Have you ever put a peanut butter cup on your s’mores? Well, I spent a lot of time camping when I was younger and once I tried this combo, there was no going back. It completely levels up your s’mores.
Surely most peanut butter lovers have tried this, but in the off chance you haven’t– just promise me you will because it is a game changer!! S’mores are one of my all time favorite desserts so I thought- why not create an ice cream flavor out of it?! This chocolate peanut butter ice cream recipe is going to change your life.
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Do you need an ice cream maker?
No, you don’t need an ice cream maker to make homemade ice cream. However, if you want creamy ice cream, I promise it’s worth investing in an ice cream maker. This is the best budget ice cream maker out there. I’ve had many friends and family members purchase this machine and they rave about! All of my homemade ice cream recipes are specific to this ice cream maker.
If you’re not interested in getting an ice cream machine, look up “no churn” homemade ice cream recipes. There are plenty of options out there… usually you’ll use a sweetened condensed milk. I’ve only made ice cream without an ice cream maker once, and it definitely does not provide the same creamy texture as when you churn ice cream. Hands down a machine is the best way to go.
By the way… homemade ice cream is off the charts delicious! It can even be addicting. This is why I limit myself to one batch a month!! Also, it’s no secret that ice cream has a high fat content. Just a heads up 😉
Tips for making homemade ice cream
I’ve been sharing about my homemade ice cream journey on Instagram since 2020. Many people in my community have been inspired to dust off their old ice cream machines they got as a wedding gift. Some just never knew how easy it is to make homemade ice cream and they decided to purchase one for the first time!
Without fail, the most common mistake people make is forgetting to put the bowl in the freezer ahead of time. Or, they don’t give the bowl enough time to freeze before churning.
Trust me, I’ve made this mistake myself and it’s incredibly frustrating. You’re all excited to enjoy your ice cream and then you realize your ice cream mixture is not thickening at all and you have to wait another 24 hours to try again.
Make sure your bowl goes in the freezer 24 hours before you plan to churn the ice cream! Here’s an example of my homemade ice cream making schedule:
- Friday Afternoon– put the bowl in the freezer then make the ice cream mixture and refrigerate.
- Saturday Afternoon– churn the ice cream mixture! It’ll be ready to eat in soft serve form at this point, but I prefer it more solid so I put it back in the freezer for at least a few hours
- Saturday Evening– enjoy the ice cream!
What is chocolate ice cream made out of?
I’ve never been a huge chocolate ice cream person. I usually prefer vanilla, but this is the most creamy chocolate ice cream.
Its rich flavor comes from these simple ingredients: heavy cream, whole milk, melting dark chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, instant coffee, pure vanilla extract, and salt. (This particular homemade chocolate ice cream recipe doesn’t include any egg yolks.)
You can make an even more rich chocolate flavor if you use a dark chocolate cocoa powder… yum!! You can find this cocoa powder at most local grocery stores. Or, if you’re not a big chocolate ice cream person, you can make a vanilla ice cream base!
What kind of peanut butter cups did you use?
The beauty of making your own ice cream… you can make it exactly what you want. Use your favorite kind of peanut butter cups! Some people may prefer a standard Reese’s peanut butter cup, while other may prefer one with more natural peanut butters.
My personal favorite peanut butter cups are Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. I’m a big fan of the dark chocolate in combination with the creamy peanut butter filling. I’m telling you… they’re delicious and I may be a little bias, but I think they’re the best choice.
If you’re an extreme peanut butter lover, don’t forget you can add in extra peanut butter flavor with swirls of peanut butter or peanut butter chunks!
Can you use Fluff in ice cream?
My initial thought going into making this chocolate peanut butter s’mores ice cream was- “oh! I can use Fluff for the marshmallow!” but after doing some research I found that Fluff does not freeze well. I haven’t personally tried it, but I’ve heard that it hardens and gets very tough in ice cream.
So I found a way to make my own homemade marshmallow sauce. I’m really glad that I did because the marshmallow sauce was my favorite part about this homemade ice cream.
I’m not going to lie, it was a little tricky to make. You have to pay close attention to the timing and temperature. I even had to do it over a second time but I’m telling you… it was worth the effort. It did not harden at all in the ice cream and it added such a lovely texture! This sauce is a big part of why this is my favorite ice cream flavor so far.
Can you just use regular graham crackers?
Yes, definitely! I’m sure regular graham crackers chopped up and added at the very end would work just fine.
I’m the first to admit I’m a little extra in the kitchen. I just love as much flavor and as much texture as possible. By making a graham cracker crumble, it added that awesome crunch in the ice cream. Not to mention some extra sweetness and richness from the brown sugar and butter!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker
- 1 Large Pot
- 1 Small Saucepan
- 1 Candy Thermometer
- 1 Hand or Stand Mixer with whisk attachment
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Freezer Safe Container
Ingredients
Chocolate Ice Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup melting dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp instant coffee/espresso
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Marshmallow Sauce
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 large egg white room temperature
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
- pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Graham Cracker Crumble
- 3/4 cup crushed graham crackers (about 5 sheets)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp melting butter
Extras:
- peanut butter cups chopped
Instructions
Ice Cream
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm up the heavy cream and whole milk.
- Once its warm, add the melting dark chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, instant coffee, vanilla, and salt.
- Once the chocolate has melted and the cocoa powder dissolve, tranfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
- After refrigerating, turn your ice cream maker on and pour mixture to your frozen freezer bowl.
- Once the mixture starts to really thicken (about 20 minutes) add the crumble and chopped PB cups. Churn for a couple more minutes to distribute the toppings.
- Pour 1/3 ice cream into a freezer safe container and layer with marshmellow sauce.
- Keep layering and then top with more graham cracker crust.
- If you prefer the ice cream more firm, put it back in the freezer for at least a couple more hours.
- Store in the freezer and enjoy within 2 weeks.
Marshmallow Sauce
- Combine the corn syrup, sugar, and water in a small saucepan.
- Cook on medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, insert a candy thermometer and monitor until the temperature reaches 240 F.
- While the mixture is heating up, place the egg white in a clean, dry bowl OR the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white.
- When the egg whites start to become foamy, add the cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Once you have stiff peaks and your sugar syrup is at 240F, slowly stream the hot syrup into the egg whites and continue to mix. (you may need a second hand!)
- Whip until the mixture becomes shiny and triples in size.
- Stir in the salt and vanilla.
- This marshmallow sauce can be used right away or stored in an air tight container for a couple weeks.
Graham Cracker Crumble
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Combine all crust ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Pat onto baking sheet to about 1/4" thickness.
- Bake 8-10 minutes.
- Break into various size chunks.
Notes
As I mentioned, I don’t normally love chocolate ice cream, but this chocolate peanut butter cup s’mores ice cream was SO insanely delicious that I ate it every night until it was gone. The homemade marshmallow sauce really helped balance all the rich flavors. This is definitely the best ice cream flavor I’ve made so far!
Every month I make a new flavor so be sure to check back! If you have any flavor requests, comment below! You can also watch my ice cream highlight on IG to see other flavors I’ve made in the past. This strawberry brownie ice cream is another favorite of mine!
Elisha <3
