Indulge in the wonder of Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream, a perfect blend of crunchy pistachios and smooth, creamy, velvety texture, for an irresistible, gourmet treat at home!
It’s been a little while since I made and shared homemade ice cream. So today I thought I’d change that. My husband has been asking me to make pistachio ice cream for years now, and I finally got around to it!
I’m kicking myself for not making this sooner—it’s one of my favorite ice cream flavors along with chocolate thin mint and toasted coconut. I love how creamy and flavorful the base is, and the salty crunchy bits of pistachio that are scattered throughout. It’s heavenly!
Table of Contents
Reasons You Will Love This Ice Cream
- Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream bursts with the genuine, rich pistachio flavor!
- The process of making Pistachio Ice Cream at home is enjoyable and can be a great activity for family and friends.
- Homemade ice cream is made without any preservatives and additives, just simple, natural ingredients.
Recipe Ingredients
- Shelled Pistachios: Pistachios add a distinctive nutty flavor and texture. I love the contrast between crunchy raw pistachios and smooth creamy ice cream.
- Heavy Cream: Contributes to the creamy, luxurious taste and texture to this ice cream.
- Almond and Vanilla Extracts: These extracts add depth and complexity to the ice cream’s flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Pistachio Ice Cream
Step 1: In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and ¼ cup of sugar to a slow boil.
Step 2: Meanwhile, in a food processor, grind ½ cup of the pistachios along with ¼ cup of the sugar until fine, taking care not to make a butter.
Step 3: Pour the ground pistachio mixture into the milk mixture over medium heat until it reaches a slow boil again, whisking every minute or so. Then turn off the heat.
Step 4: Next, in a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs and egg yolks. Temper the eggs by gradually pouring in a cup or so of the hot milk/pistachio mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
Step 5: Gradually add the yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until it thickens and reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit (76.7 degrees Celsius) on a thermometer, about 5 minutes.
Step 6: Then remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and into a large mixing bowl. Press hard to strain any remaining liquid from the sieve. You may want to take a few minutes to get everything you can out, then discard what is left in the sieve. Add the almond and vanilla extracts or paste, and whisk to combine.
Step 7: Place the bowl over an ice bath and chill until cool. Then cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the mixture to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Step 8: Remove from the refrigerator and pour into an ice cream machine or attachment bowl. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions (about 20 minutes if using a KitchenAid bowl). When the ice cream is firm, coarsely chop the remaining ¼ cup of pistachios and stir them in. Place in a freezer-safe container and chill for 3-4 hours before serving.
FAQs
No, it’s not necessary. You can manually freeze the mixture, stirring every 30-45 minutes for 2-3 hours to break up ice crystals. This method is more labor-intensive but effective.
Yes, tempering eggs is crucial for ice cream recipes. It prevents curdling, ensuring a smoother, creamier texture, and keeps the ice cream from becoming too hard when frozen.
Storage Info
You can store this Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream in an airtight, freezer-safe container to retain its flavor and texture. It typically stays good for up to 2 weeks when kept in the freezer.
Check Out More Pistachio Recipes
Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup shelled pistachios - divided*
- 1/2 cup sugar - divided
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 eggs + 2 yolks
- ¼ + 1/8 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and ¼ cup of sugar to a slow boil.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor, grind ½ cup of the pistachios along with ¼ cup of the sugar until fine, taking care not to make a butter.
- Pour the ground pistachio mixture into the milk mixture over medium-high heat until it reaches a slow boil again, whisking every minute or so. Then turn off the heat.
- Next, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs and egg yolks. Temper the eggs by gradually pouring in a cup or so of the hot milk/pistachio mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- Gradually add the yolk mixture in a slow, steady stream back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until it thickens and reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit (76.7 degrees Celsius) on a thermometer, about 5 minutes.
- Then, remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a mesh sieve and into a large mixing bowl. Press hard to strain any remaining liquid from the sieve. You may want to take a few minutes to get everything you can out, then discard what is left in the sieve. Add the almond and vanilla extracts or paste, whisking to combine.
- Place the bowl over an ice bath and chill until cool. Then cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the mixture to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Remove from the refrigerator and pour into an ice cream machine or attachment bowl. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions (about 20 minutes if using a KitchenAid Bowl). When the ice cream is firm, coarsely chop the remaining ¼ cup of pistachios and fold them in. Place in a freezer-safe container and chill for 3-4 hours before serving.
in my search for a recipe for outstanding pistachio ice cream, i came upon a few such as this one, with very good reviews. i am confused, however, as to why, after paying such attention to detail, as this recipe shows, you would not use PISTACHIO extract, instead of almond? it just seems wrong…i know it isn’t readily available, but i found mine online, as i wanted to have it on hand for when i tackled making pistachio ice cream for the first time, as i am about to do…
You could definitely use pistachio extract! I personally like the addition of almond extract because that’s what I am familiar with and I think it tastes enough like pistachio on its own. I will add a note to the recipe 🙂
I made this after allowing the mixture to refrigerate overnight. It’s incredible! It’s rich, creamy, nutty, not-too-sweet, and full of pistachio flavor. If you’re cooking with an electric stovetop, extra care should be taken with heating the custard mixture so it doesn’t curdle. (The heat can be a little trickier to control.) I followed the recipe and it made about a little over a quart. I’m so grateful to have this recipe! Pistachio is my favorite! Thanks so much for perfecting it!
Hi, I’m getting ready to make this and curious to know if one batch of this recipe is equal to 1-Quart? My ice cream maker is a 2-Quart Cuisinart, so I would like to know if I should double it or not. If you’re not sure, maybe you could tell me how large each serving size is? (1/2 cup?) Thank you!
Hi Erika! It makes just under 2 quarts. You might be able to get away with 1.5x the recipe, but I haven’t tried it in my bowl and it’s a 2 quart one as well.
Great! Thank you. I will let you know how it turns out. I’m so excited to try it. 🙂
The weather is getting hotter every day and this pistachio ice cream are melting my heart. Love the creamy and flavorful base and the pistachio top. Thank you for the recipe!
Well this is perfect!!!! I LOVE pistachio ice cream and this recipe sounds perfect!!!!