Carrot Cake Ice Cream
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Carrots in ice cream? It sounds a bit like sacrilege, but hear us out! Imagine the delicious flavors of carrot cake: earthiness and warmth from the spices, the natural sweetness from the carrots, and the rich, tangy creaminess from the cream cheese. Fold it all up in a creamy, smooth carrot cake ice cream and you'll be wanting vegetables for dessert forever more!
Carrot cake is the root of happiness! For more carrot cake goodness, make these carrot cake whoopie pies, carrot cake banana bread, or moist carrot cake.
This homemade ice cream tastes just like carrot cake! Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves are the spices typically used to give carrot cake its warm, cozy, and spiced flavorā so weāre using them in this ice cream as well! Pecans are optional but they add a great crunch to the ice cream.
Ingredients notes
It's not every day you reach for a carrot when making ice cream, but the way it melds with the butter, sugar, cream cheese, and spices makes it just as interesting as it is delicious! Using cream cheese as the base is reminiscent of the cream cheese frosting we all love! This is what you need:
- Ingredients: Carrots, butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, ground allspice, nutmeg, cloves, heavy cream, whole milk, and pure vanilla extract.
- Optional: Pecans.
How to make carrot cake ice cream
Grab your ice cream machine and get grating! This carrot cake ice cream recipe is simple ā cook off your carrots with the walnuts then fold it in with the creamy, flavorful ingredients. This is how it's done:
- Cook carrots: Start by getting excess moisture out of that grated carrots! Squeeze them with paper towel or cheesecloth. Melt some butter in a saucepan and add the carrots and pecans, sautƩing them until the carrots are fork-tender. Remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool.
- Mix: Beat together the spices, sugar, salt, and cream cheese in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. Once it's fluffy, turn it to low speed and slowly drizzle in the heavy cream and milk, and finish with the vanilla extract. The cream cheese can be lumpy so wait until it's smooth! Add the carrots and, if using, the pecans.
- Finish: Pour it into a baking dish, transfer it to the fridge, and let it chill. Once it's done in the fridge, pop it into your ice cream machine and let it churn. Transfer to a loaf pan, covering the surface with parchment paper. Pop it in the freezer, then enjoy!
Tips for making carrot cake ice cream
There are a few tricks to keep in mind when crafting your carrot cake ice cream. Here are some pro tips:
- Cream cheese:Ā If it's cold or undermixed, the cream cheese will end up staying in lumps. Let it come to room temperature first, and make sure it's fully softened so you don't end up biting into lumps of cream cheese.
- Butter: SautƩ the carrot in butter, adding richness.
- Sugar: We opt for brown sugar over granulated as it adds an earthier flavor. Granulated sugar will work in a pinch!
- Milk and cream: Using both heavy cream and whole milk ensures you won't end up with ice crystals in your ice cream.
- Salt: While putting salt in your ice cream may sound too savory, it beautifully balances out all of the sweetness!
What to serve with carrot cake ice cream
Take the loaf pan out of the freezer five minutes before you want to eat it to allow it to soften. Top off your carrot cake ice cream with some toasted coconut flakes for added texture and a tropical note! A handful of raisins, chocolate chips or pecans can taste great, too. Scoop it up into a bowl or a waffle cone. Scoop your ice cream up with some Scottish shortbread or waffle cookies, like stroopwafel. It's the perfect innovative flavored dessert for when you want to impress guests or treat yourself!
Recipe FAQs
How long does carrot cake ice cream last in the freezer?
It will last in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.
Can I make no-churn carrot cake ice cream?
You can make this without an ice cream maker by opting for the no-churn method. Just pour the chilled mixture into a shallow dish and freeze it. Stir thoroughly every thirty minutes, scraping the sides and breaking up ice crystals. Continue until it's fully frozen. Then, enjoy it right away or keep it stored in a freezer-safe container for later. It may not be as creamy as machine-made ice cream, but it will still taste great!
Carrot Cake Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Ā½ cup chopped raw pecans (optional)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softenedĀ )
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Ā½ teaspoon salt
- Ā¼ teaspoon EACH: ground allspice, nutmeg, and cloves
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the carrots into a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined strainer and squeeze out any excess moisture.2 cups grated carrots
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the drained carrots and pecans (if using) and saute them until the carrots are fork-tenderā about 5 minutes. Remove the carrots and pecans from the heat and set them aside to cool to room temperature.2 tablespoons butter, Ā½ cup chopped raw pecans
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl with an electric mixer), beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves until light and fluffyā about 1 minute.8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, Ā½ teaspoon salt, Ā¼ teaspoon EACH: ground allspice, nutmeg, and cloves
- With the mixer on low speed, very slowly drizzle in the heavy cream and whole milk. Then, add the vanilla extract. Mix until completely smoothā we donāt want any lumps of cream cheese in our ice cream! Add the sauteed carrots and stir to combine. Transfer the ice cream base to the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Churn the ice cream mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to the manufacturerās instructions.
- Transfer the ice cream to a loaf pan, press a piece of parchment paper directly on the surface of the ice cream, and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until set. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping. Enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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Wow, this sounds delicious! Wondering how I can make it with my Ninja Creami…
Hi! What I would do is follow the no churn directions. Then once it’s frozen, use your Ninja Creami to make it super creamy. Hope that helps!