Creamy, cold, and delicious, my Homemade Peach Ice Cream is made with sweet Georgia peaches and is rich with eggs, cream, and whole milk. It’s an old-fashioned treat that is a long-time family favorite.
My Homemade Peach Ice Cream recipe is just one of those old fashioned treats that can take many Southerners right back to 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 looks 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! Use the canned ones for something else.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Southern, Vintage
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 45 Minutes Active Time; 15 Hours Inactive Time
Servings: 32
Primary Ingredient(s): Fresh Peaches, Sugar, Flour, Eggs, Heavy Cream, Whole Milk
Skill Level: Easy
Making Homemade Ice Cream the Old-Fashioned Way
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 started freezing and the handle got harder and harder to turn :-)
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 for a custard base 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!
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“Just finished making this and sampled a small bowl. All I can say is OMG!!! This is the most delicious ice cream I’ve ever tasted, no lie!”
— Diana
Ingredient Notes
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- Fresh, Ripe Peaches – Choose peaches that are completely ripe and fragrant for the best flavor.
- Sugar – You’ll need white granulated sugar for this recipe.
- Flour – Adds a little structure to the custard base for the ice cream.
- Eggs – Combine with the sugar, flour, cream, and milk to create a delicious custard that envelops the ripe peaches.
- Whipping Cream and Whole Milk – You’ll use both whipping cream and whole milk for richness.
- Vanilla Extract – Use a quality vanilla extract for best results.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Equipment Notes
All of the equipment needed for this recipe is most likely already in your kitchen, with one exception — an ice cream freezer. And, although you can still purchase manual crank-type freezers, I highly recommend an electric version!
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see Homemade Peach Ice Cream on page 247 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
How to Make Homemade Peach Ice Cream
Prepare the Peaches
You’ll start the 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.
Make the Ice Cream Custard Base
- Whisk together the remaining sugar with the flour, salt, and beaten eggs in a medium saucepan. Cook this very slowly over low heat until it begins to thicken slightly.
👉 PRO TIP: 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.
- Pour the cooked mixture into a large bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- When cool, add the heavy cream and vanilla. Whisk together to incorporate the egg mixture.
Add Milk and Peaches
- Stir in the milk and pureed or mashed peaches along with all of their juices.
- Place the mixture in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight.
Churn the Ice Cream
- Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream freezer and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Note that you’ll need lots of ice and a box of rock salt for the churning, which usually takes about 20-30 minutes.
👉 PRO TIP: 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. It’s absolutely delicious either way!
- Makes about 1 gallon.
How to Store
Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to six months.
Recipe Tips
- Be patient with the custard. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, not runny.
- Don’t skip the overnight chilling of the ice cream mixture. It ensures the custard freezes smoothly.
- A shallow freezer-safe container will help the ice cream freeze evenly and scoop easily.
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Questions About Homemade Peach Ice Cream
Yes, but I’m here to tell you that commercial frozen peaches don’t even taste like the same fruit as fresh peaches. If you decide to use frozen, be sure to thaw and drain them well before using, as they release more liquid than fresh.
Yes, this custard-based recipe is best when frozen in a churn ice cream maker. Otherwise, it will lack the correct finished texture.
Honestly, I don’t recommend it. A reduction of the sugar can affect texture and scoopability, as more sugar helps prevent the ice cream from freezing too hard.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
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Homemade Peach Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches about 8 peaches
- 2 ½ cups sugar divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs beaten
- ½ pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon 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.1 cup sugar4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches
- Mash or puree using a potato masher or blender. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the remaining sugar, flour, salt and beaten eggs. Cook very slowly over low to medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture begins to thicken slightly.1 1/2 cups sugar2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 eggs
- Pour the mixture into a large bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- When cool, add the whipping cream and vanilla. Whisk together to incorporate the egg mixture.½ pint heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Stir in the milk and pureed or mashed peaches.1 quart whole milk
- Place the mixture in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight.
- Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Note that you'll need lots of ice and a box of rock salt for the churning, which usually takes about 20-30 minutes.
- Makes about 1 gallon (4 quarts).
Notes
- Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to six months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on May 31, 2011. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
Hello! This recipe looks amazing. Am I supposed to drain the peaches before I add them to the ice cream mix?
No, don’t drain them. Mash them well and add everything to the custard base.
Should I double the recipe for my 6 qt freezer ?
The recipe makes about 1 gallon (4 quarts).
Hi Lana! I’m making this now, and I wanted to ask if the sugar needs to be fully dissolved while you are cooking it with the eggs flour and salt? My mixture is thickening nicely, but I can still feel some undissolved sugar in it. Wondering if that matters? Thanks!
Hi Amy – Yes, the sugar should be completely dissolved.
WOW, my favorite fruit, and no ice cream contraption required! Thanks Lana! :-)
Hi Angelina. Actually, this recipe is meant to be frozen in an ice cream churn. I assume that’s what you mean by contraption?
We have made this now 3 times and can’t seem to get enough! Guess I should have said 3 time in 3 weeks! Love and as long as peaches are fresh we might be making it several more times! One thing we don’t do is cook the eggs, sugar and flour mixture. We microwave it for 1 minute. Saves even more time!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long in freezer?
Like any homemade ice cream, it can certainly be frozen for a period of time. However, I think it’s best enjoyed within a couple of weeks.
This looks so good! What a great way to preserve a large quantity peaches!
It is really, really good! I’m not sure what you mean by preserving a large quantity of peaches, though?? You use about 8 fresh peaches in this recipe.
I have fond memories of cranking the ice cream. There were four of us, and we would take turns counting 100 each, and then the next kid would take over. I am looking forward to making this recipe
Where is the recipe?
You should see it near the bottom of the post.
It’s there now, but It wasn’t there before, believe me! lol
Just finished making this and sampled a small bowl. All I can say is OMG!!! One note: I was too lazy to peel my peaches and it didn’t really make a difference. This is the most delicious ice cream I’ve ever tasted, no lie!
Thank you, Diana! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It’s my favorite ice cream, too :-)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!