Homemade Marshmallow Ice Cream

Edited to add: I ended up making S’mores Cupcake Ice Cream Sandwiches (and S’mores Popsicles) with this Homemade Marshmallow Ice Cream!

Homemade marshmallow ice cream

It’s finally warming up here in Northern California. Up until last week it was raining, which is pretty unusual here. The sudden warm up is perfect timing for the annual ice cream cupcake contest at Cupcake Project. Last year I entered my bacon chocolate ice cream cupcake, which was a semifinalist!

Marshmallow ice cream

This year, I made some homemade marshmallow ice cream for the key ingredient. This recipe is really simple and only calls for 4 ingredients. One of them is an entire bag of marshmallows (plus 2 cups each of heavy cream and half and half), but sometimes you have to indulge. The neat thing about this ice cream is it looks like plain vanilla but once you taste it, you realize it’s something special. It actually tastes just like a marshmallow.

Now the question is: what cupcake should I make? I can use the ice cream to fill homemade Hostess cupcakes in place of the cream filling.

Or I can use the ice cream to top s’mores cupcakes in place of marshmallow frosting.

Which cupcake do you think should I pick – s’mores or homemade Hostess? Or something else?

Recipe:

Marshmallow Ice Cream

  • 2 C half and half
  • 1 10-oz. bag of large marshmallows
  • 2 C heavy cream
  • 2 T vanilla extract

In a large pot, combine half and half with marshmallows. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until marshmallows have completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool briefly. Then place in fridge to cool for 20-30 more minutes, until chilled and slightly thickened.

In the meantime, whip heavy cream until you have soft peaks. Fold into cooled marshmallow mixture and add vanilla extract. Stir until everything is combined. Place in ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s directions for making ice cream.

 


48 Comments on Homemade Marshmallow Ice Cream

  1. Jennifer
    June 10, 2011 at 11:06 am (13 years ago)

    Wow…that’s a difficult decision as BOTH cupcakes sound delish!!! Therefore, I vote that you make BOTH of them! LOL 🙂

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 10, 2011 at 5:13 pm (13 years ago)

      @Jennifer – haha I don’t need that many cupcakes in my house. It’s a hard decision to make!

    • Stephanie
      June 10, 2011 at 5:11 pm (13 years ago)

      @Ann – thanks for your input!

  2. Katie
    June 11, 2011 at 4:56 pm (13 years ago)

    I’d love to see it on top of the S’Mores Cupcake. I just feel like that would be so authentic and adorable.

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 11, 2011 at 8:20 pm (13 years ago)

      @Katie – thanks!

    • Stephanie
      June 11, 2011 at 8:21 pm (13 years ago)

      @Erin – Ice cream makers are so fun. Thanks for your input!

  3. Isabelle @ Crumb
    June 12, 2011 at 8:29 am (13 years ago)

    I vote for the Smores Cupcakes. It’s too perfect a pairing to pass up!
    In fact… my favourite gourmet ice cream shop makes a Toasted Marshmallow ice cream that is to die for, and I bet you’d essentially get the same results by lightly toasting the marshmallows under the broiler before continuing with the recipe. I’m actually tempted to try it out for myself to see if it works! 🙂
    Isabelle @ Crumb recently posted Prickly Pleasures – Grilled Baby Artichokes

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 12, 2011 at 8:31 am (13 years ago)

      @Isabelle – that sounds delicious!

  4. Liz
    June 12, 2011 at 12:29 pm (13 years ago)

    What a yummy ice cream flavor! When we were in Victoria, BC a few summers ago, I had some vanilla ice cream that tasted like marshmallow creme..and I’ve always wanted to reproduce it. So thanks for the recipe…I’m going to give it a shot.

    I vote for the S’mores cupcakes, too..yum!
    Liz recently posted Cola and Jam Spareribs

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 13, 2011 at 7:43 am (13 years ago)

      @Liz – ooh that sounds good. I hope this recipe is a good recreation for you!

  5. מטבחים
    June 13, 2011 at 1:16 am (13 years ago)

    yummy! looks delicious! i really want this ice cream right now!

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 13, 2011 at 7:44 am (13 years ago)

      @מטבחים – If I could, I would give some to you! 🙂

    • Stephanie
      June 13, 2011 at 7:44 am (13 years ago)

      @Island Vittles – thanks!

  6. laura
    June 13, 2011 at 8:33 am (13 years ago)

    i’d go with the smores!

