Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/3/22
Peanut butter swirl ice cream

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 2 hrs
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1245 Calories
99g Fat
74g Carbs
22g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1245
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 99g 127%
Saturated Fat 54g 271%
Cholesterol 474mg 158%
Sodium 319mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 74g 27%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 69g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 269mg 21%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 562mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Vanilla ice cream can be so, well, vanilla, but when it is swirled with a homemade peanut butter sauce, it becomes anything but ordinary. This recipe calls for making a custard-based vanilla ice cream as well as a sauce made of peanut butter, whipping cream, corn syrup, and brown sugar. The two are layered together before swirling the sauce through the creamy ice cream, creating a rich and delicious frozen treat. Extra peanut butter sauce can be warmed and served on top for an additional hit of nuttiness.

You can follow this recipe for the vanilla base, which includes heavy cream, milk, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract, or make your own recipe. Keep in mind you will need an ice cream maker. Scoop into cones or cups and add your favorite ice cream toppings.

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Ingredients

For the Ice Cream:

  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 4 large egg yolks, beaten

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

Steps to Make It

Make the Ice Cream

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make ice cream

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Combine the cream, milk, and sugar in a heavy saucepan.

    A sauce pan with cream, milk, and sugar

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is hot.

    A spoon stirring a saucepan of cream, milk, and sugar

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Pour about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly. (This is called tempering.)

    A small bowl of milk mixture with egg yolks

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly.

    A sauce pan with egg yolks whisked into the milk mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the hot mixture is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes. Do not let this mixture boil.

    Hot milk and egg mixture coating the back of a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Strain through a mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the vanilla.

    Strained milk mixture with vanilla added

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Cover and chill thoroughly. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions.

    Ice cream maker churning ice cream

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Make the Peanut Butter Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make peanut butter sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Combine the peanut butter, whipping cream, light corn syrup, and brown sugar in a saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring, until smooth and the sugar is dissolved.

    Warmed peanut butter sauce in a pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Transfer to a bowl and chill thoroughly.

    Bowl of chilled peanut butter sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Swirl the Ice Cream

  1. Pack the finished ice cream into a container, alternating with spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture.

    Container of ice cream with alternating peanut butter sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Swirl the peanut butter lightly with a knife to create ribbons. Freeze until the mixture is solid.

    Container of swirled ice cream and peanut butter sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Serve in cones or cups; offer some warmed extra peanut butter sauce to use as a topping, if desired.

    Peanut butter swirled ice cream in a cone topped with extra peanut butter sauce

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack