Peppermint Ice Cream
This homemade Peppermint Ice Cream is so tasty that
Santa might just skip the cookies this year!
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Back when I was in high school, our next-door neighbor always made us a container of homemade peppermint ice cream for Christmas. We could count on it showing up a couple of days before Christmas every year…and we loved it! A little bowl of ice cream while sitting next to the fire and visiting with family was pretty much the definition of the holidays. Even when I went off to college, I still looked forward to coming back home for Christmas and finding a container of that ice cream in the freezer.
My mother recently moved from Raleigh to live near my little sis (and her new baby!) in Nashville. This means I can get a two-for-one visit whenever I head down to Nashville…but it also means we don’t have neighbors who make homemade peppermint ice cream for us anymore. So this year, I decided to make my own.
Peppermint Ice Cream
For this ice cream, I scaled back on the peppermint flavor just slightly. It’s there, but eating a bowl of this peppermint ice cream won’t make you feel like you just ate a tube of toothpaste. In short, this ice cream is delicious! In fact, I think Santa might just pass right by the plate of cookies and go straight for this ice cream in your freezer this year. (How’s that for a mental image? …walking in and seeing Santa digging around in your freezer in the middle of the night…)
If you haven’t noticed, I’m a big fan of homemade ice cream. Who says that Spring and Summer get to have all of the ice cream love? There are just too many awesome seasonal flavors in the Fall and Winter. Take this Pumpkin Ice Cream for instance. You can’t have Pumpkin Ice Cream in July. Or Eggnog Ice Cream. Who’s heard of Eggnog Ice Cream in the middle of the summer? I’m not suggesting that you ditch the Christmas cookies or anything crazy like that. I’m just saying that ice cream feels a little left out at the holidays. We don’t want anyone feeling left out, right?
Did you make a batch of this Peppermint Ice Cream? Leave a comment or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). I’d love to see your version!
Peppermint Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1½ cups half-and-half
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup candy canes crushed (~3-4 candy canes) + more for garnishing
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half over medium-low heat until it just begins to simmer.
- While the half-and-half is heating, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl.
- Remove the hot half-and-half from the stove and gradually pour it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon (~4-5 minutes).
- Remove the mixture from the stove and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. (Tip: Use a spoon or spatula to help push the mixture through the strainer.)
- Add the vanilla extract, peppermint extract and heavy cream to the strained mixture; stir until well combined. Cover mixture with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the surface of the mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. About 5 minutes before the ice cream is done (while it’s solid, but still soft), add the crushed candy canes.
- Place the finished ice cream into the freezer to harden for at least 4-6 hours before serving.
- Garnish with additional crushed candy canes before serving (optional).
Looking for more tasty ice cream recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
You know what’s really great? That I have friends like you who are willing to make homemade peppermint ice cream… and ship it to me overnight in a container with lots of dry ice. …oh wait, you’re not going to do that? Well that changes everything then.
Haha, looks great man! I’m a huge fan of peppermint ice cream… Shake Shack down here does a candy cane crunch custard every Saturday in December. I’m thinking I need to go there tomorrow to get my fix… you know, since someone refuses to ship me any of his ice cream #wolfpackshares?
Let’s make a deal, Chris…you come up here with that snowblower of yours and I’ll make you some ice cream. We could even stand across from one another with our snowblowers and have a good old fashioned snow ball fight! (I’m pretty sure that would be hilarious to watch…) You game??
I love that you had a neighbor who always made you guys a container of homemade peppermint ice cream for Christmas. I want to be the “cookie lady neighbor” the one who always gives out the fabulous cookies at Christmas 😛 . . anyway, glad you took matters into your own hands and made your own so your family could have some. . and YES! ice cream is year round, yo!!! love the peppermint ice cream!!
Thanks, Alice! Yeah, it’s kinda funny how people get reputations for what they give at the holidays. Like there was the ‘peppermint ice cream guys’ and then there was the ‘delicious fruitcake guys.’ My Dad always sends chocolate chip cookies, and we’ve totally gotten to where we wait (not so) patiently for that package to arrive! (I also fully appreciate the irony of a food blogger waiting for a package of chocolate chip cookies to arrive in the mail…haha!)
Maybe I should have moved to NY as your neighbor!!! Yum to peppermint ice cream!!!
Haha! Well, if you did, you know you could count on getting a container of peppermint ice cream every Christmas! 😉
I agree! Ice cream gets shoved out of the spotlight by cookies during the holidays. I think I need to make some of this peppermint icecream to go WITH my cookies. Who needs milk when you can have icecream, right?
Dude! You just came up with the most genius thought ever, Tori! Ice cream and cookies for the holidays. Forget the milk…I’m putting out ice cream and cookies for Santa this year. Of course, we have 2 dogs, and I suspect one of them may find the Santa treats long before Santa ever arrives. 🙂
Oh you are a master tempter!!! This bowl looks sinful (specially for me with my lactose issues)!!!
Ice cream sure is neglected in these cold months – which can actually be a good thing, last night my daughter had a craving for eggnog ice cream and when we went to the store – just about every brand had a sale going!!! Heck yeah!
If I found Santa digging through our fridge I might have to set my dogs on him – I have sharing issues!
So – is your mom’s place still up for sale??? Cos, I sure would LOVE to move next door to this incredibly generous sharing neighbor! Our sharing neighbors who gave us cinnamon rolls and other goodies moved away and now there’s a young couple who’s idea of gourmet is mac and cheese in the box instead of the individual serving!
Oh, Shashi! I really should start running my ideas by you before I post them. I hate tempting you with tasty treats…and I can’t have you feeling bad on account of my recipes, either. What shall I do??
Wait…you’d beat up Santa Claus? Now that isn’t very merry and nice of you. Maybe Santa is just hungry and wants some of your delicious creations. After all, how many boring cookies can the poor man eat before he just needs some beets?
Oh no…it sounds like you totally traded down in the neighbor Christmas gift category. In fact, that sounds like a hilarious post to write…about how neighbors get ranked for the type of holiday food they bring. Of course, if your neighbors actually read your blog, then you might end up in a bit of a bind. Hehe. 🙂
I don’t even know how to begin my comment. LOL! The pictures are awesome! You’ve definitely done your job well because I totally want a big bowl of this ice cream, stat! I am also in total agreement with you that ice cream gets ignored in the Winter. Thank you for giving the Fall and Winter ice cream flavors the attention they need! 🙂
You know, Tamara…I might still have a big bowl of this ice cream hanging out in my freezer. Santa can only eat so many desserts this time of the year, so there tends to be a pile-up of desserts in my freezer. Check that…not a pile-up, but rather a multi-car wreck reminiscent of what happens when Atlanta gets hit with an icestorm. Haha!
This ice cream looks amazing, David! The peppermint flavour sounds great! I definitely need to try the recipe out! 😀
Thanks, Jess! No way should the Summer get all of the ice cream love!
Please feel free to ship me a batch of this – regardless if it’s raining here in San Diego! Cool story, I always had a neighbor who would make us these huge Caramel Popcorn Balls at Halloween time, good memories. But, if Santa is like me, he will like cookies and this ice cream! #WolfpackEats!
Isn’t it funny how we remember neighbors from our past based on the treats they would give us at the holidays? And now I want nothing more than a huge caramel popcorn ball. Forget the fact that it’s Christmas…I want caramel popcorn!!
You’re just trying SO hard to be the death of my healthy eating habits, aren’t you… *sigh*
OK OK… the year’s not over yet. Maybe I’ll plan on losing the excess weight in 2015. PASS THE DAMNED SPOON!!
