Description
This piñon ice cream recipe delivers a rich, creamy dessert infused with the nutty, buttery flavor of roasted Southwestern pine nuts. It’s a unique frozen treat with deep cultural roots, perfect for pairing with baked goods or serving on its own.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup roasted piñon nuts (plus extra for topping)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Toast piñon nuts in a dry skillet over low heat until fragrant. Let cool, then grind most of them.
- In a saucepan, combine cream, milk, and sugar. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly add hot cream mixture while whisking to temper the eggs.
- Return everything to the saucepan and cook until the custard coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in ground piñon and steep for 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
- Add honey and salt. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Churn in an ice cream maker until soft-serve consistency forms.
- Transfer to container, swirl in extra piñon nuts, cover with parchment, and freeze for 4+ hours.
- Scoop and serve with a drizzle of honey or roasted nut topping.
Notes
Use only authentic piñon nuts for best flavor.
Chill the custard overnight for extra creaminess.
Don’t skip straining—it ensures a silky texture.
Make ahead and store in portion cups for easy serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Churned
- Cuisine: Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 145mg