Homemade Peanut Butter Ice Cream: A Delectably Delicious Guide

Peanut butter is one of the top 20 most popular ice cream flavors, but we don't think it gets near enough hype! Peanut butter ice cream is not only delicious but on the healthier side, too.

An excellent source of plant-based protein, peanut butter is also rich in antioxidants and healthy fats and is a naturally low-carb food. It can amp up the health profile of your favorite ice cream, too.

Want to know how to make peanut butter ice cream at home? You've come to the right place. Read this guide for the ingredients and recipes you need to whip up this delicious treat.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Ingredients

Making homemade ice cream is easier than you think. It only requires three main ingredients, plus any flavorings and add-ins you prefer. Find out the best ingredients to use for peanut butter ice cream next.

Smooth Natural Peanut Butter

The best peanut butter for ice cream is smooth and 100% natural. Look for products that contain roasted peanuts and salt only. You'll add a sweetener to the ice cream, so there's no need for a product that contains sugar already.

American Dream Just Plain Nutty Peanut Butter is the best option for homemade peanut butter ice cream. It has a strong peanut-ty flavor, is high in protein and low in carbs and sugar, and will work perfectly in our recipes.

If you aren't a fan of peanut butter, you can still make our ice cream recipes. Just switch out the peanut butter for your favorite almond or cashew butter.

Dairy or a Non-Dairy Alternative

Ice cream would not be ice cream without water and fat, the two main ingredients found in dairy products. Crystallized water is required for solidity and body, while fat is needed for richness and stability.

The best dairy product for ice cream is milk, heavy cream, or a combination of the two (i.e., half and half). But alternative milk products can also serve as stand-ins if you live life dairy-free.

Oat, pea, soy, and hemp milk are the best alternatives for a rich and creamy homemade ice cream. Pea, soy, and hemp milk offer the added benefits of being high in protein.

Sugar or a Sugar Substitute

Sweeteners don't just make ice cream a delicious treat. They are also required to lower the mix's freezing point for a softer, creamier final product. Plain ol' sugar is the classic choice, but many sugar substitutes will also do the job.

If you are on the keto diet, substitute sugar for stevia, monk fruit, or erythritol. Alternatively, nix the sugar and sugar substitutes altogether, and sweeten your peanut butter ice cream with fresh or frozen fruit.

Want a sweetener that provides a satisfying flavor and nutritional benefits? The best choices to reach for include micronutrient-rich raw honey, pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, and blackstrap molasses.

Flavorings and Add-Ins

You can flavor your homemade peanut butter ice cream with a simple dash of vanilla or a rich vanilla bean pod. Or you can go crazy with flavors and add-ins, using everything but the kitchen sink!

Crushed-up cookies and candy bars, caramel and chocolate syrup, fruit and nuts, and sprinkles and chocolate chips are some of our favorite options. Imagine how delicious peanut butter ice cream with Reese's cups would taste!

Another idea is to use our indulgent peanut butters. We mix in tasty toppings like M&M's, graham crackers, chocolate chips, and many more for a drool-worthy flavor explosion you can't get enough of.

How to Make Peanut Butter Ice Cream

If you've never made ice cream, you'll be surprised how quickly it comes together, especially if you use an ice cream maker. These machines are available at affordable prices wherever you buy your home goods.

Don't have an ice cream churner and not interested in buying one? That's okay, too! Scroll down to our no-churn ice cream recipes below for more ideas.

One final note: while many recipes call for eggs, they are not required for a creamy, dreamy final product. So, without further ado, here's how to make our favorite peanut butter ice cream, no eggs required.

Gather the Ingredients

First step: gather the ingredients for your ice cream. We recommend the following measurements:

• 1 cup of milk or your dairy alternative of choice
• 1/4 of sugar or your sugar substitute of choice
• 1/4 cup of smooth, natural peanut butter (we recommend our Just Plain Nutty Peanut Butter)
• 1/3 teaspoon of vanilla (optional but highly recommended)
• Add-ins like crushed cookies, candy, or chocolate chips to taste (optional)

This recipe will make enough ice cream for two servings, perfect for treating yourself and a loved one. You can also double or triple the recipe for four to six servings.

Cook the Sugar and Milk

Next, you'll want to dissolve the sugar in the dairy or milk alternative. For best results, heat it in a saucepan until simmering. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.

Avoid bringing the milk to a rapid boil over high heat. Milk burns easily, so stir often while heating the mixture.

Want to skip this step? No problem. Just mix all the ingredients together and skip to the next step.

Add the Flavorings

Before your milk and sugar mixture comes to room temperature, add in the peanut butter. The warmer temperature will make it easier to thoroughly combine the ingredients without lumps and clumps.

You'll also add the vanilla at this point. But don't drop your mix-ins just yet! That step comes later when the ice cream is about halfway churned.

Chill the Ice Cream Mixture

Some say the mixture should be added directly to the ice cream maker. But if you do it the old-fashioned way, dissolving the sugar and milk over heat, the ingredients must be lowered to a cooler temperature before churning.

Your ice cream maker may specifically recommend a pre-freezing time. If not, up to two hours in a very cold freezer should be sufficient to bring the temperature down for optimum churning.

