This homemade Peach Ice Cream is summer in a cone! It’s a classic ice cream recipe that delivers old-fashioned flavor and texture, just like the kind you buy at your local ice cream shop!
While I adore Cottage Cheese Ice Cream, sometimes I want classic ice cream made with heavy cream and churned to fluffy, frozen perfection. It’s all about balance, right?! So for those days I want to treat myself, I love this peach ice cream recipe. It’s super creamy, rich, and the fragrant peaches really knock it out of the park!
Why I Can’t Get Enough of This Peach Ice Cream
Seriously, I could eat it all day long. And once you give it a try, you’ll want it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner too!
- Fantastic peach flavor. This recipe uses real peaches (with a little boost from peach extract, if you’d like), so you get that lovely flavor and little bits of peaches throughout.
- Creamy, rich texture. This ice cream is made with heavy cream and it’s churned, so it’s truly no different from the ice cream you’d get at an ice cream shop.
- A fun kitchen project. No-churn ice cream recipes are convenient, but sometimes it’s more rewarding to make it the “real” way! If you have kids, they will love helping you and watching the ice cream churn in the machine!
What You’ll Need
You really don’t need much to make this peach ice cream recipe! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Peaches – Frozen peaches are picked and frozen at the peak of ripeness, so they’re more reliable than fresh.
- Sugar
- Heavy cream – This is also labeled as heavy whipping cream.
- Milk – Whole milk works best.
- Vanilla extract
- Peach extract – Optional, for a more intense peach flavor.
Can I Use Fresh Peaches to Make This Recipe?
Absolutely! When fresh, local peaches are in season, you can swap those in instead of frozen. Just make sure they are perfectly ripe and sweet. You’ll need to blanch and peel them, then remove the pits and cut them into pieces.
How to Make Peach Ice Cream
Making homemade peach ice cream is the perfect activity for a rainy summer day! Here’s an overview of the steps involved.
- Thaw the peaches. Let the peaches thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Before staring the recipe, toss them with ½ cup of sugar and let them sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Puree. Set aside ½ cup of the peaches and blend the rest, including any juices that accumulated in the bowl.
- Make the base. Whisk the remaining sugar, heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and peach extract (if you’re using it) in a bowl. Stir in the peach puree.
- Churn. Follow your ice cream maker's instructions and add the reserved chopped peaches in the last 5 minutes of churning time.
- Chill. If you want a soft serve consistency, you can eat the ice cream right away. For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container or loaf pan, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Tips and Variations
Here are a few additional pointers and variations to try with your peach ice cream.
- Skip the churning. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can make this recipe without it; the texture just won’t be as light and fluffy. You have two options for this: toss the thawed peaches with the sugar and allow them to rest for 15 minutes, then blend them together with the rest of the ingredients and freeze. Another method is to blend the frozen peaches with the remaining ingredients in a high-power food processor for instant ice cream
- Make grilled peach ice cream. Instead of thawed frozen peaches, you can use grilled ones. The peach flavor will be more intense, with a hint of smokiness.
- Add lavender. You can add lavender extract or culinary paste to the ice cream for a floral flavor that pairs amazingly with peaches.
- Try an add-in. Fold bits of vanilla wafers, graham crackers, raspberry jam, or other add-ins into the ice cream before freezing.
How to Store
Homemade peach ice cream will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to store it in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed over the top of the ice cream to prevent any ice crystals from forming.
More Frozen Treats to Try This Summer
Peach Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped frozen peaches (thawed), skin removed
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peach extract optional
Instructions
Prepare the peaches:
- Allow your peaches to thaw overnight in the fridge. Toss peaches with ½ cup of sugar and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
- Reserve ½ cup of the peaches, but without the juice. Blend the remaining peaches with the juice in a food blender, and set aside.
Prepare the base:
- Make the creamy base: In a large bowl, whisk the remaining sugar, heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and peach extract, if you are using one.
- Stir in the peach puree until well combined.
Churn and freeze:
- Churn the ice cream according to your manufacturer's directions. In the last five minutes, add the reserved chopped peaches. You will get a soft serve with this. If you want firmer ice cream, transfer the peach ice cream into a freezer-friendly container, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Serve as desired.
Nutrition
