensed milk and heavy whipping cream. Prior to combining the two together, we add a cup of finely ground roasted pistachios to the condensed milk. I prefer to buy shelled and roasted pistachios, but be sure to skip anything that is pre-salted! Add a smidge of vanilla extract to the pistachio paste and then fold in two cups of heavy whipping cream that has been fluffed to a cloud-like consistency. After a 6-hour freeze, the ice cream is ready for consumption!

One thing I love about this ice cream is that it’s not too sweet. It’s really kinda perfect. If you want to add a few yummy toppings, I would recommend milk chocolate chips or even a drizzle of sweet caramel. Oh, or whipped cream- always a great choice. Give this no-churn pistachio ice cream a try and let me know what you think! Happy belated national ice cream day!!

If You Like This Ice Cream You Should Try:

No-Churn Peanut Butter Caramel Ice Cream
Pistachio Honey Bars
No-Churn Tiramisu Ice Cream
No-Churn Honey Salted Almond Ice Cream

No-Churn Pistachio Ice Cream

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This no-churn pistachio ice cream requires no ice cream machine and fewer than 5 ingredients to prepare!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 6 Hours
Yield: 1 Quart
Category: ice cream

Ingredients

I cup shelled and roasted pistachios
1 (14 ounce can) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Green food coloring, if desired

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Instructions

In a food process, finely grind the pistachios until it is reduced to a fine crumb. You may notice that the pistachios begin to gum together.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla and process until the mixture is smooth.
In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream using a whisk attachment on a hand mixer on medium speed until whipped and fluffy to thick clouds of cream.
Fold the cream into the pistachio paste until smooth. Add a drop or two of green food coloring, if desired, to intensify the green hue of the ice cream
Spread the mixture into a freezer-safe pan and freeze, covered, until solid, about six hours or overnight. Enjoy!

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Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Leave a Comment / Cookies, Cookies and Bars, Frozen Desserts

If you can’t face plant into a batch of mini chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches in the middle of July, when can you? These dog days of summer feel like the perfect opportunity to eat my weight in frozen chocolatey chewy sweets, so today, I’m spilling on this brand new recipe. Grab your stand mixers and let’s do it!

How to Make Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Before we can master the fine art of mini ice cream sandwiches, we have to land the mini chocolate chip cookies themselves. These are a favorite of mine. These tiny cookies are bite-sized treats that are perfect topping trifles, cakes, and more. They’re my go-to when the times call for smaller portions, but I also love them just because. Small things are cute, okay?

Making these mini cookies is a cinch. First, we start with soft unsalted butter, brown sugar, and sugar. The three whip together until smooth and creamed. Next, we add a single egg and vanilla extract. Finally, the dry ingredients of all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt add in. And voila: the perfect dough.

The chocolate here is finely chopped chocolate bars. I use semi-sweet chocolate, but you could opt for dark! The key is finely chopping the chocolate so that, once frozen, the cookies are still easily chewed and without any frozen hard bits. The finely chopped chocolate almost melts into the dough and makes for small, rounded cookies too. Next, bake small 1 1/2 teaspoon-sized rounds of dough ( I use this cookie scoop!), and then set them aside to cool completely.

Assembling Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Stuffing these cookies with ice cream is a cinch. I use a medium cookie scoop to portion out scoops of ice cream. Pick two cookies the same size and spoon the barely softened ice cream in between them. To make the sandwiching process easier, consider freezing the cookies first; barely hardened cookies are easier to smash together. To keep the prep time low, I generally opt for store-bought ice cream for these sandwiches, but don’t let me hold you back! Homemade ice cream is seriously delicious too. You can find more of my favorite homemade no-churn ice creams here!

Storing Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

If you’re making these treats ahead of time for a gathering, I recommend freezing them immediately after stuffing them. Do no let the ice cream get melty on you! These small wax paper bags are perfect for individually wrapping the treats. Just pull them out of the freezer right before serving! You can even seal them prior to freezing with a bit of washi tape or kitchen twine . These sandwiches freeze up to a month in advance, but I recommend storing them in a freezer-safe container if you don’t plan to eat them for more than a few days.

