This easy-to-make minty, frozen treat will cool you down any time of year.
Summertime is the perfect time for this peppermint ice cream recipe, as it’s about halfway through the year, which means halfway until the holiday season rolls around again. The stores will soon be filled with decorations of all types, and packages of candy canes will be displayed on the shelves. It brings the promise of cooler air down the road, except here in Florida, where you would never know it’s the holidays.
No worries, though, as this ice cream helps to cool you down on the hottest days. Also called candy cane ice cream, since many people use those treats to crush and add to the mixture, this frozen treat reminds us that any holiday food can be a year-round delight. After all, peppermint is a breath refresher, and many restaurants keep these candies in bowls for us to grab on our way out.
This is such an easy recipe to make, as there is nothing to cook. The result is the creamiest, mintiest (thanks also to the peppermint extract), most cooling and refreshing ice cream you could want. Do not use mint extract in place of peppermint extract, as the result will not turn out the same. By the way, if you like the combination of peppermint and chocolate, feel free to add some mini chocolate chips, dark chocolate shavings, or even chopped brownies with the crushed candies. If you want to enhance the ice cream even further, break up pieces of peppermint bark and mix that in, as well. YUM!
You can make a dairy-free version of this ice cream by substituting canned coconut cream for the heavy cream and milk listed in the ingredients. It will be just as rich and good as this version. I haven’t tried this recipe with other non-dairy heavy creams, so if you do, let us know how it turned out in the comments below.
How do you crush peppermint candies?
One of the delicious features of this peppermint ice cream recipe is the crushed peppermint candy pieces speckled throughout. They are not only visually appealing against the backdrop of the vanilla ice cream (turning the ice cream a delightful shade of pink), but they are also fun to crunch. Of course, you want the pieces to be tiny, so crushing them well is crucial. After all, big chunks of peppermint candy or candy canes in the ice cream may be hard on the teeth.
We all have our methods for crushing the candies. Mine depends on my mood. If, for some reason, I’m feeling a bit frustrated, agitated, or aggressive, the best way I know to take out those feelings is on a bag full of candy. I place the candy pieces inside a zippered freezer bag and squeeze out all the air. Then, I place the bag between two towels on the counter, grab a mallet, hammer, or rolling pin, and bang away until my candy is nice and crushed. Of course, a food processor will work fine, pulsing until you reach the desired state.
How do I store leftovers?
When your peppermint ice cream recipe is ready for the freezer, transfer it to an airtight container or two. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the ice cream’s surface to prevent freezer burn, then close tightly. The ice cream will stay fresh for up to 3 months. If it lasts that long in your house, I want to know your secret! If the ice cream is too hard when you remove it from the freezer, let it sit on the counter for up to 10 minutes to soften before serving.
Serving suggestions
This peppermint ice cream recipe is perfect for enjoying after any meal, especially after comforting dishes like Chicken Cornbread Casserole, Crock-Pot Beef Stew, and Pasta Alla Gricia. It will also cool you down after a meal of Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas or this Texas Chili Recipe. If you like this recipe and want to try an even mintier version with chocolate chips, check out this Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe for a change of pace. It’s utterly delicious, too.
Peppermint Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream cold
- 1 cup whole milk cold
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2/3 cup finely crushed peppermint candy plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, and a pinch of salt until the sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust peppermint extract if needed.
- Mix 1/3 cup crushed candies into the milk mixture. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually about 20-30 minutes.
- During the last few minutes of churning, add the remaining 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candy to the ice cream maker.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm.
- Serve garnished with additional candy pieces on top.
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