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 13, 2011 at 8:34 am (13 years ago)

      @Laura – thanks! I’m working on s’mores cupcakes later today 🙂

  7. Wheels
    June 13, 2011 at 10:00 am (13 years ago)

    Hostess!! Also, you should look into making fried pies, it’s an Oklahoma thing apparently.

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 17, 2011 at 9:52 am (13 years ago)

      S’mores won the vote (I was rooting for Hostess too!) but they came out great. Are fried pies just pies that are deep fried?

  8. hannah
    June 13, 2011 at 6:26 pm (13 years ago)

    I say on top: smores all the way!

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 13, 2011 at 7:59 pm (13 years ago)

      @Hannah – I’ve got s’mores cupcakes in the oven right now!

  9. Lindsey@Lindselicious
    June 13, 2011 at 8:26 pm (13 years ago)

    Both look great but I vote for smores. And the other cupcake you made last year looks bananas!

    Reply
  10. kita
    June 17, 2011 at 4:42 pm (13 years ago)

    First, this ice cream sounds amazing. Second, I have convinced my BF to meet me here at work when I close so we can stroll about looking for dinner. I never stop for ice cream – but because of you – I know what Im making us stop for tonight ;D

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      June 23, 2011 at 9:20 am (13 years ago)

      @kita – so glad I inspired you to indulge in some ice cream! 😉

  11. jmonty
    June 23, 2011 at 7:45 am (13 years ago)

    Can you make the ice cream without an ice cream maker? IF so, how? I’m clueless.

    Reply
  12. Julie
    July 3, 2011 at 3:19 pm (13 years ago)

    I love love love the bowl/mug that the ice cream is in too!!

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      July 3, 2011 at 8:55 pm (13 years ago)

      @ Julie – thanks! It’s a tea cup from Anthropologie. I love it too!

  13. מטבחים
    July 17, 2011 at 7:52 am (13 years ago)

    wow this ice cream looks so gooood! thanks!!

    Reply
  14. פורום מטבחים
    September 7, 2011 at 7:02 pm (13 years ago)

    your posts allways in that quality’
    the icecream looks good !!

    Reply
  15. Y
    November 9, 2012 at 8:18 pm (11 years ago)

    Can’t wait to try this! I’ve been looking for a recipe that would use up a bag of marshmallows I happen to have.

    Reply
  16. Juls
    July 29, 2013 at 6:20 pm (11 years ago)

    Thank you for this recipe…I will use the ice cream for my daughter’s b-day ice cream s’mores!

    Reply
  17. Diane
    January 5, 2014 at 12:38 pm (10 years ago)

    just made this for my daughter who LOVES anything marshmallow – it is easy and delicious. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Stephanie Saunders
      January 5, 2014 at 6:09 pm (10 years ago)

      That’s awesome, Diane! I hope you and your daughter enjoy it! 🙂

  18. mabel halcomb
    June 23, 2014 at 10:36 am (10 years ago)

    i love the dish this marshmallow ice cream is pictured in. Do you know the pattern name and who makes it?

    Reply
    • Stephanie Saunders
      June 26, 2014 at 10:13 am (10 years ago)

      Mabel, it’s a tea cup from Anthropologie. I got it a few years ago, so I don’t know if they still carry them.

  19. Heather muller
    September 29, 2014 at 2:47 pm (9 years ago)

    Could someone explain to me why this wasn’t “easy?” First the marshmallows took forever to melt. Then cooling them just made a sticky mess that I’m now trying desperately to fold whipped cream into. I haven’t even gotten to the ice cream maker. And my pot is going to be a disaster to clean. My son wanted marshmallow ice cream. This sounded great. I’m so confused.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Saunders
      September 29, 2014 at 2:59 pm (9 years ago)

      Heather, I’m sorry you’re having so much trouble! You may have chilled the marshmallows for longer than they needed, but it’s hard to say what went wrong without seeing what happened. Also, if you soak your pot in soapy water for a while, it shouldn’t be too difficult to clean.

  20. Thai
    February 22, 2018 at 7:52 pm (6 years ago)

    Is that 2 tablespoons of vanilla or 2 tsps?

    Reply
  21. Jo Ann Belanger
    February 25, 2018 at 11:15 am (6 years ago)

    Don’t know if you even remember this recipe but I found it in a Google search & it is a keeper! I noticed all the recipes for my recently purchased Cuiinarts IC maker call for approx 3 Cups cream/milk so I did 3/4 recipe: 1 1/2 C 1/2&1/2, & cream, 30 marshmallows, 1 1/2 Tblsp vanilla. Perfect! Very rich & delicate flavor, great texture. Thank-you.

    Reply

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