More Ice Cream Sandwiches to Make This Summer

Funfetti Ice Cream Sandwiches
Sugar Cookie Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches
Oatmeal Cream Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

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These mini chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches feature two-bite cookies with ice cream sandwiched in between!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 45
Yield: 20
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1/2 cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 gm) packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (70 gm) sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1–1/4 cups (180 gm) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (5 ounces) finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (your choice)
Ice cream of your choice

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.
Cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar with a mixesr on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing to incorporate. Next, add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and stir on low just until combined. Add the chocolate and fold to incorporate.
Roll 2 teaspoon-sized balls of dough (I use a small cookie scoop) on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake in the preheated oven for about 8-9 minutes or until the outer rim of the cookies are set, starting to bronze, and the inside of the cookies still look slightly underdone. If your cookie dough balls look shiny and greasy or if you know you used butter that was too soft, allow the dough to chill in the fridge briefly, about 20-30 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely (you can speed this process up in the freezer!) prior to filling with 2 tablespoon- sized scoops of ice cream of your choice. Freeze or eat immediately. You can store these wrapped in the freezer for up to one month.

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No-Churn Tiramisu Ice Cream

2 Comments / Frozen Desserts

We all have those foods we instinctually make certain times of year. Maybe it’s the frosted cookies at Christmas? A pumpkin pie in the fall? Perhaps a bright lemony treat at the first sign of spring? I have my own set of knee-jerk baking responses, and one of those popped up this week. After 5 straight days of sunshine and toasty temperature, I knew my body was craving one thing: ICE CREAM. Today, I’m sharing the very first homemade ice cream recipe of 2023, this no-churn tiramisu ice cream. Let’s take a peek.

No-Churn Tiramisu Ice Cream

We’re no stranger to tiramisu around here. Together, we’ve conquered classic tiramisu, a petite chocolate tiramisu, a tiramisu layer cake, cream puffs, and even a wildly random raspberry tiramisu. (Pssst, you can find all of those recipes HERE!) So to say we like coffee, cheesy recipes around here might be an understatement, okay? Still, somehow we have managed several years of blog relationship (which, just so you know, it the very best kind of online friendship) without a tiramisu ice cream.

So why tiramisu ice cream? Let me break it down for you in terms of pairing.

Mascarpone and sugar? Best friends. Coffee and chocolate? Soulmates. Coffee and Cream? HELLO, PERFECTION! Tiramisu ice cream is like the spunky younger sister to a traditional tiramisu, and if I’m wrong, I don’t want to be right. It’s just meant to be!

How to Make No-Churn Tiramisu Ice Cream

So, let’s talk about how to make this no-churn tiramisu ice cream. First, we start with the ice cream base. If you’re new to no-churn ice cream, you should check out my tutorial on it first! Most no-churns start with sweetened condensed milk and whipping cream. From there, the possibilities are endless! By adding cocoa powder, fruit or caramel sauces, even nuts, sprinkles, and other mix-ins, you can chance the flavor of the ice cream base to be whatever your heart desires! In this case, we want to capture the mascarpone and cocoa flavors of tiramisu. So half of our base will be mascarpone flavored, and the other half will be mocha. Whip those two flavors up with a hand mixer and then begin on the ladyfingers.

For the cakey cookie mix-ins, we take chopped ladyfingers (soft or hard are fine) and quickly dip them in a coffee or espresso sweetened with sugar. Begin spoon dollops of your two ice cream flavors into a freezer-safe dish, tossing in a few drenched ladyfingers as you go. Once done, swirl the ice cream if desired and pop the pan into a freezer to firm up overnight. I like to dust the top with a little cocoa powder, you know, to pay homage to classic tiramisu, and then spoon out scoops to enjoy. And enjoy it you will. Promise.

Give this no-churn tiramisu ice cream a try once you start hankering for an early summery treat. You won’t be disappointed. Happy Saturday, y’all!

If you like this no-churn tiramisu ice cream you should try:

Mocha Brownie Ice Cream Cake
No-Churn Coffee Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Chocolate Tiramisu
Classic Tiramisu

No-Churn Tiramisu Ice Cream

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This No-Churn Tiramisu Ice Cream is made with mascarpone cheese, ladyfinger cookies, and espresso- the perfect ice cream for coffee lovers!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Total Time: 360
Yield: 1 Quart
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
½ cup cocoa powder, divided
2 tablespoons espresso powder or instant coffee
2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 cup strong brewed coffee, hot
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups chopped ladyfinger cookies (from about 8 cookies)

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Instructions

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, divided out half of the sweetened condensed milk (7 ounces) and half of the mascarpone cheese (4 ounces) and stir to combine them with ¼ cup cocoa powder and the espresso powder. Pour in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and, using the whisk attachment, whip on medium speed until it thickens and fluffs to a cloud-like consistency. Scrape the mixture into a separate bowl and set aside.
Combine the remaining sweetened condensed milk and mascarpone cheese in the bowl of the mixer and stir to combine. Pour in the remaining heavy whipping cream and whip on medium speed until the mixture thickens and fluffs to a cloud-like consistency.
Pour the hot coffee and 2 tablespoons of sugar into a shallow bowl and stir to combine, dissolving the sugar. Begin spooning alternating scoops of the two ice cream mixtures into a large bread pan of freezer-safe container, stopping once about 1/3 of the way full. Quickly dip several small chunks of ladyfingers in the coffee mixture and scatter them into the pan. Resume spooning the two ice cream mixtures into the pan, stopping to add more soaked ladyfinger pieces as desired. Continue this process until all of the ladyfingers and ice crema have been added to the pan. Smooth the ice cream in the pan and then use a sifter to dust the top with the remaining cocoa powder as desired. Cover the dish and allow the mixture to freeze in the freezer until set, about 6 hours or overnight. Enjoy!

