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    Home » Dessert

    Beer Ice Cream: Stout Chocolate Pretzel

    Published: Sep 27, 2019 · Modified: Jul 23, 2022 · 11 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    This rich and creamy beer ice cream is inspired by Häagen-Dazs'® stout chocolate pretzel ice cream. It's a perfect Game Day dessert!
    This rich and creamy beer ice cream is inspired by Häagen-Dazs'® stout chocolate pretzel ice cream. It's a perfect Game Day dessert!
    This rich and creamy beer ice cream is inspired by Häagen-Dazs'® stout chocolate pretzel ice cream. It's a perfect Game Day dessert!
    This rich and creamy beer ice cream is inspired by Häagen-Dazs'® stout chocolate pretzel ice cream. It's a perfect Game Day dessert!
    This rich and creamy beer ice cream is inspired by Häagen-Dazs'® stout chocolate pretzel ice cream. It's a perfect Game Day dessert!
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    This rich and creamy beer ice cream is inspired by Häagen-Dazs’® stout chocolate pretzel ice cream. It’s a perfect Game Day dessert!

    Beer ice cream (stout pretzel) in serving bowls

    Do you like to stroll down the ice cream aisle at the grocery store?

    I do.

    I like to wander down the aisle, looking for ideas.

    Ideas for ice cream to make myself at home.

    I’m also looking for my favorite organic ice cream sandwiches, which seem to have vanished. Julie’s ice cream, do you still exist?

    Recently, I saw something that stopped me in my tracks.

    Häagen-Dazs’ new Spirits collection of ice cream— and in particular, the stout chocolate pretzel flavor.

    Sweet chocolate and salty pretzel mixed with slightly bitter notes of stout beer– it sounded incredible.

    I decided that I needed this beer ice cream in my life.

    I made lots of frozen desserts this past summer, like strawberry cheesecake ice cream, chocolate mint ice cream, berry granita, watermelon sorbet, mango sorbet, and mango frozen yogurt, and now I’m thrilled to share this beer ice cream that’s perfect for fall!

    How to Make Egg-Free Ice Cream

    Traditional ice cream is made with a custard base.

    In other words, it uses lots and lots of eggs yolks to help make the it creamy and to help it bind together.

    Instead of eggs, this ice cream uses a cream cheese base, and is thickened with cornstarch.

    What Kind of Beer Should I Use?

    Use your favorite kind of stout.

    This stout chocolate pretzel ice cream is delicious with Guinness (a beer that’s very easy to find!). I also love Sierra Nevada’s stout.

    This recipe only uses one cup of beer, so you can sip on the rest of the can or bottle while you make the ice cream!

    Want more BEER recipe ideas for Game Day and Oktoberfest? Try this Beer Cheese Soup with Cauliflower, and then make these Savory Beer Raised Waffles from Striped Spatula!

    Mix Cornstarch with Milk, Cream Cheese with Milk
    Mix Cornstarch with Milk, Cream Cheese with Milk

    How to Make Beer Ice Cream

    Step 1: Mix Milk + Cornstarch

    Start by whisking a little cornstarch and milk together.

    Set aside.

    Step 2: Mix Milk + Cream Cheese

    Next, heat some more milk with cream cheese for about twenty seconds in the microwave. Whisk the two together, and set it aside.

    Step 3: Make the Beer Ice Cream Base

    Now you’ll make the ice cream base.

    Heat milk, cream, sugar, and honey in a pot and bring it to a boil.

    Simmer it for a few minutes, and then whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Bring it to a boil again, and simmer for another minute.

    Turn off the heat, and stir in the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is totally dissolved and smooth.

    Whisk the chocolate into the ice cream base
    Whisk the Chocolate into the Ice Cream Base

    Whisk the cream cheese into the ice cream base.

    Slowly pour in the stout.

    The stout might foam a little (or a lot)– that’s why you should pour slowly.

    Add the cream cheese mixture and some vanilla extract.

    Add the Stout
    Add the Stout, Cream Cheese + Vanilla

    Step 4: Chill the Base

    Let the beer ice cream base cool to room temperature, and then put it in the fridge to cool for at least four hours.

