Transport yourself to Italy with just one taste of this amazing Pistachio Ice Cream. It's rich, creamy, & loaded with crunchy nuts. You will never believe this gourmet frozen dessert is so easy to make in your Cuisinart - but it is!
Why this Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe for an ice cream makers is the best: I use yummy roasted salted for gourmet flavor that is the perfect balance of sweet & salty. Other recipes use raw plain pistachios - boring!
With a touch of almond & pistachio, this is a nut lovers dream. Plus a classic vanilla base is what I use in this recipe to kickstart this summer favorite.
Similar to my Nutella Ice Cream Recipe, this takes me back to Italian gelaterias where these two flavors were some of our favorites. Ok, now we churn!
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Ingredients
Just 6 simple ingredients to make pistachio ice cream from scratch without eggs - so no custard to cook! This recipe is also gluten-free.
It is also similar to gelato in that it has a higher ratio of milk to cream. Made with real pistachios & no artificial flavors or dyes - no fake bright green color.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Salted & Roasted Pistachios - these shelled nuts add extra flavor; most are grown in California but if you find Sicilian ones at an international market go for it - to die for!
- Whole Milk - nothing low-fat or fat-free here
- Heavy Cream - for rich silky texture
- Sugar - the real deal
- Extracts - both vanilla and almond for loads of flavor.
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Make Homemade Pistachio Ice Cream
Here are the 3 simple steps for making this nutty pistachio ice cream at home. This recipe will be churned so you will need an ice cream maker that makes 1.5 quarts or more.
I use my Cuisinart brand ice cream machine & love it, have had it for 20+ years and still going strong! So easy to use, store, & it's a budget-friendly model.
*** Ensure your ice cream maker will be ready to freeze the mixture in about an hour. This usually means the insert should be in the freezer the night before. ***
Here are the easy steps for making classic pistachio ice cream in a Cuisinart or other ice cream maker:
- Make the Base
- Churn & Mix
- Freeze & Serve
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Make the Base
With any homemade ice cream, whisking together the base ingredients is how it all the magic begins. The only real prep here is chopping up the shelled nuts.
Use a sharp chef's knife and chop to your desired size, small or big - you cannot go wrong with DIY ice cream making.
Note: I like to chop my nuts roughly so some are fine and some are larger chunks - love the variety.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together all the ingredients except the nuts. Place the bowl in the freezer to chill.
Note: very cold ingredients churn better!
2 - Churn & Mix
Once the base is chilled, set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacture's instructions.
Add the vanilla almond ice cream base to the insert and turn it on to start churning. It usually takes 15-20 minutes to come together, freeze, & thicken.
Once it is close to done and looks fluffy and almost ready as seen here, slowly add in the chopped nuts. Let it continue to churn for 1-2 minutes to mix in evenly.
Next, scoop out half the ice cream and place it in a freezer-safe container. Sprinkle on some more nuts - optional but so good.
Repeat with the remaining ice cream and final bit of nuts on top.
3 - Freeze & Serve
Place the ice cream in the freezer to set and harden. Let it freeze for 4-6 hours before trying to serve it. Less time for a soft serve texture or longer for solid scoops.
Once the ice cream is solid enough, scoop into bowls or on a cone to enjoy.
Check out how loaded with nuts this is. And notice the color is naturally beautiful. Hard to resist, right?
Serving & Storing
This ice cream stores well and lasts for months in the freezer. It is best enjoyed while fresh in the first week like all desserts made without preservatives.
It will freeze solid and may need a few minutes out on your kitchen counter to soften before it is easy to scoop. I also recommend my favorite ice cream scoop - how I get the nice rounded scoops easily.
How to Serve with Pistachio ice cream : This great served in a cup cone, or make a sundae. It is also a great scooped on a warm brownie or to make pie a la mode.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - plan ahead and make sure the insert for your machine is frozen per the manual.
- Do NOT substitute the real full fat dairy for low-fat or non-fat items, it will come out icy and grainy instead of smooth and soft.
- Make sure to do the final layer & mix-ins of more nuts for the best crunch to creamy ratio.
- Want it without the nuts, you can omit the chopped pistachios but I suggest using pistachio extract instead of almond for real flavor - see the FAQ section below for more.
- This is the opposite of my colorful green Shamrock Shake Ice Cream, there are no artificial colors. This is why it is not bright green like store-bought or ice cream parlors may do.
