This Easter season, you can make your very own Bunny Tracks Ice Cream at home! The sweet vanilla ice cream is packed with peanut butter cups, chocolate-covered peanuts, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce and is sure to be a hit with both kids and adults. I share a no-churn version and a traditional churned version of the Easter ice cream.
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Growing up in New England, moose tracks ice cream has always been a staple in my summer diet. But it wasn't until a few years ago that I realized other animal "tracks" ice creams exist.
Bunny tracks ice cream was originally introduced by Blue Bunny ice cream company in 2000 and these days they have all kinds of bunny tracks products, including ice cream bars, individual ice cream cups, mini cones, and more.
Just in time for the Easter season, I thought it would be fun to recreate the festive flavor right at home! Easter feels like the very beginning of ice cream season to me and I have recipes for a Cadbury Creme Egg ice cream and a jelly bean ice cream already prepared for you.
Because I wanted this homemade bunny tracks ice cream to be accessible to everyone, I made it a no-churn recipe. But I also have an option for a churned recipe if you prefer using an ice cream machine!
🍦 What is bunny tracks ice cream?
Bunny tracks ice cream is vanilla ice cream with chocolate peanut butter bunnies, chocolate covered peanuts, and swirls of caramel and fudge sauce.
It's a delicious combination that's easy to re-create at home.
OK, so it might not be super easy to find mini chocolate peanut butter bunnies, but chopped up peanut butter cups work just as well!
🗒 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make no-churn bunny tracks ice cream. Please see churned version below if you want a version that uses an ice cream machine (note that you should view recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Heavy cream
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Chopped Reese's cups: I use the mini ones
- Chocolate-covered peanuts: like Goobers
- Chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
🥣 How to make no-churn ice cream
If you've made no-churn ice cream before, you know how easy it is!
You'll start by whipping your heavy cream.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed.
In a separate large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract.
Now, gently fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture until well combined.
Fold the chopped peanut butter cups and chocolate covered peanuts into the mixture.
Pour half of the ice cream mixture into a large freezer-safe container (I use a 1.5 quart container).
Drizzle half of the chocolate and caramel sauces over the top and use a knife to gently swirl the sauces into the ice cream mixture.
Add the remaining ice cream on top repeat the process with the remaining sauces.
I love that swirled look!
Now, Cover container with lid or plastic wrap and pop it in freezer for at least 6 hours, but ideally overnight, until the ice cream is firm.
Scoop into bowls and enjoy!
Normally, I'd say to top it with more chocolate and caramel sauce and candy, but this ice cream is so fully loaded, you don't even need to.
👩🍳 How to make with ice cream maker
If you prefer to make your bunny tracks ice cream the more traditional churn way, you can easily do that, too.
Instead of using sweetened condensed milk, you'll use whole milk. And instead of whipping your heavy cream before chilling, you'll wait to process it in the ice cream machine.
Here's everything you need:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chopped peanut butter cups: I use Reese's mini PB cups
- ½ cup chocolate-covered peanuts: like Goobers
- ⅓ cup chocolate sauce
- ⅓ cup caramel sauce
In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract until combined.
Cover bowl and let mixture chill in fridge for at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Process ice cream mixture according to manufacturer's directions, likely running for about 20 minutes. When ice cream is almost done processing, add in peanut butter cups and chocolate-covered peanuts.
Scoop half of the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container.
Drizzle half of the chocolate and caramel sauces over the top and use a knife to gently swirl the sauces into the ice cream mixture.
Add the remaining ice cream on top repeat the process with the remaining sauces.
Freeze ice cream for at least 6 hours before enjoying.
I obviously ate both the no-churn and churned versions of this bunny tracks ice cream and they were surprisingly similar!
The no-churn version is slightly sweeter and a little bit silkier, while the churned version is a tiny bit closer to traditional egg-free ice cream.
But both are delicious and I can truly say that I didn't prefer one over the other.
🎉 Variations on recipe
If you're looking for a traditional bunny tracks ice cream, I wouldn't make any changes to this recipe!
Of course, one of the benefits to making it at home is that you can make it to suit the tastes of you and your family.
Here are some ideas of things you can add if you want:
- Use chopped Cadbury Creme Eggs instead of peanut butter cups or in addition to peanut butter cups.
- Swap out the chocolate covered peanuts for chocolate covered almonds.
- If you're not a fan of nuts in your ice cream, leave them out or replace them with chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
- In addition to the chocolate and caramel, swirl in some peanut butter sauce.
- Add some "bunny tails" by mixing in mini marshmallows to the mix. Or add a marshmallow sauce swirl instead.
- Add your favorite candy, like spring M&Ms, toffee pieces, chopped Cadbury Mini Eggs, jelly beans, and more
🐣 More Easter dessert recipes
In addition to my fun Easter ice creams (Cadbury Egg and jelly bean), I have lots of Easter treat recipes for anyone who may not be in the ice cream making mood.
Here are some of my favorites:
And if all else fails, you can always make an Easter candy board!
Kids will love this homemade bunny tracks ice cream... But adults most definitely will, too!
Have you had bunny tracks ice cream before?
📖 Recipe
Bunny Tracks Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cups chopped peanut butter cups (I use Reese's mini PB cups)
- ½ cup chocolate-covered peanuts (like Goobers)
- ⅓ cup chocolate sauce
- ⅓ cup caramel sauce
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed.
- In a separate large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture until well combined. Fold the chopped peanut butter cups and chocolate covered peanuts into the mixture.
- Pour half of the ice cream mixture into a large freezer-safe container (I use a 2 quart container). Drizzle half of the chocolate and caramel sauces over the top and use a knife to gently swirl the sauces into the ice cream mixture. Add the remaining ice cream on top repeat the process with the remaining sauces.
- Cover container with lid or plastic wrap and place in freezer for at least 6 hours, but ideally overnight, until the ice cream is firm.
Notes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chopped peanut butter cups: I use Reese's mini PB cups
- ½ cup chocolate-covered peanuts: like Goobers
- ⅓ cup chocolate sauce
- ⅓ cup caramel sauce
- In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Cover bowl and let mixture chill in fridge for at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Process ice cream mixture according to manufacturer's directions, likely running for about 20 minutes. When ice cream is almost done processing, add in peanut butter cups and chocolate-covered peanuts.
- Scoop half of the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container. Drizzle half of the chocolate and caramel sauces over the top and use a knife to gently swirl the sauces into the ice cream mixture. Add the remaining ice cream on top repeat the process with the remaining sauces.
- Freeze ice cream for at least 6 hours, but ideally overnight, before enjoying.
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