This bourbon ice cream is made with cream cheese and a chocolate swirl, and is an egg-free, extra-creamy treat. Inspired by Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream!
If you've landed on this page, no doubt we agree that bourbon makes things better. Apples, sweet potatoes, coffee, and (for sure) ice cream.
In this dessert recipe, we'll pair bourbon ice cream with some of its most classic partners: chocolate and (optionally) pecans.
You will need an ice cream maker for churning. I use a Cuisinart ice cream maker with a freezer bowl.
Why Is This Ice Cream Made Without Eggs?
All of my ice cream recipes start with a smooth, scoopable base that uses cream cheese and cornstarch, similar to the one described in Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home.
Although egg yolks are the more traditional way to bind the ingredients together, I really prefer the consistency and the flavor that come with this cream cheese base.
If you become a fan of this egg-free variation like I am, you should also try it in chocolate mint, pumpkin pie, and strawberry cheesecake flavors!
Does the Alcohol Cook Off From This Bourbon Ice Cream?
No, it does not.
That means that, like my chocolate pretzel beer ice cream, this particular recipe is not kid-friendly.
Also, the bourbon will result in a somewhat softer ice cream than you might expect, and therefore may take longer to freeze. You can always use a little less bourbon if you want to mitigate that effect.
Prepping + Making the Base
Make sure your ice cream maker freezer bowl is frozen before you get going with this recipe. (Unless you're using a compressor ice cream and gelato maker, in which case you won't have a freezer bowl.)
To begin, you need to mix milk with two different thickeners.
In one bowl, combine milk with cornstarch. In another bowl, combine milk and cream cheese, warm them in the microwave, and then whisk with salt.
Next, add milk, cream, honey, sugar and bourbon to a saucepan and bring them to a simmer. Reduce the heat, and keep whisking them while they simmer for about 4 minutes.
Take this mixture and pour some of it into the bowl with the cornstarch, mixing well. Then pour the entire cornstarch mixture back into the saucepan.
Keep whisking while you return the blend to medium heat until it reaches a boil. Maintain the boil for one minute, and then remove the saucepan from the heat.
Next, pour in the cream cheese mixture and add the vanilla extract. Whisk everything well for a smooth consistency.
After it cools, move this ice cream base to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours.
Churning + Layering
Pour the chilled ice cream base into your ice cream maker freezer bowl, and churn it according to your machine's instructions.
Once it's finished churning, scoop the ice cream into a container in layers with hot fudge sauce (and, optionally, pecans).
Top the ice cream with a final layer of fudge sauce. Then cover the container and place in the freezer for several hours.
After the first half-hour or so in the freezer, you could pull the container back out and lay a sheet of wax paper against the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Then return it to the freezer.
That's it! Your bourbon ice cream will be ready to serve as a decadent dessert. Enjoy!
Bourbon Ice Cream with Chocolate Swirl
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups whole milk, divided
- 5 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces bourbon See Recipe Notes
- 3 tablespoons hot fudge sauce If your fudge sauce needs to be heated before using, allow to cool slightly before using
- ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional) Can be added to the ice cream with the chocolate, or used as a topping
Instructions
- Before beginning, make sure your ice cream maker freezer bowl is frozen (if needed).
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.
Make the Ice Cream Base:
- Place the remaining 1 ¾ cups milk, cream, sugar, honey and bourbon 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 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.
- Whisk in the cream cheese mixture. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Whisk until smooth.
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:
- Pour mixture into ice cream maker, and churn according to your machine's directions.
- Layer the ice cream into a container with alternating layers of hot fudge sauce. If using, sprinkle the pecans over the ice cream with the chocolate. (Alternatively, save the pecans and use them as a topping when serving.)End the layers with a drizzle of hot fudge sauce. Seal with a lid (or plastic wrap or foil) and freeze for 3-4 hours or until hardened.Optionally, about an hour after putting into the freezer, lay wax paper directly on top of the ice cream (to keep ice crystals from forming on top). Tip: Ice cream will harden more quickly in a shallow container.
- Keep frozen, and use within 2 months. Keep the container sealed and (if using) the wax paper directly on top of the ice cream.
Notes
- Bourbon will keep this recipe from freezing quite as hard, so this will be a softer ice cream (but it will still be scoopable). If you regularly make ice cream, plan on this ice cream taking slightly longer to freeze than a non-boozy batch.
- Use less bourbon for a less boozy ice cream. I don't recommend adding more since it may make the ice cream too soft.
- The bourbon will not "cook off," so this is definitely not an ice cream for kids.
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