Name: Ginger Ice Cream
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 8 h 30 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: 4 large egg yolks; ½ cup granulated sugar; 1 ½ cups whole milk; 1 ½ cups heavy cream; ¼ cup minced fresh ginger; ¼ cup candied ginger, very finely chopped

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This ginger ice cream recipe is rich and creamy, lightly sweetened, and with the perfect bite of fresh and candied ginger.

This unique and special ice cream flavor is not one that you’ll find at the grocery store, but you’ll be very glad that you decided to make ginger ice cream from scratch – it’s delicious!

This is a French-style ice cream recipe, made with eggs and cream. It’s naturally gluten-free, nut free, and free from artificial flavors and dyes.

The best part about owning an ice cream maker is that you can make ice cream in any flavor that you can imagine!

Ginger Ice Cream is a unique, gourmet ice cream flavor that you might find in a high-end local creamery, but you won’t need to seek out this cool ginger spiced treat – you can make it yourself entirely from scratch!

If you like fun and different ice cream flavors, we have a few really interesting ones for you to try! Ginger ice cream pairs really well with caramel ice cream.

Herbal flavors like Rosemary Ice Cream and Sage Ice Cream are wonderful on their own or paired with cakes and pies.

Black Licorice Ice Cream has a deep, inky color and an old-fashioned flavor that can’t be mistaken, and Cantaloupe Ice Cream is a delicious recipe using a fruit that normally doesn’t make it into desserts!

Table of Contents show

Why You’re Going to Love this Ginger Ice Cream Recipe

A Fun and Unique Ice Cream Flavor – I’ve said it already, but you probably won’t find ginger ice cream at the store. The only way to enjoy this sweet, refreshing and creamy treat is to make it yourself, using this recipe!

In a Rich and Creamy Ice Cream Base – French style ice cream recipes start with a rich custard made from egg yolks, milk, and sugar. While there are slightly easier ways to make ice cream, this way gives you the most amazing texture and flavor.

Easy Step By Step Instructions with photos to show you exactly how to make it. Even if you’ve never made ice cream from scratch before, I know you’ll be successful using this or any of our easy ice cream recipes.

The ingredients in ginger ice cream, including milk and cream, fresh ginger, and candied ginger

Ingredients in Homemade Ginger Ice Cream

Egg Yolks – Egg yolks add richness and thicken the milk so it turns into a rich, creamy custard– perfect for ice cream!

Granulated Sugar – Plenty of sugar adds the right amount of sweetness, and helps to create a smooth, creamy ice cream.

Whole Milk and Heavy Cream – The combination of milk and cream creates the perfect ice cream– creamy but not too rich. Perfectly balanced!

Fresh Ginger – Steeping fresh ginger into the milk mixture helps give the ice cream the spicy bite that we all love about ginger! Peel and mince fresh garlic root before you start.

Candied Ginger – In contrast to fresh ginger, candied ginger is much sweeter, with a good bit of ginger flavor, but not so spicy. These tasty bits will be mixed throughout the ginger ice cream, with extra on top too.

How to Make Ginger Ice Cream from Scratch

Start the day before by making sure that the bowl for your ice cream maker has at least 24 hours to freeze solid.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until they are pale yellow and the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and minced fresh ginger. Set it over medium heat, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
As soon as it starts bubbling, remove the cream from the heat and slowly pour it into the bowl with the egg yolks and sugar, whisking constantly.
Return the mixture back to the saucepan, over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Strain the ginger ice cream base through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pieces of ginger and any bits of cooked egg that might exist.
Cover the ice cream base with plastic wrap, making sure that the wrap is touching the surface so that a skin doesn’t form. Chill for at least 4 hours in the fridge.
Once the mixture is fully chilled, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it is set and the consistency of soft-serve. Add the candied ginger, and churn for 2 more minutes or until well mixed.
Transfer the ginger ice cream to a shallow container or loaf pan. Sprinkle more candied ginger on top if you like. Wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions for making ginger ice cream from scratch, please see the recipe below.

a hand with a spoon eating a bowl of ginger ice cream.

How to Store Ginger Ice Cream

Store this homemade Ginger in the freezer in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper pressed on top for up to one month.

Tips for Making This Ginger Ice Cream Recipe

Use quality ingredients – When making homemade ice cream, you’ll want to make sure you are using high-quality ingredients for the best outcome. Don’t try to make this recipe with powdered ginger – you won’t get the same bright and amazing flavor!

