Y’all have never had an ice cream as good as this Sweet Potato Ice Cream recipe, guaranteed. It’s perfectly indulgent and creamy with its spiced sweet potato notes layered with buttered pecans and rich caramel sauce. And the best part is it is completely no churn y’all! You won’t get enough of eating this addictive sweet potato ice cream whether you make it in the fall or all year round.
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I’m about to make you into the ultimate fall ice cream believer with my sweet potato ice cream flavor. It’s legit one of the best on this website without a doubt. The flavors just sing boos! It’s creamy, slightly spiced, textured with pecans and buttery y’all. It’s got it all period. Let’s get into it boos!
The Lowdown of This Sweet Potato Ice Cream Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern comfort remix
Primary Cooking Method: No-churn (Just mix and freeze boos!)
Dietary Info: Dairy packed
Key Flavor: Creamy sweet potato cheesecake foundation with a buttery pecan crunch and luscious caramel swirl
Skill Level: Easy y’all (No sweat fam!)
No Ice Cream Maker Needed
You don’t need any fancy equipment to pull this baby off. We just mixing and freezing the base until you need to dive in.
Ultimate Fall Flavors On Point
When you mix cozy sweet potato autumn vibes with warm spices, a cream cheese base, buttered pecans and caramel sauce, you get something that will make you wish Fall was all dang on year!
Easy Holiday Entertaining
While everyone is making old school desserts like pies and cakes for the holidays, switch it up with this remix that will make everyone excited and not bored by the same ole same ole each year.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream
- Sweet Potato & Oil: Roasted sweet potato adds that signature Southern flavor and earthiness. We rub with oil to make sure it bakes up perfectly.
- Butter & Sugar: Melted salted butter and a bit of sugar are perfect for caramelizing those crunchy pecans adding flavor the entire process.
- Chopped Pecans: These buttered pecans bring that bomb crunchy texture.
- Caramel Sauce: This adds that thick gooey sweetness to the mix.
- Cream Cheese: This provides that tangy creamy texture and stabilizes the foundation of the ice cream.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: This gives the ice cream its smooth texture and perfect amount of sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract & Ground Cinnamon: Both add a cozy, warm flavor with aromatic and spicy notes.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Whipped to stiff peaks, this is what gives your ice cream that luxurious and light no-churn creaminess.
How to Make Sweet Potato Ice Cream
How to Serve the Best Sweet Potato Ice Cream
- Drizzle it Up: Drizzle on some extra caramel sauce or add some chocolate ganache on top for some super indulgence.
- Pecan It Up: Add some candied pecans on top for more crunch and textural bite.
- Dollop it Up: Just a dollop of fresh whipped cream can lighten the flavors up.
- On Top: Serve a scoop on top of Southern pecan pie, sweet potato pie or a slice of egg pie.
Recipe Substitutions
- Salted Butter: You can use unsalted butter here. Just make sure you add some salt to the mix to balance the flavors.
- Pecans: Replace with chopped walnuts if you don’t have pecans around.
- Granulated Sugar: You can swap in homemade brown sugar for more intense sweetness.
- Cinnamon: You can replace with nutmeg or use a pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Grab store-bought whipped topping to keep this recipe super no-fuss.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Go Heavier on the Spices: Add nutmeg and ginger to really amp up the warmth.
- Salt It Up: Add some salty vibes to the caramel for more salted caramel notes.
- Add Some Crumble: Fold in some graham cracker crust to add more texture.
- Booze It Up: Add some bourbon to the ice cream base for a little more depth.
Expert Tips and Tricks to Make No-Churn Sweet Potato Ice Cream
- Make It Smooth: Make sure you 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, use a gentle hand to fold them in. You want to see those beautiful swirls shine through.
- 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.
How to Store
To store homemade sweet potato ice cream, add it to 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. It will last in your freezer for up to a months.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Favorite Ice Cream Recipes to Try
- Coffee Ice Cream
- Raspberry Ice Cream
- Mocha Fudge Swirl Ice Cream
- Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
- Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
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!
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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!