5 Fun And Fabulous Ways To Make Coffee Ice Cream At Home

When we were kids, “I’d scream, you’d scream, we’d all scream for ice cream!”

But, now that we’re adults, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for coffee ice cream!”

During the hot summer months, Americans eat 45% more ice cream than any other time of year.

So, we wanted to combine our love for coffee with this Americana summertime staple by bringing you some simple, tasty, coffee-infused ice cream recipes you can enjoy all throughout the summer and beyond!

If you’ve never tried making your own ice cream, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find how fun, easy, and tasty this task can be.

The best part is…you’re in charge!

You can get as basic or over-the-top as you’d like when making your own ice cream, so be prepared for some fun flavors, fabulous pairings, and a tasty, good time!

Easy Tips To Turn You Into An Ice Cream Making Pro

Before we dive into some delicious coffee ice cream recipes, here’s a few tips to consider when crafting these delicious treats at home.

1- When ice cream recipes call for the use of eggs or egg yolks, tempering the mixture is best to avoid contamination (salmonella, etc). But, when tempering your ice cream base, if you want your final product to be smooth and ultra creamy, it’s best to let the base cool before churning.

As a general rule of thumb when making ice cream, the cooler the base, the quicker the churning process and the thicker and creamier the ice cream will be.

2- Depending on our nutritional needs or preferences, we commonly make swaps when it comes to the type of milk we use in our coffee. But, when making coffee ice cream, the milk you use can determine the consistency of your chilly dessert.

Using whole milk or cream, obviously, makes a more creamy or rich ice cream that is also more calorie dense.

Using nondairy milk can still make a delicious ice cream, just know that your treat may come out thinner than traditional ice creams. Note: Almond and cashew milks tend to make the creamiest nondairy ice cream.

3- When adding flavors to your ice cream making endeavors, be sure to save those ingredients until after the custard has cooled, prior to churning. If you add those ingredients too soon, the flavors will be drastically tamed in your final product.

4- When adding fun items like cookies or candy pieces to your ice cream, make sure such additions are small or even tiny-sized pieces (think mini chocolate chips or smaller in size) as larger items will not only frustrate the freezing process but won’t incorporate well either.

5- One common complaint concerning homemade ice cream is that it can become hard, icy, and nearly impossible to scoop once frozen.

To avoid this conundrum, consider the following:

• Store ice cream in a shallow container instead of a deep/large tub, and cover with plastic wrap to keep ice cream softer and easier to scoop.

• The addition of gelatin, honey, or sugar can serve as a stabilizer and help to keep ice cream from getting too hard once frozen.

• For coffee ice cream, as long as you’re okay with an alcoholic addition, adding a few tablespoons of coffee liqueur or vodka to any coffee ice cream recipe can serve to keep your ice cream smooth and creamy when it’s time to scoop.

5 Fun, Fabulous Coffee Ice Cream Recipes

1- All About That Base

We promised some fun coffee ice cream flavors, but before we get wild and crazily creative, we wanted to be sure to include a fabulous, no frills coffee ice cream recipe that you can enjoy as-is or as a base for an out-of-this-world coffee ice cream sundae.

Spoiler alert - stay tuned for some stellar sundae suggestions at the end of this article!

Ingredients

• 1 cup very strongly brewed Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee or Lifeboost Espresso Coffee
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• To strongly brew coffee, I recommend using a french press for both strength and flavor. Brew one cup, then allow to cool completely.
• Add heavy cream and sugar to a medium sized bowl. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is frothy.
• Add milk, vanilla, and cooled (or chilled) coffee to the frothy mixture and whisk until blended.
• Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Add mixture to an ice cream maker and prepare according to the maker's instructions.

**If you do not have an ice cream maker, here’s some tips using this same recipe.

• Once the mixture is prepared, pour into a ziplock bag, squeeze out all of the air, and seal.
• Lie the bag flat in the freezer, and freeze until solid.
• Remove from the freezer, break into small chunks, and add chunks to a food processor or high-powered blender.
• Blend or pulse until completely smooth, then pour into an airtight container, cover, and re-freeze until ready to serve.

2- Tasty Triple Threat

Coffee, cookies, and cheesecake…yes, please!

This coffee ice cream gets a doubly tasty upgrade with chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos) and a sweetened cream cheese that will make you think you’ve died and gone to coffee, cheesecake, and cookies and cream heaven!

Triple the flavor, triple the treat, triple the yum!

And…you don’t even need an ice cream maker to whip up this tasty triple threat!

Ingredients

• 2 ounces or shots of Lifeboost Espresso Coffee
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos)

Instructions

• Pull espresso shots, or brew in a french press, then set aside to cool.
• Add cooled espresso, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and salt to a medium bowl, and whisk until all ingredients are fully combined. Store in the refrigerator while completing the next step.
• Add room temperature cream cheese to a mixing bowl and beat with a whisk attachment until thoroughly softened and spread around the sides of the bowl.
• Add heavy cream to cream cheese and whip on medium-high speed until both ingredients are incorporated and stiff peaks form.
• Remove coffee mixture from the refrigerator and add ⅓ of the cream cheese whipped cream, whisking to combine. Once combined, add another ⅓ of the whipped cream, this time using a spatula to fold in the whipped cream to the mixture. Then, add the final third of the whipped cream, again folding into the ice cream base.
• Fold in the crushed sandwich cookies, then spoon into a loaf pan, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours.
• After serving, cover and freeze any remaining ice cream for up to one week.

3- Toffee Coffee Temptation

Generally, I’m a fruity ice cream fan, but when I want a decadently rich ice cream, I routinely search for a frozen masterpiece that includes toffee. But this combo can sometimes feel…in the words of Cindy Lou Who…a bit much.

Coffee toffee ice cream, on the other hand, somehow seems to balance out that sweetness, allowing you to enjoy the rich flavors of toffee and the smooth and creamy tastiness of ice cream amidst a background of bold, familiar, clean, and perfect coffee.

See - coffee truly does make everything better - even improving on timeless classics like ice cream!

Ingredients

• 2 ounces, or 2 pulled shots Lifeboost Espresso Coffee
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 ¾ cups heavy cream
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup crushed chocolate covered toffee bars

Instructions

• Brew coffee, then set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, coffee, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Mix until well combined, then place in the refrigerator to chill (a few hours).
• Crush toffee bars, set aside.
• Once chilled, add the ice cream base mixture to a large bowl (chill the bowl beforehand for best results). Mix on medium-high speed until thickened and custard-like (approximately 5-10 minutes).
• Once thickened, fold in crushed toffee pieces. Spoon the mixture into a freezer-safe storage container. Cover and freeze at least 4 hours, or overnight, prior to serving.

4- Choco-Coffee Dreams

By a narrow margin, chocolate ice cream has routinely triumphed in popularity over vanilla for a few years now.

So, combining this American classic with another tried and true favorite, coffee, is sure to be a flavor dreams are made of!

Call it a chocolate and coffee combo. Call it a mocha. Call it a scoop of coffee-chip. Either way, we call it downright delicious!

Ingredients

• ½ cup strongly brewed Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee or Lifeboost Espresso Coffee
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

• Prepare coffee, then set aside to cool.
• Add egg yolks to a bowl and whisk, then set aside.
• Add heavy cream, milk, cocoa powder, and sugar to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir continually to fully incorporate the cocoa and sugar, and heat just until boiling. **You’ll want to make sure your milk is fresh to avoid curdling, and stir frequently to ensure the mixture doesn’t scald.
• As soon as the mixture begins to bubble around the edges, lower the heat.
• Carefully add ½ cup of the warmed mixture to the whisked eggs, stirring or whisking continually as you add. Then, add another ½ cup of the mixture to the eggs in the same manner.
• Now that the eggs are tempered, you can add the egg mixture to the remaining base on the stovetop, stirring to combine fully.
• Continue stirring the mixture over low-medium heat to allow it to thicken into a silky custard.
• Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in espresso and vanilla. Allow the mixture to cool before adding to an ice cream maker.
• Whisk the mixture once more before adding to an ice cream maker, and if desired, stir in mini chocolate chips.
• Churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions, then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours prior to enjoying.

5- Browned Butter Caramel Coffee Craziness

Browned butter, caramel, and coffee…ice cream!

Are you kidding me?! Where do I sign up?

Oh wait, you don’t have to sign up for anything, you can easily make this sinfully delicious dessert at home.

This may be a bit over-the-top, but desserts are for indulging every now and then, right? So, we fully intend to live a little and enjoy this ice cream lover’s dream!

