Peanut Butter Lover’s Ice Cream
Now, you know I am one of the world’s biggest peanut butter lovers. I put peanut butter on nearly everything, and make no apologies for it. I’ve loved peanut butter since I was a kid; so much so, that I even had a peanut butter and jelly sleeping bag. Given my affinity for the stuff, it’s hard to believe that I never experienced peanut butter ice cream until I went away to college. The main dining hall at my college had an ice cream freezer where you could scoop your own ice cream on the way out. Once of the ice creams was peanut butter swirl, which was was peanut butter ice cream with an unbelievable peanut butter swirl in the middle. That ice cream played a pivotal role in my packing on the freshman fifteen, but I couldn’t quit it if I tried.
How it has taken me nearly five years of having an ice cream maker to make straight-up peanut butter ice cream is beyond me. The important thing, however, is that I did it and that it is absolutely, positively amazing. If you love peanut butter, this ice cream is for you.
To make this ice cream, I used my favorite vanilla ice cream recipe, omitted the vanilla bean and added peanut butter, then swirled in more melted peanut butter as I transferred the ice cream to its container. Basically, this is a peanut butter lover’s dream. It’s like eating big spoonfuls of smooth, creamy, cold peanut butter. I certainly mean that in the best way possible.
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While I think this is definitely peanut butter ice cream in the purest form possible, you could throw even more layers of flavors in here if you’d like. You could add a fudge swirl, peanut butter cups, or any number of other add-ins. You could also scoop this into a bowl, drizzle on some hot fudge and top with whipped cream. I’ve been eating it by the spoonful from the container. I’m not here to judge how you eat your ice cream.
It may have been a long time coming, but this peanut butter ice cream was absolutely worth the wait.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy peanut butter ice cream?
One year ago: Rainbow Ribbon Jello
Two years ago: Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw
Three years ago: Quiche Lorraine Pizza
Four years ago: Eggplant Lasagna Tart with Parmesan-Basil Crust
Five years ago: Beef Wellington
Peanut Butter Lover's Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Ice Cream:
- 1 cup (244 ml) whole milk
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (129 g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups (476 ml) heavy cream, divided
- Pinch of salt
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Peanut Butter Swirl:
- ½ cup (129 g) creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
- Warm the milk, sugar, peanut butter, 1 cup of the heavy cream and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the peanut butter has melted. Continue cooking until the mixture comes to a slight simmer, bubbling around the edges of the pan.
- Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and place a fine-mesh sieve on top. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a rubber spatula, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula, a few minutes. The mixture should register 170 to 175 degrees F on an instant-read digital thermometer.
- Pour the custard through the fine-mesh sieve and stir it into the cream. Stir in the vanilla extract and place the bowl over an ice bath. Stir occasionally, until the mixture is cool. Cover and transfer the custard to the refrigerator until completely chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. As you remove the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, drop dollops of the melted peanut butter over each layer of ice cream. Once all of the ice cream and peanut butter has been placed in the container, use a butter knife to gently swirl the mixture. Store the ice cream in the freezer.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
FANTASTIC ice cream!! So creamy!
This was the best peanut butter ice cream I’ve had! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I can’t believe I managed to not eat the whole thing in one sitting.
So glad you enjoyed it, Matthew!
I needed to make peanut butter ice cream for a family request, and I used this recipe because I recognized the base as the basic vanilla base in The Perfect Scoop and I know this is a really good. And indeed, the ice cream tastes yummy.
The problem I just had was the ice cream got so hard so quickly (because of the peanut butter?) I didn’t get the normal volume of ice cream I typically get with the basic vanilla recipe. It didn’t churn long enough to fully aerate the ice cream. I used a Cuisinart ICE -70 ice cream maker and used the typical settings I’ve always used. With less ice cream the peanut butter for the swirl ratio was off.
Have you any suggestions on how I could adjust this (recipe or ice cream program) so I can get more volume? The ice cream itself is very tasty, there just isn’t as much of it as normal.
Thank you!
Using Erithritol and duck eggs! Made a genache to swirl in after freezing.
Shaaaablam!
I just took this ice cream out of the maker and ran around my kitchen after trying the first bite. It’s exactly what I was looking for. I made a couple small changes based on my own tastes (half the vanilla and no PB swirl) – but listen, this is a WINNER! Thanks for the wonderful recipe. It’s a keeper, and I’ll be making this one again for sure.