Haha…spoon passed! Seriously, though, Becca…who really tries to diet during the holidays? I’m pretty sure that would NEVER go over well in my house. After the holidays is another story…but give me my cookies and ice cream first! 🙂
Oh man, peppermint ice cream is the bomb! It’s always so fresh and sweet tasting and just perfect for this time of the year! It’s lookin’ SO good, pinned!
Thank you so much, Christina! The summer gets all of the ice cream love, and it’s just not fair. It’s hard to beat eating a bowl of ice cream while sitting next to a roaring fire. 🙂
I’ve always loved the idea of sitting next to a fireplace with ice cream (because I’m a 3 year old and used to make ice cream ‘soup’). Peppermint ice cream was my favourite growing up and while I’d love to have a crack at this- I don’t have an ice cream maker argh! Off to google some alternative ‘freezing’ methods because I really want to try this!
okay, I just sent a group text to my mates asking if anyone had an ice cream maker haha!
Hopefully someone has one! If not, Santa just found out what Arman wants this year…haha!
Yeah, my wife had an ice cream maker when we moved in together…so I sorta inherited mine. It sat for a while unused, and then one day I decided to figure out how to make homemade ice cream. Since then, I’ve made all sorts of awesome flavors. You totally need to find an ice cream maker…especially because it’s like 118° down there where you live right now. Haha! (Ice cream makers aren’t all that expensive…at least not here in the States.)
It’s never too cold for ice cream! (except, maybe, in Antarctica) Do you have any tips for making ice cream without an ice cream maker?
Hey Matea! I couldn’t agree with you more. Heck, I could still go for homemade peppermint ice cream even in Argentina! 🙂 Ice cream makers aren’t all that expensive, so I totally recommend picking one up…especially with the holiday sales going on right now. It’s been years since I made ice cream without a machine, so I don’t have any great suggestions for you. However, I did find the link below on Epicurious…and I usually trust Epicurious’ opinions when it comes to food. Hopefully, the link will at least get you started!
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2014/07/how-to-make-ice-cream-without-an-ice-cream-maker.html
As a fellow lover of peppermint ice cream , i give this recipe a thumbs up. Just as soon as i finish my dinner i am having peppermint ice cream for afters,. Love your ice cream and photography, David
Thank you so much, Chichi! There’s something so comforting about ice cream…even in the middle of December! 🙂
Haha no one wants to eat a tube of toothpaste! I wish any of my neighbors ever gave us delicious treats like ice cream…but they did not. I’ll just have to live vicariously through you! This ice cream looks phenomenal! Love the color and I am sure the flavor is spot on! Pinned!
Thanks so much, Lindsey! Too bad ice cream can’t be mailed…I guess you’ll just have to go knocking on your neighbors doors asking if they have any peppermint ice cream they can give you. I’m looking forward to a report back on how that venture goes. 🙂
Hi David! I’m making a peppermint ice cream/ hot chocolate fudge dessert for Christmas this year, and your recipe looks perfect. I was just wondering how many it serves? Thanks so much!
Hey there, Lizzie! Hot fudge sounds like an excellent addition to this peppermint ice cream. Yum! I’d estimate that this makes about 6-7 cups of ice cream. So at roughly 1/2 cup per serving, I’d estimate between 12-14 servings. I hope this helps! And I hope you enjoy this ice cream…who says ice cream is a summertime only dessert? 🙂
That’s great! Thank you so much!! Happy Holidays 🙂
I made this for Christmas dessert along with some double chocolate cookies. The ice cream was the star– my mom even wanted to scrape the ice cream from the ice cream maker. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing!
Haha! Thanks so much, Laura. I’m really glad this ice cream was such a hit in your house on Christmas…and for the record, I don’t think there is anything wrong with licking ice cream straight from the bowl of the ice cream maker. 🙂 Happy (early) New Year’s, and thank you so much for your comment!
So yummy and easy to make. Thank you!!!
So yummy, and refreshing! Thanks for the recipe… It’s a new family favorite. Thank you!
So glad you liked this ice cream recipe, Kathie! And thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, too. 🙂