No Churn Pistachio Ice Cream
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You don’t need an ice cream maker to make this delicious No Churn Pistachio Ice Cream! It’s the perfect texture and balance of salty-sweet flavor that you’ll adore.
I’m calling it now: this no churn pistachio ice cream is the dessert of the summer! Well, for me it is anyway.
If you didn’t already know, pistachio ice cream is my favorite ice cream flavor — yes really! I’ve been obsessed for years, and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to create a homemade version.
My pistachio cake and pistachio butter are incredible, but this ice cream is my new favorite salty dessert. YUM.
Recipe features
- This pistachio ice cream recipe is fool-proof and doesn’t require any fancy equipment.
- Made with only 6 simple ingredients.
- Made without eggs, food coloring and without an ice cream maker. The flavor, texture and taste are all perfect, trust me.
- Can be made in about 15 minutes, so prep it in the morning and you’ll have ice cream by dinnertime!
Ingredients
Pistachios – Save time and buy shelled pistachios, and make sure they’re unsalted.
Almond extract – Pairs beautifully with the pistachio flavor. Technically it’s optional, but I do suggest using it if you have it on hand.
Sweetened condensed milk – No substitute!
Vanilla extract – Helps give this ice cream a sweeter flavor, and the vanilla goes nicely with the salty pistachios.
Heavy cream – The base of the ice cream. Make sure the heavy whipping cream is cold; otherwise, it may not turn into whipped cream.
Sugar – I originally tested this without sugar, and though it was still good, the sugar helps to balance out the naturally salty flavor from the pistachios with a little sweetness.
Instructions
Step 1: Make the pistachio paste. Start by adding the pistachios to a food processor and pulsing for 30-60 seconds. Then, pour almond extract and water in through the top and continue pulsing until mixture combines and forms a paste.
Step 2: Whisk the condensed milk mixture. Next, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Make whipped cream. Add the heavy cream and sugar to a large bowl and whisk with a hand mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form, about 7-8 minutes.
Step 4: Combine. Add the condensed milk mixture and the pistachio milk to the bowl with the whipped cream and gently fold together with a rubber spatula. This will take a minute or two in order to evenly distribute the paste. Last, fold in the chopped pistachios.
Step 5: Freeze. Scoop the mixture into a 9×5 loaf pan and cover it with plastic wrap or wax paper. Place the ice cream in the freezer for at least 5 hours, or overnight in order for it to freeze. Scoop and enjoy!
Tips
- It’s ok if the pistachio paste isn’t completely smooth. It gets mixed in with the ice cream, so you won’t be able to tell.
- Always use cold cream (directly from the fridge) before whipping it.
- Be patient with whipping the heavy cream into whipped cream. I like to mix on low speed for 2 minutes, then medium speed for 2-3 minutes then high speed for 1-2 minutes until stiff peaks have formed.
- It can take a few minutes to completely mix the pistachio paste in with the other ingredients. Just keep mixing with a rubber spatula until it’s combined.
Tip
Make sure to finely chop the pistachio pieces that you add in at the end so you don’t end up with huge pistachio chunks.
Storage
Freezer – Store ice cream in a covered dish in the freezer for up to 1 month. Use a bread pan with a lid, or cover very tightly with plastic wrap. NOTE: if you don’t cover it, the ice cream is more susceptible to freezer burn.
More summer desserts
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
No Churn Pistachio Ice Cream
Ingredients
For pistachio paste:
- 1 cup roasted pistachios, unsalted
- 4 tbsp water, or more as needed
- ½ tsp almond extract
Ice cream:
- 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
- ½ tbsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups heavy cream, cold
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ cup pistachios, finely chopped
Instructions
- First, make the pistachio paste: Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse for 30-60 seconds. With the motor running, add the water and almond extract in through the top and continue pulsing. If the mixture isn’t coming together, add 1-2 tablespoons more water. Set aside.
- Next, pour the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the heavy cream and sugar to a separate large bowl and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form, about 6-8 minutes. NOTE: make sure the cream is cold right out of the refrigerator to make this easier.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture, along with the pistachio paste, into the bowl with the whipped cream and use a rubber spatula to fold together. This will take a minute or two in order to evenly distribute the pistachio paste. Last, fold in the chopped pistachios.
- Pour mixture into a 9×5 loaf pan, then cover it tightly either with a lid or with plastic wrap. Place the ice cream into the freezer for at least 5 hours, or overnight. Remove from the fridge a few minutes before scooping. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Can we use coconut milk in place of condensed milk?
Unfortunately not — I don’t think it’ll work the same.