- Did you know that pistachios are rich in vitamin B6 and one of the oldest edible nuts dating back about 9000 years.
- "Dubai chocolate" desserts with pistachio creme, chocolate, tahani, and kadayif are huge right now so try this ice cream as a sundae. Pour on some chocolate syrup, a drizzle of tahini, & sprinkle on some chopped filo pastry for a fun cold twist.
FAQ
The natural extract mimics the flavor of pistachio & enhances the overall taste. It's what gives this a traditional item that is intense enough to notice a nutty flavor.
You can use pistachio extract instead but I will warn you, it is about 4x more expensive. This is why I use almond extract which is inexpensive and easy to find in most grocery stores.
This makes about 1.5 quarts of ice cream. Make sure your machine can handle that capacity. Also, this ice cream freezer container is perfect for storing.
Homemade ice cream is made without gums, stabilizers, or artificial fillers that store-bought brand use to keep it soft. When using only whole real natural ingredients like this, it may freeze more solid.
After about 8-10 hours in the freezer it may be quite firm. Just follow my tip of letting it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before scooping & it will be creamy smooth.
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Pistachio Ice Cream (Cuisinart Recipe)
Equipment
- ice cream maker Cuisinart or other brand
Ingredients
- 2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup salted roasted pistachios shelled and chopped (¼ is reserved for optional layering or just use ¾ cup & skip that step below)
Instructions
- PLAN AHEAD: Make sure your ice cream insert is frozen solid for at least 24 hours before making this recipe. Or if you have a maker with a compressor - start right away.
- In a medium mixing bowl with a spout for pouring, combine the ice cream base ingredients - everything except the nuts. Whisk to combine until all the sugar has also dissolved.2 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, ¾ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Place the mixture in the freezer for 20 minutes so that it will gets very cold. This helps it churn faster. While it is chilling, prep the pistachios. Chop them into small and large diced chunks - whatever you like (we like a variety of sizes)1 cup salted roasted pistachios
- Once the vanilla base is cold, whisk it again in case any undissolved sugar settled. pour it slowly into the ice cream maker while it is running. Churn for 15-20 minutes, according to your model's instructions. It will be ready when it is fluffy, creamy, & will hold up on a spoon. The consistency should be similar to soft-serve.
- While it is running for a final few minutes, slowly pour in ¾ cup of the chopped pistachios. * save the remaining ¼ cup to layer in the next step. This is an optional step for extra nutty texture.
- To a large freezer-safe container that will fit the 1.5 quarts of ice cream, spoon in ½ of the ice cream. Sprinkle on a half of the remaining nuts. Repeat with the final half of the ice cream and then final sprinkling of nuts.
- Seal up the container and place in the freezer to chill. Freeze for 4-6 hours. It is ready when it is the consistency you desire; 4 hours for soft serve or up to 6 hours for solid scoops.
- Once it is ready to serve, enjoy in a bowl or on a cone.
Notes
- Store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- To scoop it may need a few minutes on the counter to soften - no preservatives or gums makes real ice cream harder when frozen solid.
- Do not use low-fat or non-fat dairy substitutes.
- Almond extract gives the base a nutty flavor or try real pistachio extract (which is more expensive but can be found online)
Nutrition
More Gluten-Free Ice Cream Recipes
Here are some similar recipes to make in your ice cream maker that are creamy, smooth, & gluten-free:
Sarah says
This came out good and we all enjoyed it.
Angela says
Thank you for the review and glad you loved this homemade pistachio ice cream - so much better than store-bought!
Winnie says
Just got an early Christmas gift for myself and bought a Cuisinart that was on sale. This was my first ice cream made and it was phenomenal.
Angela says
Well Merry Christmas!
Jeffrey R. Levine says
Really good, but a bit too sweet for my taste, and a bit too almondy for everyone else's. First time making this, and not much experience making ice cream. The almond extract definitely overwhelms the pistachio. I would cut it by half next time. And I wonder if it's possible to cut the sugar too, without affecting the quality of the ice cream.
Angela says
Thank you for the comment. What I love about making ice cream at home is you can make it just like you want. You can add fewer nuts or sugar for example. Try maybe 2/3 cup sugar next time. All my ice cream bases have a similar ratio of cream/milk/sugar. We love almond extract in sugar cookies and such so we don't find it overpowering but others may - 1/2 would maybe be just what you like next time.