    This is the kind of recipe you’ll have to plan ahead for, because it involves a lot of waiting.

    Step 5: Pour it in a blender

    Once it’s cold, I like to pour the batter into a blender and blend it for a few seconds to help introduce some more air bubbles to make the ice cream a little lighter.

    You can skip that step if you want to!

    Step 6: Churn in an ice cream maker

    Next, pour the the beer ice cream into an ice cream maker, and churn.

    About two minutes before the ice cream is done churning, add some crushed pretzels.

    Need an ice cream maker? I use (and love) a Cuisinart ice cream maker with a freezer bowl.

    Churn the Ice Cream Base + Freeze
    Churn the Ice Cream Base + Freeze

    STEP 7: FREEZE THE ICE CREAM

    When your ice cream maker finishes churning, the ice cream will be soft (like soft-serve).

    To harden it, pour the ice cream into a shallow container, and put it in the freezer for a few hours (or until it’s solid).

    Serving Stout Chocolate Pretzel Ice Cream

    I like to eat this ice cream within a few days of churning it, because the pretzels will soften over time.

    But if you don’t mind softened pretzels, you can store the ice cream for up to two months.

    Serve this ice cream on Game Day, for Oktoberfest, or whenever you want a rich and creamy chocolate dessert!

    Beer ice cream (stout pretzel) in serving bowls
    Beer ice cream (stout pretzel) in serving bowls
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 9 votes

    Beer Ice Cream: Stout Chocolate Pretzel

    This rich and creamy beer ice cream is inspired by Häagen-Dazs'® stout chocolate pretzel ice cream. It's a perfect Game Day dessert!
    Author: Sarah Trenalone
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Cooling + Freezing Time:7 hrs
    Total Time7 hrs 30 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8 people (½ cup scoop each)
    Calories: 315kcal
    Freezer Friendly?
    Yes
    Will It Keep?
    2 Months
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • ice cream maker

    Ingredients

    • 2 ¼ cups whole milk, divided
    • 5 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 2 ounces cream cheese
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • ⅔ cup sugar
    • 2 tablespoons honey OR maple syrup
    • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate baking block (good quality, at least 55%)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup beer (both stout and a pale ale work well) Try Guinness (stout) or Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale
    • ½ cup crushed pretzels

    Instructions

    • Before beginning, make sure your ice cream maker freezer bowl is frozen (if needed).
    • Finely chop chocolate into small slivers, and set aside.
      This decadent, vegan-friendly Salted French Hot Chocolate (Chocolat Chaud) is made with crushed chocolate, whole milk and cream (or coconut milk and coconut cream), and topped with flavorful gourmet salt. The salt for this recipe was provided by J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works.

    Mix Milk with Thickeners:

    • Mix Milk + Cornstarch: Mix ¼ cup of the milk and all the cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
    • Mix Milk + Cream Cheese: Warm cream cheese and another ¼ cup of milk for 20 seconds in the microwave. Whisk together until smooth. Whisk in the salt. Set aside.
      Mix Cornstarch with Milk, Cream Cheese with Milk

    Make the Ice Cream Base:

    • Place the remaining 1 ¾ cups milk, cream, sugar, and honey in a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
    • Whisk about ½ cup of the hot milk mixture into the cornstarch mixture. Slowly pour the cornstarch and milk mixture back into the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return to medium heat and cook, whisking frequently, until it comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
    • As soon you remove the mixture from the heat, begin whisking in the chocolate. Continue whisking until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is smooth.
      Whisk Until Smooth
    • Whisk in the cream cheese mixture. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
    • Slowly pour the stout into the mixture, and whisk until smooth.
      Add the Stout

    Chill the Ice Cream Base:

    • Let the mixture cool to room temperature, and then chill the ice cream base for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

    Make the Ice Cream:

    • Optional: Pour chilled mixture into a blender and blend on high for about 30 seconds. This will help add air bubbles into your ice cream, and make it lighter.
      Skip if you don’t have a blender, or if you’re using a high-end ice cream machine that adds air while churning.
    • Pour mixture into ice cream maker, and churn according to your machine's directions. In the last minute or two of churning, add the pretzels, and let the ice cream machine mix them into the ice cream for you.
    • Scrape the ice cream into a container, and lay wax paper directly on top of the ice cream (to keep ice crystals from forming on top). Seal with a lid (or plastic wrap or foil) and freeze for 2-3 hours or until hardened.
      Tip: Ice cream will harden more quickly in a shallow container.
    • Keep frozen, and use within 2 months. Keep the container sealed and the wax paper directly on top of the ice cream.