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Blueberry Ice Cream Cake

2 Comments / Cakes, Frozen Desserts

Two of my favorite things combine in today’s recipe to make a killer dessert: fresh summer produce and creamy homemade ice cream. This blueberry ice cream cake is an ode to summer and its weather that has, so far, proven to be straight-up oppressive. With frozen layers of cream cheese ice cream and a fresh blueberry sauce throughout, this cake is certainly seasonally appropriate. Let me tell you all about it.

So why combine blueberries with ice cream cake? With blueberry season well underway, many of us (raises hand!) have found themselves with a surplus of produce. Lucky for us, homemade fruit sauces swirl splendidly into homemade no-churn ice cream. If you’ve never learned how to make no-churn ice cream, fear not! I recently wrote a post all about no-churn ice cream that you can read here. Today’s recipe uses the classic technique with the addition of cream cheese which gives this cake great flavor. That, plus the blueberry sauce and graham cracker crumble, makes for a terrific make-ahead treat!

Making the Blueberry Ice Cream Cake:

To make the ice cream cake, start with the blueberry sauce. Combine fresh or frozen blueberries with sugar and lemon juice on the stovetop. Cook the mixture until it reduces and thickens slightly. In the meantime, begin preparing your ice cream. Softened cream cheese creams together with sweetened condensed milk before folding into whipped cream. Split the ice cream mixture in half. One bowl will remain cream cheese flavored and the other gets a helping of blueberry sauce. Layer the two in a prepared pan with additional blueberry sauce.

This cake also employs the help of a graham cracker “crust” which adds a little bit of salted texture. I was going for a frozen dessert that was reminiscent of a blueberry cheesecake, and I think this fits the bill. Although the crumbs are optional, I think you’ll love them. Don’t skip this step. 🙂

If you get a chance to try this recipe, shoot me a message and let me know what you think! Happy Sunday to you and happy baking!

If you like this blueberry ice cream cake you should try:

Blueberry Mascarpone Ice Cream
Peanut Butter Honey Graham Ice Cream Cake
Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
Black Forest Ice Cream Cake
Blueberry Galette with a Cornmeal Crust
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Blueberry Ice Cream Cake

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This blueberry ice cream cake features a no-churn cream cheese ice cream, a salted graham cracker crumble, and a swirled blueberry sauce.

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 25
Total Time: 360
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the Blueberry Sauce:

2/3 cup blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the graham cracker crumbs:

½ cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the ice cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

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Instructions

Making the Blueberry Sauce:

Combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir regularly, mashing the berries with a potato masher or the back of a fork to release the juices. Cook for about 7-8 minutes or until the sauce has reduced to thicken slightly. Set aside to cool.

Making the graham cracker crumbs:

Stir to combine all the ingredients. Set aside.

Making the ice cream cake:

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed until it thickens to cloud-like consistency. Set aside.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream until evenly incorporated. Spoon half of the ice cream into your other used bowl. Set aside.
Line an 8”x4” loaf pan with plastic wrap overhanging on both sides. This will make for easy removal of the ice cream cake from the pan. Spoon 1-1/2 tablespoons of the blueberry sauce into the bottom of the pan and spread out. Spoon the remaining sauce into one of the bowls of ice cream and fold gently to combine. Set aside.
Add the plain cream cheese ice cream into the pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Next, layer in the blueberry ice cream and smooth out. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the graham cracker crumbs on top of the pan next, patting gently to set them slightly into the ice cream cake. Cover the cake’s bottom with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set up, about 6 hours or overnight. Save the remaining graham cracker crumbs for serving.
When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap top and flip the cake out onto a plate. Gently wiggle the pan off the cake and plastic wrap lining, removing the lining once able. Slice the cake and serve with additional fresh blueberries and the remaining graham cracker crumble.

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10 Easy No-Churn Ice Cream Recipes to Beat the Heat!

