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Cinnamon Swirl Apple Pie Ice Cream (No-Churn)

A perfect scoop of creamy apple pie ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce in a white bowl.

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Make creamy, homemade apple pie ice cream without an ice cream maker. This no-churn recipe features a rich vanilla base swirled with spiced, baked apple chunks for a perfect frozen dessert.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, cold
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup diced apples (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. Prepare the apple swirl: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until the apples soften slightly.
  2. Stir in the water and continue cooking for 2 more minutes until the mixture thickens into a syrupy sauce. Remove from heat and let the apple mixture cool completely.
  3. Prepare the ice cream base: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. This takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the cold sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt until combined.
  5. Gently fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture to lighten it. Then, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until just combined, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
  6. Assemble the ice cream: Pour half of the ice cream base into a freezer-safe loaf pan (about 9×5 inches). Spoon half of the cooled apple swirl mixture over the top.
  7. Pour the remaining ice cream base over the apple layer, then top with the remaining apple swirl. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the layers together once or twice for a marbled effect.
  8. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and freeze for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, until firm.
  9. When ready to serve, let the ice cream sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes to soften slightly before scooping.

Notes

  • For a more intense pie flavor, you can fold in 1/2 cup of crushed shortbread cookies or graham crackers during the final swirl step.
  • If you prefer a smoother texture, use a custard base recipe instead of this no-churn method.
  • Ensure all dairy ingredients are very cold before whipping the cream for the best volume.

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