This apple butter gingersnap ice cream is the perfect fall ice cream dessert. Swirled with apple butter and packed full of gingersnaps and candied ginger.
For the first time in a long time I’m about to actually do something on Halloween. Usually I stay home doing nothing and dream about how excited I’m going to be on November 1st when I can buy half price Snickers and pumpkin shaped Reese’s peanut butter cups. As you can tell I live a very exciting life.
However, this year I’m going out and it’s going to be spectacular. Gina and I (and our husbands) are going out for a little brewery double dinner date and then we are heading off to the Headless Horseman. Of course once we get there we will attempt to scare the crap out of ourselves by walking through a haunted corn maze and then 6 different haunted houses. The corn maze actually really scares me because hello – Children of the Corn. I swear to gah if someone named Malachi shows up I’m out.
So before I get the crap scared out of me I’m about to get my ice cream on. This isn’t just any ice cream this ice cream is PACKED full of a Musselman’s apple butter swirl, crushed gingersnap cookies and lots and lots of crystalized ginger pieces.
It’s basically like the flavors of fall fell into my ice cream mixer. I can’t even be mad though because homemade ice cream is my weakness. Plus one can never have too much ice cream in the house.
Am I right?
This recipe makes 1-1/2 quarts which is enough to share BUT it’s also enough to just keep to yourself. For example: say you decided to go to a scary Halloween haunted house park and you get home starving because all the screaming you did that night burned 5830398571245 calories. That night would be a great night to eat all the ice cream.
Just sayin.
If you’re looking for even more ice cream recipes try my no churn cherry amaretto ice cream, banana cajeta cashew ice cream or my peanut butter Oreo ice cream.
Apple Butter Gingersnap Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups half and half
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 egg yolks
- 9 ounces sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup lightly crushed gingersnap cookies
- 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
- 1/2 cup apple butter
Instructions
- Set a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Pour in half and half and heavy cream.
- Simmer the mixture, stirring every so often, until the mixture is warmed.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
- Slowly pour in sugar and whisk until combined.
- Add in a small amount of cream mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
- Slowly add in more cream until the egg mixture is warmed.
- Continue whisking in the cream until it’s all been added.
- Add the mixture back into the saucepan and set over low heat.
- Stir constantly until the mixture has thickened and reached 175 degrees F.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and pour into a storage container.
- Let cool on the counter for 30 minutes, stir in vanilla bean paste, cover, and let cool in the refrigerator overnight.
- Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Once the mixture reaches a soft-serve texture stir in cookies and chopped crystallized ginger.
- Add half the mixture to a freezer-safe container and top with apple butter.
- Smooth the apple butter over the top and then cover with the remaining ice cream mixture.
- Using a butter knife swirl the apple butter layer into the top and bottom of the ice cream mixture.
- Cover the top of the ice cream and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Kathy
Thursday 5th of November 2015
That is the cutest Halloween story I have ever read! And thank you so much for sharing your recipe! My son will absolutely love this one!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife
Wednesday 4th of November 2015
Apple butter is s good and I'v never thought to put it...or swirl it into ice cream!
Rose | The Clean Dish
Tuesday 3rd of November 2015
Your Halloween plans sound terrific!! Half price candy is always a plus, too, though ;) This ice cream sounds too good to be true! OMG! I so want to try this!
Maria @ Sift & Whisk
Monday 2nd of November 2015
I am definitely in the stay-at-home-waiting-for-candy-sales camp, but I'd like to think that I burned enough calories passing out candy to the terrifying onslaught of neighborhood children that I deserve all of this ice cream! Seriously sounds awesome, I'll have to give it a go!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen
Sunday 1st of November 2015
Majorly incredible! I want this now!