This s’mores peanut butter cup ice cream combines creamy homemade ice cream loaded with Reese’s peanut butter cups, swirled with marshmallow fluff and graham cracker crumbs. It’s a delicious mash-up of desserts!
Easy S’mores Ice Cream With Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
I’ve seen many peanut butter cup ice cream recipes that have a base of peanut butter ice cream filled with peanut butter cups. While I love that combination in desserts like my peanut butter cup ice cream cake, I wanted to take this ice cream recipe one step further! This s’mores ice cream with Reese’s peanut butter cups has creamy homemade ice cream ribboned with marshmallow fluff and crunchy graham cracker crumbs, studded with fudgy chocolate peanut butter cups. After I finished the first bowl, I was ready for the next.
Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
- No eggs! This peanut butter cup ice cream starts with a basic vanilla ice cream that I adapted from Simply Scratch. I love it because, unlike some traditional ice cream recipes, you don’t have to fuss with tempering eggs to make a custard base.
- Swirled with marshmallow fluff. Mini marshmallows tend to turn firm and chewy when frozen. So, rather than folding them into this s’mores-inspired ice cream, I churn marshmallow fluff right into the base while it freezes.
- S’mores layers. This peanut butter cup ice cream has buttery graham cracker crumbs and Reese’s peanut butter cups swirled between the marshmallow ice cream layers.
- So much better than store-bought. Homemade ice cream puts most store-bought ice cream to shame, in my opinion. It is SO much creamier, and you can make just about any flavor combination.
Ingredient Notes
Fun fact: This recipe was my first attempt at making a successful homemade ice cream. After churning for several minutes, we’ll add some marshmallow fluff and crushed Reese’s peanut butter cups. Then, layer in crushed graham crackers. I’ve included notes covering the important ingredients below. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable list with the full recipe amounts and detailed instructions.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – For thick, creamy homemade ice cream, full-fat heavy cream is non-negotiable. Cream with a lower fat content contains more water, which crystalizes and makes the ice cream icy.
- Marshmallow Fluff – Choose your favorite marshmallow fluff or marshmallow creme from the store, like Jet-Puffed.
- Peanut Butter Cups – These can be original Reese’s peanut butter cups, Reese’s minis, or a store-brand version. You’ll need to chop full-size peanut butter cups into smaller pieces.
- Graham Crackers – Grind up whole graham crackers in a food processor (or buy ready-to-use crumbs) and combine them with melted butter to make the graham cracker filling. You can use any cookie you’d like. Crushed Nilla wafers or Oreo crumbs would also taste delicious.
How to Make S’mores Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
I used to be a little intimidated by my ice cream maker. Don’t ask me why, as it couldn’t be easier to use! The main thing to remember is that you’ll need to pre-freeze the ice cream maker attachment beforehand, usually overnight. You’ll need to get out your own ice cream maker for the recipe below, but it’s worth it. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for the printable instructions.
- Heat heavy cream and sugar. While this ice cream recipe doesn’t contain eggs, it still requires heating the base of heavy cream in order to dissolve the sugar. Set 1 cup of heavy cream with ¾ cup of sugar over medium heat, stirring just until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Finish the base and chill. Let the mixture cool for a bit, then stir in the remaining heavy cream, along with the vanilla extract. Chill the ice cream base in the fridge until it’s completely cooled.
- Churn. When your ice cream maker is ready, churn the heavy cream mixture. Start at a low speed for 10 minutes, then increase the speed to medium. After 5 more minutes, add the marshmallow fluff while the machine continues to churn.
- Add the peanut butter cups. In the final 2 minutes of churning, add the chopped peanut butter cups. Reserve a few pieces to sprinkle over the finished ice cream.
- Assemble and freeze. While the ice cream finishes churning, stir graham cracker crumbs with melted butter to coat. Pour ⅓ of the peanut butter cup ice cream into a freezer-safe container, followed by ½ of the graham cracker crumbs, and repeat, so you have 3 layers of ice cream filled with 2 layers of graham crackers. Top the ice cream with leftover peanut butter cups.
- Freeze. Finally, cover the container and place the ice cream into the freezer for 2-3 hours before serving.
Julianne’s Ice Cream-Making Tips
- Pre-freeze your ice cream maker. Most ice cream makers need to pre-freeze before you use them to churn ice cream. For some models, this can mean freezing the attachment for up to 15 hours. Plan ahead and make sure to refer to the instructions for your particular machine.
- Dissolve the sugar completely. The sugar should be fully dissolved into the warm heavy cream. To test it, rub a little bit of the heavy cream mixture between two fingers. It should feel completely smooth.
- Marshmallow in ice cream: While I love the flavor of marshmallow fluff in this s’mores peanut butter cup ice cream, it can make the ice cream difficult to scoop. I discovered this while troubleshooting my sweet potato ice cream. This is largely because the marshmallow isn’t the same consistency as the ice cream, and it thaws faster. For this reason, I recommend drizzling or dolloping the fluff into the ice cream in small spoonfuls while the machine is still spinning.
- To keep your ice cream soft and scoopable, press a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly against the surface of the ice cream before you close the lid to the storage container. This protects the ice cream from air exposure and prevents ice crystals from forming. See the section further on for storage instructions.
- Take the ice cream out before serving. I always recommend taking homemade ice cream out of the freezer 10-15 minutes ahead of serving so that it softens a little. Run the ice cream scoop under warm water before scooping, too, to help cut through the ice cream.
Recipe Variation
After I was gifted my ice cream maker for Christmas years back, I made several ice cream recipes over my holiday break and had so much fun with the flavor combinations. You can adapt this peanut butter cup ice cream in loads of ways. Try these ideas.
- Substitute the peanut butter cups. Sure, it might no longer be peanut butter cup ice cream, but you can easily replace the Reese’s with any chopped chocolate or candy bars you prefer. Hershey’s chocolate (to keep with the s’mores theme) or Snickers would be awesome.
- Add Oreos. Churn chopped or crushed Oreo cookies into the ice cream along with the peanut butter cups. You can even replace the graham cracker layer with ground-up Oreos if you’d like.
- Add nuts. Crushed roasted peanuts or pecans are a great way to add crunch and make this recipe a bit similar to Rocky Road ice cream.
- No ice cream maker? Try one of my easy no-churn ice cream recipes instead like the S’mores Ice Cream Cake or Tiramisu Ice Cream
How to Store Homemade Ice Cream
Store your peanut butter cup ice cream in an airtight, freezer-safe container with a lid. I recently got a new ice cream freezer container from Williams-Sonoma that I love. I mentioned it earlier, but placing plastic wrap directly against the ice cream helps keep it from icing over. Properly stored, homemade ice cream lasts about 1 month in the freezer.
More Easy Ice Cream Recipes
S’mores Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: Ice Cream Maker
- Cuisine: American
Description
This s’mores peanut butter cup ice cream is an indulgent mash-up of three desserts! It starts with an easy homemade ice cream base swirled with marshmallow fluff, buttery graham cracker crumbs, and Reese’s peanut butter cups.
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff (Jet-Puffed or similar)
- 6 Reese’s peanut butter cups
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted or salted butter, melted
Instructions
- Pre-freeze your ice cream maker attachment as directed, usually at least 15 hours.
- Combine 1 cup of whipping cream with ¾ cups of sugar and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring just until the cream starts to bubble and the sugar is dissolved.
- Let cool for a few minutes, and add the remaining 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Refrigerate until completely cooled.
- Once frozen, set up the ice cream maker and spin on low speed. Pour heavy cream mixture into the ice cream maker after it starts spinning.
- Stir on low speed for 10 minutes and increase to medium speed. After 5 more minutes, add marshmallow fluff while the machine is still spinning.
- Chop up 6 Reese’s peanut butter cups into small pieces, and add all but a few pieces into the ice cream during the last two minutes of mixing. Reserve a few pieces of Reese’s.
- While the ice cream is spinning, chop up graham crackers in a food processor to a fine crumb.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add melted butter to graham cracker crumbs and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Once the ice cream is done mixing, pour 1/3 of the ice cream into your container, followed by 1/2 of the graham cracker mixture. Repeat with the second 1/3 of your ice cream, and top with remaining graham crackers. Pour the last 1/3 of ice cream on top. So you have 3 layers of ice cream and 2 layers of graham cracker. Press leftover Reese’s into the top of the ice cream.
- Return to freeze for 2-3 hours until solid or at your desired consistency.
I am doing an ice cream roundup on my blog this week and I was wondering if I could use one of your pictures with a link back to your site of course. I love this recipe and flavor combination!
Thanks for asking Hannah. You can include me as long as you don’t post my recipe 🙂 Thank you!
Thanks! I won’t post your recipe, just the link to it here.
So…this polar vortex. It’s currently 84 degrees Fahrenheit in Jamaica and I remarked at how cool today was. Eep. So, trust me, I’m totally feeling you on this ice cream! I saw this featured on a linky page and my sugar brain had no choice but to come over! It looks so good!! You can’t go wrong in my books with peanut butter!