Ingredients

• 3 ounces brewed Lifeboost Espresso Coffee
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup salted butter
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup caramel sauce

Instructions

• Add salted butter to a small saucepan, and heat over medium heat until melted, then continue cooking until the melted butter browns and begins to develop a nutty aroma.
• Remove the browned butter from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
• Prepare espresso, then allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a large mixing bowl, add cooled browned butter, cooled espresso, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
• Add heavy cream to a chilled bowl and beat or whip with a mixer until stiff peaks form.
• Carefully fold the whipped cream into the ice cream base mixture, and mix until fluffy, but be sure to maintain an airy texture.
• Pour the mixture into a freezer safe container, then drizzle the caramel sauce over the mixture. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the caramel throughout the base.
• Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours.
• Serve as-is or add a bit more caramel sauce for good measure. Enjoy!

Building An Epic Coffee Ice Cream Sundae

Let’s close things out today with a few fun, sundae-building suggestions to take your coffee ice cream enjoyment to the next level.

First, when setting out to build an epic coffee ice cream sundae, I’d advise using a homemade coffee ice cream recipe that’ll yield a strong java flavor so your toppings won’t overpower that fabulous cup o’ joe taste.

Then, when it comes to toppings, think of your favorite coffee creations, and build your sundae bar with those items in mind.

• Do you love a good caramel frap or macchiato? If so, seek to include such ingredients (caramel sauce, whipped cream) in your sundae-making line up.

• Do thoughts of a peppermint mocha make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Add hot fudge (or a simple chocolate sauce), whipped cream, and crushed peppermint pieces to your coffee ice cream dish.

• Try adding a light drizzle of cinnamon dolce syrup, a dollop of whipped cream, and a dusting of cinnamon to your scoop(s) of coffee ice cream to mimic a cinnamon dolce latte or frappe.

Need more inspiration?

Each of these sauces and syrups pair wonderfully with coffee and coffee ice cream - caramel, butterscotch, chocolate, white chocolate, hot fudge, salted caramel, pecan praline, peppermint, and more.

You can even simplify things and opt for a drizzle of raw, organic honey or pure maple syrup.

Overall, if you think it would amplify your hot or iced coffee, be sure to give it a try over your scoop of coffee ice cream.

Then, when it comes to candy, cookie, or cake-like toppings, feel free to act like a “kid in a candy store,” but also consider likely coffee ice cream pairings such as:

• Toffee pieces, a little chocolate syrup, and a light drizzle of caramel

• Chocolate cake crumbles or brownie pieces and a dollop of whipped cream

• Melted peanut butter and a drizzle of chocolate sauce

• Melted marshmallow creme, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, and a dusting of graham crackers crumbs

• Toasted almond slivers, shaved coconut, and chocolate sauce

• Chopped pecan pieces, pumpkin spice sauce/syrup, and a drizzle of caramel sauce

And don’t forget decadent combinations that allow you to mimic fruit-infused or spiced coffee treats:

• Add sweetened, muddled strawberries and a bit of chocolate sauce for a chocolate-covered strawberry coffee creation.

• Drizzle chai syrup and dust with cinnamon for a spiced coffee dessert treat.

• Add a little orange marmalade and chocolate sauce for a chocolate covered orange flavored coffee ice cream sundae.

No matter which coffee ice cream recipe you try or toppings you choose, be sure to have fun, share with loved ones, and take the time to slow down and enjoy each bite, lick, and/or scoop!

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.

References:

https://www.unacast.com/post/ice-cream-consumers-current-trends-according-location-intelligence#

https://www.thespruceeats.com/tips-for-making-ice-cream-at-home-909196

https://www.foodrepublic.com/2016/08/02/nondairy-ice-cream/

https://www.seriouseats.com/do-you-really-need-to-age-ice-cream-base-overnight#

https://www.harnett.org/health/downloads/Homemade%20Ice%20Cream%20Salmonella.pdf

https://www.food.com/recipe/coffee-ice-cream-113720

https://handletheheat.com/how-to-make-ice-cream-without-a-machine/

https://joythebaker.com/2023/08/my-favorite-coffee-ice-cream-without-an-ice-cream-maker/#tasty-recipes-47612-jump-target

https://lifecurrentsblog.com/coffee-toffee-ice-cream/#recipe

https://bakingmehungry.com/chocolate-coffee-ice-cream-recipe/#recipe

https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/help-around-the-kitchen/photos/how-to-clean-and-store-mushrooms

https://heathershomebakery.com/2024/06/19/browned-butter-caramel-coffee-ice-cream/#wprm-recipe-container-16783