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Recipe updated 2/24/16
The inspiration for this autumn ice cream flavor comes from one of my readers, Michelle S. She told me I should try to replicate a pumpkin spice cheesecake ice cream she had eaten at a restaurant called “Good Times.” I’ve never been to said restaurant and never tasted said ice cream, but I thought the flavor combo sounded awesome so I gave it a whirl…er…a churn. I’m sure my recipe isn’t as rich or custardy as the original, but I’m OK with that because I was going for quick and easy as well as yummy. Oh, and for the awesomesauce of it, I added some cheesecake crust crumbs. You can even add some ginger to the crust crumbs so you have a gingersnap cookie crust.
My friend Amanda posted an amazing-looking pumpkin fudge recipe the other day and told me that she thought it would be good chopped up into one of my ice cream recipes. I told her that I knew just the one… I’m quite certain that Amanda’s pumpkin fudge would taste a-maz-ing in this ice cream.
If you’re wondering why you don’t see crumbs in the ice cream in my pictures, that’s because the time I made the ice cream to take pictures of it, I was in a hurry and didn’t make the crumbs. The crumbs really do add a lot to this recipe, though. I highly suggest adding them if you have the time.
You can find this recipe in my cookbook, Necessary Food.
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 T vegetable glycerin, optional but highly recommended
- 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 6-7 doonks THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder (a doonk is 1/32 tsp.)
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. glucomannan
- ½ block (4 oz.) cream cheese
- 2 T butter, melted
- 1 tsp. Truvia or ½ tsp. THM Super Sweet Blend
- 3 T Briana's Baking Mix
- ½ tsp. ginger, optional (for a gingersnap cookie crust)
- Blend all the ice cream ingredients except for the cream cheese together in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into an automatic ice cream maker (I use a Cuisinart 1½ qt. model which is just big enough) and churn according to manufacturer's directions. Meanwhile, put the cream cheese in the freezer to harden.
- If you want crumbs in your ice cream, combine the crumb ingredients together with a fork. Press the crumbs onto a metal baking pan and broil until lightly browned. Transfer the crumbs to the freezer to firm up while the ice cream churns.
- When the ice cream is done, transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Chunk up the cream cheese and stir it into the ice cream along with the crumbs. Freeze in the freezer to firm up if desired, then serve.
- Like most homemade ice creams, this recipe is best eaten fresh (unless using vegetable glycerin, which gives you more flexibility-see below). If you have leftovers, freeze them and when you're ready to eat them, either let them sit out on the counter for 30 minutes or so or defrost them for a few seconds in the microwave.
- I recommend adding 1 T of vegetable glycerin to this ice cream to keep it from sticking to the sides of the ice cream maker and to keep it softer and not let it get hard so fast in the freezer. If you freeze the ice cream for an extended length of time in the freezer, it will still freeze hard, but if you let it sit out to soften up a little, the glycerin keeps it scoopable instead of icy. Transfer the ice cream from the freezer to the refrigerator 3 hours before serving for optimum texture, or let it sit out on the counter for 30-40 minutes.
Briana’s Baking Mix recipe
Suggested Products:
- Cuisinart 1 1/2 qt. Automatic Ice Cream Churn
- Glucomannan
- Oat Fiber (you can purchase a gluten free product from the Trim Healthy Mama online store)
- Truvia
- Vegetable Glycerin
- THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder can be purchased from the Trim Healthy Mama online store.
Have you tried this after freezing it? Mine was not at all creamy and the cream cheese did not do well freezing. I wonder if glycerine was stirred into the cream cheese and more cream instead of almond milk? We loved it before it went into the freezer and are big fans of all of your ice cream recipes. But not so much this one after it was in the freezer. The last batch of vanilla was scoopable even when just coming out of the freezer. This one was not scoopable at all after freezing. Maybe I did something wrong?
Hi Cheryl! My newer recipes definitely do better after freezing and thawing than my older recipes (such as this one) do. 🙂 Did you make this Basic Vanilla Scoopable Ice Cream? https://www.briana-thomas.com/basic-vanilla-scoopable-ice-cream/
Perhaps you’d prefer to tweak that recipe with these pumpkin spice cheesecake elements for a creamier result if you don’t plan to eat the ice cream fresh. 🙂
This looks delicious! I’ve made some of the other flavors and I always substitute 1 egg yolk for the vegetable glycerin, since it’s hard to get where I live. That seems to keep it creamy. I also freeze it in a container and stir occasionally, chopping it up when I’m ready to actually eat it. It’s a convenient alternative when you don’t have an ice cream maker!
Wow, this was really excellent! Would probably have been ‘Most Excellent,’ if I’d have made the recommended Cheesecake Crust Crumbs… Today, I wanted speedy quick Pumpkin Ice Cream and you delivered!! hahah
(It is better than my usual commercial Frozen Yogurt Pumpkin flavor, and I don’t have to worry if “their” season is over.)
I did throw some mini chocolate chips in at the end, in your honor. (they weren’t an ‘excellent’ choice..)
Waiting for your admission of plopping peanut butter on this ice cream. “)
Grateful.
Haha…someone knows me far too well… 😛 Glad you liked it!
I can’t wait to try this! Not only does it sound delicious, your photos always are so beautiful.
Thank you!
What is the reason for not using real vanilla? Thanks!
I didn’t have it. 🙂 Feel free to substitute, but you’ll need less real vanilla extract because it’s stronger.
I put flax seeds (whole) in my blended pumpkin ice cream shake, and loved the “pie crust” texture they gave.
If you ever need anywhere to stay in Canada, particularly the National Capital Region, please note that my house (and kitchen) are open to you. I would adopt you in a heartbeat to have you try some of these at my house!! Your site is great hun, and you are a blessing to my days.
Haha…thanks so much. Glad you enjoy the recipes, and if I’m ever up your way I’ll keep you in mind. 😉