Peppermint Ice Cream Recipe

a green bowl of homemade peppermint ice cream

Creamy, sweet, and just minty enough, this homemade peppermint ice cream is what you need for the holidays or whenever you want some pretty in pink no churn ice cream.

Don't forget to chill your can of sweetened condensed milk before using!

Course Ice Cream Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Freezer Time 6

Total Time 6 10

Servings servings

Calories 265kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Equipment

Ingredients

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk 1 grocery-sized can in the US, or 397 grams
20 Starlight mints coarsely crushed
1 pint heavy whipping cream 454 grams, 16 oz, or 2 cups
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
4-8 drops peppermint oil to taste
4-5 drops red food coloring optional

Instructions

The Day Before
Put the can of sweetened condensed milk in the refrigerator. You want it cold for when you whip it with the cream.
To Make the Ice Cream
Put the mints in a heavy duty zip top bag and crush them with a rolling pin or a meat pounder. Some will be in pieces, and you'll also end up with a lot of super fine peppermint "sand." Set it all aside.
In a large glass bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, pour the cold sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, the salt, 4 drops peppermint oil, and 2-3 drops of red food coloring.
Whip everything until the whip leaves tracks in the cream and it's about the consistency of thick melted ice cream (see Video).
Add 2-3 additional drops of red food coloring if you think it needs it. Quickly blend it in.
Pour in all the crushed candies and "peppermint sand" and whip for about 5 seconds to distribute evenly.
Taste the mixture and add an additional 1-3 drops of peppermint oil for a stronger mint flavor. Do this to taste, 1 drop at a time.
Scrape your ice cream into a container (I use a plastic wrap-lined loaf pan).
Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream and freeze until firm all the way through, 4 to 6 hours.
Serve and enjoy.

Video

Notes

Don't forget to chill your sweetened condensed milk the day before making. Nothing horrible will happen if you don't, but your mixture will whip up more quickly and be more stable if you do.

To store leftovers, press the plastic wrap back down onto the leftover ice cream and freeze until needed. Your homemade peppermint ice cream will stay creamy for at least a week and possibly beyond. For best flavor, finish it within 4-5 days.

Nutrition