This fresh Apricot Ice Cream is very easy to make with just a few ingredients and your trusty ice cream maker! It's incredibly creamy and scoops easily straight from the freezer! Such a great way to use up fresh apricots, especially if you have a few that are just past their peak ripeness.
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Fresh apricot ice cream
This apricot ice cream recipe has the undeniable "mmmm" flavor of fresh apricots, making it great for summer! It has a similar flavor to peaches and cream, except with apricots instead of peaches (obviously).
Apricots are one of my favorite fruits, but it's so hard to find a PERFECT apricot! They're sometimes lacking in flavor and not sweet enough. Or if they are actually good, I try to savor them and make them last, leading to them turning a little too soft and ripe to enjoy on their own.
Sooo what do I do with apricots that I do not get to eat?? APRICOT ICE CREAM!! No matter whether your apricots are too ripe or not juicy or sweet enough, this ice cream comes out amazing Every. Single. Time.
That is because the ice cream starts out with an easy apricot syrup that brings out the wonderful apricot flavor (even if you're starting with apricots that were not perfect to begin with).
Then the syrup is mixed together with the rest of the ingredients—heavy cream, half and half, milk, and vanilla extract. The ice cream maker does the rest of the work! Well, most of it, anyway.
This apricot ice cream recipe is very similar in technique and ingredients as my mulberry ice cream recipe. Because why reinvent the wheel when you figure out the best ratios for cream, sugar, and fresh fruit for ice cream?
Let's get started!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ripe apricots, roughly chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream (cold from the fridge)
- ¼ cup half and half (or use whole milk, but the ice cream will be a little less creamy)
- ¼ cup whole milk (cold from the fridge)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or use a teaspoon of vanilla bean powder)
Related recipe: Apricot Relish for Seafood
Equipment
- 1 - 2 quart ice cream maker - make sure the bowl is frozen for at least 24 hours before getting started!!
- Small/medium saucepan
- Immersion blender or blender
- Silicone spatula
- Large bowl for mixing the ice cream ingredients (I love the Pyrex 4-cup because it has a spout for pouring into the ice cream maker!!)
- Freezer-safe container (such as a loaf pan) for freezing ice cream
- Large bowl with ice for an ice bath
Related recipe: Matcha Banana Nice Cream
Instructions
Step 0: Freeze the bottom bowl of the ice cream maker for at least 24 hours before getting started.
Step 1: In a saucepan, combine the chopped apricots, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low and stir frequently until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes, or until you have a syrup-like mixture, stirring once in a while to prevent burning. Keep an eye out to make sure the sugar does not start to caramelize, so it doesn't burn.
Step 2: Allow the mixture to cool until safe to the touch. I do this by dunking the whole pan into a large bowl with ice and stirring every few minutes.
Step 3: Use an immersion blender to puree the apricot syrup until desired smoothness. The smoother the syrup, the smoother the ice cream. Or you can leave a few apricot chunks, that is also delicious!!
No immersion blender? Combine the apricot syrup mixture with the milk and puree in a blender until smooth. You don't want to puree only the syrup because a lot of it will stick to the blender and will be hard to scoop out.
Step 4: In a large bowl, combine the pureed syrup (save a few tablespoons for drizzling on the finished ice cream, if you want!), heavy cream, half and half, milk, and vanilla extract and mix gently but thoroughly so that no syrup is sticking to the bottom.
Step 5: Transfer into an ice cream maker and churn/process for 15-20 minutes. It's OK if it's not fully frozen after 20 minutes.
Step 6: Carefully transfer to a freezer-safe dish (I love a loaf pan for this!) and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until frozen. Once frozen, the ice cream should be soft enough to be scoopable straight from the freezer, but if it is too hard, just let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping. After serving, cover it with plastic wrap or parchment paper, pressing gently down into the ice cream, to prevent freezer burn.
Related recipe: Fresh Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Ice cream making tips
- I recommend keeping the ice cream maker bowl in the freezer all the time (after you're done with it) so it is always ready and fully frozen. Do not get started with a half-frozen ice cream maker bowl!
- If you don't have enough apricots, you can add some fresh or frozen peaches, nectarines, plums, or even mango.
- For the creamiest ice cream, make sure your ingredients are as cold as they can be straight from the fridge. This includes cooling the apricot syrup down so it's not hot.
