Why more folks ain’t putting sweet potato in ice cream, I will never know because this sweet potato ice cream right here might be the best ice cream you ever try. Think sweet potato pie in ice cream form or frozen candied sweet potatoes ya dig? I fold baked sweet potato into a no-churn base along with spices, buttered pecans and caramel sauce. Then I swirl it all together before freezing.
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Sweet Potato Ice Cream Ingredients
- Sweet Potato: We rub with a little oil to make sure it bakes up perfectly.
- Butter & Sugar: Melted salted or unsalted butter and a bit of sugar caramelize the pecans. You can swap in homemade brown sugar for more intense sweetness.
- Chopped Pecans: Chopped walnuts also work.
- Caramel Sauce: Grab a thick store-bought like Mrs. Richardsons or make your own.
- Cream Cheese: Full-fat is best.
- Vanilla Extract & Ground Cinnamon: Pumpkin pie spice also works.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Whipped to stiff peaks or use whipped topping.
How to Make Sweet Potato Ice Cream
Bake the Potato
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F. Line sheet pan with parchment paper. Scrub, rinse, and dry the potato then stick a fork all over the potato multiple times. Rub oil on the potato. Bake for about 50 minutes, flipping the potato halfway through. Use a toothpick or skewer to check for doneness; the toothpick should slide easily into the potato with no resistance. If not done, bake for a few more minutes.
Step 2: Remove potato from the oven and let cool slightly on parchment paper, about 20 minutes (until still warm but able to handle). Carefully remove the skin from potatoes. You should have 2/3 cup of mashed potatoes.
Step 3: While warm, place the potato in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on medium low for about 20 seconds then stop. Once you start to mix the baked potato, long little stringy pieces will attach to the whisk; you’ll want to rinse the whisk to get rid of those. Removing them makes the filling super smooth, so you’re not eating the stringy parts. Repeat these 2-3 times, each time rinsing the strings from the whisk.
Make the Buttered Pecans
Step 4: Add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Add in sugar and stir together and cook until sugar is dissolved. Stir in pecans and cook for about 5 minutes. (Watch closely so they don’t burn.)
Step 5: Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 10 minutes. Set aside ¼ cup for garnish.
Make the Ice Cream Base
Step 6: Toss the cream cheese into the stand mixer. Beat on medium speed. Slowly, add in sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract and mix until completely smooth.
Step 7: Turn off mixer and fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula. Once folded in, it should be nice and perfectly smooth boos.
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Step 8: Pour 1/2 of the ice cream mixture into a lined container.
Step 9: Add half of the caramel sauce and pecans and swirl into the base.
Step 10: Repeat with the remaining ice cream, caramel and pecans swirling then cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 6-8 hours.
Step 11: When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and allow it to defrost for 10 minutes. Scoop, garnish with caramel sauce and reserved pecans, and serve it up boos!
Sweet Potato Ice Cream
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato
- 8 ounces sweet potato 1 large sized potato
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
For the Buttered Pecans
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the Ice Cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold, whipped to stiff peaks
- 2/3 cup caramel sauce My favorite is Mrs. Richardson’s
Instructions
For the Sweet Potato
- Preheat oven to 400F. Place rack in middle position. Prepare sheet pan by lining with parchment paper.
- Scrub, rinse, and dry sweet potato. Stick a fork all over the potato multiple times to allow steam to escape.
- Rub oil on the surface of the potato. Place on the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, flipping the potato halfway through. Use a toothpick or skewer to check for doneness; the toothpick should slide easily into the potato with no resistance. If not done, bake for a few more minutes.
- Remove potatoe from the oven and let cool slightly on parchment paper, about 20 minutes (until still warm but able to handle). Carefully remove the skin from potatoes. You should have 2/3 cup of mashed potatoes. (You can gently press on them with a fork or whisk and measure them into a measuring cup.)
- While warm, place the potato in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on medium low for about 20 seconds then stop. (Once you start to mix the baked potato, long little stringy pieces will attach to the whisk; you’ll want to rinse the whisk to get rid of those. Removing them makes the filling super smooth, so you’re not eating the stringy parts.) Repeat these two or three times, each time rinsing the strings from the whisk.
For the Buttered Pecans
- Add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Add in sugar and stir together and cook until sugar is dissolved. Stir in pecans and cook for about 5 minutes. (Watch closely so they don’t burn.) Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
For the Ice Cream
- Add cream cheese to the bowl of the stand mixer. Beat on medium speed then slowly add in sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract and mix until completely smooth.
- Turn off mixer and fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula.
- Line an 8×8 pan with one piece of plastic wrap, with at least four inches of overhang. Then layer in another piece of plastic wrap going the other direction.
- Pour in ½ of the ice cream mixture, then ½ of the caramel sauce, then ½ of the butter pecan mixture. Using a butter knife, create a swirl pattern.
- Pour in the remaining ice cream, caramel, then pecans, and swirl again. Pull each side of the plastic wrap to cover the top of the ice cream, then cover fully with another piece of plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for 6-8 hours. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and allow it to defrost for 10 minutes. Scoop and serve!
Notes
How to Store
To store homemade sweet potato ice cream, place it in an airtight, freezer-safe container and smooth the surface with a spatula. Press some wax paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Then, seal it up and store it in the back of your freezer. When you’re ready to serve it up again, let the ice cream sit at room temp for a little bit so it softens making it easier to scoop.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Make It Smooth: Really mash that sweet potato until it is super smooth so it blends in well into the base of the ice cream without lumps.
- Fold Gently: When you’re mixing the nuts and caramel sauce into the ice cream base, fold gently so the swirls stay intact.
- Place It Far Back in the Freezer: To make sure your ice cream sets up firmly, place your container as far back in the freezer as possible. This is usually the coldest part which makes the ice cream firmer.
Recipe help
It’s best if you freeze overnight but at least 5 hours in the back of the freezer to make sure it gets pretty firm.
Absolutely! You can make this up to two weeks before you serve it.
You definitely can but the flavors won’t be as on point as if you roasted it. Roasting just gives a better, deeper flavor overall.
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Joce! Can I call you Joce since we’re best friends now? This recipe is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! My family loves it so much I’ve made it 3 times in 10 days. Nevermind the big backs.
OMG thank you so so much Shelley!! That makes my heart so so happy!
lovemartian38@gmail.com
Can you make the ice cream with hand mixer than stand mixer and does it take longer??
I personally wouldn’t change the mixing process for the recipe.
I made this Thanksgiving of 2019 for my extended family. Living in MN, sweet potato pie isn’t something people are accustomed to up here. I had some skeptics, but all loved it and the kids couldn’t get enough. Having never worked with toasted marshmallows before, my biggest take-away is to grease your hands prior, otherwise it’s a sticky mess.
mahm i love your recipes including my personal favorite the caramel pumpkin lava cakes
I made this last week and OH MY GOD it’s amazing. Followed the instructions exactly (including the recommendation to roast the sweet potatoes ahead of time!). Definitely worth the wait – I chilled mine in the fridge for 3 hours before churning and it came out perfectly. It honestly tastes like a pro made it…and I’m no pro. Thank you so much for this unique flavor and for giving me a chance to use my ice cream maker!