Description

This easy pistachio ice cream recipe delivers a rich, creamy dessert with the perfect balance of nutty flavor and sweetness. Made with simple ingredients like heavy cream, whole milk, roasted pistachios, and vanilla, this homemade ice cream is wonderfully smooth and delightfully crunchy. The method involves gently heating the base to dissolve the sugar, then chilling and freezing with occasional stirring to ensure a soft texture without an ice cream maker.

Ingredients

Scale

Ice Cream Base

2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
Pinch of sea salt

Flavorings and Mix-ins

1 cup (130 g) roasted salted pistachios, chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Combine Dairy and Salt: Whisk heavy cream, whole milk, and a pinch of sea salt together in a large bowl until fully blended.
Heat Mixture: Pour the cream and milk mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar completely dissolves. This step ensures smooth sweetness and slightly warms the base for easier incorporation of flavors.
Cool the Base: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the cream mixture cool down to room temperature, preventing cooking the eggs or altering texture.
Add Pistachios and Vanilla: Once cooled, fold in the chopped roasted pistachios and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.
Strain the Mixture: Pour the ice cream base through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container to remove any large pistachio pieces or clumps, ensuring a smooth texture.
Chill: Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours to fully chill before freezing, which helps improve ice cream texture.
Freeze and Stir: Transfer the chilled mixture into a shallow, airtight container and place it in the freezer. After 2 hours, remove it and vigorously stir the mixture to break up any ice crystals that form. Repeat stirring after 3.5 hours for an even creamier consistency.
Final Freeze: Allow the ice cream to freeze for a total of 4 hours until firm but scoopable.

Notes

For a smoother texture, chop pistachios finely before folding into the base.
If you prefer a less salty taste, you can omit the salted pistachios and use unsalted ones instead.
Stirring the ice cream during freezing is important to prevent large ice crystals and achieve a creamy texture without an ice cream maker.
You can add a few drops of green food coloring if you desire a more vivid pistachio green color.
This recipe does not use eggs, making it easier to prepare and suitable for those avoiding raw eggs.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: pistachio ice cream, homemade ice cream, easy pistachio recipe, no ice cream maker, creamy ice cream, pistachio dessert