    Notes

    Yields approximately 1 quart ice cream.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 315kcal (16%) | Carbohydrates: 33g (11%) | Protein: 5g (10%) | Fat: 20g (31%) | Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) | Cholesterol: 55mg (18%) | Sodium: 202mg (9%) | Potassium: 188mg (5%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 25g (28%) | Vitamin A: 645IU (13%) | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 111mg (11%) | Iron: 1.5mg (8%)
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
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    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsQuestions
    1. Debra

      October 07, 2019 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      This recipe looks amazing!! My family loves chocolate, and this would be perfect for a tailgating party. I’m gonna do it!

      Reply
    2. Trish Bozeman

      October 07, 2019 at 10:39 am

      5 stars
      Sarah, I’m completely drooling all over my screen! I’m going to make this for my husband- he would love this. So cool that there isn’t any egg in there too!

      Reply
    3. Gloria

      October 07, 2019 at 1:14 pm

      5 stars
      My husband loves stout! I’m going to make this for him- he’s going to be so excited!

      Reply
    4. Tina

      October 09, 2019 at 11:02 am

      5 stars
      I have never heard of spirits ice cream. This is so weird its fantastic! I admire your patience in the kitchen. Saving this for later, this is going to be fun to make. I was wondering, because I know somebody is going to ask me, do you think the alcohol cooks off?

      Reply
      • Sarah Trenalone

        October 09, 2019 at 11:07 am

        Lol thanks Tina! And no, you add the stout when you’re done cooking and then chill it, so this is for adults only 😉 There’s only 1 cup of beer in the whole batch of ice cream though, so each scoop would have a pretty small amount of alcohol.

        Reply
    5. Lisa

      October 10, 2019 at 2:39 pm

      5 stars
      Sarah, you’re not going to believe this… but I actually have a pint of that ice cream in my freezer right now! I haven’t tried it yet, but now I may have to do a side by side comparison, with your homemade version. The tip about putting the ice cream base in the blender to add bubbles is sheer genius. I make a lot of ice cream and I’d never heard of doing that, but it makes so much sense!

      Reply
      • Sarah Trenalone

        October 10, 2019 at 3:08 pm

        I knew I liked you 😉 Let me know how it is– I stared at it and then marched home and made my own lol! Maybe I’ll pick up some to compare!!

        Reply
    6. Sandra

      October 10, 2019 at 3:50 pm

      5 stars
      At the end of the month I’m hosting an Octoberfest dinner party. I was planning on making some type of apple cake, but this ice cream stopped me in my tracks! So excited to add this to my menu. The mix of stout with chocolate is amazing together!

      Reply
      • Sarah Trenalone

        October 10, 2019 at 3:51 pm

        It would be perfect at an Oktoberfest party!! Enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Jenni LeBaron

      October 15, 2019 at 10:08 pm

      5 stars
      This Stout Chocolate Pretzel ice cream sounds absolutely scrumptious. We are huge fans of ice cream at my house and this combination of flavors sound like the perfect balance of sweet and salty! Can’t wait to dig in!

      Reply
    8. Dana

      October 16, 2019 at 9:26 am

      5 stars
      I love incorporating beer into cooking. Stouts especially! I absolutely love that you’ve spun it into ice cream. This definitely gives me an excuse to dust off the ol’ ice cream maker.

      I haven’t tried Sierra Nevada’s stout, but I’ll be on the lookout for it for sure. Stouts and porters are my fall and winter beers 🙂

      Reply

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