No-Churn Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Recipe

Just because the weather starts cooling down in the fall doesn't mean we're ready to let go of frozen desserts. A spiced and creamy pumpkin ice cream could be ready to enjoy in just a few short hours with this simple, no-churn recipe that requires no special equipment. Made with pumpkin puree, pumpkin ice cream is a creamy and sweet treat that can be eaten no matter the weather. Plus, making no-churn ice cream at home is so simple that you won't believe you never tried it before.

"I love making homemade ice cream in my dedicated machine, but when I don't have time, I'll whip up a batch of no-churn," says recipe developer Taylor Murray. "This recipe goes great with a shot of hot espresso or a few crushed graham crackers." Grab the ingredients and follow along as we go step-by-step to make this quick and easy recipe that will satisfy your sweet tooth and fulfill your fall flavor cravings at the same time.

Making a no-churn ice cream is simple and often requires two key ingredients: heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. This recipe adds canned pumpkin puree to the base, though you are welcome to substitute this with homemade pumpkin puree. To flavor the ice cream, we'll add a mix of spices — namely, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger — plus a dash of vanilla extract and some dark corn syrup to evoke the classic flavors of pumpkin pie.

In a medium bowl, mix the pumpkin puree with the corn syrup, vanilla extract, and spices. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the cream and sweetened condensed milk until soft peaks form.

Gently fold half of the pumpkin mixture into the whipped cream.

Add the remaining pumpkin puree.

Transfer to a loaf pan or other storage container.

Freeze for 4 hours.

Scoop and serve, topping with crushed graham crackers, if desired.

Pumpkin puree is readily available in its canned form at the grocery store, but if you want to ditch the can and make it from scratch, it can be surprisingly easy to do. First, start with the right variety. A sugar or pie pumpkin is grown to be just the right consistency for baking. Preheat your oven to 375 F and prepare the pumpkin by cutting it in half and scooping out the seeds. Place the pumpkin, cut-side down, on a baking sheet and roast until soft and tender, about one hour. 

Once the squash is cooled, scoop out the flesh and blend until smooth in a food processor or blender. Check the puree to ensure that it's the right consistency, then proceed with the recipe as written. If you have any leftovers, store them in the refrigerator, or freeze them for up to three months in an airtight container or plastic bag.

At the grocery store, you can often find a spice blend called pumpkin pie spice around the cooler months of the year. While this blend may vary from brand to brand, it typically includes ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Together, these spices evoke the classic flavor of pumpkin pie, but they can also be used to flavor other autumnal recipes, such as pumpkin loaf or fall vegetable soups.

If you want to make the blend at home and are low on stock, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger will do most of the heavy lifting, flavor-wise. In our pumpkin pie recipe, we use these three to create the pumpkin pie flavors. We also add in a touch of ground cardamom, which can act as a subtle, tasty alternative to clove or allspice that won't compete with the other spices. We also added a touch of dark corn syrup to give the ice cream some dark sweetness.