- If you want to make an apricot swirl ice cream, save a little of the apricot syrup and swirl it in by the tablespoonful into the loaf pan right before freezing.
- Try adding a few pinches of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the apricot syrup for a subtle warmth from the spices.
Related recipe: Cherry Syrup
What to serve with apricot ice cream
This ice cream is fantastic with a drizzle of caramel sauce or chocolate sauce, but you can also save a few tablespoons of the apricot syrup from this recipe to drizzle on top of this apricot ice cream! So good!
Related recipe: Mulberry Syrup
How to store homemade ice cream
I always finish freezing my ice cream in a loaf pan. Once it is frozen, I cover the top of the ice cream with food-safe plastic wrap or parchment paper, gently pressing into the top of the ice cream to remove any air.
Don't forget to cover the ice cream after you get a scoop out before returning back to the freezer to help reduce/prevent freezer burn. Homemade ice cream can keep well in the freezer for up to a month before freezer burn starts to take over.
Related recipe: Bourbon Vanilla Milkshake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Apricot Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 lb ripe apricots - roughly chopped and pits removed
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice - (optional)
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream - (cold from the fridge)
- ¼ cup half and half - (or use whole milk, but the ice cream will be a little less creamy)
- ¼ cup whole milk - (cold from the fridge)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Special equipment
- Ice cream maker make sure the bowl is frozen for at least 24 hours before getting started!!
- Immersion blender or blender
- large bowl for mixing the ice cream ingredients (I love the Pyrex 4-cup because it has a spout for pouring into the ice cream maker!!)
- Loaf pan (or other freezer-safe container) for freezing ice cream
- Large bowl with ice for an ice bath
Instructions
- Freeze the bottom bowl of the ice cream maker for at least 24 hours before getting started.
- In a saucepan, combine the chopped apricots, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low and stir frequently until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes, or until you have a syrup-like mixture, stirring once in a while to prevent burning. Keep an eye out to make sure the sugar does not start to caramelize, so it doesn't burn.
- Allow the mixture to cool until safe to the touch. I do this by dunking the whole pan into a large bowl with ice and stirring every few minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to carefully puree the apricot syrup until desired smoothness. The smoother the syrup, the smoother the ice cream. Or you can leave a few apricot chunks, that is also delicious! (See notes below for using a regular blender)
- In a large bowl, combine the pureed syrup, heavy cream, half and half, milk, and vanilla extract and mix gently but thoroughly so that no syrup is sticking to the bottom.
- Transfer into an ice cream maker and churn/process for 15-20 minutes. It's OK if it's not fully frozen after 20 minutes.
- Carefully transfer to a freezer-safe dish (such as a loaf pan) and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until frozen.
Notes
- I recommend keeping the ice cream maker bowl in the freezer all the time so it is always ready and fully frozen. Do not get started with a half-frozen ice cream maker bowl!
- No immersion blender? Combine the apricot syrup mixture with the milk and puree in a blender until smooth. You don't want to puree only the syrup because a lot of it will stick to the blender and will be hard to scoop out.
- If you don't have enough apricots, you can add some fresh or frozen peaches, nectarines, plums, or even mango.
- Try saving a few tablespoons of the apricot puree to use as syrup for your ice cream!
- To make really creamy ice cream: Make sure your ingredients are as cold as they can be straight from the fridge. This includes cooling the apricot syrup down so it's not hot.
- Make apricot swirl ice cream: Save a little of the apricot syrup and swirl it in by the tablespoonful into the loaf pan right before freezing.
- Scooping ice cream: Once frozen, the ice cream should be soft enough to be scoopable straight from the freezer, but if it is too hard, just let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping.
- Storing ice cream: Once the ice cream is frozen, cover it with food-safe plastic wrap or parchment paper, pressing gently into the top of the ice cream to remove any air.
- Try adding a few pinches of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the apricot syrup for a subtle warmth from the spices.
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Mary
Friday 30th of June 2023
Turned out fantastic! Everyone raved about it! Thank’s for a great recipe!
Kate
Friday 30th of June 2023
So glad you liked it!!
Mary
Tuesday 20th of June 2023
Is this ice cream sweet enough like other ice creams? I notice the only sugar is in the apricot purée.
Kate
Monday 26th of June 2023
Yes, 1 cup sugar is plenty for a batch of ice cream this size. If you're unsure, you can always use a little more but I didn't find it necessary at all.