Christmas cookie ice cream is the perfect frozen treat to make with those extra Christmas cookies. Creamy vanilla ice cream is filled with crumbled sugar cookies, a hint of warm cinnamon, and festive sprinkles.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Creamy vanilla ice cream is filled with crumbled frosted sugar cookies, a hint of cinnamon, and sugar sprinkles.
No churn: This recipe is made with a hand mixer - no ice cream maker needed!
Yield: About 6 cups
Similar to: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Sugar cookies - Any soft cookies work great in this recipe. Frosted cookies can be substituted with unfrosted cookies and 2 ounces of chopped white chocolate for a similar flavor. Omit the white chocolate for a less sweet ice cream.
- Sweetened condensed milk - Homemade sweetened condensed milk or the store bought canned variety will work in this recipe.
- Vanilla extract - Could be substituted with peppermint extract to make a peppermint cookie ice cream.
How to make Christmas cookie ice cream
- Whip heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks are achieved.
- Mix sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a separate bowl, then fold together with the whipped cream.
- Add cookie pieces to ice cream, then layer into a loaf pan with red and green sprinkles.
- Cover and freeze immediately until solid, about 4-5 hours.
Tips and tricks
Use a mixer - To make whipped cream, you'll need a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. While whipped cream can be whipped by hand, it takes much longer and you'll need quite a bit of arm strength to do so.
Whip to stiff peaks - Whip your whipped cream at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Test your whipped cream by turning the mixer off, lifting the whisk out of the whipped cream, and turning it upside down. If the peak of the whipped cream holds its shape without drooping, your whipped cream is ready.
Use your favorite cookies - If sugar cookies aren't your thing, crumble up your favorite chocolate chip cookies or shortbread cookies instead. Crumbled vanilla wafers or graham crackers make a great less-sweet alternative.
Frequently asked questions
I recommend using a 9x5 loaf pan because it is the perfect size for one batch of ice cream. However, any size pan that is freezer-safe and holds at least 6 cups will work for this recipe. Try using a medium-sized tupperware container with a lid for easy storage.
The time needed to freeze your homemade ice cream will depend on a few factors: how cold your freezer is and the size and shape of your container. When prepared in a 9x5 loaf pan, my homemade ice cream freezes solid in about 4 to 5 hours.
To help your ice cream freeze faster, try separating the prepared ice cream into two smaller containers instead of one large loaf pan.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Christmas Cookie Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (454 g) heavy cream
- 14 ounces (400 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup crumbled frosted sugar cookies, about 4-5 medium cookies
- 1 tablespoon sugar sprinkles, red and green
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add heavy cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip until stiff peaks are achieved. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Gently fold whipped cream into milk mixture until just combined.
- Add cookie pieces and gently fold into the ice cream mixture.
- In a 9x5 loaf pan (or other 6 cup container), layer ⅓ of ice cream mixture. Add ⅓ of sprinkles in an even layer. Repeat twice more ending in a layer of sprinkles on top.
- Optionally, top with more crumbled cookies. Cover and immediately freeze for about 4-5 hours, or until firm.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Cookie options: Crumbled frosted sugar cookies can be substituted with crumbled vanilla wafers or graham crackers and 2 ounces of chopped white chocolate.
- Storage: Homemade ice cream will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer in a tightly sealed container.
How would this recipe be made in an ice cream machine? I am guessing that all ingredients, except for the "mix-ins", would be added to the mixing container, and I would churn/freeze the icream; then proceed with Step #4 of your instructions?
Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Elaine
Hi Elaine, I don't have an ice cream machine myself so I can't say for sure what changes would need to be made to the recipe to make it work.