This Reese's Ice Cream has a rich and creamy peanut butter ice cream base and is packed with chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and a peanut butter swirl. It's a peanut butter lovers' dream ice cream and easy to make at home!
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Do you think it's fair to say that Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are one of the most beloved types of candy? Unless you don't like peanut butter and/or chocolate, there's a very high chance you're a fan of this candy.
And while most of us are perfectly happy eating it right out of the package as is, I have to tell you a secret. It's really, really ridiculously good when made into ice cream.
In fact, I'm pretty sure this is the best ice cream I've ever made. And considering I have A LOT of delicious ice cream recipes here at We are not Martha, that's saying something.
I'm currently on a quest to turn all my favorite candies into ice creams and I'm not really sure how we're going to beat this Reese's ice cream.
🗒 Ingredients
I decided to make a custard base for this recipe since I wanted the ice cream to be really rich and creamy. I also wanted to make it as close to the store-bought version as possible in terms of consistency and add-ins.
The base is a peanut butter ice cream and it has chopped Reese's Peanut Butter cups mixed in, along with a smooth peanut butter swirl.
Here's everything you need to make the ice cream (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Granulated sugar
- Creamy peanut butter: I use the Reese's peanut butter, but you can use any kind
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Large egg yolks
- Chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
🍦 How to make
If you've ever made a custard-based ice cream before, this process will be very familiar to you. If you haven't, I will walk you through the easy steps!
To start, heat 1 cup of the heavy cream and all the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-heat.
Stirring constantly, let mixture reach just the point of simmer and remove from heat. Don't let it come to a boil.
While you're heating the milk and cream, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a separate bowl until they're pale and thick.
Slowly pour about half of the warm milk mixture into the bowl with the yolk mixture, whisking continuously.
The purpose of this is to "temper" the egg yolks. You want to slowly add the milk mixture to them to warm the egg yolks gradually. If you added the eggs to the saucepan all at once, there's a chance the yolks would cook and scramble. This slow method ensures they'll warm without cooking.
Now, pour the tempered egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and cream.
And continue to cook over low heat, whisking all the while, for about 5 minutes.
When the mixture coats the back of the spoon or reaches 170-180 degrees on a thermometer, remove saucepan from heat.
Stir in the peanut butter until it's melted into the mixture..
Pour the remaining cup heavy cream into a large bowl and strain the egg/milk mixture into the cream, stirring all the while.
Stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Now you're ready to process the mixture in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Make sure you have your chopped peanut butter cups and peanut butter swirl ready.
For the peanut butter swirl, simply mix together ⅓ cup peanut butter and 3 tablespoon of heavy cream until well combined.
When your ice cream is just about done processing, mix both into the machine.
Your ice cream is processed, but it still needs to chill a little bit more to harden up!
Put it in airtight containers and place back into the freezer for at least 4 hours, but overnight if possible.
I know it's more waiting; but trust me, it's so worth it!
Once the ice cream has hardened a bit more, you're ready to scoop it up.
You don't need to, but why not top it all off with some more chopped peanut butter cups?
I've been dreaming about this ice cream since I made it (and subsequently ate all of it). It's so creamy and smooth and packed with SO MUCH peanut butter flavor.
The chopped up Reese's Peanut Butter Cups give the ice cream a little bit of crunch and obviously the peanut butter swirl adds even more flavor.
In my eyes, this Reese's ice cream is perfection.
Whether it's hot outside, cold outside, or you just need something to do with all that leftover Halloween candy.
If you love Reese's peanut butter cups or are just a fan of the chocolate and peanut butter combination, this is the homemade ice cream for you.
⏲️ How to store
Of course, you need to store your Reese's ice cream in the freezer! Make sure it's in an air-tight container; you can use a Tupperware or a container specifically meant for ice cream storage (like these tubs).
When stored properly, the ice cream should keep fresh for about a month.
Make sure the temperature of your freezer is well-regulated as fluctuations can cause freezer burn.
🎉 Variations on recipe
As I've mentioned, this ice cream is pretty perfect as is. But there's also a lot you can do to it to suit it more to your tastes if you desire.
Here are some ideas:
- In addition to the peanut butter cups, mix in Reese's Pieces, too.
- Top the ice cream with peanut butter sauce, marshmallow sauce, or hot fudge sauce.
- Mix in peanut butter chips.
- Add chocolate chips or crushed Oreo cookies into the ice cream for even more chocolate flavor.
- Add a caramel swirl or marshmallow swirl along with the peanut butter swirl.
- Add nuts like almonds or pecans to the ice cream for extra crunch and flavor.
- Don't mix peanut butter into the ice cream base and add additional vanilla extract for a vanilla ice cream base or use this Kit Kat ice cream recipe to make a chocolate ice cream base.
🍨 More candy ice cream recipes
I love making all kinds of ice cream flavors with my favorite candy! Here are some of the best candy ice cream recipes:
Of course, I'm all about this cotton candy ice cream, too!
There aren't very many candies that don't make good ice cream. What kind of candy should I use in my next recipe?
Whatever I do, it's going to be tough to beat this Reese's ice cream. I'll most definitely be making it again very soon.
And I hope you will, too!
📖 Recipe
Reese's Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (about 12 regular-sized cups)
Peanut Butter Swirl
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup heavy cream and milk over medium-heat. Stirring constantly, let mixture reach just the point of simmer and remove from heat.
- While cream and milk mixture is heating, whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a separate bowl until pale and thick. Slowly pour about half of the warm milk mixture into the bowl with the yolk mixture, whisking continuously (this will temper the mixture, meaning the egg yolks will warm without scrambling). Then pour egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the mixture.
- Continue to cook over low heat, whisking all the while, about 5 minutes. When the mixture coats the back of the spoon or reaches 170-180 degrees on a thermometer, remove saucepan from heat. Stir in the peanut butter until it's melted into the mixture.
- Pour the remaining cup heavy cream into a large bowl. Strain the egg/milk mixture into the cream, stirring all the while. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Process the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. When it’s just about done, mix in peanut butter swirl mixture and chopped Reese's cups.
- Put ice cream in airtight containers and put back into the freezer for at least 4 hours, but overnight if possible.
Peanut Butter Swirl
- In a small bowl, mix peanut butter and heavy cream together until smooth.
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