Cinnamon Ice Cream

Today’s creamy cinnamon ice cream is flavored with vanilla, nutmeg and bourbon, and has such an incredible depth of flavor from the blend of spices and bourbon. I’ve also included options for both no churn ice cream and churned frozen custard in the recipe card. So whether or not you have an ice cream maker, you can make this recipe for the most deliciously spiced ice cream.

With the warm spices, it’s the perfect accompaniment to all the fall baked goods and pies, especially apple crumb pie, pecan pie and pumpkin bourbon crumble pie. But it’s equally fantastic served in the summer with blueberry pie and fresh peach pie!

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Why You’ll Love This Ice Cream

Adaptable. I love that you don’t have to have an ice cream maker to make great ice cream. So choose the method you prefer for equally delicious results! No churn ice cream tends to be a bit “fluffier”, while an egg-based frozen custard has more richness and body to the texture.

Smooth and Creamy. Whichever preparation method you use, you’re guaranteed of the most smooth, rich and creamy ice cream you could imagine.

Bourbon. Bourbon is fantastic in baked goods, and when added to ice cream, the alcohol helps to lower the freezing point of the ice cream, promoting a smooth, creamy texture. It’s certainly optional, though.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

No Churn Ice Cream

• Heavy Whipping Cream. The whipped cream adds fat and richness, for a smooth, creamy ice cream, as well as a light, fluffy texture.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk. Most, if not all, no-churn ice cream recipes start with sweetened condensed milk. It adds sweetness, so no other sugar is needed, and makes the ice cream rich and creamy.
• Cinnamon + Nutmeg. These spices work together so well, although the cinnamon is the prevalent flavor in this ice cream. I used a blend of Saigon and Ceylon cinnamon.
• Vanilla. Use a good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
• Bourbon. A little alcohol is optional, but helps promote a creamy texture that’s smooth, not icy. I also love using bourbon for my homemade ice cream recipes.

Frozen Custard

• Heavy Whipping Cream + Whole Milk. You need high fat dairy for good ice cream that’s rich, creamy and smooth. So a combination of heavy whipping cream and whole milk is best.
• Sugar. A combination of granulated sugar and dark brown sugar adds sweetness, a hint of molasses, and promotes a smooth, non-icy texture.
• Egg Yolks. The egg yolks add flavor, as well as richness for a more dense texture than the fluffiness of no-churn ice cream.
• Cinnamon + Nutmeg. These spices work together so well, although the cinnamon is the prevalent flavor in this ice cream. I used a blend of Saigon and Ceylon cinnamon.
• Vanilla. Use a good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
• Bourbon. A little alcohol is optional, but helps promote a creamy texture that’s smooth, not icy. I also love using bourbon for my homemade ice cream recipes.

Instructions

No Churn Ice Cream

• Use an electric mixer to whip the cream until soft peaks that hold their shape form. Set aside.
• Separately, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and bourbon until smooth. Whisk in the whipped cream, 1/3 at a time, until well combined.
• Transfer the ice cream to a lidded container and freeze for 8 hours, or overnight, until firm and scoopable.

Frozen Custard

• In a saucepan, whisk together 1 cup of the cream with the milk, sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened enough to coat a spoon (it will not be thick like pudding). This might take about 10 minutes. Don’t let the mixture come to a boil.
• Pour the custard through a mesh strainer to remove any bits of cooked eggs.  Stir in the vanilla.  Cover with plastic, resting right against the surface of the custard, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight.
• Use an electric mixer to whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the chilled custard.
• Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the bourbon during the last minute of churning.
• Transfer the ice cream to a lidded container and freeze for 8 hours, or overnight, until firm and scoopable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between Ceylon and Saigon cinnamon?

Cinnamon is harvested from the bark of evergreen trees. Strips of the inner bark are dried until they curl into rolls known as cinnamon sticks. These dried cinnamon sticks can then be ground into powder. Ceylon cinnamon is considered to be “true” cinnamon, coming from a tree native to Sri Lanka and southern parts of India, with delicate, brighter citrus flavor notes. It’s not commonly found in stores, unless you go into a specialty spice store.

Cassia or Saigon cinnamon originated in Southern China, with a stronger, spicier flavor. Since it’s of lower quality, and cheaper than Ceylon cinnamon, it’s more widely available. Most of the ground cinnamon in your grocery store is Cassia cinnamon.

For baking, both are perfectly wonderful, but if you’ve never tried Ceylon cinnamon, I’d encourage you to try it for comparison.

Do I have to use the bourbon?

A little alcohol is optional, but helps promote a creamy texture that’s smooth, not icy. I also love using bourbon for my homemade ice cream recipes.

How long does homemade ice cream take to freeze?

Both no churn and churned ice cream takes the same amount of time to freeze until scoopable, about 8 hours, or overnight.

What kind of add-ins would be good in this recipe?

Cinnamon ice cream would be wonderful with chopped pecans, toffee bits, or a swirl of salted caramel sauce.

Can I reduce the sugar in homemade ice cream?

Sugar plays an important role in homemade ice cream recipes. It not only sweetens the ice cream, but also keeps the ice cream soft. This is why sorbets, which have no cream or dairy products but a high ratio of sugar to water or fruit juice, still manage to stay smooth and soft, rather than icy. So you can reduce the sugar a little in frozen custard, but I wouldn’t use less than 1/2 cup for this recipe. Of course, with no churn recipes, the sugar is already present in the sweetened condensed milk, so there’s no way to reduce the sugar.

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