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Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

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This homemade pumpkin pie ice cream is rich, creamy, and filled with real pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Swirled with crunchy Graham cracker crumbs, it’s a delicious fall treat that’s a million times better than anything you’ll find in the store.

The Best Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Fall is here, but don’t retire that ice cream maker just yet! This homemade pumpkin pie ice cream is melt-in-your-mouth, filled with the rich flavors of pumpkin and spice in a silky custard base. After making it once, it’s guaranteed to become a fall staple. The texture is just as delicious as anything you’ll find in the grocery store, and you’ll have the satisfaction of making it totally from scratch.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe

  • Plenty of pumpkin flavor. This ice cream recipe is rich, creamy, and filled with fall flavor. Every bite tastes just like homemade pumpkin pie, complete with graham cracker crumbs to imitate the crust.
  • Rich and creamy. The creamy custard base is totally parlor-worthy, made with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice churned with silky heavy cream sweetened with brown sugar.
  • Spiked (or not). One more surprise? A splash of bourbon. You can leave it out, of course, but bourbon pairs deliciously with pumpkin. It really sets this ice cream above the rest!
Pumpkin ice cream in an ice cream scoop

Key Ingredients

This homemade pumpkin pie ice cream recipe begins with a custard base combined with a handful of key ingredients (outlined below) for that rich, creamy texture and delightful pumpkin spice flavor. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card for the full measurements and recipe instructions.

  • Cream – A combination of half-and-half and full-fat heavy whipping cream makes this ice cream ultra-light and creamy.
  • Brown Sugar – Sweetens the ice cream and gives it a rich, caramelized flavor. You can use regular granulated sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Egg Yolks – Yolks form the base of the custard that’s cooked and eventually churned into delicious pumpkin ice cream.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • Bourbon – Optional, but it gives this ice cream an adult twist along with additional depth of flavor.
  • Pumpkin Puree – Make sure that you grab a can of real pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Graham Crackers
A blue pan of homemade pumpkin ice cream

How To Make Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

If you’re new to making ice cream in the ice cream maker, let’s go over the steps below. It does require tempering the eggs, but with some attention it’s smooth sailing! Here’s how to make pumpkin ice cream from scratch:

  • Prepare the sugar and cream mixture. Cook the half-and-half, heavy whipping cream, and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir frequently until the brown sugar is dissolved.
  • Temper the eggs. Whisk together the egg yolks, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Gradually whisk in part of the warmed liquid mixture. Whisk quickly to prevent the eggs from cooking.
  • Cook the custard. Transfer the egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, being sure not to boil, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
  • Add the remaining ingredients. Strain the liquid through sieve to remove any pieces of egg, then add the bourbon and vanilla. Whisk in the pumpkin puree until smooth.
  • Chill. Place plastic wrap right on the surface of the mixture. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until well chilled.
  • Churn. Transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker. Churn until the custard has thickened.
  • Freeze. Combine the graham crackers and melted butter. Pour the ice cream into a freezer-safe container, layering with the graham cracker crumbs. Freeze for 3 or more hours. (Overnight is ideal.)

Do I Need An Ice Cream Maker For This Recipe?

You will need an ice cream maker to churn your creamy pumpkin pie ice cream in this recipe. It takes a bit more effort to temper the eggs for custard-based ice cream, and a bit more time for churning, but it’s 100% worth the extra effort. Make sure to read the instructions for your ice cream maker model in advance, as most involve chilling the bowl overnight. No ice cream maker? Try my no-churn pumpkin ice cream instead.

Recipe Tips and Variations

If this is your first time making custard-based ice cream, don’t worry. Here are a few tips to help you out.

    • Work quickly with the egg yolks. It’s important to both pour the hot mixture in slowly and whisk the egg yolks quickly. Whisking them quickly adds more air to the mixture, which helps prevent the egg yolks from cooking. Trust me, you don’t want bits of scrambled eggs in your ice cream!

    • Do not boil the custard. Once the egg yolks have been tempered and the custard is cooking, take care to avoid boiling the mixture. Again, this can cause the eggs to cook or the custard mixture to burn.

    • Allow plenty of time for chilling. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is just letting the custard mixture chill. It will come together in the ice cream maker much easier when it’s properly chilled.

    • Place the plastic wrap on the custard. Before refrigerating the custard, be sure to place plastic wrap directly on the mixture. This helps prevent any “skin” from forming.

    • Use leftover egg whites. This recipe calls for the yolks from 5 eggs. That leaves just the right number of leftover whites to make a batch of dreamy Swiss meringue buttercream.

A small white bowl with scoops of pumpkin spice ice cream

Serving Suggestions

This pumpkin pie ice cream is a treat on its own in a bowl, sprinkled with crumbled Graham crackers. The sweet, creamy texture is also perfect with a crunchy waffle cone. If you want to add a little something extra, try these ideas:

How to Store Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

The best way to store homemade ice cream is in a freezer-safe Tupperware or another freezer-safe airtight container. Press a layer of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the ice cream before closing the lid, to help prevent freezer burn. Properly stored, this pumpkin ice cream will keep for up to 2 weeks.

More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

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Scoops of pumpkin spice ice cream in a gray bowl

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Chill Time: 3 hours
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 5 cups

Description

This homemade pumpkin pie ice cream is the real deal! It’s a rich and creamy custard base filled with the flavors of real pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice, layered with crunchy Graham cracker crumbs.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the half-and-half, heavy whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the brown sugar or until bubbles form around the edges of the pan.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
  3. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the warmed liquid mixture into the eggs and continue to whisk until smooth, work quickly so as not to cook the egg yolks.
  4. Pour the egg mixture back into the liquid mixture in the saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture coats the back of a large metal spoon, about 4 minutes. Do not boil.
  5. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl, then stir in the bourbon and vanilla.
  6. Next, whisk the pumpkin into the mixture until thoroughly combined. Cover the surface of the liquid with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours.
  7. Churn in your ice cream maker until the custard has thickened.
  8. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and stir to combine. As you pour the ice cream into your freezer-safe container, layer in the graham cracker crumbs.
  9. Pour the liquid into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 or more hours.

Equipment

Notes

  • Storing: Homemade pumpkin ice cream will last for up to 2 weeks, if stored properly. The best way to store homemade ice cream is in a freezer-safe plastic or Tupperware container.
  • Recipe slightly adapted from BHG.com 
Nutrition Information:
1/2 cup
233
18.9 g
131.9 mg
14 g
23.4 g
0.8 g
3.7 g
127.5 mg
  • Category: Ice Cream
  • Method: Ice Cream Maker
  • Cuisine: American

Leave a Comment

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5 Responses
  1. Sonja

    At what point do you add this mixture to the ice cream maker? You said this wasn’t a no churn recipe, however your instructions do not contain the churn time.






    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Sonja, I am looking back at the BHG website, this is an older recipe I made for them and unfortunately I can’t recall the specific churn time snd Better Homes and Gardens doesn’t seem to list it either. I will amend this with a note on the recipe. Generally speaking you should be churning the ice cream until it reaches a thick consistency.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Thank you Candace. BHG took down their blog where this was posted. I just updated the link to the original recipe and posted a recipe card with my updates on it. Appreciate it!

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