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Delish Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe

Delish Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe

Creamy, rich pistachio ice cream made with a silky custard base, real pistachios, and a hint of vanilla and almond for classic gelato-style flavor. Churned to scoopable perfection with crunchy pistachio bits in every bite.
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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients
 

Main Ingredients

  • 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios for steeping
  • 0.5 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped for mix-in
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 0.25 teaspoon almond extract optional
  • 0.125 teaspoon green gel food coloring optional, for color

Instructions

Preparation Steps

  • Warm 1.0 cup heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and 1.0 cup pistachios in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and small bubbles form at the edges. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 15 minutes.
  • Blend the warm pistachio mixture until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve back into the saucepan, pressing to extract flavor. Discard solids.
  • In a bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly drizzle in about 1.0 cup of the warm liquid while whisking to temper, then return everything to the saucepan.
  • Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and reaches 170 to 175°F, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not boil.
  • Strain the custard into a clean bowl. Stir in the remaining 1.0 cup heavy cream, salt, vanilla, almond extract, and food coloring if using. Cool over an ice bath, then cover and chill until very cold, at least 3 hours or overnight.
  • Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions until softly set, 15 to 20 minutes. Fold in the 0.5 cup chopped pistachios.
  • Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press parchment onto the surface, cover, and freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Scoop and serve.

Notes

For deeper flavor, lightly toast the pistachios before steeping. If you prefer a stronger pistachio color, add a touch more green coloring. Store tightly covered for up to 2 weeks for best texture.