Homemade Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Recipe

The trickiest part of making a great pumpkin ice cream is getting the spice just right. You can use store-bought pumpkin spice or make your own at home with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.

If you're into all things pumpkin, you've got to try my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Espresso Martini, and Healthy Pumpkin Muffins.

I tested this recipe over and over to nail the custard base. The result? A pumpkin ice cream that is smooth and creamy and not icy or grainy. If you love homemade ice cream, also check out my Passion Fruit Ice Cream and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream for some more cold snacks.

In the end, you'll have a cozy fall-inspired dessert that's perfect on its own or served over my Air Fryer Apple Crisp. It's the ultimate way to celebrate autumn.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Creamy custard-base texture - After multiple test batches, I found the perfect ratio of egg yolks, milk, and cream for a smooth and scoopable ice cream. 
• Real pumpkin flavor - Made with canned pumpkin, brown sugar, and warming spices for a fall-forward taste. 
• Perfectly spiced - Just the right balance of pumpkin spice for cozy autumn vibes.

You'll need these simple ingredients to make pumpkin spice ice cream:

• Canned Pumpkin - You can find canned pumpkin anytime of year, just make sure it's 100% pumpkin.  Some canned pumpkin is sweetened with sugar and spices (You don't want that). 
• Brown Sugar - Typically, white granulated sugar is used in crème anglaise (ice cream base), but I wanted the caramel flavor of brown sugar. 
• Egg Yolks - Are essential for a custard base, and I found that 10 egg yolks are the perfect ratio to the amount of cream and milk that I use.
• Milk & Heavy Cream - Equal parts of cream and milk for a delicious custard base.  
• Spices - A good quality pumpkin spice and cinnamon powder are used to bring out the fall flavors! You can, of course, make your own pumpkin spice blend. 
• Vanilla  - I used vanilla bean paste because that's what I had on hand, but a fresh vanilla bean or vanilla extract will work. 

Substitutions & Variations

• Sweetener - Swap out sugar for maple syrup for a maple-pumpkin flavor.
• Spices - Make your own pumpkin pie spice instead of using store-bought. 
• Dairy-Free - In a blender, combine 1 can of coconut milk, ¾ cup of cashews, ¾ cup of maple syrup, ½ cup of canned pumpkin, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Churn in your ice cream maker and freeze. 
• Boozy Twist - Add 1-2 tablespoons of bourbon to the custard base before churning. 
• No Churn - Swap out the egg yolk and whole milk for a can of sweetened condensed milk. Follow this No Churn Pumpkin Ice Cream for step-by-step instructions. 

Step 1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream, and vanilla extract. Warm over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. 

Step 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, brown sugar, and pumpkin spice until smooth. 

Step 3. Slowly ladle a small amount of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Continue adding the hot cream, a little at a time, until about half is incorporated. This keeps the yolks from scrambling. 

Step 4. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream. Cook over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon (around 170-175°F/76-79°C).

Step 5. Remove the custard from the heat. Using a hand blender (affiliate link), blend the pumpkin puree into the custard until smooth.

Step 6. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl that is resting on an ice bath. This removes any cooked egg bits for a silky texture. 

Step 7. Cover and refrigerate the custard base for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.  A cold base churns into a smoother ice cream. 

Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

Step 8. Scoop the ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 4-6 hours for a scoopable ice cream. 

Expert Tips

• Strain the custard - After cooking, always pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any bits of cooked egg.
• Chill - For the creamiest ice cream, don't skip this step.  Refrigerate the custard base for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Add pumpkin after cooking - Learn from my mistakes and don't try and cook the pumpkin in the custard base, it will turn out grainy. 
• Prevent ice crystals - Lay a piece of parchment paper over the top of the pumpkin ice cream before freezing.
• Use an instant-read thermometer - Cook the custard to 170-175°F (76-79°C). Hot enough to thicken the custard but not scramble the eggs.

Pumpkin Ice Cream Toppings

You can serve this pumpkin spice ice cream straight up or with some special add-ins. Here are some examples.

• Gingersnap cookie crumbles
• Bourbon caramel sauce
• Air Fryer Granola
• Chopped candied walnuts
• Crushed graham crackers

Storage Tips

• How long it lasts: Pumpkin spice ice cream will last 1-2 weeks in the freezer; after that, it can get icy or lose flavor. 
• Keep it cold: Store the ice cream container (affiliate link) in the back of the freezer and not the door.
• Scooping tip: If the ice cream feels too hard, let the container sit on the counter for 5 minutes before scooping.