Fall in Colorado is weird. One minute the leaves are changing and there’s a chill in the air, then the temperature randomly spikes and it feels like a summer day again.
Just when you’re settling into the cooler weather, in the blink of an eye, it will suddenly be 90+ degrees outside. It’s oh-so-confusing and it’s one of those things that you just have to learn to love about living here.
You get four seasons each year, but you never know when they are going to change, or how long they are going to stick around.
So, what’s a girl to do when you want all the flavors of fall, but it’s still nice and toasty outside?
All I want to do is have an excuse to be basic AF with mugs of hot cinnamon tea steaming away and pumpkin spice candles burning in every room of my house. Instead, I will complain about the heat and the fact that my daily PSL makes me feel like I am overheating.
Or, I’ll just dive into a bowl of pumpkin cinnamon ice cream instead.
Yeah, that sounds like a much better idea! Doesn’t it?
This creamy frozen dessert is the best of fall and summer combined, all in one easy-peasy recipe.
Plus, it is a breeze to make, because you don’t even have to cook a custard base from scratch on the stove. Instead, you can just whip up the base right in your blender.
After that it’s smooth sailing, as you throw it in your ice cream maker and watch the results magically appear before your eyes.
It also happens to be a lower fat option because it isn’t made with any cream. And, nope, it’s not frozen yogurt, either. The funny thing is that it doesn’t change the texture, at least as far as I can tell.
The end result is still nice and creamy… and that’s the best end result, isn’t it? Lower fat, and just as tasty. It’s like a dream come true.
The most torturous part is that you will have to wait for the ice cream to set up in the freezer in an airtight container for a bit after churning. But once you take that first bite, you will feel the cooling bliss of fall run all through your body.
It’s that chill that you need to cool off on those hotter early autumn days, with all of the classic flavors that you start craving the moment that September rolls around each year.
It’s one of those desserts that makes you sink into your seat a little more, with a big sigh of happiness to go along with it.
I am absolutely in love with this ice cream not only because it’s creamy, but because it has the ideal balance of pumpkin and cinnamon flavors.
It’s like whipping up a pumpkin spice-flavored coffee creamer or a PSL into a frozen dessert.
Be sure to sprinkle it with a little extra cinnamon on top when you serve it, for a double punch of the beloved warming spice. You can also crumble up gingersnap cookies or graham crackers on top if you like, to add a little something crunchy to the mix.
Serve it up in a bowl, a waffle cone, a sugar cone, or even use it to make a milkshake!
Pro tip for adults: whip up this ice cream with a little milk and a little vodka for a chilled cocktail that’s perfect for sipping during happy hour on a warm fall day.
This recipe can work really well doubled, as many ice cream makers are have a 2-quart capacity.
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Ice Cream
- Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart 1x
Description
You know what fall tastes like? Pumpkin cinnamon ice cream. And this homemade dessert is one that you’ll want to shovel into your mouth.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Grade B maple syrup
- 3 cups raw goat’s milk (or whole milk), divided
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated Ceylon cinnamon + more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 7 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Freeze ice cream maker bowl at least 24 hours in the freezer before making this recipe.
- Blend the maple syrup with 1 cup of milk on high speed in a blender, just for a few seconds to incorporate.
- Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin and blend until smooth on medium speed. Add the rest of the milk and blend on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Pour mixture into your ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Transfer to an airtight container and place in the freezer. Freeze for at least 4 hours, until fully set.
- Serve with freshly grated cinnamon on top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: Ice Cream Maker
- Cuisine: Frozen Dessert
Keywords: pumpkin, cinnamon, pumpkin puree, nutmeg, ice cream
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Measure All Ingredients and Freeze Ice Cream Maker Bowl
Make sure that you freeze your ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours before starting this recipe!
Measure out all of the ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.
I like to use freshly ground cinnamon to make this frozen dessert, and Ceylon is my preferred variety for sweet recipes such as this one. You can read more about using cinnamon in sweet and savory dishes here.
Nutmeg can also be used freshly ground, for a bigger punch of flavor. But in a pinch, pre-ground versions of these spices will also work.
