No Churn Pistachio Ice Cream

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. 

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!