Question more than reply. Step 1 you’re melting peanut butter with milk etc. in last step you’re swirling more melted peanut butter? Please clarify.
I was hoping to find some clarification as well. Seem like everyone else has not mentioned how they did it or skipped it. Since im not comprehending her steps im going to just try and swirl with each layer.
It’s a peanut butter swirl through the ice cream (kinda like if you were adding peanut butter cups). I’ve made it with and without…fine either way.
This is the best, creamiest ice cream I have ever made.
Haven’t tested the outcome yet, it’s still cooling in the fridge, but based on the taste tests i’ve done – this should be good.
I skipped the swirl. Instead I grabbed milk chocolate, melted in a pan with chunky PB, spread it out on greaseproof paper and let set in the fridge. The plan is to crush it and put it in the machine while churning – leaving some to ad before serve.
I am looking for a plain peanut butter ice cream recipe = can I omit the peanut butter swirl, or will it affect the flavor? Thank you!!
Hi Janet, You can absolutely do that. Enjoy!
How much is a serving
I followed this recipe exactly as written, and the ice cream turned out way too custard-y and rich. It had an unusual chewy texture too. It’s the first time I’ve made ice cream with egg yolks, so I don’t know if egg-based ice creams are supposed to have these characteristics?
People who had made this icecream & commented on here seemed to have really liked it, so maybe it’s just a personal preference that I have for the more traditional non-custard ice creams without any eggs.
The flavour was not entirely bad though, so I might try it again- maybe with 1 or 2 egg yolks instead.
Holy smokes. This is epic. Incredible. Easy. Creamy. Perfection.
I’ve never made ice cream this smooth before! I believe it was the step for sieving the egg custard before the final step of mixing and freezing. It removed any milk or egg solids. The flavor was amazing and even my husband, who isn’t a huge fan of peanut butter, scraped his bowl clean.
If I have one 250ml single cream and one 250ml thick cream – which one do I use for which part?
I’m a macaron baker and am always tossing my egg yolks, so I occasionally whip up some ice cream when I’m in the mood. I absolutely love everything peanut butter and I know Michelle does too, so I had to try this one. OMGosh, I’m trying hard not to finish the whole batch, but I can’t stop thinking about it. My freezer keeps calling me to take a spoonful. It’s so smooth and oh so peanutty, I just love it. I’m tempted to make a peanut butter shake, but I want it to last as long as possible. I have posted a picture on my Instagram – Betsysmacarons if you want to see how it turned out. Enjoy!
I made this and made a last minute decision to leave out the swirled pb and instead add crushed up peanut butter Oreos. The custard is so smooth and delicious. Very easy recipe. I will try the swirl next.
I have a peanut butter loving husband, dad and advisor, so I’m making genius kitchen’s soft peanut butter cookies then filling them with your ice cream for the ultimate peanut butter ice cream sandwich :) The only question…. to roll them in crushed peanuts or not?!
Oooooh yes, yes!
Delicious! My husband makes this ice cream and it is my all time favorite! It is super smooth and creamy!
Whether you are a novice in the kitchen or you are a professional. I am an intermediate if you like peanut butter you need and I mean need to make this ice cream. It is unbelievably good ice cream. The flavor the texture and ease are superior. Haagen-Dazs has nothing on this. I could go on forever. I have made a quart and it is gone luckily I have a two quart ice cream maker and I have the custard in the fridgerator now for two quarts. I only made on tiny change and that was to put one full cup of peanut butter in this custard. Everything else I did as you said and I cannot stop eating this. There is no dinner made we had peanut butter cones for dinner tonight. Thank you. For the novice I recommend that you use the sieve you do not want custard pieces that set in the cooking in your ice cream. That is why you use the sieve.
Another of your 5 STAR recipes! Excellent! I used JIF creamy PB..this ice cream is amazing..as is your Vanilla Bean and your Chocolate! Thank you so very much for sharing….oh I forgot to mention your Carmel Sauce…fabulous too!
Very delicious ice cream. You don’t know how many frozen dairy desserts ( no eggs) recipes I had to wade through, until I found your ice cream recipe. Loved it.
I made chocolate chocolate chip cookies, so we could make ice cream sandwiches. It is rare, that I don’t have to make adjustments to a recipe, this one is a keeper.