2 Comments / Frozen Desserts, Tutorials

No Churn Cherry Chip Ice Cream Recipe By The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a simple and fast no churn ice cream recipe that doesn't require an ice cream machine. Simply combine sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, cherry puree and whole black sweet cherries. Add chocolate chips for the best creamy cherry frozen dessert ever. Make ahead in less than 30 minutes, recipe available at www.thewoodandspoon.com ranier cherries, tart cherry, red, black cherries.

If you’ve been positively sweltering these past few weeks, today’s post is for you! These are the yummiest no-churn frozen treats on this site, and even without a fancy ice cream machine, you can have delicious homemade ice cream in no time.

10 Easy No-Churn Ice Cream Recipes by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple homemade ice cream recipes that don't require an ice cream machine. See my best recipes and learn how to make ice cream the easy way on thewoodandspoon.com

What is No-Churn Ice Cream?

No-churn ice cream is as simple as it sounds. Unlike traditional ice creams that require a machine or churn, no-churn ice creams come together with just two ingredients and a bit of mixing. Once you have a standard base recipe, the opportunities for ice cream flavors are endless! Just swirl in your favorite sauces, sprinkles, cookies, or toppings, and watch the magic happen.

How to Make It

Most no-churn ice creams start with heavy whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk. Two cups of heavy whipping cream are whipped on low speed until fluffy and thickened. After that, a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk is folded in, and voila- an ice cream that is ready for the freezer. To make vanilla ice cream, simply add a splash of vanilla extract or vanilla bean. On the other hand, for chocolate, stir in a bit of cocoa powder into the milk. In the end, most recipes include the basic ingredients of 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk and 2 cups of heavy whipping cream.

In addition, you can opt to use whipped coconut cream and cream of coconut or even dairy-free whipped topping. Today, we’re looking at the traditional method in 10 of my very favorite original recipes. Someone, start the countdown!

My Favorite Recipes:

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

With a swirl of strawberry sauce and bits of cake crumbles throughout, this no-churn treat takes homemade ice cream to a new level!

Peanut Butter Caramel Ice Cream

Attention all peanut butter lovers! This peanut butter caramel ice cream has bits of chocolate sandwich cookies and is, to this day, one of my all-time faves.

Half Baked Ice Cream

The newest no-churn ice cream on the block, this half baked ice cream is a riff on the Ben and Jerry’s cult classic, and it does not disappoint.

Sugar Cookie Ice Cream

Who says sprinkles are just for kids? This sugar cookie dough ice cream is loaded with birthday cake flavor and fun!

Coffee Cookie Dough Ice Cream

But first, coffee…. And cookie dough! This ice cream is brimming with chocolate chip cookie dough and espresso flavor.

Honey Salted Almond

Sweetened with honey and speckled with bits of buttery, salted almonds, this ice cream is a sweet and salty dream!

Cinnamon Maple Swirl Ice Cream

Cinnamon spice and everything nice makes up this maple swirled no-churn ice cream.

Strawberry Pretzel Pie Ice Cream

Inspired by the potluck dessert, this strawberry pretzel pie ice cream has a crunchy pretzel crumble and a simple strawberry swirl!

Cherry Chip Ice Cream

For chocolate cherry lovers, this no-churn cherry chip ice cream uses fresh or frozen cherries and your favorite variety of chocolate!

Mocha Brownie Fudge Ice Cream

Chocolate lovers, say hello to your new BFF. This indulgent treat is impossible to beat.

No-churn ice creams are a great way to start making homemade frozen desserts. To check out a few more ice cream recipes, click here! If you have a favorite of your own, please share them with me! In the meantime, happy baking!

10 Easy No-Churn Ice Cream Recipes to Beat the Heat! Read More »

No-Churn Half Baked Ice Cream

1 Comment / Cookies, Cookies and Bars, Frozen Desserts

This is a treat yourself situation. It’s a cool-down, sweeten-up kind of a moment that is perfect for these summer days. With June in full swing, I thought it was high time we dipped our ~~toes~~ tastebuds into a frozen treat that would be delicious now and all year long. With that, I give you a riff on one of my all-time store-bought favorites: a no-churn half baked ice cream!

Have you had Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked Ice Cream? Aside from their oatmeal cookie chunk ice cream that I recreated a few years ago, their half baked flavor is by by far a winner. With swirls of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, cookie dough pieces, and bits of brownies, it’s a homerun for anyone who is loves their cookies and brownies served a la mode. This homemade version is no-churn in order to keep prep time down to a minimum., and honestly, it’s dangerously easy and delicious. Let me tell you how to make it.

