Reese’s Peanut Butter Ice Cream

This creamy and decadent Reese’s Peanut Butter Ice Cream combines the perfect balance of the rich flavor of peanut butter and vanilla, and fun chunks of peanut butter cups.

A homemade treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth craving and doesn’t require much effort, no matter if you have an ice cream maker or not.

Save this ice cream recipe as it is great for a quick sweet snack or for holidays.

Why I Love This Easy Ice Cream Recipe

• Quick and Minimal Effort – 15 min prep and then you just wait a couple of hours for the ice cream to set. The recipe also calls for only 6 ingredients you can find at any grocery store!
• Great family activity – you can make this ice cream with kids! The first time they bite it, they will become fans.
• Homemade ice cream is perfect for hot summer days, stay-at-home year-round lazy days, and as an easy after-dinner dessert in a cup for peanut butter lovers. Store-bought Reese’s peanut butter ice cream is produced by Hershey.
• Did I mention it tastes better than anything you can buy in the store? This recipe is guaranteed to become your next ice cream obsession!
• No eggs. Meaning no cooking! Easier for us.

What Is Peanut Butter Ice Cream Made Of? Ingredients Notes

My recipe is peanut butter and vanilla ice cream. You can always make a pure vanilla ice cream base or chocolate ice cream (made with cocoa).

• Whole milk, full fat. Milk is perfect for a smooth peanut butter light ice cream base when you use a machine to churn it.
• Granulated sugar for sweetness and structure.
• Heavy cream to add creaminess and volume to our ice cream.
• Vanilla extract for flavor and very light aroma.
• Creamy peanut butter – the main ingredient of this ice cream! Natural butter doesn’t work well for homemade ice creams, but creamy or crunchy work just fine.
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, mini is best. You need to freeze Reese’s cups for at least 10 minutes and then chop. They are a great shortcut as they hold both chocolate and peanut butter flavors! How big to cut? Each peanut butter cup can be cut in 4 pieces.

Kitchen Equipment

• electric ice cream machine to churn the ice cream into a perfectly smooth mixture without any ice crystals. If you don’t use the machine, prepare a large bowl.
• airtight container to freeze and store the ice cream. Loaf pan, round cake pan, or ice cream containers will work too. It has to be big enough to fit 1 qt of ice cream and still have a little space left since frozen ice cream can expand.

What Does an Ice Cream Maker Do?

Ice Cream maker helps you make homemade ice cream in your own kitchen. to

It churns the ice cream mixture by continuously whipping and cooling it.

The major reason to use it is that it prevents ice crystals from forming in the ice cream.

How To Make Reese’s Peanut Butter Ice Cream

*If you don’t have an ice cream machine, you are making a no-churn ice cream recipe and it is best to use condensed milk instead of whole milk. Then skip the step with machine churning and proceed to freeze your peanut butter ice cream.

1. Whisk together the whole milk and sugar in a mixing bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. 
2. Add the peanut butter, mixing until completely blended.
3. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
4. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.
5. Pour the chilled peanut butter ice cream base into the electric ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions, usually about 20-25 minutes.
6. Add the chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to the ice cream during the last 5 minutes of churning.
7. Freeze the ice cream in an airtight container for at least 2 hours before serving.

How to Scoop The Ice Cream To Serve

To scoop ice cream, let the ice cream soften in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes before serving. I don’t recommend leaving it at the counter as homemade ice creams tend to melt faster.

Dip a spoon or an ice cream scoop in hot water and pat dry between scoops.

• With a scooper, school along the edges until the scoop is full – you have a nice ice cream ball.
• With a spoon dig into the ice cream and scoop a good amount of ice cream, rotate the spoon without lifting it – an oval-shaped scoop is done.

Topping Ideas

A quick pick that never gets old is of course some fresh whipped cream to top this delicious treat.

However, there are more amazing toppings for your homemade Reese’s ice cream:

• Peanuts, chopped, whole, toasted, or salted – whichever you prefer. But it highlights the flavor and adds a crunchy texture.
• Coarse sea salt if you like the unique combination of sweet and salty in one bite.
• More chunks of peanut butter cups or peanut butter chips. There is never too much!
• Sprinkle some dark or milk chocolate shavings or M&Ms (or your favorite candy) or drizzle some chocolate or caramel syrup. Crushed Oreos will also work if you want more chocolate flavor.
• Melted peanut butter – for a very decadent dessert and extra peanut flavor (it can be a layer in your ice cream too!).
• You can serve it alongside other homemade ice cream flavors. For example, one scoop of peanut butter ice cream, one scoop of vanilla, and one scoop of chocolate!

Don’t forget crispy ice cream cones to serve the ice cream!

How To Store This Ice Cream

Store Reese’s peanut butter ice cream in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 2-4 weeks.

If you don’t have a container, store ice cream in a wrapped tightly freezer bowl. If you don’t cover your ice cream, the surface will have a freezer burn. To wrap use foil or regular plastic wrap.

Homemade ice cream recipes don’t contain Xanthan gum and artificial preservatives, so they melt fast at room temperature.

Tips To Make The Best Peanut Butter Ice Cream

• Chill the bowl to make ice cream in the freezer for up to 24 hours. It helps a lot especially if you are making a no-churn ice cream batch.
• To measure peanut butter, use a measuring cup greased with non-stick spray.
• To make no-churn peanut butter cup ice cream, use condensed milk and freeze for 4 hours. If you don’t freeze the ice cream long enough it can become separated.
• Working with Reese’s ice cream, fold and gently mix, don’t rush, as we have chunks of Reese peanut butter cups, and we don’t want them to break.
• Without an ice cream maker, you can use a mixer to beat the dairy dessert base and peanut butter together (no longer than 5 minutes).
• If you love peanut butter swirls, add some more peanut butter in the last step with chopped cups, or use melted peanut butter for swirls. A knife is a great tool to make swirls of peanut butter.

Popular Questions

What Can I Use Instead Of Ice Cream Maker To Make No Churn Ice Cream?

Using an electric mixer or swapping milk with condensed milk helps to skip spending money on a professional ice cream machine.

No-churn ice cream base is always condensed milk and it can be further enriched with heavy or double cream.

Without using an ice cream machine, freeze the ice cream for at least 4 hours or better overnight.

How To Make Homemade Ice Cream Soft And Fluffy?

Sweetened condensed milk, double cream, whipped cream, sweet corn syrup or honey, and vodka help to make homemade ice cream softer and more fluffy even if you don’t have an ice cream maker.

The best part about homemade ice cream is that it is healthier and creamier than store-bought.

If you love this homemade ice cream recipe, you’re going to love these other ice cream flavors too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Peanut Butter Treats

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Microwave Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

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