This peach ice cream skips the egg yolks but still turns out velvety, creamy, and packed with fresh peach flavor. Sweet summer peaches are blended until silky smooth, then folded into a rich buttermilk ice cream base that churns in your favorite ice cream maker into a scoopable homemade peach ice cream with no iciness. The tiny bit of cream cheese gives this frozen dessert a texture that feels closer to a premium scoop shop pint than a typical homemade version.
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Skill Level: Intermediate. This homemade ice cream recipe is simple but has several steps and requires an ice cream machine.
Shortcut Central: Freeze ripe peaches when they are in season so you can make this homemade peach ice cream any time of year.
Flavor Remix: Add cinnamon for a peach cobbler vibe, swirl in raspberry jam before freezing, or sauté the peaches with a splash of bourbon for a deeper caramelized flavor.
Allergy Watch: Gluten Free, No Eggs, Nut-Free
Fresh peach ice cream always reminds me of late summer when peaches finally taste juicy enough to drip down your wrist after one bite. This version leans more towards old-fashioned peach ice cream than super-rich frozen custard because there are no eggs involved. Instead, cream cheese and cornstarch step in to create a creamy texture without the heaviness of egg yolks. This is the same base I use for my strawberry ice cream recipe.
There are a few tricks that make this peach ice cream recipe worth making over others. First, fully pureeing peeled peaches creates a much smoother texture. Tiny fruit pieces tend to freeze harder than the cream base and can create icy bits throughout the ice cream. I also found giving the peach mixture one final whisk or quick blend before chilling helps the fruit stay fully incorporated into the dairy base.
A dab of cornstarch grabs excess water from the peaches, helping eliminate ice crystals. And swapping part of the sugar with a little corn syrup keeps the ice cream softer and easier to scoop straight from the freezer.
Ingredient Notes
- Peaches: Peel the peaches before blending so the skins do not create chewy bits in the final ice cream. Very ripe peaches give the strongest peach flavor and the smoothest purée.
- Buttermilk: Use the real deal, not homemade, so you get that delightful tang.
- Heavy Cream: Because we are using buttermilk, which has a lower fat quantity than whole milk, you must use heavy cream and NOT half and half.
- Cornstarch: You can use tapioca starch as a substitute. Some recipes call for milk powder but I think cornstarch works the best.
- Light Corn Syrup: Must be light. You can substitute with additional sugar
- Cream Cheese: Must be full-fat.
- Vanilla extract: Or use an equal amount of vanilla paste.
How to Peel Fresh Peaches
Fresh peaches should be peeled and sliced. Blanching makes this easier and keeps the fruit intact. Briefly boil the peaches for 30 seconds, then plunge them into ice water. This loosens the skins so they slide off without squeezing out the juices.
How to Make Fresh Peach Ice Cream
A step-by-step visual guide for making peaches and cream ice cream. You can skip to the recipe for the full written instructions.
Make the Slurry
Whisk the cornstarch with a little buttermilk first so it dissolves evenly. This prevents lumps and helps the base thicken smoothly once heated.
Make the Cream Base
Warm the cream, remaining buttermilk, sugar, and corn syrup together first so the sugar fully dissolves before boiling. Once the slurry is added, whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture should slightly thicken and coat the back of a spoon.
Whisk in the softened cream cheese while the base is still hot so it melts smoothly.
Blend the Peaches
Puree the peeled and softened peaches until smooth. Then blend with the cream base just to throughly combine. Chill for 4 hours.
Churn
Before starting, freeze your ice cream maker bowl for at least 12 to 24 hours according to your machine's instructions.
Once cold, churn until the texture looks like soft serve and begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Personally, I love it at this stage, but freezing for another few hours gives you a firmer scoop shop texture.
Jen's Recipe Notes
- Both the ice cream base and the machine bowl need to be thoroughly cold for proper churning.
- When you remove the freezer, let the ice cream sit for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
- If the ice cream sits too long at room temperature, refreezing it will result in ice crystals forming.
- Do not overfill the ice cream bowl beyond the machine's max fill line.
Make Ahead and Storing
Make Ahead: For best results, prepare and chill the base at least 4-24 hours in advance to allow flavors to meld and ensure proper freezing. You can churn the ice cream up to a week ahead, then store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Storing: Store homemade ice cream in the coldest part of your freezer, ideally in a shallow, airtight container to minimize ice crystals. Press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly against the surface before sealing to prevent freezer burn. For best texture and flavor, enjoy within 2 weeks.
📖 Recipe
Peach Ice Cream (no eggs)
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Ingredients
- 1 pound (453.59 g) fresh peaches peeled and chopped, weighed after prepping
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar divided
- 1 ½ cups (360 g) buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon (1 Tablespoon) cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups (354.88 ml) heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) light corn syrup
- 4 Tablespoons (4 Tablespoons) cream cheese softened
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix the peaches with ¼ cup of sugar in a bowl. Let them sit for about 15 minutes so they release their juices. Blend the fruit in a blender or food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.1 pound fresh peaches
- Mix ¼ cup of buttermilk with the cornstarch to make a slurry.1 ½ cups buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- Combine the cream, remaining buttermilk, sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook, whisking constantly, for 4 minutes.¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ cups buttermilk, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- Gradually whisk in the cream cheese and salt. Add the peach purée and vanilla, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate the ice cream base until completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.4 Tablespoons cream cheese, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once chilled, pour the ice cream base into your pre-frozen ice cream maker bowl (following your model's instructions). Churn for about 25 minutes, or until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. If desired, add the additional fresh peach chunks and churn for an additional 5 minutes.
- Enjoy immediately as soft serve, or transfer to an airtight container. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals, then cover and freeze until firm, 2 to 4 hours.
Equipment
Notes
- To speed up the cooling process, pour the ice cream base into a zip top plastic bag or into a clean bowl and place into an ice bath. Whisk until cool and then place in the fridge for an hour.
- Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Recipe Questions
I have only used the 2-quart Cuisinart ice cream maker. It is compact and easy to use, and I haven't had any issues with it.
Pour the cold base directly into popsicle molds (i.e. do not churn) and freeze for 6 to 8 hours.
Yes. Thaw and drain them first so extra liquid does not create icy texture in the finished ice cream.
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