To make this no-churn half baked ice cream, we start with the brownie pieces. First, start by preparing the small batch brownies in a loaf pan. Next, use butter, brown sugar, and loads of mini chocolate chips to make an eggless cookie dough. Once the brownies have cooled and crumbled, prepare the ice creams. Whip a half of a can of sweetened condensed milk with vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream until it turns thick and fluffy. Then, combine the remaining condensed milk with cocoa powder and more whipping cream, mixing until cloud-like. Finally, dollop the two mixtures together in your prepared pan, and place it in the freezer to firm up.

This no-churn half baked ice cream is a fun summer baking project, and it’s a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen, too! If you’ve been looking for a recipe to enjoy this week, I hope you’ll give it a try. Let me know what you think and happy (half) baking!

If you like this no-churn half baked ice cream you should try:

No-Churn Coffee Cookie Dough Ice Cream
No-Churn Mocha Brownie Fudge Ice Cream
Cookie Dough Truffles
Brown Sugar Cookie Dough and Cone Ice Cream
Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Brownie Batter Cake

No-Churn Half Baked Ice Cream

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This no-churn half baked ice cream features swirls of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, cookie dough bits, and brownie pieces!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 6 Hours
Yield: 1 Quart
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the brownies:

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup mini chocolate chips

For the cookie dough:

¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup mini chocolate chips

For the ice cream:

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup cocoa powder

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Instructions

To prepare the brownies:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Farhenheit. Line an 8”x4” loaf pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease with baking spray. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together to butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla extract, stirring until smooth. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, stirring just until almost combined, and then fold in the mini chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and baking about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out just barely clean. Set aside to cool completely.

To prepare the cookie dough:

In the meantime, prepare the cookie dough. In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and salt. Add the vanilla and milk, stirring until combined. Add the flour and chocolate chips, stirring just until the dough comes together into little clumps. Set aside covered in the fridge until ready to assemble ice cream.

To prepare the ice cream:

Crumble about half of the brownies into small doughy bits. You can use more if you’d like, but I find using about half of the brownies is enough.
In a large bowl, combine 7 ounces (about half of the can) of sweetened condensed milk with the vanilla extract and 1 cup of the heavy whipping cream. Whip on medium-high using a hand or stand mixer until the mixture thickens to a cloud-like consistency. Fold in the cookie dough nibs. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 7 ounces of sweetened condensed milk with the remaining 1 cup of whipping cream and the cocoa powder. Whip on medium-high using a hand or stand mixer until the mixture thickens to a cloud-like consistency. Fold in the brownie pieces. Begin spooning alternating scoops of the vanilla and chocolate ice creams into a 8”x4” loaf pan or another freezer-safe container. Once all of the ice cream has been put into the pan, cover with a piece of foil and allow to freeze until solid, about 6 hours or overnight. Enjoy!

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No-Churn Cinnamon Maple Swirl Ice Cream

3 Comments / Frozen Desserts

I just have one question: WHO DIED AND MADE PIE THE QUEEN OF THANKSGIVING DESSERTS? Ok, sure, pumpkin and apple and pecans all taste delightful, particularly when baked in a perfect, buttery pie crust, but it’s almost as if we’ve forgotten all other desserts in November. What about the cakes and cookies? What about the ICE CREAM, people? If you’re in favor of enjoying more frozen treats like this no-churn cinnamon maple swirl ice cream, just sit tight; today, we’re about to get all up in this goodness.

Since entering adulthood, I’ve become accustomed to asking a number of questions like, “What can I bring?” This time of year, when parties and social gatherings reign supreme, there are few sentences as scary to utter . Like, what if I get stuck bringing the dish no one likes? What if I’m asked to make something I’m not comfortable with? Or worse- what if the host leaves my question open-ended, and I’m forced to just GUESS what to bring?!?

The Perfect Ice Cream to Serve at Thanksgiving Dinner

This no-churn cinnamon maple swirl ice cream is the hero for all of those woes. Since forever, pies have been the shining star of Thanksgiving tables, but I really think we’ve dropped the ball when it comes to ice cream. Let’s be honest- MOST people have ice cream on hand to serve alongside all of those Thanksgiving pies, but few really know how to do it with pizazz. For that reason, I decided to bring to you this no-churn cinnamon maple swirl ice cream.

This ice cream starts with a simple no-churn vanilla bean base. Sweetened condensed milk, heavy whipping cream, and just a hint of vanilla bean paste come together to create a cloud-like fluffy mixture. The swirl here, though, is the star: maple syrup, brown sugar, and loads of cinnamoncome together with a little water and butter to create a spiced and sweetened sauce that swirls into the fluffy cream. After a brief freeze, this no-churn cinnamon maple swirl ice cream is ready for anything from pumpkin pie to an apple crumble. Incidentally, I recently poured a reheated cup of my morning coffee over a scoop of this ice cream, and it was nothing short of heavenly- easily the best dessert I’ve had in a month.

I declare we are no longer scared to offer up the question, “What Can I Bring”; this no-churn cinnamon maple swirl ice cream is the perfect Thanksgiving menu item no one has even thought of. Give it a try, pop it in the freezer, and consider your Thanksgiving contribution complete. You’re welcome!

If you like this recipe you should try:

Brown Sugar Cookie Dough and Cone Ice Cream
No-Churn Honey Salted Almond Ice Cream
Coffee Cookie Dough Ice Cream
No-Churn Peanut Butter Caramel Ice Cream

No-Churn Cinnamon Maple Swirl Ice Cream

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This no-churn cinnamon maple swirl ice cream is a vanilla bean ice cream swirled with a simple cinnamon maple sauce.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Total Time: 360
Yield: 1 Quart
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cinnamon maple swirl:

½ cup light brown sugar, packed
2–1/2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

For the ice cream:

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

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Instructions

Begin by prepping the swirl. Combine the light brown sugar, water, and cinnamon in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove. Bring to a rolling bubble, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add in the butter and maple syrup. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
When cooled, combine the condensed milk and whipping cream in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on medium speed using a whisk attachment on the mixer until it becomes fluffy and cloudlike. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the cooled cinnamon swirl until smooth. Layer ¼ of the ice cream mixture in the bottom of a 9×4” loaf pan and drizzle the top with some of the cooled cinnamon swirl. Repeat this process until all of the ice cream and drizzle have been used. Use the end of a knife or a skewer to swirl the two together barely and then freeze until solid, about 6 hours, in the freezer. Enjoy!

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Funfetti Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 Comment / Cookies and Bars, Frozen Desserts

Do you any family traditions? I’m not talking about the special things you do on Christmas Day or the exciting stuff you look forward to on your birthday; I’m talking about the mundane things that keep your days full and happy. Admittedly, we don’t have many (although I’m always on the hunt), but one of our favorite things to do together as a family is to watch AFV (America’s Funniest Home Videos). Although the days of Bob Saget that millennials remember (*raises hand*) are long-gone, the hilarious snippets of people falling, dogs walking on their hind legs, and toddlers saying downright hilarious things are still alive and well. Please, just give me all of the broken trampolines and babies afraid of their shadow- I AM HERE FOR IT.

After a summer of watching AFV nightly, my kids haven taken to performing the tricks, pranks, and challenges that are regularly featured on the show. The old disappearing-behind-the-blanket trick and the whipped cream challenge are two of their favorites to attempt themselves, and while cleaning whipped cream up off the floor and, oh, I don’t know, the baby’s face, are not among my very favorite things to do, I love seeing them get all into it. It’s pure and fun and all the things I remember childhood being.

Frozen Sprinkle Sandwiches

These funfetti ice cream sandwiches have been another happy spot in our summer. Anything with sprinkles, ice cream, and cookies is bound to be delicious, but treats like these are a showstopper for my kids (and probably yours too!) There’s something so extra about them (Who knows- maybe it’s the sprinkles? the double cookies? the ice cream?), and when I first suggested we make them, my kids thought I was a wizard. Call me Meatloaf, because, truly, I will do anything for love.

The cookies in these funfetti ice cream sandwiches are a riff on my original funfetti cookies which continues, to this day, to be one of the most popular recipes on my site. For good reason- they’re chewy with crisp edges and have all the birthday cake flavor you’d want in a sprinkle cookie. The filling is equally simple: a no-churn funfetti ice cream loaded with sprinkles and that same nostalgic box mix cake flavor. If you’re in a time crunch, you can skip the no-churn ice cream and stick with a store-bought variety, but if you haven’t made no-churn ice cream before, this is a call to action: DO IT. It’s easy and delicious.

Tell me about your family traditions. Where do you cram sweet fun and delight into the everyday? If you are looking for a yummy and festive treat to enjoy with all the little (or big!) kids in your family, definitely consider these funfetti ice cream sandwiches. Particularly during the summer, these are bound to be a delight. Happy Friday to y’all and HAPPY BAKING!

If you like these funfetti ice cream sandwiches you should try:

Funfetti Cookies
Sugar Cookie Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches
Funfetti Cake
Oatmeal Cream Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Funfetti Rolls

Funfetti Ice Cream Sandwiches

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These funfetti Ice Cream Sandwiches are chewy sprinkle sugar cookies stuffed with a no-churn birthday cake-flavored ice cream!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 360
Yield: 12
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the ice cream:

2 cups (480 gm) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon clean vanilla extract
1 (14 ounce can) sweetened condensed milk
6 tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles

For the cookies:

12 tablespoons (170 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200 gm) sugar
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
2–1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
2–1/4 cups (295 gm) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup (160 gm) rainbow sprinkles

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Instructions

To prepare the ice cream:

Line a 9×13” or jelly roll pan with a large sheet of aluminum foil. Be sure the foil extends just beyond the sides of the pan for easy removal. Set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cream and clear vanilla extract on medium speed until it thickens to fluffy, stiff peaks. Fold in the sweetened condensed milk, being careful to not overwork, followed by the sprinkles. Spread it into the prepared pan. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.

To make the cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare sheet pans by lining them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla and egg, beating on low until incorporated. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar, and beat on low speed just until the dry ingredients are combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the sprinkles. Beat just until combined.
Chill the dough in the fridge until it has thickened to a Play-Doh consistency- usually about 30 minutes in the fridge for me. Once chilled, scoop out 1-1/2 tablespoon sized scoops (I use a medium cookie scoop) and roll each dough ball briefly in your hands to smooth out the rough edges of dough. Place on the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for about 11-12 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies have just begun to crack and the edges are set. They will look slightly underbaked- this will help to keep them soft even when frozen. Allow to cool on the sheet pans for about 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to complete cooling.

To assemble the sandwiches:

Use a large round cookie cutter or the lip of a wide-mouth mason jar to cut out rounds of ice cream. Place in between two cookies and refreeze the sandwiches quickly. You can save the leftover edges of the ice cream in a sealable container or freezer-safe bowl. Keep the sandwiches covered while in the freezer to protect their taste.

Notes

Clear vanilla extract give these cookie that classic funfetti box cake mix flavor that we all know and love. Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste can be substituted, however, the flavor will differ.

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No-Churn Bananas Foster Ice Cream

1 Comment / Frozen Desserts

Since the beginning of the summer (or even months before that, if we’re being honest), I’ve been making an effort to keep things simpler around the house. Less fuss, less to do, and more time being present. For me, that’s included restructuring house chores, pairing down meals and unnecessary errands, and saying no to things that aren’t so important. Well, imagine my surprise when I discovered that there is such things as one-ingredient ice cream. YUP, YOU HEARD ME RIGHT. Did you know you can make ice cream with just ONE INGREDIENT? No machine, no cooking, no lengthy list of ingredients, just frozen bananas! Today, I’m going to share this no-churn bananas foster ice cream which, admittedly, has more than just one ingredient, but is still incredibly simple to make. Let’s dive in.

Bananas Foster Ice Cream

To make this no-churn bananas foster ice cream, we start with ripe bananas. Once peeled, chopped, and frozen throughout, the bananas can be placed in a blender with half and half (or non-dairy milk, if you prefer!) and pureed until smooth. The bananas take on a frozen yogurt consistency that firms upon freezing and welcomes a number of sauces or toppings.

As delightfully creamy and sweet as the ice cream is, the star of the show here is for sure the mix-ins. Here, a foster sauce made with brown sugar and rum is cooked until slightly thickened. After cooling to room temperature, the sauce swirls into the banana ice cream, lending it a rich and decadent flavor reminescent of the classic New Orleans desert. Finally, we finish with the candied pecans. Brown sugar and cinnamon come together on the stove with a little water to make an easy candy coating that sweetens the pecans and complements the other flavors in the ice cream.

This no-churn bananas foster ice cream is a fun and equipment-free way to make yummy homemade ice cream, and it’s a great option for people who tend to avoid dairy products too! Give it a try and let me know what you think, or make your own spin on this banana ice cream! Chocolate sauce? Almond and coconut? A peanut butter swirl? Why not try it all! Happy Thursday, y’all!

If you like this no-churn bananas foster ice cream you should try:

Caramelized Banana Pudding
Banana Crumb Cake
Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls
Banana Cream Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust
Banana Cream Pie Cake

No-Churn Bananas Foster Ice Cream

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This bananas foster ice cream is a no-churn banana ice cream base swirled with a rum foster sauce and dotted with candied pecans!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 12 hours
Yield: 1 Quart
Category: ice cream

Ingredients

For the ice cream:

2 pounds of peeled ripe bananas (from about 7 large bananas)
½ cup half and half (or non-dairy milk of choice)
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste

For the foster sauce:

1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons spiced rum

For the pecans:

½ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons water
1 cup pecan halves

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Instructions

To make the ice cream:

Roughly chop the bananas into ½” sized pieces. Spread them out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 6 hours or overnight.
When ready to make your ice cream, combine the frozen bananas pieces, half and half, and vanilla bean paste in a large blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth. I like to let the banana pieces thaw for about 15 minutes at room temperature prior to pureeing. Once smooth, layer the ice cream in an 8”x4” bread pan or other freezer-safe ice cream container with the foster sauce and pecans, swirling in the sauce and sprinkling pecans in as you go. I typically use about 2/3 of the foster sauce and ¾ of the pecans. Freeze the ice cream until solid, about 6 hours or overnight. Serve with extra foster sauce and pecans.

