Cinnamon Cookie Ice Cream

I have been having fun with my new ice cream maker.  Labor Day celebrations called for more homemade ice cream.  I made a large batch of Cinnamon Butter cookies several days ago and I froze some to add to this cinnamon ice cream. 

Freezing cookies before adding them to ice cream will help them stay crisper.  I had leftover ingredients in my refrigerator from the huckleberry ice cream that I wanted to use up.  The amounts were not what any of my recipes called for exactly, but hey...it's just ice cream.  So I came up with this recipe using my leftover ingredients.  IT WAS GOOD.  Really Good!!!  The girls thought the ice cream had hints of rice pudding, that this reminded them of Horchata.  I explained that the base of rice pudding is custard, just like ice cream recipes that include eggs.  Eggs should never remain raw in ice cream base because of Salmonella risk.


This recipe was a hit.  The buttermilk cuts the sweetness and the cookies stayed crunchy, even a few days later.  I will be making this when apple season rolls around.  It would be perfect as a side to hot apple pie and even pumpkin pie during the holidays.

Cinnamon Cookie Ice Cream

2 cups of heavy cream

1 cup of half-and-half

1 cup of buttermilk

2 cups of whole milk

1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
pinch of salt

4 whole eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon

12 cinnamon or snickerdoodle cookies, frozen and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

In a saucepan, heat the cream, half-and-half, whole milk, salt and sugar until the mixture comes to a simmer and the sugar is dissolved.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs for 3 minutes until they are lemon colored.  Continue beating while slowly pouring the hot cream mixture into the bowl.  You do not want to curdle the eggs.  Mix for another 2 minutes.

Put the mixture back into a sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon and leaves a trail

when a finger is run through it.

Remove to a bowl and add the buttermilk, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.  Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until custard is cold. 

Process in an ice cream maker of your choice.  When ice cream is set. Remove from freezer canister and fold in the frozen cookies.  Place in a freezer for several hours to firm up.