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Homemade Marshmallow Ice Cream

Homemade marshmallow ice cream makes a cloud-white, fluffy marshmallow frozen dessert with melt-in-your-mouth texture and mini marshmallow pieces. Cook a marshmallow custard to 175°F, chill 4 hours, then churn and freeze until firm for a sweet ice cream recipe with pure marshmallow flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 470
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

heavy cream
  • 2 cup heavy cream Cold start helps the custard set smoothly after chilling.
whole milk
  • 1 cup whole milk Use whole milk for a richer, silkier base.
marshmallow creme (Fluff)
  • 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme (Fluff) Stir in off heat to keep it smooth and lump-free.
granulated sugar
  • 1 /2 cup granulated sugar Whisk with yolks until lighter for better custard texture.
egg yolks
  • 4 egg yolks Temper the yolks by whisking while the dairy is steaming.
vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Add after cooking for rounded marshmallow flavor.
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt Balances sweetness; don’t skip.
mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows Fold in at the end so they stay pillow-soft.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 whisk

Method
 

Make the marshmallow custard
  1. Heat heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, then whisk the hot dairy into the egg yolks and sugar that you’ve beaten together in a bowl.
  2. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175°F (about 2–4 minutes), then remove from heat.
  3. Whisk in marshmallow creme until completely melted and smooth, with no streaks remaining.
  4. Stir in vanilla extract and salt until fully combined, then set the custard aside to cool completely.
Chill and churn
  1. Cover and refrigerate the custard for 4 hours, until cold and thickened.
  2. Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions, and in the last 2 minutes fold in the mini marshmallows.
  3. For toasted marshmallow flavor, briefly torch the mini marshmallows until lightly browned right before folding them in.
Freeze to firm
  1. Transfer the churned ice cream to a container and freeze until firm, about several hours, then scoop and serve.

Notes

Pro tip: keep cooking only until 175°F—overheating can turn the custard grainy. Refrigerate the base up to 2 days before churning; churned ice cream freezes well up to 2 months (best texture within 1 month). For a dairy-friendly swap, use a dairy-free heavy cream and whole-milk alternative, then chill and churn as directed (custard set may be slightly softer).