Pumpkin-Sunflower Butter Ice Cream with Raisins (dairy free)

WTF is this flavor?

So hear me out. Pumpkin deserves to show up in desserts beyond the typical holiday-spice flavors. I can’t describe it. I can’t compare it to anything else. But pumpkin and sunflower butter taste good together, especially with honey, and the raisins are perfect with it. Pumpkin-Sunflower Butter Ice Cream is delicious, and I was skeptical too until I tried it.

I use a creamy sunflower butter that contains some sugar and salt (this type [affiliate link]). If your sunflower butter has no sugar or salt, I recommend increasing the honey and salt in the recipe by just a little (maybe an extra 1/4 tsp of salt and an extra tablespoon of honey…but I haven’t tested it.)

The flavor of Pumpkin-Sunflower Butter Ice Cream is unique and delicious, but also fairly subtle. It makes a good backdrop for other mix-ins beyond raisins. Dried cherries or cranberries come to mind. Top it with roasted, salted pumpkin seeds for a crunch. Chocolate sauce and caramel (here’s my vegan version) are never a bad idea. See the notes below the recipe for more ideas.

Protein powder options

This recipe is dairy free as written. I love using protein powders, especially collagen, in ice cream recipes because they allow you to reduce the sugar while maintaining a nice texture (more about that here).

To make it vegan, you could swap the honey for agave and omit the collagen powder. The texture will be more icy, but it will still be a nice ice cream. If you go this route, don’t skip the xanthan gum! It will really help create a nice texture. You could also substitute a vegan protein powder (unflavored, unsweetened), but I’ve had mixed results with that — they tend to produce a chalky texture. Let me know if you find one that works!

On the other hand, if you’re okay with dairy, feel free to swap the collagen powder for whey protein (unflavored, unsweetened). See more details in the notes below the recipe.

Blend, chill, churn, freeze, eat!

Pumpkin-Sunflower Butter Ice Cream uses the simplest method possible: blend, chill, churn. Add the raisins or your mix-ins of choice in the last minute of churning.

If you’re into pumpkin or sunflower butter, give these a try as well:

• PSL Ice Cream (dairy free)

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream (dairy free with vegan option)

• Trail Mix Ice Cream (vegan, uses sunflower butter)

Pumpkin-Sunflower Butter Ice Cream with Raisins (dairy free)

Makes ~ 1 quart

Recipe Category: Dairy Free Egg Free Lactose Free No Cook Non-Vegetarian Soy Free

Ingredients

Servings

For the ice cream base

• 1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz/400 ml, full fat, unsweetened)
• 3/4 cups pumpkin puree (180 g, plain pumpkin, not the sweetened/spiced pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 cup sunflower butter (120 g)
• 1/2 cup collagen powder (50 g)
• 1/3 cup honey (105 g)
• 1 tablespoon molasses (20 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt (~1 g)
• 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional, but improves the texture and longevity in the freezer)

For the mix-in

• 1/2 cup raisins (85 g)

Instructions

1. BLEND

   Place all ingredients except raisins into a blender and blend until smooth.

    

   

2. CHILL

   Transfer to a container and chill in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. Also measure out the raisins and put them in the fridge to chill. 

    

   For a quicker chilling time, place the bowl containing your mixture in an ice bath (a larger bowl containing ice water) for a few hours. Stir the mixture occasionally. As the water in the ice bath warms up, pour off some water and add ice to keep the mixture chilling as quickly as possible.

    

   When fully chilled, this ice cream base is thick like pudding, because of the pumpkin and sunflower butter. Ideally, the mixture will be about 40 degrees when you churn it.

    

   

3. CHURN

   Before you start churning, set up everything you'll need to quickly transfer the ice cream from the machine into a container for freezing. I use a knife to scrape down the dasher (or paddle) and a wooden spoon to scoop out the ice cream. 

    

   Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. Grab the raisins! Pour (or scoop) your mixture into the ice cream maker and churn. Because this mixture is thicker than many ice cream bases, it churns more quickly than most. In my machine the perfect churning time is 12 minutes, but your experience may vary. Add the raisins to the machine in the last minute of churning.

    

   The ice cream is ready when it has the consistency of soft serve and has started pulling away from the edge of the canister. 

    

   

4. STORE

   When the ice cream has finished churning, scoop it as quickly as possible into your storage container. Cover it with plastic wrap or parchment paper, if using. (Placing a sheet of parchment paper between the container and lid will help prevent frost, or you can press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream.) Put the container in the freezer. The ice cream will be fully firm in a few hours.

    

   

Note

You can use any unflavored, unsweetened protein powder you want. Whey, collagen, and egg white work the best. Vegan protein powders can work too, but sometimes create a chalky texture. Because different protein powders have different textures, 1/2 cup of different powders may weigh different amounts. Weighing is the best method for ensuring you get the 50 grams the recipe calls for, but here are some estimates for using a cup measurement:

• 50 g collagen powder = 1/2 cup
• 50 g whey protein = 3/4 cup
• 50 g egg white protein = 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons
• 50 g soy protein = 3/4 cup

 

Suggested toppings/accompaniments instead of/in addition to the raisins:

• Marshmallows
• Pumpkin seeds
• Dried cherries or cranberries
• Granola
• Ginger snaps
• Graham crackers
• Chocolate sauce 
• Caramel
• Fresh berries

To create a mix-in, wait until the last minute of churning to add it to the ice cream maker. Adding the bits too early will mean they sink to the bottom. Alternatively, you can layer and swirl them into the ice cream as you transfer it to your storage container. I like using 1/2 to 3/4 cups (~2-3 oz). It's usually enough to get a little mix-in in every bite of ice cream.

 

Recommended equipment: (may include affiliate links)

• My ice cream maker (2 qt)
• Newer version of my ice cream maker (2 qt)
• Well-reviewed less expensive ice cream maker (1.5 qt)
• Insulated ice cream container
• Heat-proof spatula
• Immersion/hand blender
• Standard blender
• Ice cream scoop
• Measuring cups

 

Recommended ingredients (may contain affiliate links):

• Collagen powder
• Xanthan gum