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.
Just made my batch! Tatses really good! I will probably double the batch next time though!
Did you use something in a green bag miss
I’m not sure what you are asking about but the Amazon link takes you to pistachios that come in a green bag. Hope that helps.
I just took a look at the link and that green bag is the exact one that I bought at my store to make this ice cream yesterday. It turns out great using that.
Hello,
Definitely going to give this a shot this week. I was wondering why you use 3 eggs + 2 egg yokes? I am wondering if you can just use egg yokes only and skip the whites? I have read that the whites change the texture but have never tried so just trying to learn. Thank you!
I am interested to know about the eggs as well
In the post text I mention that “I like adding whole eggs to help keep the ice cream from getting too hard”.
I tried this today and it came out great! I would probably increase the sugar by a few more tablespoons next time I make it to bring a little bit more of that salty/nutty/sweet dimension into it!
Happy you tried it! Thank you for saying that!
This recipe is amazing. I can’t eat sugar due to a medical condition, but I made this recipe using erythritol in its place and WOW. Pistachio ice cream is my fave and this recipe yielded some of the best I’ve ever had. Thank you!
Oh, I am so glad to hear that!! Great substitution! Thanks for sharing!
I made this today and it is amazing. I left the pistachios in the custard I the fridge overnight to intensify the flavour and it is so smooth and creamy and delicious I’m not sure we’ll make another flavour for a long time. Thank you for the recipe.
You are very welcome! Love that you liked it! Thank you!