Brown Sugar Walnut Ice Cream

By | | Leave a Comment
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

The caramelized goodness of brown sugar, paired with toasty walnuts, makes this ice cream a decadent dream!

a smooth and creamy scoop of homemade brown sugar walnut ice cream topped with roasted walnut pieces on a marble countertop

Brown Sugar Ice Cream

I hadn’t heard of brown sugar ice cream before experimenting with this recipe. I had the thought that adding brown sugar in place of regular sugar in an ice cream base would definitely be yummy. The results: WOW!!! You don’t even need to add the nuts, it’s so delicious on it’s own! It’s very sweet, with notes of caramel and molasses from the brown sugar, and super creamy. It’s a must-try for sure!

Roasted Walnuts

Roasting nuts always brings out a delicious depth to their flavor, so I recommend doing this step. The nuts add a toasted, nutty flavor that goes well with the sweet, brown sugar ice cream base.

This ice cream recipe would also work super well with a variety of other nuts, including pecans.

a smooth and creamy scoop of brown sugar walnut ice cream topped with roasted walnut pieces on a marble countertop with an ice cream container and a bowl of nuts

Ingredients

This ice cream uses pantry staples, so it’s easy to throw together any time!

  • Heavy cream
  • Whole milk
  • Brown sugar
  • Egg yolks
  • Salt
  • Vanilla
  • Walnuts

Custard-style Ice Cream

This ice cream is a custard-style ice cream, which means that it includes egg yolks and is cooked on the stove before chilling and churning. Custard-style ice creams are my favorite because they’re smooth, creamy, and have a classic ice cream texture.

What else is there? Most ice cream recipes produce either custard-style ice cream, also known as French-style ice cream, or no-cook ice cream, also known as Philadelphia-style ice cream. Both styles of ice cream consist of cream, milk, sugar, and flavorings (vanilla, cocoa powder, etc.). With no-cook ice cream, these ingredients are mixed together and churned. With custard-style ice cream, the same ingredients are used, with the addition of egg yolks. The ingredients are mixed and cooked on the stove until they thicken to form a custard. The custard is then chilled and churned. Both produce ice cream, so what’s the difference?

No-cook ice cream is faster to make, since it doesn’t require any cooking, but it is not as rich and silky as custard-style ice cream. It can also get a little bit icy in the freezer. Custard-style ice cream is rich, smooth, and creamy, and holds up better in the freezer than no-cook ice cream. It does, however, take a bit longer to make since there’s the added step of cooking and chilling the base before churning.

I think the additional step of cooking is well worth the creaminess, richness, and stability of a custard-style ice cream, so that is what I chose to do in this recipe.

a smooth and creamy scoop of brown sugar walnut ice cream, with a spoonful taken out, topped with roasted walnut pieces on a marble countertop with an ice cream container and a bowl of nuts

Equipment

I use an ice cream maker to churn this ice cream. The one I currently use, and some other options, are linked below:

Don’t have an ice cream machine or not ready to buy one? Check out my post: How to Make Ice Cream Without a Machine.

a smooth and creamy scoop of brown sugar walnut ice cream topped with roasted walnut pieces on a marble countertop

Brown Sugar Walnut Ice Cream

Brookside Kitchen
The caramelized goodness of brown sugar, paired with the toasty walnuts, makes this ice cream a decadent dream!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling & Churning 8 hours
Course Dessert
Servings 1 quart

Equipment

  • Ice Cream Machine

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup roasted walnuts

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside.
  • Add milk, cream, vanilla, and salt to a pot. Place over medium heat, stirring frequently, until warm and beginning to steam.
  • Slowly pour some of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, while whisking constantly to temper the egg yolks. Continue until all of the milk has been added.
  • Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon well.
  • Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (optional) into a heat-safe container. Cover and let cool slightly at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then, place in the fridge and chill overnight, or until completely cold.
  • Churn ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions.
  • Fold the nuts into the ice cream and transfer to an air-tight container. Cover, and freeze until firm.

Notes

Roasted Walnuts – If you do not have roasted walnuts, you can roast them at home. To roast: spread walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 350℉ oven for 5-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them and stir every few minutes to ensure even roasting. You’ll know they’re done when they are lightly golden and fragrant. You’ll want to let the nuts cool completely before adding to the ice cream.
Prepare Your Ice Cream Machine – If your ice cream machine has a bowl that needs to be frozen, remember to freeze it in advance so it’s ready when you need it. I prefer to freeze it overnight to ensure it’s fully frozen before using.
Tempering the Egg Yolks – This step is important because it allows the eggs to heat up slowly, so they don’t curdle and cause little egg lumps in your ice cream mixture.
Cooking the Ice Cream – When cooking the ice cream, you’ll know it’s done when it coats the back of a spoon well. If you want to use a thermometer, it should reach this point around 160 – 180℉.
Strainer – Pouring the cooked ice cream base through a strainer or fine-mesh sieve is optional, but it ensures that you don’t end up with any lumps or pieces of cooked egg yolk in your mixture.
Chilling the Mixture – I prefer to chill the ice cream base overnight to ensure it’s fully cold and allow everything to meld together. If you don’t want to wait that long to churn your ice cream, you can move onto the churning step once the ice cream base is fully cold.
Mix-in or Topping – You can choose to mix the nuts directly into the ice cream after churning, use them as a topping when serving, or both.
Serving – If the ice cream has been in the freezer for an extended period of time, you may want to let it sit out on the counter for a few minutes to allow it to soften slightly before scooping.
Churning without an Ice Cream Machine – If you don’t have an ice cream machine, I show an alternate method for churning ice cream here (https://brooksidekitchen.com/how-to-make-ice-cream-without-a-machine/).
Keyword brown sugar ice cream, brown sugar walnut, easy ice cream recipe, frozen dessert, summer dessert

If you try out this recipe, I’d love to see it! Please leave a comment with a rating here and tag @BrooksideKitchen on Instagram with the hashtag #brooksidekitchen

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




More Recipes

Scroll to Top