Peppermint Ice Cream

Creamy and delicious homemade Peppermint Ice Cream is the perfect Christmas dessert to make and enjoy this holiday season!

Peppermint Ice Cream is delicious on its own, but I highly recommend putting a big scoop inside some Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate or serving it with some Whipped Cream and Hot Fudge Sauce on top.

‘Tis the Season!

I know this isn’t exactly ice cream “season”, but this is a fabulous seasonal treat that is sure to be a hit with your family.

There are certain things I HAVE to make each Christmas – Buckeye Balls, Snowballs, Snickerdoodles, Crinkle Cookies, Sugar Cookies and this homemade Peppermint Ice Cream.

Indulging in this Peppermint Ice Cream is just as much of a tradition as making reindeer food and gingerbread houses! It’s perfect with a cup of Hot Chocolate.

This best Peppermint Ice Cream recipe is so easy. This is the base I use for almost all my homemade ice cream recipes. Simply use a different kind of extract to change up the flavor.

How to Make Peppermint Ice Cream

MIX. Combine all ingredients (besides candies) in a blender and process until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, use a food processor or whisk vigorously until smooth.

CHILL. Refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour and up to 24 hours.

ICE CREAM MAKER. Using an ice cream maker, prepare ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding crushed candies during the last 5 minutes.

FREEZE. Pour ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Freeze until set.

Tips for ice cream makers:

• Use peppermint extract and not mint.
• Use high-quality ingredients.
• Use full-fat cream.
• Don’t overfill the ice cream machine’s bowl. If you have extra mixture, store it in a container in the fridge until you can churn it.
• Use ROCK salt not other types of salt.
• Keep extra rock salt and ice around. You use more than you think.

No ice cream maker? No problem! 

It really is so easy. Just follow these simple steps…

1. Pre-chill a glass or metal bowl in the freezer.
2. Pour the prepared Peppermint Ice Cream mixture (that has been chilling in the fridge) into the cold bowl. 
3. Place the bowl of cream into the coldest section of your freezer. Allow it to freeze until thickened, but still stirrable.
4. Once thick, stir the cream every 30 minutes and then put it back into the freezer. The stirring will help the mixture stay aerated and creamy. Be sure to stir quickly so that none of the cream melts. 
5. Repeat step 4 for the next 3-4 hours or until the cream has become the right consistency.

Recipe Tips

Ice crystals. There are a couple of main reasons that ice crystals form.

• Too much water was added to the main mixture. Make the recipe as written and do not adjust the ingredient amounts (such as using less sugar or using fat-free dairy if the recipe calls for full fat). 
• The ice cream is taking too long to cream and freeze. When it takes too long, the cream melts and can refreeze with ice crystals. 

“Egg Beaters” egg product is 99% egg whites, no egg yolks, and less than 1% of flavoring, vitamins, and a thickener like xanthan gum. To make your own, use 4 egg whites equal to about 4 ounces or ½ cup of egg whites. Beat the egg whites until frothy and then use them in the recipe. 

Peppermint has always seemed to be a winter flavor, which was solidified even more due to the invention of the peppermint stick and then the candy cane.  

Peppermint is a type of mint that contains higher amounts of menthol which gives it a “cold” sensation.

• Be sure to use peppermint extract not essential oil. 
• Peppermint candy pieces can be made using crushed candy canes, round candies, or sticks. Crush the candies into fine powder or larger pieces for a bit of a crunch in your ice cream.

Variations. Plain Peppermint Ice Cream is absolutely delicious, but you can easily jazz it up with some yummy mix-ins.

Do not add them until the ice cream base has started to freeze or serve them on the side to use as toppings.

• crushed plain or peppermint Oreo Cookies
• mini M&Ms
• mini chocolate chips
• brownie bits
• white chocolate chips

Storing Info

STORE. For best results, only store homemade ice cream in the freezer for 3-4 weeks. Homemade ice cream tends to melt a lot faster than store-bought so be careful how long you let it sit out while scooping.

My advice to you is to stock up on peppermint candies. Once your family tries this Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream, you’ll be asked to make it again and again! 

For more peppermint recipes, check out:

• Peppermint Chocolate Delight
• Peppermint Milkshake
• White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Cocoa
• Peppermint Brownie Trifle
• Peppermint Meltaways