Spumoni Ice Cream Recipe

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/27/22
slice of homemade spumoni ice cream on plate with whipped cream and crushed pistachios

The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Freeze Time: 4 hrs
Total: 5 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 18 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
304 Calories
17g Fat
34g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 18
Amount per serving
Calories 304
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 83mg 28%
Sodium 160mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 30g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 147mg 11%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 285mg 6%
*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.)

From the pistachio custard and cherry ice cream to the fudgy chocolate base, this ice cream is an Italian classic that is sure to please lots of palates. Most people are probably more familiar with its sister ice cream trifecta, Neapolitan ice cream. Spumoni also combines three flavors of ice cream, but instead of strawberry and vanilla, it features cherry and pistachio.

It’s a little more unique and definitely not something you will find in every grocery freezer. Spumoni is a labor of love to make at home, but the quality can't be beaten. We’ve made the recipe a little easier for you by incorporating a store-bought chocolate ice cream and a semi-homemade cherry ice cream. There’s no replacing the decadent pistachio frozen custard, so that's best made from scratch…trust us, it’s worth it!

You’ll love this ice cream if you love fruit, chocolate, and nut combos like chocolate-covered cherries. It’s a decadent dessert for a dinner party, but you can also turn them into ice cream sandwiches with some homemade cookies as a frosty summertime treat for kids. 

Ingredients

For Pistachio Frozen Custard:

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream

  • 3/4 cup whole milk

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

  • 1/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

For Cherry Ice Cream:

  • 3/4 cup cherries, pitted and halved

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

  • 1/3 gallon chocolate ice cream

For the Garnish:

  • Chocolate bar, shaved

  • Pistachios, coarsely chopped

Steps to Make It

Make Pistachio Custard

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  2. Beat egg yolks in a bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and thickened. 

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  3. Heat heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan on very low heat until sugar has dissolved. Do not let mixture come to a boil. 

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  4. Temper eggs by slowly drizzling hot milk mixture into egg yolks, whisking continuously until all of it is incorporated.

    how to make spumoni ice cream - tempered custard mixture in bowl with whisk
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  5. Transfer mixture back to saucepan and cook on medium-low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, scraping bottom of pan until custard is thick and coats back of spoon.

    how to make spumoni - thickened custard mixture in saucepan
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  6. Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve. Add vanilla extract and almond extract and stir until combined. Place bowl in refrigerator immediately and let cool.

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  7. Transfer to a plastic storage bag. Get all of the air out of the bag and seal it tightly. Lay flat in freezer and freeze until solid. While pistachio custard is freezing, take vanilla ice cream out and let soften slightly. 

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

Prepare the Cherry Ice Cream

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  2. Place cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat on high, stirring frequently until cherries have softened and mixture has thickened. Let cool completely.

    While the pistachio custard is freezing prepare the cherry ice cream. Leave the ice cream out of the freezer and allow it to soften slightly.
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  3. Fold into softened ice cream. Put back in freezer in a covered container until ready to assemble. 

    spumoni ice cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

Assemble the Spumoni

  1. Place custard and pistachios in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and thick.

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  2. Gather chocolate ice cream and chocolate bar.

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  3. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Scoop balls of pistachio, cherry, and chocolate ice creams in an alternating pattern into the pan. Continue layering until you have used up all of the ice creams.

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  4. Press top down with some parchment paper until packed tightly. Cover with plastic wrap and place back in the freezer until frozen, around 1 to 2 hours. 

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  5. Lift parchment paper out of loaf pan and cut loaf into bars. You can also just scoop it out of the pan. 

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  6. Serve immediately topped with crushed pistachios and shaved chocolate. You can also reserve some of the cherry sauce from the cherry ice cream to place on top!

    Spumoni Ice Cream
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney