Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream is a rich vanilla ice cream filled with Reese's peanut butter cups and peanut butter pieces.  This candy-studded ice cream will win over all peanut butter cup lovers.

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This post was originally published on September 24, 2019, and has been fully updated.

We are an ice cream-loving family, and every season is ice cream season in our house. We love everything from triple mint ice cream to cinnamon ice cream.

You only need a handful of ingredients to make a homemade ice cream base that is rich and creamy and can be customized to your heart's content.

If you love peanut butter cups, you will love this sweet treat. It starts with a rich vanilla base and includes a double dose of Reese's - chocolate peanut butter cups and chocolate-coated peanut butter pieces.

Ingredient notes

• Heavy cream and half-and-half form the rich and creamy base and provide extra fat since we are only using two egg yolks.
• Egg yolks help to thicken the custard base and contribute to the creamy mouth feel.
• Vanilla extract - Always use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. Alternatively, you can add a vanilla bean to the cream mixture so that it infuses its wonderful flavor while the cream is heating. Vanilla bean paste can also be used.

Step-by-Step Instructions

See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.

1. Add the half-and-half, 1 ½ cups of heavy cream, sugar, and salt to a saucepan. Heat over medium to medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Meanwhile, add the egg yolks to the remaining cream and whisk to incorporate.

3. When the cream is warm, slowly add 1 or 2 ladles of it to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. This will temper the egg mixture so the eggs don't scramble.
4. Then slowly add the egg mixture back to the pan with the rest of the cream and whisk to combine. Cook until the mixture has thickened slightly, whisking occasionally. Be careful not to boil the mixture.
5. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the mixture into a heat-proof bowl, straining to capture any bits of egg that did not get incorporated.
6. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap down directly on the mixture. This will prevent a film from forming on the top of the custard. Chill for 2-4 hours or as long as overnight.

7. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an ice cream maker. Churn until the mixture reaches the consistency of soft serve. This takes about 45 minutes with the machine I use.

8. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and stir in the peanut butter cups and Reese's pieces. Freeze for 3-4 hours or overnight until firm.

For extra indulgence, serve a scoop or two of this sandwiched between two of my Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies. 

Expert Tips

• If you're not a fan of peanut butter, add in other candy such as Heath Bar, Snickers, or M&M's.
• If you prefer an ice cream custard base with a more pronounced egg flavor, you can add 1-3 extra egg yolks.
• Some ice cream machines require freezing the bowl ahead of time, some for as long as 24 hours, so remember to plan ahead.
• I use a Cuisinart 1.5 qt compressor ice cream maker. I love this machine because the bowl doesn't need to be pre-frozen. It's expensive but is a worthwhile investment if you make a lot of ice cream. Alternatively, this Cuisinart 1.5 qt ice cream and sorbet maker is more affordable, but keep in mind the bowl requires pre-freezing.

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