This recipe for Cider Donut Ice Cream is dangerously delicious and incredibly simple because there's no need to churn it in an ice cream machine. It's overflowing with the flavors of fall and packed to the brim with delightful cider donuts.
Making no-churn ice cream is so simple you'll want to make it over and over again. All you need is heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. Then, add your favorite flavorings, transfer to a dish (a loaf pan works perfectly), cover with plastic wrap then freeze until set. The texture and flavor are just like ice cream that's been churned!
For this recipe I wanted to bring the flavors of fall front and center in a simple yet special frozen treat. So I went with a no-churn ice cream featuring apple orchard fresh cider donuts! Hopefully you live in a part of the country that's overflowing with cider donuts in the fall, but if not you can buy a plain cake donuts and toss them with cinnamon, sugar and freshly grated nutmeg.
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Ingredients that Matter
This recipe has only a handful of ingredients, and each are essential for the flavor and texture of this no-churn ice cream. Here are the ingredients you'll need for this recipe.
- Heavy Cream. The base of no-churn ice cream is heavy cream. You can't really skimp on lower fat creams as you need all that fat for the structure to make whipped cream.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk. The ingredient that makes no-churn ice cream possible is sweetened condensed milk. When whisked into whipped cream, it provides the right sweetness and texture to freeze into an ice cream texture.
- Cider Donuts. You will have to buy fresh cider donuts for this recipe, but they are readily available in the fall throughout the U.S. You can, in a pinch, use a plain cake-style donut and toss with cinnamon, granulated sugar and ground nutmeg.
- Vanilla. A splash of vanilla is always a welcome addition to ice cream.
- Cinnamon. One of the main flavors of cider donuts is cinnamon, so this recipe adds some to the ice cream base.
- Nutmeg. Similar to cinnamon, nutmeg is a key flavor of cider donuts so the recipe has freshly grated in the base. I always suggest using freshly grated nutmeg for the brightest, boldest nutmeg flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe is super simple. So simple, I bet you'll be making this no-churn ice cream over and over again! Here is how the recipe comes together.
Add heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg to the base of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or add to a medium bowl and use an electric hand mixer. Whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy and almost stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
While the mixer running, drizzle in the sweetened condensed milk and continue mixing until light and fluffy, another 2-3 minutes.
Tear cider donuts into bite-size pieces and fold into the ice cream base.
Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until set (at least 3 hours, preferably overnight).
Hint: The ice cream should be scoopable right out of the freezer, but if you want it slightly softer and easier to scoop, set on the counter for 5 minutes before scooping.
Substitutions
This recipe cannot be made vegan or even dairy-free, however there are some tweaks you can make based on your dietary needs and preferences.
- Gluten-Free - To make this recipe gluten-free, you'll need to use a gluten-free donut. You could try using Katz Gluten Free Cider Donuts
- Caramelized Apples - If you want to really enhance the apple flavor of this ice cream, trying adding out Caramelized Apples. Either stir about ½ cup of the apples into the base before freezing or top the frozen cider donut ice cream with a scoop of caramelized apples.
- Nuts - If you want to add nuts to the recipe, consider stirring in chopped pecans or walnuts to the base before frozen.
No-Churn Ice Cream Simplicity
Perhaps the greatest part of this recipe is how simple it is to make! That is because there is no need to use an ice cream machine. Instead, the combination of heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk create a frozen dessert that has a similar texture and flavor to ice cream.
Whipping the heavy cream to whipped cream incorporates air, creating a light and fluffy texture. Meanwhile, the sweetened condensed milk is a liquid sweetened that doesn't freeze solid when stirred into the whipped cream.
Why is this important? If you make regular ice cream base and simply freeze it in a loaf pan you'll get a block of ice cream base instead of a creamy frozen treat. That same base added to an ice cream machine will get light and airy as the machine churns the base and slowly freezes it, creating small, smooth ice crystals.
Equipment
You can make this recipe by hand using a whisk (and strong arms!), but I suggest using a stand mixer to make the job easier. You can check out this KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer, which will make the whisking incredibly simple.
If you don't want to buy a stand mixer, consider an electric hand mixer like this KitchenAid Ultra Power Hand Mixer.
Storage
Store leftover no-churn ice cream in an airtight container for up to 1 month. I like to transfer it from a loaf pan to a sealable glass or plastic container and store in the freezer.
Top tip
For best results, let the ice cream freezer overnight. However, if you have company dropping by and need a dessert in about 4 hours, you can whip this no-churn ice cream up and it will be firm in about 3 hours.
FAQ
No-churn ice cream is typically made with heavy cream whisked to whipped cream then sweetened condensed milk is whisked in until light and fluffy.
No-churn ice cream freezes into an frozen dessert with a near identical texture and flavor to regular churned ice cream thanks to the airy whipped cream mixed with sweet condensed milk, which will not freeze solid.
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Recipe
Cider Donut Ice Cream (No-Churn)
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 5 cups 1x
Description
This recipe for Cider Donut Ice Cream is dangerously delicious and incredibly simple because there's no need to churn it in an ice cream machine. It's overflowing with the flavors of fall and packed to the brim with delightful cider donuts.
Ingredients
- 1 pt. heavy cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 cider donuts
Instructions
- Add heavy crema to the base of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or add cream to a medium bowl and use a hand held electric mixer). Whisk until slightly light and frothy, about 1 minute. Add vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and continue whisking until the mixture is light and airy and it almost holds stiff peaks.
- Add the condensed milk while continuing to whisk. Continuing to whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy, another 2 minutes. Tear cider donuts into bite-size pieces and fold into the ice cream base. Transfer mixture to a loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 3 hours and preferably overnight. Serve right out of the freezer or set aside on the counter for 5 minutes for a softer serve ice cream.
- Add the
Notes
- The mixture will keep in the freezer stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- You can use gluten-free cider donuts if you want to make this recipe gluten-free.
- If you can't find cider donuts near you, try using plain cake donuts and add your own granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. It won't be quite the same, but will be fairly similar.
- Try serving with our Caramelized Apples.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Cook Time: 0 min.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
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