Homemade peach ice cream is just one of those recipes that can take a little Southern girl right back to her childhood. I clearly remember buying peaches every summer at a little produce stand in Grey, Georgia, on the way back and forth from south Georgia to my grandparents house in Stone Mountain. Everyone looked forward to the start of peach season because there is absolutely no comparison at all between a fresh peach and a canned one. They don’t even taste like the same fruit to me. That’s why I say that if you don’t have fresh peaches, don’t even bother making ice cream! Just use the canned ones for something else.
When I was a child making homemade ice cream involved a lot more work than it does now. Our ice cream maker was the old hand-cranked type. Mama would fill the canister with a luscious creamy ice cream mixture, pack the ice and salt around and put us to work turning the handle. It was hard to keep the churn from moving around while you worked, so we put a towel over the top and took turns – one cranking and one sitting on the top of the churn to keep it from jumping all over the place. It was fun until the ice cream really starting freezing and the handle got harder and harder to turn :-)
Peach season is getting underway right now here in Georgia. I saw some of the first crop last Saturday at a local produce stand and I quickly grabbed enough to make some of this delicious homemade peach ice cream for our Memorial Day menu. There are dozens of different ice cream recipes. Some are cooked. Some aren’t. This is one of the cooked ones. In this particular recipe, the cooking is really just to make the eggs safe. It’s a little more work, but ice cream recipes with eggs are usually much richer than uncooked ones. Although, my Mama has a recipe that isn’t cooked and is really delicious. I’ve got to remember to ask her for that one!
You’ll start your peach ice cream by peeling and slicing enough fresh peaches to make four cups. It usually takes about 8 good sized fresh peaches. Combine the peach slices with 1 cup of sugar and let the mixture stand at room temperature for several hours until the peaches have softened and rendered a good amount of liquid. Mash or puree the peaches using either a potato masher or a blender and set them aside.
Combine the remaining sugar with the flour, salt and beaten eggs. Cook this very slowly over low heat until it begins to thicken slightly. From the voice of experience: You really have to cook this very slowly or you’ll scramble the eggs. You’ll know you’ve gone too far if you start to see little brown flecks in the mixture. If that happens, take the pan off the heat immediately and strain the mixture through a fine meshed strainer. It’ll be okay. Trust me. I know from experience :-)
Pour the cooked mixture into a large bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
When cool, add the whipping cream and vanilla. Whisk together to lighten the egg mixture.
Then stir in the milk and pureed or mashed peaches. Place in refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight.
Pour into ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is finished churning it will be very soft. You can serve it straight from the churn or transfer it to a container and place it in the freezer until it becomes firm. Good either way! Makes about 1 gallon.
Enjoy!
A Southern summer wouldn't be complete without a churn of homemade peach ice cream.
Ingredients
- 4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches (about 8 peaches)
- 2 ½ cups sugar, divided
- 2 tblsp. flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 3 eggs, beaten
- ½ pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 tblsp. vanilla
- 1 quart whole milk
Instructions
- Combine the sliced peaches with 1 cup of the sugar. Let sit at room temperature several hours until the peach slices have rendered a good amount of liquid and have softened.
- Mash or puree using a potato masher or blender. Set aside.
- Over low to medium heat, cook the remaining sugar, flour, salt and beaten eggs. Cook very slowly, stirring, until mixture begins to thicken slightly.
- Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
- When cool, add the whipping cream and vanilla. Whisk together to lighten the egg mixture.
- Stir in the milk and pureed or mashed peaches.
- Place in refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight.
- Pour into ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
–Adapted from a recipe originally found on www.cooks.com
Other peach ice cream recipes you might enjoy from around the internet:
- Brandied Peach Ice Cream on BunkyCooks
- Honey Peach Ice Cream from Karen Bove’s Our Life in the Kitchen
- Homesick Texan’s Peach Ice Cream
- Georgia Peach Homemade Ice Cream from All Recipes
- Alton Brown’s Burned Peach Ice Cream
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{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
Golly. I remember churning. Each of the jobs (sitting, or turning the handle) had challenges. Turning the handle – obvious. But remember that the bracket was broken on one side of that old blue wooden churn? So, when it was your turn to sit, if the ice cream was starting to harden, the top part would kind of jump out of the bracket. So, the sitter had to kind of sit and hold the sides of the churn at the same time. It was a challenge, but well worth the effort.
It’s hotter than blue blazes here. I would love some homemade peach ice cream.
Miss P
Yes, I remember. I was thinking about that old blue churn the whole time I was writing this post. Didn’t we have fun?
It’s pretty darned hot here, too. 8:30 p.m. and it’s still 92 degrees out. And the humidity…oh, my gosh. We went for a walk and it was like trying to breathe in a sauna. Whew. But…could be worse :-)
I couldn’t agree more about canned vs. fresh. Not even the same fruit. Your ice cream sounds/looks fabulous!
Thank you, Barbara!
My mouth is watering. Perfect for the southern peaches we get!
Thanks, Alison. This is a long-time favorite in our house.
This peach ice cream sounds amazing… I bet it would be out of this world with a slice of blueberry pie!
I bet it would, Lauren. Blueberries and peaches were just made for each other, weren’t they?
A diffinite keeper Lana we cant wait to get our fresh Georgia peaches, and this is just in time I just bought an ice cream maker cant wait to make this bookmarked! Have a great week!
Thanks, Claudia. You’re going to love that ice cream maker!
I bet this tastes just like summer in a bowl. What a delicious way to use fresh peaches!