Be sure that the ice cream base is very cold– The ice cream maker won’t be able to properly freeze the ice cream if you start with a warm or room-temperature base. After making a cooked custard ice cream, you must chill it for at least 4 hours before churning.

Don’t skimp on the fat – High-fat milk and cream are essential when making homemade ice cream. Opting for a low-fat option often leads to icy ice creams and inconsistency in the texture.

Don’t go crazy with the add-ins – If you’re adding in additional ingredients, pick one or two and make sure they are chopped into pieces no larger than a blueberry or pea.

Don’t skimp on the sugar – Sugar not only adds sweetness to homemade ice creams, it also helps with the texture. Sugar is essential for the creamy texture of ice cream.

How Do You Peel Ginger for Ice Cream?

The easiest way to peel fresh pieces of ginger is to use a small spoon! Gently scrape the skin away with the spoon, then use a sharp knife to dice the peeled root into small pieces.

a cake cone with scoops of homemade ginger ice cream next to a piece of fresh ginger.

No Churn Ginger Ice Cream Directions

Chill a shallow container or a loaf pan in the freezer while you mix the ice cream ingredients.

Pour the ice cream mixture into the prepared pan and freeze for 3-4 hours. Stir the ice cream every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours to help add air. This will help create a creamy, smooth texture.

Ginger Ice Cream Add-Ins

Ginger Ice Cream would be really amazing with pieces of crushed gingersnap cookies mixed in!

Or use the gingersnaps to make homemade ice cream sandwiches with this ice cream recipe.

There are many other flavors that work really well with ginger, such as raspberry, rhubarb, cinnamon, and lemon.

Feel free to experiment with added flavors or a swirl of raspberry compote.

You can also serve scoops of homemade ginger ice cream over apple pie a la mode, lemon pound cake, or strawberry rhubarb pie. This all sounds so yummy!

Can I Make Ginger Ice Cream Without Candied Ginger?

If you can’t find candied ginger, or you just don’t want the little chewy bits in your ice cream, feel free to leave them out. This recipe is delicious either way.

More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes to Try

Our Favorite Ice Cream Making Tools:

Cuisinart 2QT Ice Cream Maker – Works with ice cream, sorbets, and frozen yogurt.
Loaf Pan – You can use any 9 x 13 loaf pan or a shallow pan, but we like this one.
Ice Cream Scoop – Make sure you have a good ice cream scoop. This is one of our favorites.
Ice Cream Containers – We love keeping a couple of ice cream containers on hand for when we make homemade ice cream.

Note: Each of these links will take you to the exact product on Amazon. As an Amazon associate, I earn a little from each qualifying purchase.

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Yield: 10 Servings

Ginger Ice Cream

This unique ginger ice cream recipe is rich and creamy, lightly sweetened, and with the perfect bite of fresh and candied ginger.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 large egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 ½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup minced fresh ginger
¼ cup candied ginger, very finely chopped

Instructions

Freeze your ice cream bowl according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until they are pale yellow.
Add the whole milk, heavy cream, and minced fresh ginger to a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
When the mixture is just bubbling, remove it from the heat and slowly pour it into the bowl with the egg yolks and sugar, whisking constantly.
Transfer the egg-milk mixture back to the saucepan and set it over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon– about 5-7 minutes.
Pour the ice cream base through a fine mesh sieve and discard the solids.
Place the ice cream base in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap, making sure that the plastic wrap touches the surface of the ice cream so it doesn’t form a skin. Chill the ice cream base in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Once the mixture is fully chilled, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it is a soft-serve consistency. In my Kitchenaid Ice Cream attachment, this took about 15 minutes.
Add the chopped candied ginger to the ice cream and churn until the ginger is thoroughly incorporated– another 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the ice cream to a loaf pan and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until it is set and firm. Scoop and enjoy.

Notes

Plan ahead by making sure that your ice cream maker bowl is in the freezer at least 24 hours before you're going to make ice cream.

This ginger ice cream can be stored in the freezer for up to one month. Keep it in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper pressed to the surface of the ice cream to keep ice crystals from developing.

Homemade ice cream should be easy to scoop if you let it soften at room temperature for 5 minutes after removing it from the freezer.

Ginger Ice Cream