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Peaches and Cream Ice Cream

Peaches and cream ice cream with a sweet peach custard base and swirls of fresh peach puree, churned into a pale golden, creamy frozen dessert. The method macerates peaches, cooks to a custard temperature, chills for a smooth churn, then freezes until firm.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Peaches and cream ice cream base
  • 3 cup fresh ripe peaches Peeled and diced; reserve some for chunky pieces.
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar Divided: 1/4 cup for macerating plus 1/2 cup for custard sweetness.
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice Used for macerating peaches and brightening flavor.
  • 2 cup heavy cream Heated with milk until steaming.
  • 1 cup whole milk Heated with cream until steaming.
  • 4 egg yolks Beaten before tempering into hot dairy.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Stir in after cooking/straining the custard.
  • 0.25 tsp cinnamon Add after straining for a warm, subtle note.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Balances sweetness in the custard.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Macerate and prep the peaches
  1. Toss the diced fresh ripe peaches with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and lemon juice, then let sit for 30 minutes until juicy.
  2. Blend 2 cups of the peaches into a smooth puree, then leave the remaining peaches chunky for later swirls.
Cook the peach custard
  1. Heat heavy cream and whole milk in a Dutch oven over medium heat until steaming, not boiling.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar until smooth, then slowly whisk the hot dairy into the yolks.
  3. Cook the custard, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175F (about 8-10 minutes), then strain it.
  4. Stir in vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, then fold in the smooth peach puree to create a pastel base.
  5. Cool the custard completely, then refrigerate for 4 hours until very cold.
Churn, add chunks, and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions until it reaches soft-serve thickness.
  2. In the last 5 minutes of churning, fold in the reserved chunky peaches so you get visible peach pieces.
  3. Transfer to a container and freeze until firm for a scoopable texture (at least a few hours).

Notes

For the smoothest custard and best churn, cook only until 175F and stir constantly to prevent scrambling. Chill time is essential—refrigerate the custard the full 4 hours before churning. Store in the fridge? Keep leftovers in the freezer for up to 2 months (best within 2-4 weeks); re-freezing churned ice cream after full melting is not recommended. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half and a lighter cream alternative, but expect a softer texture and less rich body.