To make the foster sauce:

Combine the light brown sugar and heavy whipping cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon and salt and bring to a gentle bubble, cooking about 4-5 minutes until thickened slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the rum. Pour the mixture into a heat-safe container and place in the fridge to cool at least to room temperature.

To make the pecans:

Combine the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and water in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is gently bubbling. Stir in the pecans and cook about 3 minutes, stirring gently only once or twice, until the mixture has thickened. Spread the pecans out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to cool completely. Chop the pecans into ¼” sized pieces prior to incorporating into the ice cream.

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Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

1 Comment / Frozen Desserts

My kids came in as I was finishing up these strawberry shortcake popsicles, and they were astonished. “What are those, Mama?!?” Sure, the sight of a creamy pink popsicle would be a wonder to anyone, but to two kids who have never experienced the full glory of an ice cream truck and all the novelties it contains, these might as well have been magic. For me, these frozen treats are pure nostalgia, hanging out in my heart somewhere between a box of Dunkeroos and a bowl of Kraft Macaroni, and if your summers were spent anything like mine, I’m sure you may love these too. Let’s dive in.

How to Make Homemade Popsicles

To make these strawberry shortcake popsicles, we start by briefly cooking our berries. Sliced strawberries, water, and a little sugar cook in a small saucepan until the mixture heats and the berries start to break down. Gently smash the contents of your pan with the back of a fork to release the juice. Once smooth, remove the mixture to cool briefly. The rest of the recipe is as simple as turning on the blender. Add the strawberries and sweetened condensed milk to a blender to bring the two together. Once smooth, add the heavy cream and vanilla, blending just until the mixture thickens slightly. Pour the thick liquid into a prepared popsicle tray and freeze with the sticks inserted until solid.

The crumble here is made of vanilla wafers, freeze-dried strawberries, and melted butter. All three come together in a food processor until it has been reduced to crumbs. Spread the mixture out into a flat pan or plate and begin removing the popsicles from the molds. I find it’s best to work with the crumble when the popsicles are fresh from the mold, but you can do whatever works best for you. Refreeze the pops in the freezer just until solid and then enjoy! Once frozen, you can wrap in parchment and foil to save for a rainy day, but I’m not sure they’ll last that long. These strawberry shortcake popsicles are perfect this time of year for sure!

With Fourth of July just around the corner, I hope you’ll enjoy cooling off with these yummy strawberry shortcake popsicles. If you give them a try, let me know what you think! Happy Tuesday and Happy Baking!

If you like these strawberry shortcake popsicles you should try:

Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Popsicles
Rosé Popsicles
Champagne Cocktail Popsicles
No-Churn Strawberry Pretzel Pie Ice Cream
Jamocha Popsicles

Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

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These strawberry shortcake popsicles are creamy pops made with fresh fruit and coated with a strawberry cookie crumble!

Author: Kate Wood (adapted from Erin McDowell)
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 5
Total Time: 8 hours
Yield: 10 Popsicles
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the popsicles:

2 cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon water
1–1/2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the crumble:

2 cups vanilla wafers
1 ounces freeze-dried strawberries
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3–4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

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Instructions

Combine the sliced strawberries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, gently mashing the softened berries occasionally, until the mixture softens and begins to bubble, about 4- 8 minutes (depending on if you use fresh or frozen berries.)
Spoon the mixture into a food processor or blender and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes. Puree just until smooth. Add in the condensed milk, heavy cream, and vanilla and blend for another minute until the mixture has thickened slightly. Pour the thickened mixture into prepared popsicle molds, add the popsicle sticks, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours but preferable overnight.
When ready to finish your popsicles, process the freeze-dried strawberries, vanilla wafers, salt, and sugar until they have been reduced to a crumble. Pulse in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter, adding more as needed to make a moist, sandy mixture. Dump the crumbles into a small rimmed dish. Release the popsicles from their molds one by one. I like the fill a glass with hot water and place the unmolded popsicles into it to melt around the edge slightly before gently releasing. Place each one in the freezer on a sheet pan lined with wax paper while you work on getting the popsicles out. Then, coat the popsicles in your crumble mixture and place back on the sheet pan to re-freeze for about 20 minutes. I like to coat the pops when they’re fresh from the mold as the softened edges hold onto the crumble best. Enjoy fresh from the freezer!

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