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This homemade peach ice cream recipe is fruity and creamy: the perfect summer dessert! Whip it up with juicy ripe fruit.
Got some juicy, ripe peaches? Try this homemade Peach Ice Cream recipe! When summer hits, it’s time for all the peach recipes and peach desserts. And what better way to highlight their intoxicating flavor than ice cream? This recipe comes out lusciously creamy, vanilla-scented with chunks of sweet peaches throughout. A simple scoop is the most decadent treat on a summer evening! Our family loves this one when we can find great peaches (though you can substitute canned too). Here’s how to make it!
Ingredients for this peach ice cream recipe
This peach ice cream recipe uses the base recipe of our homemade ice cream, a lusciously creamy vanilla-scented base. It doesn’t use egg yolks like our classic vanilla ice cream, so it’s not quite as rich as that recipe: but the tradeoff in ease is worth it! This recipe is quicker and easier to make, though you’re welcome to use the classic vanilla as a base if you prefer. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
- Ripe peaches: use only the best, juiciest ripe peaches. We don’t recommend substituting frozen, but canned peaches could work in a pinch.
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Cornstarch
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
Required equipment: ice cream maker
An ice cream maker is required for this peach ice cream recipe, so make sure you’ve got the right equipment on hand. If you don’t have one yet, it’s a great investment you can use to make sorbets, sherbet and ice creams all year round. Here are the two major types of makers on the market:
- Top choice: a freezer bowl ice cream maker. Here’s the 2 quart freezer bowl ice cream maker we use. It’s very durable and has held up well over the years. Make sure to freeze the base of the ice cream maker overnight before making this recipe.
- Expensive but easy-to-use: automatic ice cream maker. This automatic ice cream maker is larger and more expensive. But it requires no pre-freezing, so you can make ice cream any time you please! You can also make multiple batches back to back without needing to freeze the base again. (This is the type we use, but only because this is our job!)
For the peaches: how to test ripness
Ripe peaches are key to this peach ice cream recipe! There’s a lot of variation in peaches when you buy them. To assess ripeness, gently squeeze the peaches to see if the flesh feels soft. If so, they are ripe: but if there is any firmness, you’ll need to ripen them for a few days.
- Here’s how to ripen peaches: If the peaches are almost ripe, place them on the counter for 1 day. If they are hard, place the peaches in a paper bag. If you have one, add a banana or apple, which emits ethylene gas and helps the peaches ripen faster. Gently close the top of the bag and wait 1 to 3 days, depending on the ripeness of the peaches.
- Taste test the peaches: Taste test a peach when you’re ready to make the recipe. If it doesn’t taste tender and sweet, it’s not ready.
How to make homemade peach ice cream (basic steps)
This peach ice cream is a mix of a vanilla ice cream base with peach pieces crumbled throughout. We love mix-ins in an ice cream, so we prefer this to a pureed smooth peach ice cream base. Here’s what you’ll do:
- Make the custard (5 minutes): Simmer cornstarch, whole milk and sugar 4 to 5 minutes, taking care that it doesn’t boil. Then add in the heavy cream, more milk, vanilla and salt.
- Cool the custard (30 minutes to 1 hour): Cool down the custard mixture before churning it. The quickest way is to pour it into a 1-gallon zip-top bag, seal it, and place the bag in ice water for 30 minutes. Or you can transfer the mixture to a large metal or glass bowl and place the bowl in a smaller bowl of ice water for 1 hour.
- Make the peaches: Peel the peaches and chop them into small chunks. Then mash them in a bowl with sugar to create very small pieces, with a texture almost like a compote.
- Churn (25 minutes): Churn the ice cream and peaches in the ice cream maker. After 25 minutes, it makes a soft serve texture.
- Freeze or “ripen” for hard ice cream texture (at least 2 hours): Freeze the ice cream for 2 to 4 hours for a scoop-able, hard ice cream texture (as shown in the photos).
Storage info
How long can you store this peach ice cream recipe? This ice cream recipe stores for up to 2 weeks (or more). Place it in a loaf pan with a parchment sheet over the top, or simply scoop it into a sealed container. The texture stays lusciously creamy for the entire storage period (the cornstarch in the ice cream body helps to keep it creamy).
And that’s it! We hope you love this peach ice cream as much as we do: let us know in the comments below!
More ice cream and sorbet recipes
Want to make more flavors? (We knew it.) Here are a few tasty ice creams and sorbets to try:
- Opt for ultra creamy Vanilla Ice Cream, or simpler Homemade Ice Cream
- Grab rich and decadent Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
- Try Cheesecake Ice Cream or Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Opt for fantastic Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Coffee Ice Cream
- Try fruity Peach Sorbet or minty Peppermint Ice Cream
This peach ice cream recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free.
Print
Peach Ice Cream
- Prep Time: 2 hours (plus 2 hours wait)
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart 1x
Description
This homemade peach ice cream recipe is fruity and creamy: the perfect summer dessert! Whip it up with juicy ripe fruit.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds peaches (4 large peaches)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup whole milk, divided
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, slowly whisk the cornstarch into 1 cup whole milk, then whisk in the sugar. Heat over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes, whisking frequently, until it’s almost simmering and the mixture thickens.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, salt and vanilla extract.
- Transfer the mixture to a large metal or glass bowl. Place the bowl in a smaller bowl of ice water for 1 hour, making sure not to splash any water into the custard (or even quicker, you can pour it into a 1-gallon zip-top bag, seal it, and place the bag in ice water for 30 minutes). Alternatively, simply place the bowl in the refrigerator and wait for 3 hours or until the temperature drops to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, peel the peaches by dropping them into boiling water for 45 seconds, then placing them in a bowl of ice water. Once cool, peel off the skins with your fingers. Chop the peaches into very small pieces. Place them in a bowl, sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar, and mash the fruit lightly with a potato masher to make very small pieces (with a texture almost like compote). Set aside.
- Pour the custard and the peaches into an ice cream maker and churn according to the ice cream maker instructions, about 25 minutes for soft serve consistency. For a hard ice cream texture, transfer to a loaf pan or sealed container and freeze in the freezer for at least 2 hours (or up to 4 hours). Store in a loaf pan with a parchment sheet over the top or a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: Dessert
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Peach ice cream, peach ice cream recipe, homemade peach ice cream
Let us know if you have any questions!
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