This pumpkin ice cream is rich and creamy with plenty of fresh pumpkin flavor and a perfect blend of cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, and nutmeg. This is one of my favorite fall ice cream recipes and a must-try.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients.
- Egg yolks: These give the ice cream a rich custard texture and flavor.
- Milk: Preferably whole milk, but I have used 2% in a pinch with good results.
- Ground nutmeg: For those who like it; omit it if you don’t.
- Black pepper: I add a little freshly ground black pepper for a little zip and warmth.
- Heavy cream: You can substitute whipping cream.
- Pumpkin puree: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
How To Make Pumpkin Ice Cream
This is a summary; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the milk, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, sea salt, ground cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper.
- Heat the cream and brown sugar in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- Temper the egg mixture by adding several spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the egg mixture, whisking as you go. Repeat several times until the egg mixture warms.
- Whisk the warm egg mixture into the pot. Whisk the pumpkin puree into the pot and continue cooking over medium-low heat until the mixture reaches 170-180° and coats the back of a spoon. Whisk frequently.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh screen.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Pour into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Spoon the ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for several hours.
Tips For Success
- Temper the egg yolks so you do not end up with curdled or scrambled eggs in your ice cream.
- Always run the ice cream mixture through a fine-mesh screen to filter out any bits of cooked egg. Trust me when I tell you that you won’t regret it.
- Once the egg yolks are tempered and mixed into the cream mixture, cook, whisking constantly and without boiling, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to know when the mixture reaches 170-180°.
- Check the ice cream mixture after 18-20 minutes of churning, as you can over-churn ice cream.
More Ice Cream Recipes
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
- Raspberry Ice Cream
- Coffee Ice Cream
- Fried Ice Cream
- Chocolate Ice Cream
Pumpkin Ice Cream
This pumpkin ice cream is rich and creamy with pumpkin puree and a perfect blend of cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, and nutmeg.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 388kcal
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, sea salt, ground cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper.
- Heat the cream and brown sugar in a medium pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot.
- Temper the egg mixture by adding 2-3 spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the egg mixture, whisking as you go. Repeat several times until the egg mixture is warm.
- Whisk the warm egg mixture into the pot. Whisk the pumpkin puree into the pot and continue cooking over medium-low heat until the mixture reaches 170-180° and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Whisk frequently.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh screen. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or up to overnight.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Check after 18 minutes to see if it is in soft-serve form. You can overchurn ice cream.
- Pour the ice cream into a freezer-safe, airtight container. Cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for several hours.
Notes
Store ice cream in an airtight container in the coldest part of the freezer.
Nutrition
Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 217mg | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 5886IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Mimi
This pumpkin ice cream was so creamy and full of warm fall flavor! The pumpkin and spices were perfectly balanced, and I loved how refreshing it was compared with a traditional pumpkin dessert.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Mimi! I love it, too!
Lora
When it is fall, I am into any thing pumpkin flavored. This pumpkin ice cream is perfect and creamy!
Karletts
Oh wow. This turned out amazing. A special dessert to welcome im the fall season.
Cathy
I have never tried pumpkin ice cream, and this one looks delicious and easy to make. Perfect for fall!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Cathy! Enjoy!
Marilyn
I love thgis pumpkin ice cream! Great way to celebrate the season. I am not a fan of pumpkin spice coffee, and this was a nice alternative treat.
Emily
Oh my gosh, this was absolutely divine! I’m still desperately holding onto the last drops of summertime, and this was a great way to enjoy my favourite summer treat without being in total denial. The flavour was FANTASTIC!
Beth Pierce
So happy that you liked it, Emily!
Amy
I’ll definitely be making this homemade pumpkin ice cream again!
Carol Cassara
Would you believe I have never had pumpkin ice cream? It sounds so yummy! And this recipe is simple enough. I’ll be trying it in october!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Carol! Enjoy!
Ben
This was delicious. I was surprised by how well the pepper played in it. I have never seen pepper used in ice cream before!
Terri
What a great recipe. I love the flavors of fall. At the same time, I live in a hot state, so pumpkin ice cream satisfies both my love of fall flavors and my need to cool off in the fall.