Polar Vortex or not I am digging into this! How yummy! I would love to have you link this up at my Linky Party Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s! http://www.pandpkitchen.com/2014/01/13/show-me-your-plaid-mondays-50/
Thanks Chandra!
Wow, this looks incredible Julianne! Hehe, I can eat ice cream all year long too even in the freezing temps but I can’t wait to give this a try:)
Totally there with you!
This looks & sounds amazing! I might have to take the Hello Kitty Ice Cream maker that my daughter got for Christmas out of the box 😉
Erica
www.FortheLoveofDecorating.com
Did you say Hello Kitty Ice Cream Maker?!
Oh this looks incredible! I tend to be a “picker” when it comes to ice cream, in that I dig extra hard to get as many mix-ins and swirl pieces as I can. Marshmallow fluff, graham cracker crumbs, and PB cups?! Swoon!
And I’m with you on skirting the polar vortex and talking about frozen desserts. I live in Southern California (originally from the Northeast, too!) and took some pause before posting a gelato recipe this week. Hoping even those in cold climates can enjoy while snuggling in a warm blanket by a roaring fire!
Girl, you don’t even want to know what I do with a gallon of cookie dough ice cream. You might as well not even include the ice cream because all I want is the cookie dough!
I do not like Ice cream in the winter. I only crave it when its like 90 degrees. This looks beyond delicious though, pinning!
I totally hear you Krystle! I can’t help but get on board with the seasonal flavors though! Pumpkin, Eggnong, Peppmerint Ice cream. Yum!
yum, and YUM! who cares that it’s winter, break out the ice cream
RIGHT?!
I can’t get over how amazing this ice cream is! And if this is the ice cream I’m eating in the winter – I’m ALL for it 🙂
HAHA! Thank you Trish!
I’m dying over this ice cream… and I live in Chicago, the center of the polar vortex! I don’t care if it’s freezing, I want this ice cream right now!
Oh my gosh! I am sure if I mailed you some ice cream, it would have melted not he way and re-frozen by the time it hit your doorstep!
You had me at Reese’s! I love, love, love homemade ice cream and I swear it tastes a hundred times better in the winter! 😉
YEAH!
I love marshmallow anything and it has peanut butter, yum! thanks for linking up at Showcase Your Talent Thursday 🙂
Thanks Emily!
I haven’t made ice cream with my ice cream maker yet – I usually make the kind that doesn’t need one. But this ice cream looks awesome – it might be the first one I make with the machine! I think ice cream is good all year round – I was just eating some leftover eggnog ice cream in front of the fire a couple nights ago 🙂
Ok so the first time I tried my ice cream maker, I didn’t assemble it right and had a hard time actually churning it. But this time, I read the instructions correctly and it all worked out! I have to try to no-machine needed ice cream because it also sounds amazing!
This ice cream looks good! And I think it’s funny; I bake to heat my house too because i’m too cheap to turn on the heater and it’s a high of 60 outside. 🙂 We Californian’s are a little weak when it comes to cold, lol!
Oh gosh I know right. It’s 65 degrees and I am all “should we turn off our heat”?
I am right there with you! I grew up in Upstate NY buried in snow from November through March and now live in Sunny So. Cal. I only miss it on Christmas and then not so much. Bring on the ice cream!!
HAHA! That’s too funny. I am from Southern Vermont and my dad’s family is from Herkimer county and my mom’s family is from Rochester so I spent plenty of time in your neck of the woods! I am a pretty avid snowboarder, but I ahem to say, outside of the lack of snow, I don’t mind riding in the warmer weather here!
this looks delish!
Thanks Dina!
Give me a blanket and a space heater and I could go to town on this yummy ice cream! I haven’t stepped outside yet in this freezing cold…come on Spring!!!
HAHA! Oh my gosh, I seriously can’t believe how crazy this cold front is! Stay warm!
Oh this is so genius. Looks delish!
Thanks Jocelyn!
I am with you on the ice cream in January. We have a freezer out in the garage JUST for ice cream… all year long! I love a selection, what can I say? AND, we have a bowl every night before bed… right in front of the fireplace!
I actually have an ice cream maker with TWO freezer bowls JUST so I can always have one in the freezer ready and cold to make ice cream on a whim. I’m loving the marshmallow fluff in the recipe! This is on my list to make…. in this blizzard-y cold weather!
O.M.G. I love that. I am secretly excited for the day to come when we purchase a second fridge for our garage so I can hide all my bags of chocolate chips, pounds of butter and loads of ice cream!
Can I come live with you???