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
1. Prick, oil, and bake the sweet potato until soft
Remove the skin and mash until smooth.
2. Whisk the potato and remove any stringy bits
Mix briefly, then clean the whisk as needed so the mixture stays silky smooth.
3. Cook the sugar and pecans in butter
Stir until the sugar melts and coats the pecans, then cool and reserve some for topping.
4. Beat the cream cheese with condensed milk and spices
Mix until creamy and fully combined with no lumps.
5. Fold in the whipped cream until light and fluffy
Gently combine so the mixture stays smooth.
6. Layer half the ice cream base with caramel and pecans
Pour in half, then add caramel and pecans and swirl through.
7. Add the remaining mixture and swirl again
Cover and freeze until set.
8. Let your sweet potato ice cream soften slightly
Finish with extra caramel and pecans before serving.
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Sweet Potato Ice Cream
This Sweet Potato Ice Cream recipe is super indulgent and creamy with its spiced sweet potato notes layered with buttered pecans and rich caramel sauce.
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Servings: 16 1 scoop servings
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
Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 223mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 2805IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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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
How long do I need to freeze this ice cream?
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.
Can I make this sweet potato ice cream ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can make this up to two weeks before you serve it.
Can I used canned sweet potatoes in a pinch?
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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I have had this recipe saved in my “must try” folder for some time now. I finally decided to make it last weekend, and it was so good!! My first time making a custard-based ice cream, so I was a little nervous. No need, though – the instructions were very clear, and the hardest part was leaving it in the fridge long enough to completely chill 🙂 I messed up my toasted marshmallows by leaving them on the hot stove after taking them out of the oven – they became a gooey mess but I put them in the ice cream anyway. It’s delicious – pretty rich, so I only had one scoop but I’m so happy that I can eat it all week long!!
I tried this recipe and found it had too much vanilla (it was overwhelming) and too little potato. With some modifications it was actually good!
OMG this sounds amazing and how perfect for thanksgiving! My bf literally just asked me what is for desert and where is the ice cream…then I came across this post.
Hooray! You will absolutely love it. It is sooo delicious.
What a fun way to use sweet potatoes!
I’m also a HUGE fan of sweet potatoes and I am swooning over this ice cream!! You don’t know how badly I want to be eating this right now. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving 🙂
Jocelyn, I have everything to make the ice cream today. Do you think I could store it in the freezer in a 12 cup Rubbermaid bowl until Thursday? My ice cream maker makes 2 quarts. We usually eat the whole Big Mama’s recipe at one sitting, so I ‘ve never tried storing it before 🙂
How can I get my hands on this ice cream right now? Looks fab, Jocelyn!
Looks absolutely amazing – love the creative use of sweey potato! Yum!
Hooray thanks so much Alessandra!
This looks so good and its super creative!
Thanks so much Nicole!
It looks like an ice cream maker is going on my Christmas list now. All I could say was “whoa” when I saw the first photo…lol. Have a great weekend.
Yep an ice cream maker is a must! Haha have a great weekend as well.