It sure does, Kristen. Peach ice cream = summer :-)
you and I are always on the same page, I just finished the same post…. little different recipe but still a cooked version… I do love peach ice cream and like I mention in mine (scheduled for later) we grew up making all kinds of ice cream, some just like this one with a cooked egg/flour base… I used Georgia peaches too, our Alabama ones are ready yet, or at least not down here in our markets….
It’s a little scary how much we’re always on the same page, Drick! We made all different kinds, too but the peach was always my favorite. Strawberry runs a close second :-)
nothing says summer like peaches! this ice cream sounds so fresh and creamy! :) I can’t wait for peach season to start here!
You’re so right, Jenna. Peaches and summer are a magic combination.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe, its supper delicious especially during these hot days.
Yes it is, Hilary. It has been really hot this week – 99 degrees today – so this ice cream was very welcome!
I’m such a big peach fan and surprisingly i have never had a peach icecream. I feel like I just dropped to earth!
Oh, dear! You must try peach ice cream. You’ll love it!
The flour is such an interesting touch. What does it do for the texture/flavor? Never seen that before! You know all the true Southern ways. :)
Think of the custard in a old-fashioned banana pudding. It has flour, sugar, eggs and milk. The flour is for thickening and gets cooked long enough to get rid of any raw taste so your ice cream base tastes pretty much like that classic cooked custard. Yum.
You know what I love about your blog. You are so true to your southern roots. And each time I visit I’m taken back 25 years to the decade I lived in the south. The biscuits, the cobblers and now this…what could be more appropriately southern than this fabulous homemade peach ice cream?
Barbara – You have absolutely no idea how much that comment means to me. If there’s one thing I try my hardest to maintain through my blog, it is authenticity. Every single recipe here is not a “southern” recipe since I do like to branch out, but when I do post one I try my best to keep it as close to authentic as possible. Thank you so much for your kind, thoughtful words.
A must for tomorrow. Although I don’t have the ice cream maker, I’ll adopt the alternative. :D
The first batch of peaches JUST arrived at my local grocery. This looks like a fantastic way to put them to good use. You always have such lovely recipes!
Thank you so much! It’s easy when you have ingredients as fresh and beautiful as these peaches.
I do not remember the blue ice-cream churn; I remember an ice-cream churn that had to be cranked though. However you and your sister have much better memories than I. I do remember making peach ice-cream and calling all of the family over to have some. Thanks for making me smile and remember happy times. I’m calling the peach market in a few minutes to see if I can find fresh ones.
Mama – How can you not remember the blue churn? Apparently you were so busy with taking care of everybody that you blocked out that tidbit. Anyway, the blue churn was iconic. Love you.
Miss P
On Saturday I bought peaches at our local (Atlanta) farmer’s market. As I was paying for them, I thought “I’m going to get out my old ice cream maker and make peach ice cream.” After looking through lots of recipes, I ended up making Peach Frozen Yogurt (http://technicolorkitcheninenglish.blogspot.com/2011/01/peach-frozen-yogurt.html), using greek yogurt and doubling the recipe for my 4 quart machine. It was fabulous and has been such a treat during this sweltering heat!
The greek yogurt sounds really great!
THIS is when i wish i lived in Georgia . . . bring on the heat w/these babies – WOW!!
Oh how I love peach season. I need to get myself to the local orchard pronto, pick myself up a big ol’ box and make myself a batch of this creamy treat!
Who am I going to trust for a great peach ice cream recipe? A girl from Georgia, that’s who. This looks absolutely fantastic, Lana!
I’ve made the peach ice cream from Dorie Greenspan’s book and thought it was just OK – too eggy. But this one looks delicious!
Hello, I just wanted to let you know that as a girl growing up in Texas, we had fresh peach ice cream as part of our 4th of July celebration. We hand churned it sitting under the shade of a large oak tree. By the way, I have the same mixing bowl the peach puree is in…it’s at least 40 years old.
Hand churning the ice cream made it even more special, I think. After all that work, it just *had* to taste delicious!
I totally agree! Fresh peaches are the only way to go. I don’t even want canned ones around. This ice cream looks fabulous!
Nothing like fresh peaches, is there? It’s really amazing how the taste changes when they’re canned.
We made this yesterday and it took me back to the days when my grandmother would peel peaches on the porch overlooking the beach at Isle of Palms. Incredible how this recipe brought back so many pleasant memories. :)
Thanks, Kevin! Your comment really made my day. Nothing pleases me more than having one of my recipes bring back fond memories.
Hi Lana,
I just saw the link to my Brandied Peach Ice Cream. Thank you. :) Thankfully, there are a few more weeks of these amazing Southern peaches, so I will have to try your recipe for ice cream. It looks like a perfect dessert to say goodbye to summer.
Eat your heart out all you city folk. You have no idea what you been missin if you have never had home made ice cream. I just bought me one them blue hand crank ice cream makers and this summer I plan to teach my stepson , stepdaughter and two grand daughters one of the joys of my childhood. Yes, leave the electronic games at home we gonna have fun. Pass the salt someone.
I love the sounds of your recipe but want a quick version of peach ice cream to make sugar cookie sandwiches like served at the Masters tournament in Augusta, GA. Any ideas of how I could add peaches to ready made vanilla ice cream for a similar effect?
Well, you could try this – let some vanilla ice cream sit out at room temp for about 20 to 30 minutes or until soft. Then put some slightly thawed peaches in a blender and pulse them several times (if using fresh, taste and add sugar if needed). Then mix the softened ice cream and blended peaches. Refreeze the mixture if the ice cream is too soft.
I have a homemade sour cream pound cake cooling from the oven right now and have already started on this yummy-sounding recipe. Those two together should be great tonight. Thank you for the recipe.
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