Hamdi Saidani This smooth, creamy Pioneer Woman cookies and cream ice cream is made with a rich egg yolk custard base, heavy cream, whole milk, and crushed chocolate sandwich cookies. It takes about 30 minutes of hands-on work plus several hours to chill and churn.
I always thought cookies and cream was a simple flavor until I made it from scratch. This is a proper frozen custard. You temper egg yolks into hot cream, cook the mixture until it coats the back of a spoon, then strain it before chilling. That extra step gives it a texture no store-bought version can touch.
Don’t add the crushed cookies too early in the machine. If they churn too long, they break apart into tiny crumbs and you lose the whole point. Toss them in during the last 5 minutes so you get real, chunky bites of cookie in every scoop.
Pioneer Woman Cookies And Cream Ice Cream
Description
This Pioneer Woman cookies and cream ice cream is a rich, egg yolk custard base churned with crushed chocolate sandwich cookies for the smoothest homemade version.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a medium pot. Place over medium heat and stir frequently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is steaming. Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat.
- Whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle about 1/3 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them.
- Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining cream, whisking well to combine. Return the pot to medium heat and stir frequently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and corners, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. On a thermometer, it should read between 160°F and 180°F.
- Immediately pour the custard through a mesh strainer into a large bowl. Set the bowl over a bowl of ice water and stir to cool.
- Stir in the vanilla. Once the mixture reaches room temperature, cover and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve texture, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add 15 of the chopped cookies and churn for 5 more minutes.
- Transfer the ice cream to a container. Sprinkle the remaining 3 chopped cookies on top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours for a firm, scoopable texture.
FAQs
Can I use a different cookie instead of chocolate sandwich cookies?
Golden Oreos or any vanilla creme sandwich cookie work. Chocolate Chip Cookies get too hard when frozen, so stick with something that stays a little soft and crumbly at cold temperatures.
Do I need an ice cream maker for this?
You really do for this recipe. The custard base needs to be churned to get that smooth, dense texture. No-churn methods work for condensed milk bases, but not for egg yolk custards like this one.
How long will this keep in the freezer?
Up to two weeks in an airtight container. After that, the texture starts to get icy and the cookies lose their bite. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface before sealing to prevent freezer burn.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, but churn it in two batches. Overfilling the ice cream maker stops it from freezing properly and you end up with a soupy mess instead of soft serve.
Why does the recipe use both cream and milk?
The cream gives it richness and body. The milk keeps it from being too heavy and helps the custard churn into a smoother, lighter scoop. All cream would make it dense and greasy.
