Peanut Butter and Honey Ice Cream (coconut milk base)
I mentioned on the Almond Butter and Molasses Ice Cream page that when I was a kid, one of my favorite after-school snacks was a big spoonful of peanut butter mixed with a spoonful of honey in a bowl. That recipe was the almond butter-molasses version of that snack, in ice-cream form. I finally got around to making an ice cream flavor based on the original inspiration — Peanut Butter and Honey Ice Cream.
This ice cream has a distinct honey flavor. If you’re not a honey fan or if you want to make a vegan version, just swap the honey for agave syrup. Agave tends to have a honey-like flavor, but it’s much subtler. The creaminess of the coconut milk, the sharp saltiness of the peanut butter, and the rich sweetness of the honey complement each other beautifully.
For accompaniments, I tried fresh raspberries, and it tasted like the best PB&J ever. I highly recommend it. Check the recipe notes below for more suggestions on toppings, mix-ins, and flavor variations.
Peanut Butter and Honey Ice Cream (coconut milk base)
This ice cream exhibits a distinct honey flavor. Feel free to replace the honey with agave syrup for a less honey-forward flavor or a vegan option. My peanut butter contains only roasted peanuts and salt. If your peanut butter contains sugar, you may want to reduce the amount of honey or sugar slightly.
Makes ~1 quart
Ingredients
Instructions
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BLEND
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
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CHILL
Transfer to a container and chill in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.
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.
Ideally, the mixture will be about 40 degrees when you churn it.
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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. Pour 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 8 minutes, but your experience may vary.
The ice cream is ready when it has the consistency of soft serve and has started pulling away from the edge of the canister. You'll notice it also gets lighter in color as air is mixed in.
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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
Optional additions:
- 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol -- Adding alcohol improves the texture and scoopability of the final product and gives a little kick of extra flavor. Rum, vodka, or whiskey would be nice choices here.
Suggested toppings/mix-ins:
- roasted peanuts
- pretzels
- dried fruit (especially freeze dried) -- apple, cherry, raisin, banana
- pieces of peanut butter cookies
- espresso powder -- just a sprinkle on the top when serving
- cinnamon -- just a sprinkle on the top when serving, especially when combined with freeze dried apples or bananas
- spoonful of your favorite fruit preserves
- chocolate sauce
If you want to create a mix-in, wait until the last 1-2 minutes 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 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.
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