Eggnog Ice Cream Pie

Who says ice cream is only for warm weather? This Eggnog Ice Cream Pie features creamy ice cream in a gingersnap cookie crust – it’s a delicious treat for the holiday season!

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We all know about eggnog. It shows up in stores every year in November, and it lasts through the holiday season. But how much do you really know about eggnog? National Eggnog Month is December, and National Eggnog Day is Dec. 24. Ok, no surprise there. But did you know it shows up in Macbeth? Or that it once caused a riot at West Point?

Eggnog is an egg milk punch that dates back to medieval times. Back then, it was called ‘posset,’ which was made by pouring heated cream over a mixture of wine, eggs and spices. The result was a rich, heavily seasoned custard-like drink. Shakespeare fans might remember that Lady Macbeth drugged the guards’ posset outside of King Duncan’s chambers. The goal was to get the guards to fall asleep. I’m pretty sure a warm milk drink mixed with alcohol will make anyone fall asleep!

And the West Point Eggnog Riot? In 1826, a handful of cadets at West Point decided to smuggle whiskey onto campus for a Christmas party.  Not surprisingly, the party got a bit wild, and ⅓ of the cadets ended up involved. Fun fact: Both Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis participated in the Eggnog Riot. These men later became known for their roles in the Civil War – but interestingly enough, they were on different sides of the Eggnog Riot.

Eggnog Ice Cream Pie

Enough history – let’s talk about today’s recipe! I’ve always said that drinking a glass of ‘nog feels like drinking melted ice cream. Every year I make a batch of Eggnog Ice Cream. It’s a family favorite, and we look forward to sitting down with a bowl of that ice cream every year. This year, I decided to take that eggnog ice cream and transform it into an Eggnog Ice Cream Pie.

Ice cream you can slice and serve? Yes, please! This Eggnog Ice Cream Pie is a fun and festive holiday treat. It does take a bit of advance planning as you need to make the eggnog ice cream and then spread it into a gingersnap pie crust. Then the whole thing needs to freeze for several hours (or overnight) before you can serve it.

On a side note, eggnog ice cream is becoming a bit more commonplace. Where we live, Publix grocery stores carry seasonal ice cream flavors – and eggnog ice cream is one of them. If you can find store-bought ice cream, it will speed up the process! (Of course, homemade eggnog ice cream is fantastic…it just takes a bit more time.)

That eggnog ice cream gets spread into a pie crust made from crushed gingersnap cookies. That’s right. Gingersnap cookies + eggnog. Talk about the perfect holiday pairing! (Feel free to use a graham cracker crust if you prefer.) And to top it all off, I added a dollop of bourbon whipped cream on top. The bourbon flavor is mild, but it’s there. Of course, you can omit the alcohol in both the ice cream and whipped cream if you want.

Ice cream might be traditionally associated with warmer months, but I say ice cream can be a year-round treat! (This Peppermint Ice Cream is another fun flavor for the holidays.) I know the holidays are loaded with desserts and treats, but this Eggnog Ice Cream Pie is a worthy addition to the menu. Most folks won’t expect to find an ice cream pie in December, but I promise you they’ll be looking for another slice once the first slice is gone!

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover Eggnog Ice Cream Pie should be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. I cut the leftovers into slices and wrap each in plastic wrap. Then those wrapped slices go into a freezer bag until I’m ready to eat another slice…which is usually the next night!

If you’re looking for a fun holiday dessert, then make this Eggnog Ice Cream Pie. It was a favorite here in our house – and I hope it becomes a favorite in your house, too. Happy Holidays!

Did you make this Eggnog Ice Cream Pie recipe at home? Leave a comment or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Eggnog Ice Cream Pie

Who says ice cream is only for warm weather? This Eggnog Ice Cream Pie features creamy ice cream in a gingersnap cookie crust – it's a delicious treat for the holiday season!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 427kcal

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Ingredients

For the Gingersnap Crust

• 1¾ cups gingersnap crumbs ~30-35 gingersnap cookies, can substitute graham crackers
• 3 Tbsp light brown sugar
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted

For the Eggnog Ice Cream {see note}

• 1 cup whole milk
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 Tbsp bourbon or rum optional
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Bourbon Whipped Cream {Optional}

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
• 1 Tbsp bourbon whiskey
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Gingersnap Crust

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Using a food processor or mini-chopper, pulse the gingersnaps until finely ground. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the gingersnap crumbs, brown sugar, ginger and melted butter. Stir until fully combined.
• Lightly butter or grease a 9” springform pan. Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan. (Tip: A flat-bottomed glass helps pack the crust mixture down evenly.)
• Bake pie crust for 10 minutes; remove from oven and let cool.

For the Eggnog Ice Cream

• Using a medium saucepan, add milk and place over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until milk just begins to simmer.
• Meanwhile, using a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until well combined.
• Gradually pour the hot milk into the bowl with the egg yolks; whisking vigorously the entire time.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens noticeably and coats a wooden spoon. (~4-5 minutes) (Note: If you have a kitchen thermometer, the target temperature is 180°F. Do not allow mixture to boil.)
• Remove mixture from heat and add the heavy cream, bourbon or rum {optional}, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon; stir until well combined. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the surface of the mixture, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Pour the ice cream mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Bourbon Whipped Cream {optional}

• Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, bourbon and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form.

For the Pie

• Spread the softened ice cream into the cooled gingersnap crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 week.
• To serve, run a table knife around the edge of the pie and then release the springform pan. Remove sides of pan and slice pie into wedges.
• {Optional} Serve pie with a dollop of bourbon whipped cream. Garnish with a tiny pinch of ground nutmeg.

Notes

If available, you can use 5 cups of store-bought eggnog ice cream for this recipe. Just place the ice cream in the refrigerator for ~30 minutes to allow it to soften.

Looking for more fun seasonal ice cream recipes? Check out these other favorites, too: