Homemade Gingerbread Ice Cream is a delightful dessert that perfectly captures the essence of the holidays. With its warm spices and rich molasses flavor, it’s ideal for winter and sure to become a treat the whole family will love.
This easy, no-churn, and no-cook recipe is perfect for those who want to enjoy the flavor of gingerbread without the hassle of baking. Like my recipe for Snickers Ice Cream, you combine a few ingredients, pop them into the freezer, and voila, a rich and creamy ice cream.
The warm spices of ginger and cinnamon create a cozy and inviting flavor that’s perfect for the holiday season. The addition of crushed gingerbread cookies adds a delightful crunch and extra gingerbread goodness.
Whether serving it at a festive gathering or enjoying a scoop, gingerbread cookie ice cream will bring a touch of holiday cheer to your Christmas dessert table. It’s a delicious and easy way to indulge in a classic favorite holiday flavor.
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Reasons to love this recipe:
- It’s easy to make with five simple ingredients, and you don’t need an ice cream maker, heavy cream, or eggs!
- Combining the ingredients takes less than 10 minutes, and then your freezer does all of the work.
- Because you don’t have to cook it, this homemade ice cream recipe is simple to make, and it’s a great way to let your kids help in the kitchen.
Ingredient notes and substitutions:
- Gingerbread cookies – you can use purchased or homemade cookies to get the gingerbread flavor. Molasses cookies and gingersnap cookies can be substituted. Also, a deconstructed gingerbread house works too.
- Sweetened condensed milk – is there a more perfect ingredient? Sweetened condensed milk contributes to the dish’s rich flavor and smooth texture, making it easy to scoop.
- Cinnamon and ground ginger – add warmth, depth of flavor, and a touch of spiciness, transforming this frozen dessert into a delightful holiday treat. You can substitute nutmeg or allspice for the ground ginger. Fresh ginger can also be substituted for ground ginger.
- Whipped topping – the most recognizable brand is Cool Whip, and it’s a crucial ingredient in no-churn ice cream recipes. It’s a great time saver because it’s ready to use right out of the container, eliminating the need to whip heavy cream by hand or with an electric mixer.
Equipment needed: 9″ x 4″ loaf pan, freezer-safe container, or airtight storage container.
Complete measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How to make gingerbread ice cream:
- Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and ground ginger in a large bowl until combined.
- Add the whipped topping and gently fold in until thoroughly combined. A rubber spatula works well for this.
- Gently fold in two cups of the cookies to the ice cream base.
- Pour mixture into a freezer-safe container and top with the remaining cookies.
- Cover with plastic wrap, store in the freezer for at least six hours, and serve.
Serving suggestions:
- My favorite way to serve this perfect dessert is a big bowl of ice cream garnished with whole gingerbread cookies or cute gingerbread men. Of course, several scoops in a waffle cone also make a fantastic handheld treat, too.
- If desired, drizzle with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or a bit of molasses before serving for even more wonderful flavor. It can also be topped with chopped roasted pecans, or chocolate chips.
- A scoop of gingerbread ice cream would also pair well with a slice of pound cake, my German chocolate brownies, or my chocolate peanut butter brownies.
- Make gingerbread ice cream sandwiches; just sandwich a scoop of ice cream between two gingerbread cookies.
How to store:
This delicious, no-churn frozen dessert will keep several months in your freezer if stored in an airtight container. If using plastic wrap to cover it, wrap it in several layers and place the container in a plastic freezer storage bag.
Note: Although this ice cream will keep in the freezer for several months, the cookies will lose their crunch after about a week, so for the best results, you should plan to finish it before then. This is our favorite dessert, so it has never been an issue at our house.
Recipe FAQs:
No, you do not need an ice cream machine to make no-churn gingerbread ice cream. It is frozen in a regular freezer. Adding sweetened condensed milk and Cool Whip results in a creamy and scoopable ice cream without needing an ice cream maker.
Air is the enemy of ice cream in the freezer. Double-wrap it with plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container.
No, this simple recipe calls for purchased whipped topping, so you won’t need to worry about having to make homemade whipped cream.
Expert tips and tricks:
Fold in the whipped topping and the gingerbread cookies gently in the ice cream mixture to avoid deflating the whipped topping.
If you are going to add a drizzle of molasses, use a light hand. A little molasses, especially blackstrap molasses, goes a long way.
If you don’t have ground ginger, you can substitute two teaspoons of freshly grated ginger.
More easy ice cream recipes.
If you like gingerbread recipes, you might also like my recipe for Christmas Gingerbread Cake.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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Homemade Gingerbread Ice Cream Recipe (No Churn)
Equipment
- 9" x 4-inch loaf pan, freezer-safe container, or airtight storage container
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 8 ounces whipped topping Cool Whip is the most recognizable brand name
- 2 ⅓ cups roughly chopped or crushed gingerbread cookies divided
Instructions
- Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and ground ginger in a large bowl until combined.
- Add the whipped topping and gently fold in until thoroughly combined. A rubber spatula works well for this.
- Gently fold two cups of the cookies to the ice cream base.
- Pour mixture into a freezer-safe container and top with the remaining cookies.
- Cover with plastic wrap, store in the freezer for at least six hours, and serve.
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