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Homemade Coffee Ice Cream

Homemade coffee ice cream with a dense coffee custard base and a deeply roasted espresso flavor. This churned espresso ice cream is cooked to 175F for a silky custard texture, then chilled for at least 4 hours before freezing until firm.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 minutes
Total Time 39 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cream, milk, and espresso custard
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp instant espresso powder
  • 0.25 cup whole coffee beans optional, for steeping
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Steep and dissolve
  1. Combine heavy cream, whole milk, and whole coffee beans (if using) in a saucepan and heat until steaming. Steep for 15 minutes, then strain out beans.
  2. Whisk instant espresso powder into the warm coffee cream until dissolved. The mixture should look uniformly dark and glossy.
Cook the custard
  1. Whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale. Pour in a steady stream of the hot coffee cream while whisking continuously.
  2. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a spoon at 175F. You should see thickened custard cling to the spoon in a smooth layer.
Chill, churn, and freeze
  1. Strain the custard, then stir in vanilla extract and salt. Stop when fully blended and the color is even.
  2. Cool the custard completely over an ice bath. Keep stirring until it feels cool to the touch.
  3. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Chill until thoroughly cold throughout.
  4. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker. Continue churning until the texture becomes soft-serve like and dense.
  5. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm. Let it sit until scoopable with clean edges.

Notes

Pro tip: for the deepest espresso taste, use the optional whole coffee beans for steeping and strain well so no grit remains. Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks; texture may firm up, so let it soften 5–10 minutes before scooping. Freezing is yes. For a lighter option, swap 1 cup of heavy cream for half-and-half, but expect a slightly softer custard body.