Just try to avoid using anything that has been on your spice rack for too long – though many types of dried spices do have a pretty long shelf life, ground spices will lose their potency more quickly than whole spices. And even whole cinnamon sticks and nutmeg will lose their flavor eventually.
You can also use canned premade or homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe. You can also try any other winter squash variety to puree. Just be sure to use the pure, unflavored variety.
Step 2 – Make Base
Add 1 cup of milk to a blender with the maple syrup. Blend for a few seconds on high speed until combined.
Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin. Blend until smooth on medium speed.
Add the rest of the milk and blend on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Step 3 – Process
Transfer the base to your ice cream maker. Process according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 4 – Freeze
Place the semi-frozen mixture in an airtight container. Freeze for at least 4 hours, until fully set.
Serve with a sprinkle of freshly ground cinnamon on top.
Can I Use a Food Processor?
I know that not everyone has a blender. Some people just aren’t into smoothies, and prefer the convenience and variety of options offered by a food processor instead.
Guess what? You can totally make this recipe with your food processor. Simply add everything to the bowl, and process until it’s all mixed up and well-combined.
It’s that season when pumpkin recipes are aplenty. Craving even more? Here are some of our favorites:
- Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Pie White Chocolate Truffles
- Homemade Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Are you a cone or a bowl person when it comes to ice cream? What are you favorite ways to use pumpkin? Tell us in the comments below. And when you try the recipe, be sure to rate it here.
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on September 29, 2013. Last updated September 27, 2019. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
Mmm this is such a fabulously simple and yummy sounding flavour! Yum!
I’m all for ice cream year round! Need to get busy on a pumpkin one, looks divine!
Using goats milk is such a great idea! I sometimes have a slight allergy to milk, but I’ve noticed I rarely have issues with goat products so this might just be my dream solution!
Of all the milks out there that people can typically get ahold of, goat’s milk is the most similar to human milk. It takes the body about 20 minutes to digest the milk from a goat, where cow’s milk takes about 24 hours to digest. Go goats!
Hi Ike,
Yes, that is one of the things I like about goat milk. It should be noted that cow’s milk can take up to 24 hours to digest. If it is raw and unprocessed it is much easier to digest and it is typically the pasteurized, homogenized milk that takes so long to digest as it is devoid of enzymes and probiotics and full of denatured proteins.
I love using maple syrup to sweeten ice cream too and can imagine it’s just perfect with the pumpkin flavour. The ultimate autumn dessert!
That is one beautiful ice cream!
I crave ice cream year round, so no judgement here 🙂 And it’s fun to experiment with seasonal flavors! I love the color and the sound of freshly grated cinnamon on top.
Hi Deborah, of course! I think that would only help make it richer. I simply wanted to try making a good ice cream without yolks or extra cream, but you can definitely add those and they should work really well.
That’s the thing I love about using maple syrup, the consistency is so much better. Normally the consistency would be more icy when using no cream, eggs, or more fruit, but the syrup really helps it to stay smooth and less icy. It is not as creamy as there is no added cream or eggs, but I did not consider it icy!
Hi Teri,
I think it would–I have never done it with coconut milk, so I cannot say for sure. You would probably have to blend it and then freeze it and remove it for 15-20 minute periods to stir and mix until blended. Let us know if you try it and if it works!
Looks sooo good! I love pumpkin and can’t wait for fall – maybe making this will help the waiting!
I find myself starting to feel the pumpkin crave coming on. 😉
Pumpkin ice cream on top of pumpkin pie… autumn inception.
Thank you so much. I have too much goats milk and dad loves ice cream. This will add to our feasts this year. I am going to try as is: then try with egg yolk. I will only be using fresh pumpkins due to I have many. I need to process them anyway. Pumpkin bread with ice cream, might enhance the desert menu. I will try anything a few times so I don’t have to throw away my milk. I make cheese as well, but most of it is rubber.
Holy bejesus I love it. Creamy, pumpkin goodness. And I made it for about what one pumpkin spice latte costs from the ubiquitous coffee shop we all love so much.
★★★★★
I am never going back to store bought. Soooo good!
★★★★★