This Peanut Butter Cup Frozen Custard is out of this world! Smooth, vanilla custard loaded with chopped peanut butter cups and pools and swirls of peanut butter. It’s absolutely insane and you won’t be able to stop eating it!
My family’s love of ice cream runs deep. We’re slightly obsessed with it and this Peanut Butter Cup Frozen Custard has completely smitten all of us.
It’s beyond good. In fact, there really aren’t words to describe how ridiculously amazing this is.
Let me sum it up this way. . . . Zach and I were the first two to give it a try. Zach ate his in a waffle cone and when he finished these were the exact words out of his mouth:
“That was possibly THE BEST ice cream cone I have ever eaten! Do we have to tell anybody else about this?”
I laughed and then looked at him and said “heck no, we’re hiding this!”
But like always, I felt guilty that I was depriving the rest of my boys and husband of this incredibly divine stuff, so Zach and I let them in on our little secret, but only after we’d already eaten about 2/3 of it.
Anyway, if you’re a fan of peanut butter and peanut butter cups, this frozen custard has your name written all over it.
This is so smooth and creamy. . . if you can call frozen custard luxurious, then that’s what I’m calling this. The chunks/swirls of peanut butter are pure heaven and the peanut butter cups, well they pretty much speak for themselves.
You guys, you have got to make this. I know I go on and on about so many recipes on this blog, but this stuff is freaking amazing and I am not even kidding. Move over Ben & Jerry’s because this stuff completely rocks!!
Tips for making peanut butter cup frozen custard:
- It’s really important that the cooked egg and cream mixture is well-chilled. I usually make mine the night before so it’s had plenty of time to chill. If you don’t make it the night before, just make sure you give it at least three to four hours in the fridge.
- Make sure you place a piece a saran wrap right up against the cooked egg mixture before you put it in the fridge, this prevents it from forming a skin/film on top.
- Because you’re adding stuff to this while it’s still churning, this custard is best to make in a canister ice cream maker. This Cuisinart is the one I have and absolutely love. The top is open on these kind of ice cream makers so you can easily toss stuff in while it’s churning.
- If you only have the “old fashioned” kind of ice cream maker where you use ice and rock salt, don’t worry, you can still make this. Just freeze it according to the manufacturer’s directions and once it’s done, remove the lid and dasher and toss and fold in the chopped peanut butter cups. Then pour in the melted peanut butter and give it a few stirs. You can also transfer it first to a freezer-safe container and then stir in the peanut butter cups and peanut butter. Most of those kinds of ice cream makers are 4 to 6 quart. This recipe makes 2 quarts so you could easily double or triple it if you’re wanting/needing that much.
- Don’t over-stir when you add in the peanut butter. You want to leave big swirls and pools of peanut butter throughout the custard.
- Melt your peanut butter in the microwave long enough for it to be a pourable consistency, BUT make sure you let it cool a little before swirling it into your frozen custard.
- Consider yourself warned about how addicting this is and try not to eat the entire batch.
Peanut Butter Cup Frozen Custard
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 2 quarts 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (vanilla extract is fine too)
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup (heaping) chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter cups
- 2/3 to 3/4 cup peanut butter, warmed (microwave about 30 to 40 seconds)
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium low heat, whisk together the heavy cream, half and half, sugar, and vanilla bean paste. Stir occasionally, heating the mixture until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat.
- While cream is heating up, whisk 6 egg yolks together until frothy and slightly pale yellow (I like to use my hand mixer to do this, it makes it way faster). After removing the cream mixture from heat, remove about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the hot cream mixture and vigorously whisk into the eggs. Place the pan of cream back on the stovetop over medium low heat, and whisk the egg mixture back into the remaining cream. Heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (it only takes a couple minutes). You should be able to dip the back of a spoon into the mixture and drag your finger through the cream on the back of the spoon and it should leave a trail. Remove from heat place a piece of saran wrap up against the custard mixture and chill in the refrigerator (for several hours or overnight).
- Once the mixture is chilled freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. When the custard is almost done churning, toss in the chopped peanut butter cups into the ice cream machine. Once those are mixed in, with machine still churning, slowly pour in the melted peanut butter and churn just until peanut butter is barely mixed in. **You want to leave “pools” and “streaks” of peanut butter.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Press a piece of plastic wrap right up against the custard and then cover tightly with a lid. Freeze for at least 2-3 hours before serving if you want it a little firmer.
Notes
Adjust the amount of peanut butter according to what you like. We love peanut butter so I always put closer to 3/4 cup in. It’s a personal preference here.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 4+ hours chill time
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE I’D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK!
Here are some of our other favorite frozen treats and ice cream:
Cookies & Cream Frozen Custard
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Pie
Looks like Heaven!!
This looks amazing!! I really want to try it, but I’m from UK and don’t know what half and half is?! Also I don’t have an ice cream maker – can I make it without ?
Hi Evie, half & half is a blend of equal parts whole milk and light cream. I don’t know of a way to tell you how to make this without an ice cream maker. It’s not one of those “no-churn ice cream recipes” that doesn’t require an ice cream maker. I wish I knew of a way, but I don’t. So sorry.
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. I’ve been looking for a chocolate peanut butter cup frozen custard recipe. Could I add some cocoa to make it a chocolate custard base, or would I need to make additional changes?
Hi Lynette! I’m so glad you found this recipe, it’s amazing! Yes you could whisk cocoa into the custard base before you cook it. You’ll have to decide how chocolaty you want it. Keep in mind adding the cocoa is going to make the base less sweet so you may have to adjust the sugar.
There’s a way that you can make this without an ice cream maker. What you do is when you are done cooking the custard, place the bowl that you are going to put the custard in in an ice bath, place the custard in that bowl, whisking it for 30 minutes. Place the custard in a freezer-safe container, and, using frozen hand-mixer beaters or a fork, beat the custard every 30 minutes. You will do that about a total of 6 times, but make sure to fold in the peanut butter cups just before churning it the 6th time, and drizzle the melted peanut butter on top and swirl it just after beating the ice cream the 6th time, making sure to cover it with parchment paper and plastic wrap every time you place the ice cream back in the freezer.
This is hands down the best ice cream I’ve ever made! I’ve made it a few times now and when I do I hide it in the deep freezer in the basement! It’s that good!! I refuse to share any with my husband