This homemade sweet potato ice cream is the perfect fall treat! It’s an easy recipe for the ice cream maker, swirled with melty marshmallow, brown sugar, and cozy cinnamon spice.

Sweet potato is such a versatile fall ingredient. I love it in recipes like sweet potato cake and it adds tons of flavor to this homemade ice cream. For another easy fall dessert, try this apple ice cream, too!

Two scoops of sweet potato ice cream in a white bowl.

Homemade Sweet Potato Ice Cream

This sweet potato ice cream is delightfully fall-themed and one of my favorite ice cream recipes for the ice cream maker. Every bite is filled with warm fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, flavored with brown sugar and real sweet potato puree. Swirled with marshmallow, it’s like the cool and creamy version of a sweet potato casserole!

The Perfect Fall Treat

I love the hint of savoriness that sweet potato brings to the sweet, spiced flavors in this ice cream recipe. It’s the ultimate fall dessert. Here’s 3 more reasons you’ll love it.

Easy to make. Making ice cream at home takes a bit of time, but the results are totally worth it. This sweet potato ice cream recipe is very straightforward. You’ll need an ice cream maker, but the ingredients are simple and the flavors come out second to none.
Scoopable texture. My recipe uses a few key ingredients to give this ice cream a perfectly smooth, scoopable texture. Nothing beats the creamy freshness of homemade ice cream!
Swirled with marshmallow (or not). My favorite local ice cream parlor, Salt and Straw, makes a sweet potato casserole ice cream every year that’s swirled with marshmallow fluff which inspired this recipe. Adding marshmallow to this recipe is optional, so you can just as easily enjoy it without.

Overhead view of an ice cream cone with sweet potato ice cream laying on its side next to a striped tea towel.

Ingredient Notes

The base recipe for this ice cream is from my Portland local favorite, Salt and Straw. It’s very similar to my recipe for pumpkin ice cream but with a few minor tweaks. I’ve included my notes here, and you’ll find a printable ingredients list in the recipe card below the post.

Sweet Potato Puree – I include directions on how to roast and puree sweet potato from scratch to use for the ice cream base. You can also buy canned sweet potato puree from the store.
Brown Sugar – I love the caramelized flavor that comes with brown sugar. You can use brown sugar in combination or swapped for granulated sugar if needed.
Dry Milk Powder – Dry milk powder is an affordable ingredient that enhances the milky flavor of the ice cream.
Spices – Ground cinnamon and nutmeg are key spices in this recipe. Depending on how much spice you’d like, you can use anywhere from ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
Xanthan Gum – Acts as a binder, which you would typically get from eggs in custard-based ice cream recipes. As noted by thekitchn.com, xanthan gum helps to prevent ice crystals from forming, for a richer, creamier ice cream.
Salt – This is not part of Salt and Straw’s standard base recipe, but I like to add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of this ice cream.
Corn Syrup – Corn syrup is the secret to homemade ice cream that’s scoopable at freezing temperatures. I recommend light corn syrup.
Marshmallow Fluff – Optional, but adding a swirl of marshmallow is my nod to the original Salt and Straw Sweet Potato Casserole ice cream (a fan fave!). I mix melted marshmallow fluff with heavy cream so that it’s pourable. Alternatively, you could drizzle it on top of the ice cream, too. I included more notes about this below.

Sweet potato ice cream ingredients with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

Marshmallow in Ice Cream

When I asked my audience about adding marshmallow to the sweet potato ice cream, they overwhelmingly agreed it should have it. Here’s a couple observations I made.

Marshmallow doesn’t freeze well. The marshmallow fluff itself, when left in spoonfuls, freezes in a way that makes it difficult to scoop, and while it does freeze, it is not the same consistency as the ice cream.
Drizzling the marshmallow is best. You want to avoid large areas of just fluff. Combining the fluff with heavy cream allows you to drizzle it into the ice cream and actually swirl it into the base.
Marshmallow thaws quickly. I love the flavor of the marshmallow in the ice cream, but it does making scooping it interesting. When the ice cream is resting on the counter before scoop, the marshmallow thaws much faster than the ice cream base. When you scoop it, is can be difficult because it’s not as frozen as the ice cream.

How to Make Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Many ice cream makers require pre-chilling, sometimes overnight, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions and plan accordingly. The steps to make this homemade sweet potato ice cream are very simple. Follow along below, and scroll down to the recipe card for printable instructions.

Prepare the sweet potato. Get the sweet potato roasting at 400ºF for 25-30 minutes until it’s fork-tender. Next, scoop out the filling (you can discard the skins) and set it aside to cool.
Make the ice cream base. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Meanwhile, heat milk and corn syrup in a saucepan. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, cooking only until the sugar dissolves. Afterward, strain the base through a sieve and stir in heavy cream and vanilla. Set aside to let it cool for a few minutes.
Combine. In a blender or food processor, combine about half of the liquid base with the sweet potato puree. Blend until that’s smooth, and then stir it back into the mixing bowl with the rest of the base. Cover and chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours.

Sweet potato ice cream base in a large glass bowl. — Prepare the ice cream base.

Overhead view of sweet potato ice cream churning inside the ice cream maker. — Prepare the ice cream base.

Churn. Later, churn the ice cream base according to your ice cream maker’s directions. This should take 20-30minutes.
Finish and freeze. If you’re adding a marshmallow swirl, whisk together heavy cream with the marshmallow fluff. Add the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, with a drizzle of marshmallow fluff between layers, and then place the ice cream into the freezer for 4-6 hours.

Melted marshmallow fluff swirled over sweet potato ice cream mixture inside a loaf pan. — Layer the ice cream into a container with marshmallow.

Overhead view of sweet potato ice cream swirled with marshmallow in a loaf pan. — Layer the ice cream into a container with marshmallow.

Julianne’s Tips

The sugar must be completely dissolved. When preparing the ice cream base, carefully rub a drip of the milk and sugar mixture between your fingertips. It should feel completely smooth and not grainy.
Keep an eye on the ice cream as it churns. If you notice liquid rising to the top, stop the machine and stir the liquid down into the rest of the ice cream so it churns properly.
If you have a Ninja Creami, this ice cream recipe works perfectly with the Creami, too! It makes for an extra smooth ice cream consistency.
Don’t worry if your sweet potato ice cream is a bit icy. Homemade ice cream is always a bit icier due to the ice crystals that form during the churning process. It still tastes great! I recommend taking the ice cream out of the freezer 10-15 minutes before scooping for best results.
Use a damp ice cream scoop. The ice cream scoops best when the scoop is a little damp and clean. You can also run the scoop under hot water to help it cut through the ice cream a little easier.

Overhead view of sweet potato ice cream in a loaf pan with an ice cream scoop.

Serving Suggestions

I love this sweet potato ice cream served alone, or scooped onto a slice of warm apple pie or pumpkin pie a la mode! As far as toppings go, enjoy this ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce or topped with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg or cinnamon. It’s also great sprinkled with chopped pecans for crunch!

Overhead view of two ice cream cones with scoops of sweet potato ice cream laying on their side.

How to Store

Store this homemade sweet potato ice cream in a freezer-safe, airtight container. I like to press a layer of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the ice cream to keep it from icing over. Homemade ice cream lasts about 1 week in the freezer.

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