Easy homemade Peanut Butter Ice Cream with just 3 ingredients and no ice cream maker required. It’s got the richest, creamiest texture (and it’s freezer-ready in only 10 minutes!).
Peanut Butter Ice Cream Ingredients
The base is cold whipped cream folded into sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter. Whipping traps tiny air bubbles, so the ice cream stays soft and scoopable. The condensed milk keeps it from freezing rock hard.
Here is what goes into this easy peanut butter ice cream recipe.
- Heavy whipping cream: keep it cold so it whips to stiff peaks.
- Sweetened condensed milk: adds all the sugar and keeps the texture soft.
- Creamy peanut butter: use Jif or Skippy, not natural peanut butter.
- Salt: just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
I make no-churn ice cream all summer long. If you love this method, try my Cookies and Cream Ice Cream and Strawberry Ice Cream next. You can also browse my easy no-bake desserts for more frozen ideas.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe takes flavor add-ins really well. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Chocolate peanut butter ice cream: swirl in warm hot fudge sauce before freezing.
- Peanut butter ripple: drizzle extra melted peanut butter and swirl it with a knife.
- Crunchy version: fold in chopped peanuts or chopped peanut butter cups.
- Chocolate chips: stir in mini chips for little crunchy bites.
- More PB and chocolate: try my chocolate peanut butter frozen yogurt bark too.
- Dairy-free: full-fat coconut cream can stand in for the whipping cream.
Grab These Tools
You only need a few basics to pull this together.
- Hand or stand mixer: to whip the cream to stiff peaks.
- Mixing bowls: one for the cream, one for the base.
- Loaf pan or freezer container: to freeze and store the ice cream.
- Plastic wrap: pressed on top to block freezer burn.
- Silicone spatula: for gentle folding at the end.
Peanut butter lovers, you must try my 2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge, too!
How to Make Peanut Butter Ice Cream: An Easy Guide
Making peanut butter ice cream at home comes down to four easy steps.
Whip the Cream
Beat the cold cream until it holds stiff peaks. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes with a mixer. Cold cream whips faster and traps more air.
Mix the Peanut Butter Base
Microwave the peanut butter for 15 to 20 seconds until pourable. Whisk it with the condensed milk and salt until smooth. It will thicken and look seized, which is completely normal.
Peanut butter is hydrophilic, meaning it loves liquid and slurps it up. That is why the base stiffens for a moment before it smooths out.
Fold in the Whipped Cream
Whisk in a third of the whipped cream to loosen the base. Add another third more gently to keep the air. Fold the last third in slowly so it stays fluffy.
Freeze Until Scoopable
Scrape the mixture into your container and smooth the top. Press plastic wrap right onto the surface. Freeze for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
4 Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making peanut butter ice cream:
- Using natural peanut butter: the oil separates and makes it grainy. Stick with something the 90’s kids lived on, like Jif or Skippy.
- Over-mixing the base: folding too hard knocks the air out. Fold gently at the end.
- Skipping the plastic wrap: air on the surface causes icy freezer burn.
- Scooping straight from the freezer: let it come to room temperature until it’s a smooth, scoopable texture and you’ll be rewarded with the creamiest ice cream ever!
Make Ahead and Storage
This is a great make-ahead dessert since it needs time to freeze anyway.
Storing Leftovers
- Airtight container: keep it covered so it does not pick up freezer smells.
- Press the wrap: lay plastic wrap right on the surface.
- Best within 2 weeks: the texture stays creamiest early on.
Freezing
- Freeze fully: give it 4 to 6 hours or overnight to set.
- Use a shallow pan: a wide container freezes faster and more evenly.
- Label the date: so you know how fresh it is.
Softening Before Serving
- Rest it: let it sit 5 minutes at room temperature.
- Warm your scoop: run it under hot water for cleaner scoops.
- Do not refreeze melted: refreezing fully melted ice cream turns it icy.
What to Serve with Peanut Butter Ice Cream
This ice cream is delicious on its own, but toppings make it feel special.
Toppings and Add-Ins
- Hot fudge: a drizzle of warm chocolate fudge sauce.
- Chopped peanuts: salted peanuts add crunch and contrast.
- Chocolate chips: mini chips scattered right on top.
- Crushed pretzels: for a salty, crunchy finish.
- Banana slices: fresh banana loves peanut butter.
Desserts to Serve It With
- Brownies: a scoop over my chewy brownies is heaven.
- Chocolate cake: serve it beside moist chocolate cake.
- Ice cream sandwiches: scoop it between homemade chocolate wafers.
- Warm cobbler: a scoop on hot peach cobbler.
Tips for the Creamiest No-Churn Ice Cream
A few small habits make the biggest difference in the final texture.
- Start cold: chill the bowl and beaters before whipping the cream.
- Whip to stiff peaks: this is where all the softness comes from.
- Warm the peanut butter slightly: pourable peanut butter blends without lumps.
- Fold, do not stir: stirring deflates the air you worked in.
- Chill your container: a cold pan helps it set evenly.
- Skip natural peanut butter: conventional creamy peanut butter stays smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
Yes, you can make peanut butter ice cream without an ice cream maker. This no-churn recipe uses whipped cream to add the air a machine normally would. You just whip, fold, and freeze. No special equipment is needed at all.
Icy or hard peanut butter ice cream usually means the cream was under-whipped or the surface was left uncovered. Whip the cream to stiff peaks for more air. Press plastic wrap onto the surface. Let it soften several minutes before scooping.
I do not recommend natural peanut butter for this ice cream recipe. The oil separates and can make the texture grainy or greasy. Conventional creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy stays smooth and blends cleanly into the base. It also holds its flavor better.
To make chocolate peanut butter ice cream, swirl warm hot fudge sauce through the base right before freezing. Drag a knife through it a few times for ribbons. You can also fold in mini chocolate chips or chopped peanut butter cups for chocolate in every bite.
Yes, this ice cream makes great peanut butter ice cream sandwiches. Let it soften slightly, then scoop it between two cookies or chocolate wafers. Freeze the sandwiches again until firm. Soft, chewy cookies work best since they stay easy to bite when frozen.
Homemade peanut butter ice cream keeps well for about 2 weeks in the freezer. Store it in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface. This blocks air and stops icy crystals. The texture is best in the first week while it is freshest.
No, you do not need to add extra sugar to this peanut butter ice cream. The sweetened condensed milk brings all the sugar and sweetness the recipe needs. It also keeps the texture soft and scoopable. Adding more sugar would make it overly sweet and syrupy.
You can swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream to make this dairy-free. Chill the can first, then whip the thick part to stiff peaks. The flavor changes slightly, but the peanut butter still shines. Regular heavy whipping cream gives the creamiest classic result.
Other No-Bake Frozen Treats You’ll Love
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Pistachio Ice Cream
- Homemade Banana Ice Cream
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt Bark
- Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt Bites
- My Best No-Bake Desserts
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Ice Cream (Easy, No-Churn Recipe!)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy, not natural
- 1 pinch salt (optional)
Instructions
- Beat the cold cream until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Microwave the peanut butter for 15 to 20 seconds, until pourable.
- Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and salt until smooth. The peanut butter will thicken like it is seizing. That is normal, since peanut butter loves and slurps up liquid.
- Whisk in 1/3 of the whipped cream until smooth to lighten the base. Whisk in another 1/3 more gently to keep the air. Fold in the final 1/3 very gently. Do not overmix or it will deflate.
- Scrape into a freezer-safe container and smooth the top. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Freeze 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
- Let it sit 10 minutes before scooping, so it softens just enough to scoop cleanly.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
