The Best Pistachio Ice Cream

4.89 from 36 votes

The Best Pistachio Ice Cream

This easy homemade Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe is the best! Loaded with chopped nuts, brown butter, milk powder, & almond extract, it is super rich. It comes together easily in a Cuisinart ice cream maker.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Chill Time, Churn Time1 15

Total Time1 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 317kcal

Author: Brianna May

Equipment

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup chopped shelled pistachios*
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½-1 teaspoon almond extract*
1 cup whole milk
green food coloring, optional

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the milk powder. Continue to cook, whisking continuously, for 3-4 minutes or until brown.
Turn the heat off and stir in the chopped pistachios. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl whisk together about 1 cup of the cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, almond, and almond extract until well combined.
Whisk in the remaining cream and milk.
Stir in the pistachio mixture and 1-2 drops of food coloring if using. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight.
Once chilled, pour into a pre-frozen bowl or ice cream machine. (Follow manufacturer’s prep instructions.) Secure the paddle and lid, if using a Cuisinart ice cream maker (see photos above).
Churn for 15-20 minutes or until thickened.
Remove paddle. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for an additional 3-4 hours for a firmer consistency. Store leftovers in an airtight shallow container.

Notes

Pistachios: Most of the pistachios I have found at the store that are shelled are also roasted and salted. The saltiness contrasts the sweetness of the sugar nicely. I recommend using lightly salted if you can find them. If they are whole, give them a rough chop before adding them to the butter. You can also use ½ cup of pistachios and ½ cup of almonds to make pistachio almond ice cream. If the pistachios are unsalted, add a pinch of salt or use salted butter.
Almond Extract: For a more subtle flavor, use only ½ teaspoon of almond extract. I really like the taste of almond extract so I use 1 full teaspoon. You can always start by adding ½ teaspoon and taste the mixture after all of the ingredients are combined and add an additional ½ teaspoon if needed.
Brown the butter and milk powder. This really brings out the nutty flavor of the pistachios and takes this recipe to the next level.
Chill. The longer you chill the ice cream base, the more time the flavor has to infuse. I recommend chilling overnight if possible.
Churn. The faster the ice cream freezes, the fewer ice crystals it will have. This recipe must be churned to give it a super creamy texture. Over time in the freezer, even in a freezer-safe container, ice crystals will form. It does not typically last long enough in my house to have this issue. :)

Nutrition