Churn the Ice Cream Mixture

Once your peanut butter ice cream mixture has cooled, add it to the machine. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for churning your ice cream mixture, paying attention to the different times it takes to reach certain consistencies.

Most ice cream makers require at least 20 to 30 minutes of churning for a soft-serve-like consistency.

Add the Mix-Ins

Wait until about halfway through the churning process to add your mix-ins. It's not too late to add them in until about five minutes before the churn time is up if you forget.

Optionally, throw the finished product into the freezer for two hours or overnight. This final freeze gives the flavors a chance to marinate together and ripen. It will also produce a firmer consistency.

No-Churn Peanut Butter Ice Cream Recipe

You don't need an ice cream churner to make peanut butter ice cream at home. You can also try freezer peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter ice cream in a bag, or peanut butter 'nice cream' for similar results.

Freezer Peanut Butter Ice Cream

The only downside to this recipe is that you really must use heavy cream. The final product has a cool whip-like consistency that will be difficult to achieve with non-dairy products.

If you eat a vegan or plant-based diet, try making whipped cream with aquafaba (the liquid inside a can of chickpeas). But please note that we haven't tested the results of using aquafaba whipped cream in ice cream.

Here are the ingredients you'll need for freezer peanut butter ice cream:

• 2 cups of chilled heavy cream
• 1 3/4 cups of sweetened condensed milk or full-fat coconut milk
• 3/4 cups of peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, or around 7 to 8 minutes. Place the whipped cream in the freezer while you combine the condensed milk or coconut milk, peanut butter, and vanilla.

Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. If you want any add-ins, now is the time to stir them in. Be very gentle, though, to avoid removing air from the whipped cream.

Place the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for at least six hours or, ideally, overnight. 

Peanut Butter Ice Cream in a Bag

Making ice cream in a bag is a super fun activity to do with kids. You can also use it as a science lesson, explaining how the salt lowers the temperature of the ice for rapid ice cream freezing.

Here's what you need to make peanut butter ice cream in a bag.

• 1/2 cup of milk, half and half, or a high-fat, high-protein dairy alternative like hemp milk
• 1/4 cup of peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon of sugar or a sugar alternative
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 4 cups of ice
• 1/4 cup of kosher salt
• 2 quart-sized resealable plastic bags
• 1 gallon-sized resealable plastic bag

Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter until smooth. Pour the mixture into one quart-sized resealable plastic bag. Then, place it into the second quart-sized plastic bag.

Put the ice cream mixture into the gallon-sized resealable plastic bag and fill it with ice and salt. When you're done, ensure all three bags are tightly sealed.

Shake the bags vigorously for at least 5 minutes or until your peanut butter ice cream reaches a firm consistency. Wait to add any mix-ins or flavorings until the end.

The final result will be a scoopable ice cream with an icy, snow-like consistency and a deliciously creamy flavor.

Peanut Butter 'Nice Cream' Recipe

Another no-churn ice cream idea is to use frozen bananas instead of milk and sugar. This two-ingredient recipe is as simple as it gets. Plus, it's healthy, dairy-free, low-sugar, and a great ice cream for weight loss.

The riper your bananas, the better since they tend to get sweeter with time. If you don't want to wait for your bananas to ripen, you can always add a few teaspoons of sugar, honey, or your sweetener of choice.

The only ingredients you need to make peanut butter 'nice cream' are:

• 4 frozen bananas
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla (optional)

Place the frozen bananas into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter and optional vanilla, blending again until the mixture is homogenous.

Remove your 'nice cream' from the blender and enjoy. Now is also the best time to add any extra ingredients. Nuts and chocolate syrup on top are also highly recommended.

More Peanut Butter Ice Cream Alternatives

Finding the right ice cream recipe for your dietary needs can be challenging. But with a few tweaks, you can make our peanut butter ice cream keto-friendly or dairy-free. Here's how.

Keto-Friendly Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Making ice cream keto-friendly can be tricky. After all, sugar and other natural sweeteners are completely off-limits. Luckily, some sugar alternatives are keto-approved in small quantities.

Stevia, sucralose, erythritol, xylitol, monk fruit, and yacon syrup are low-carb options offering that sweet taste you crave.

You'll also want to be careful about the peanut butter you choose. Products filled with extra sweeteners and flavors are off-limits. Our products are low-carb and low-sugar, perfect for keto dieters.

High-Protein Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Peanut butter ice cream is rich in peanut butter and dairy, which are already naturally high in protein. You can amp up the protein content even further by adding a scoop of whey protein powder.

You might also consider making frozen yogurt instead of regular ice cream. If you choose your yogurt right, it can have more protein than dairy products.

If you're looking for a high-protein plant-based option, skip the vegan protein to avoid a grainy texture. Instead, go for a high-protein alternative milk option like soy milk, pea milk, or hemp milk.

Make All Your Recipes With American Dream

Peanut butter ice cream is an easy and delicious treat for you and your loved ones. We hope these recipes have shown you just how simple it is to make custom peanut butter ice cream at home!

Are you searching for the best nut butters to use in your favorite homemade recipes? American Dream specializes in products that are high in protein, low in carbs and sugar, and gluten-free to suit your healthy lifestyle.

Shop our complete nut butter collection to find your new favorite recipe ingredient!