Rosemary Ice Cream
Refreshingly sophisticated, sweet, and creamy Rosemary Ice Cream is an uncommon but delicious dessert!
A simple Philadelphia-style recipe, Rosemary Ice Cream starts with a vanilla base that is infused with the perfect amount of fresh herbs. The finished base is churned in an ice cream maker.
Homemade Rosemary ice cream is a naturally gluten-free, egg-free, and nut-free dessert that will be perfect for showing off your ice cream making skills!
Now, here’s an ice cream flavor you won’t find in the grocery store! Fresh rosemary infused into sweet cream gives this fancy ice cream a grown-up, sophisticated flavor that’s meant for curious palettes.
Add a scoop to a piece of pie, or enjoy it on its own with some sweetened whipped cream on top. Rosemary ice cream might just become one of your favorite summertime treats!
For another fun ice cream flavor, try ginger ice cream.
Why You’re Going to Love This Fresh Rosemary Ice Cream Recipe
6 Ingredients. There is absolutely no reason to complicate this ice cream recipe with anything other than fresh herbs, milk, cream, sugar, and a few other necessities.
Unexpected Flavor. If you want to wow your dinner guests, or just test out your tolerance for adventurous ice cream flavors, this is a great place to start! You might also enjoy making Sage Ice Cream, or Black Licorice Ice Cream.
Easy Recipe. Our version of fresh homemade Rosemary Ice Cream is a Philadelphia-style one, which means that it’s egg free. This style of ice cream is much easier to make than some others, and only requires a little bit of cooking, to infuse the milk with rosemary.
Ingredients in Homemade Rosemary Ice Cream
Whole Milk – To make rosemary flavored ice cream, we’ll steep fresh herb springs in milk to draw out the flavor. This way, we don’t have to actually add herbs to the ice cream, but the essence is there.
Fresh Rosemary – Don’t try to use dried rosemary in this recipe. You want to use 3 large sprigs of fresh rosemary. Wash them well before adding them to the milk to steep.
Heavy Cream – Heavy cream is what makes our ice cream base rich and creamy! Don’t try to skimp on the fat here.
Granulated Sugar – Sugar helps to create a creamy texture in our ice cream recipes.
Vanilla Extract -Vanilla is a must for almost all of our ice cream recipes. It elevates the simple flavors of milk, sugar, and cream, and helps to soften the flavor of the rosemary here.
Kosher Salt – Just a bit of salt balances the sweetness perfectly.
How to Make Rosemary 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.
- Steep the Rosemary. Stirring often, heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat, removing it from the heat just before it starts to boil. Add the rosemary sprigs, and allow them to steep in the milk for 30-45 minutes. Remove the herbs from the milk, and place the milk in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix the Ice Cream Base: In a large bowl, combine the rosemary milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt.
- Then whisk for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar is fully dissolved into the mixture. You don’t want to feel any grains of sugar in the mixture if you rub it between your fingers.
- Pour The Base into the Machine.
- Churn. Turn on the machine and let the ice cream churn for about 25 minutes or until it is the consistency of soft-serve.
- Freeze. Spoon your finished rosemary ice cream into a shallow container or loaf pan. Press plastic wrap to the surface of the ice cream and freeze it for at least 4 hours, or until solid.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
How to Store Rosemary Ice Cream
Store this homemade Rosemary Ice Cream 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 Rosemary 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.
Quicker Option – You can use rosemary simple syrup in place of the rosemary steep. Use the same amount of milk, and start with 3 tablespoon of simple syrup.
Chill out – If possible, always start with chilled ingredients. This is important for homemade no-churn ice cream recipes and ice cream maker recipes.
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 Long Does Rosemary Ice Cream Last in the Freezer?
If properly stored in an airtight container in the freezer, your homemade ice cream will last for about 1 month.
Homemade ice cream doesn’t have the same shelf life as commercially made ice cream, because it doesn’t include stabilizers and preservatives.
What Does Rosemary Taste Like?
The flavor of rosemary is very unique! It is an aromatic, herbal, woodsy flavor with notes of pine, lemon/citrus, lavender, and sage. It is said to be the most aromatic herb, and also the most pungent.
No Churn Rosemary Ice Cream Directions
Chill a shallow container or a loaf pan in the freezer while you make the rosemary ice cream base.
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.
Rosemary Ice Cream Add-Ins
While we enjoy this ice cream exactly as the recipe makes it, you can certainly experiment with adding different flavors and mix-ins if you’d like.
The herbal flavor of rosemary pairs well with slightly bitter fruits such as lemon, grapefruit, or blackberries.
Additional sweetness from a drizzle of honey or maple syrup is also delicious in this recipe.
How to Serve Rosemary Ice Cream
The strong flavor of rosemary is very prevalent in this homemade recipe, so it’s best to enjoy it with something sweet and rich to balance the herbal flavor.
Add a topping of grilled or roasted peaches to a bowl of rosemary ice cream for a refreshing summer dessert.
Or serve scoops of rosemary ice cream over homemade pound cake or lemon pie.
Pair it with more ice cream! I love a scoop of rosemary ice cream along with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, sweet cream ice cream, or a big dollop of sweetened whipped cream too.
Our Best Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
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Rosemary Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Chill the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours or until solid. You should not hear any water sloshing around when you shake the bowl.
- Stirring often, heat the milk in a small sauce pan over low heat to just before it starts to boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the rosemary sprigs, and stir. Allow them to steep for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove the rosemary sprigs and any rosemary pieces from the milk. Chill the rosemary milk for 30 minutes. If milk solids form on the top you can skim them off, but it’s not necessary.
- In a large bowl, combine the rosemary milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt.
- Whisk for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved into the mixture. You should not feel any grit if you rub the mixture together between two fingers.
- Churn the ice cream mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about 25 minutes), until it is thick and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
- Spoon the rosemary ice cream into a shallow container or a loaf pan.
- Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the ice cream. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid.
- Let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh rosemary in this recipe. We don't recommend using dried herbs to make ice cream, as the flavor can be too strong.
- That said, the rosemary flavor shows up strongly in this ice cream! It's best enjoyed with other sweet, creamy flavors like vanilla ice cream, sweet cream ice cream, cinnamon ice cream, or mint ice cream.
- It’s very important that your ice cream bowl is frozen, and that the mixture is really cold before going into the ice cream machine to churn. If you find that it is not cold enough, let it chill in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes before churning. If it’s not cold enough, it will not get thick.
