Creamy Peppermint Ice Cream

My sister arrived home with a pint of peppermint ice cream on the first day of December, and suddenly the entire kitchen smelled like a candy cane wrapper. I remember standing at the freezer watching her scoop it, noticing how the green flecks caught the light, and thinking I could absolutely make something this good myself. That thought stuck with me through three failed batches and one kitchen mishap where I nearly scrambled eggs instead of tempering them. When I finally nailed it, the reward wasn't just the creamy, cool spoonful—it was the moment my friends tasted it and their faces went quiet.

I made this for a holiday dinner party last year, and someone asked for the recipe before dessert was even finished. That rarely happens—people usually leave it alone and move on. But this one sparked conversations about childhood, about favorite holiday flavors, about who had the best memories of peppermint treats. It became one of those desserts that somehow opens a door to something more personal.

Ingredients

• Heavy cream and whole milk: The ratio matters here—the cream gives you that luxurious texture while the milk keeps it from being too dense. Full-fat dairy is non-negotiable; don't skimp or substitute.
• Egg yolks: Four large ones create the custard base that makes this creamy instead of icy. Make sure they're fresh and room temperature before you start.
• Granulated sugar: Three-quarters cup is enough to sweeten without overwhelming the delicate peppermint flavor. I learned this the hard way after adding too much my first attempt.
• Peppermint extract and vanilla extract: The vanilla softens the peppermint so it doesn't taste medicinal. Pure extracts taste worlds better than imitation.
• Red food coloring: Completely optional, but that soft pink hue makes it feel more special. Natural food coloring works if you prefer.
• Crushed peppermint candies: This is where the magic happens—save some to add at the very end of churning so they stay crunchy instead of dissolving into the ice cream.

Instructions

Heat your cream mixture gently:

Pour the heavy cream and whole milk into a medium saucepan and warm it over medium heat until it just starts steaming and small bubbles appear at the edges. You're not looking for a boil—just a gentle warmth. This takes about 5 to 8 minutes.

Whisk your egg yolks and sugar into pale ribbons:

In a separate bowl, whisk the four egg yolks with three-quarters cup sugar until the mixture looks thick, pale, and ribbony—about 3 to 4 minutes of steady whisking. This step aerates the yolks and helps create a smooth, creamy texture.

Temper the eggs slowly:

This is the step that scared me the first time. Slowly pour about half a cup of the hot cream mixture into your whisked eggs while whisking constantly, never stopping. The constant whisking raises the egg temperature gradually so they cook evenly instead of scrambling.

Cook the custard until it coats:

Pour everything back into the saucepan and stir constantly over low heat. You're looking for the moment when the custard coats the back of a spoon—dip a spoon in, draw your finger across the back, and if the line stays clear, you're done. Use a thermometer if you need certainty: 170 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.

Flavor your custard:

Remove from heat and stir in one and a half teaspoons of peppermint extract, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a drop or two of red food coloring if you want that soft pink color. Stir until the color is evenly distributed.

Chill thoroughly:

Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to catch any cooked bits. Let it cool to room temperature, cover it, and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. Cold custard churns into better ice cream.

Churn your ice cream:

Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually 20 to 30 minutes. In the last two minutes, add the crushed peppermint candies so they stay crunchy.

Freeze until firm:

Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded freezer-safe container and freeze for at least two hours before scooping. It'll firm up as it sits, reaching that perfect scoopable texture.

Save

What I didn't expect was how this ice cream became a thing people asked for by name. Not just 'that ice cream you made,' but 'the peppermint one.' It meant something to have created something small and beautiful that made people genuinely happy.

The Tempering Secret That Changed Everything

I wasted three batches before I truly understood tempering, mostly because I was afraid of the process. The truth is simpler than the fear: you're just gradually raising the egg temperature so they cook gently instead of all at once. Think of it like slowly walking into cold water instead of jumping in. Once I stopped rushing that step and actually paid attention to the steady whisking, everything clicked. The custard became silky and smooth instead of grainy, and I realized the recipe wasn't hard—I'd just been impatient.

Why Fresh Peppermint Extract Makes a Real Difference

There's a moment when you add the peppermint extract where the kitchen smells like a winter morning. Real extract has this clean, bright quality that imitation versions just can't match. I tried the cheap stuff once out of curiosity, and the ice cream tasted vaguely medicinal, like mentholated cough drops instead of a candy cane. It's worth spending the extra couple dollars on the real thing because that flavor is the entire point of the dish.

Making It Your Own

The beauty of this recipe is that it welcomes small changes without falling apart. Some people love it more chocolatey, so they drizzle warm fudge over the top as they scoop. Others have tried steeping fresh mint leaves in the cream instead of using extract, which gives it an earthier, more garden-like flavor. I've even seen people add a whisper of almond extract for something more complex.

• Reserve a tablespoon of crushed peppermint candies to sprinkle on top just before serving so they stay perfectly crunchy.
• If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the custard in a shallow pan and stir it every 20 minutes for about two hours, breaking up the ice crystals as they form.
• Serve it with chocolate brownies or drizzle hot fudge over the top—the warm-cold contrast is absolutely worth the extra step.

Save

This peppermint ice cream sits at that perfect intersection of impressive and achievable. Make it once, and you'll understand why people ask for it by name.

Your Questions Answered

→ What dairy ingredients are used?

Heavy cream and whole milk form the rich, smooth base essential for creamy texture.

→ How is the custard base prepared?

Egg yolks and sugar are tempered with warm dairy, then gently cooked to thicken before adding flavorings.

→ When are the peppermint candies added?

Crushed peppermint candies are folded in during the last two minutes of churning to retain texture.

→ Can I substitute peppermint extract with fresh mint?

Yes, fresh mint leaves steeped in the dairy mixture create a natural, milder mint flavor.

→ How long should the mixture chill before churning?

It’s best to refrigerate the custard base for at least 4 hours or overnight for optimal texture.