Pistachio Ice Cream
Sweet and creamy with hints of nuttiness, this easy Pistachio Ice Cream recipe is nothing short of dreamy. Made with real pistachios, cream, eggs and sugar, this simple dessert is rich and decadent.
Summer’s right around the corner which means gallons of ice cream are on the menu. From refreshing Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream to ultra rich chocolate, we do love to expand our palate when it comes to trying our had at our favorite flavors. And this Pistachio Ice Cream is like nothing you’ll ever buy at the store.
Pistachio Ice Cream
If you’re a pistachio lover, this ice cream is for you. It’s not overly nutty at all but has a great essence of pistachio throughout the cream. It’s light, like vanilla with bits of pistachio studded throughout and makes a surprisingly fantastic topping for Apple Pie in the fall.
This recipe skips the food coloring which makes Pistachio Ice Cream it’s vibrant green color. It’s not a necessary ingredient and I like to keep things as clean as possible when it comes to my ice cream.
How to Make It
Making ice cream is really simple to do and you can make this with or without an ice cream maker.
Grind the pistachios and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a food processor, being careful not to turn the mixture into butter.
Add the remaining pistachios and pulse 3-4 times to chop up the nuts.
Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a large saucepan and then remove from heat.
Combine the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a mixing bowl.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until it becomes pale yellow in color.
Slowly whisk 1 1/2 cups of the milk mixture into the eggs.
Add the egg mixture to the hot cream in a saucepan whisking constantly to ensure the eggs do not scramble.
Cook the custard over low heat, stirring frequently, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat and strain into a large bowl.
Add the pistachio mixture, almond extract and vanilla extract, stirring to combine.
Cover with plastic wrap (be sure to press down against the surface so a skin doesn’t form) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine.
Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can make a no-churn ice cream by pouring the chilled base into an airtight container and popping it into the freezer. Every 30 minutes or so, give it a stir and return to the freezer. Repeat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
How To Serve It
When you’re ready to enjoy your homemade Pistachio Ice Cream, remove the container from the freezer for 10 minutes before scooping.
You can then enjoy your ice cream in a bowl topped with whipped cream or top a freshly baked waffle to make a sundae.
We also love Pistachio Ice Cream with a drizzle of Magic Shell!
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Get the Recipe: Pistachio Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
- ice cream maker
Instructions
- Finely grind 1/2 cup of the pistachios and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a food processor, being careful not to turn the mixture into butter.
- Add the remaining pistachios and pulse 3-4 times to chop up the nuts.
- Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a large saucepan and then remove from heat.
- Combine the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until it becomes pale yellow in color.
- Slowly whisk 1 1/2 cups of the milk mixture into the eggs to temper the eggs. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream in a saucepan whisking constantly to ensure the eggs do not scramble.
- Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and strain into a large bowl. Add the pistachio mixture, almond extract and vanilla extract, stirring to combine.
- Cover with plastic wrap (be sure to press down against the surface so a skin doesn’t form) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
- Remove from the refrigerator and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine.
- Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.