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When you start craving fall flavors but still want something cool and creamy, this No-Churn Caramel Apple Ice Cream is sure to satisfy. Swirls of tender caramelized apples bring autumn vibes to a dreamy frozen treat, and you don’t even need an ice cream machine!
Why You’ll Love This Apple Ice Cream Recipe
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: No-bake
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
I love everything about fall, from trips to the pumpkin patch to apple picking, fall festivals to hayrides, and even college football and comfort food like Shepherds Pie for dinner. But these days, it seems like it’s nearly November before that cool, crisp air finally settles in here in Maryland. So to satisfy my fall dessert cravings, I infuse those autumn flavors into ice cream so I can stay cool!
This apple ice cream is a twist on a basic no-churn cheesecake ice cream, and it’s so easy and delicious. It’s a dreamy sweet treat you’ll be making all season long. Here’s why…
- Perfect balance of flavors. The caramel sauce is nice and sweet, so the addition of cream cheese to the ice cream base adds a little something tangy to balance it all out.
- Lovely textures. No-churn ice cream is incredibly rich and creamy, but what’s really amazing is that those apples cooked in the caramel sauce stay tender when frozen, instead of turning into icy little bits.
- No special equipment. You don’t need an ice cream maker. In fact, the only appliance I use is a basic hand mixer, though you can just whip the cream with a whisk and some elbow grease.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the short list of ingredients to make this caramel apple ice cream recipe. Keep reading for some tips and serving ideas. But if you just want the full amounts and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter, just omit the salt.
- Brown sugar. You can use light or dark, depending on how much caramelized, molasses flavor you want.
- Heavy cream. You’ll use a small amount for the caramel and the rest for the ice cream base. Make sure it’s well-chilled before you try to whip it.
- Vanilla extract.
- Salt.
- Apple. Peeled and chopped small.
- Cream cheese. Light or regular, at room temperature. Do not use fat free.
- Sweetened condensed milk. In this case, either regular or fat free will work fine.
The step-by-step directions are in the recipe card, but all you really have to do is quickly simmer the apples, whip the cream, and fold in a cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk mixture along with the apples. The hardest part is waiting for it to freeze!
Tips for Success
- Leave chill time. Make sure you make the caramel apple mixture in advance so it has time to cool in the fridge. If it is warm, it’ll cause the ice cream base to deflate.
- Keep cool. Just like when making Homemade Whipped Cream, you want your cream and bowl to be very cold, especially since you won’t be using sugar to stabilize it. I always use a metal bowl that I’ve put in the freezer along with the whisk attachment or beaters for my hand mixer.
- Ensure smooth blending. It’s also very important to make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that it becomes nice and smooth when you blend it with the sweetened condensed milk.
- Store it right. I usually just put my ice cream in a loaf pan and wrap it well with plastic wrap, but you can also use a container with a lid, like these insulated ice cream containers for storing homemade ice cream. All that matters is a tight seal to prevent ice crystals. You can keep it frozen for up to about 30 days for the best freshness and flavor.
What to Serve with Apple Ice Cream
You can’t go wrong with simply scooping your ice cream into a bowl and digging in with a spoon. But it’s also a wonderful complement to so many fall and holiday desserts. Here are some suggestions:
- Make sundaes. In a nod to a treat at a local ice cream stand near me, we like to scoop some apple ice cream onto Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts and add a drizzle of Caramel Sauce.
- With holiday pies. Up your Thanksgiving game by skipping the vanilla and using this homemade ice cream with your Dutch Apple Pie or Pecan Pie.
- Ice cream sampler. Get a trifecta of fall flavors by pairing it with scoops of Pumpkin Ice Cream and Dulce de Leche Ice Cream.
- In a float. Get double apple flavor by adding scoops to Sparkling Apple Cider Floats.
- Cake a la mode. The best way to serve cake is with ice cream, especially when you cut slices of Apple Cider Donut Cake or a simple Gluten Free White Cake.
No-Churn Caramel Apple Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup peeled and chopped apples
- 8 oz. cream cheese, light or regular, at room temperature
- 14.5 oz. sweetened condensed milk, regular or fat free
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups heavy cream, well chilled
Instructions
- Place a large glass or metal bowl in the refrigerator or freezer for whipping the cream.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat.
- Add the brown sugar and stir for two minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup heavy cream, and continue to stir for two more minutes. Keep the remainder of the heavy cream in the refigerator until needed.
- Add the salt and vanilla and stir, then add the apples and cook for another two minutes.
- Remove from the heat, transfer the caramel apple mixture to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator.
- Using an electric mixer or whisk attachment, beat together the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
- In the chilled bowl, using an electric mixer or whisk, beat the heavy cream to soft peaks.
- Gently fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream.
- Pour about half of the mixture into a container that you can freeze and has an airtight lid. Top with about half the caramel mixture and swirl with a knife or spatula. Repeat with the remainder of the cream mixture and caramel mixture.
- Cover, and place in the freezer until frozen.
Did you make this?
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I’m a little confused with your instructions. Step 6 seems like a repeat of step 2? Step 4 has vanilla added as does step 6. Can you clarify?
Vickie, my apologies. Step 6 is a repeat and will be removed from the recipe. Everything else is correct.
Such a shame that I can’t consume most of the items in this recipe this looks amazing, praying my stomach will someday be healthy again so I might be able to sample this tempting ice cream hopefully all who can will thanks for all the sharing of such fabulous recipes, I’m for sure saving this one for later happy fall y’all?
I’m sorry that you can’t enjoy the ice cream recipe now, but I hope you have a chance to do so in the future… with a healthy gut! 🙂
I can relate. We are currently trying to sell our home and look for another in a different state. All the while I should be Fall crafting and cooking, instead I’m focused on decluttering and moving. There’s always next year!
Thank you for sharing at Merry Monday!
Yummy – an ice cream with fall flavors, great idea! Thank you for linking up at the #HomeMattersParty this week!
Is it bad of me to want to eat this over apple dumplings or apple crisp? Because that is definitely what I need in life.
We were moving late last summer into fall (once from New York to Tennessee and then from my in laws to the house we bought), so we missed out on a lot of fall things too. It’s my favorite season and I feel your pain on being bummed at missing things. Sounds like y’all have already done a lot of fun activities this year!
I hope you are having a much better fall this year! I need to make more and make some apple crisp. I was busy making pumpkin recipes when I made this.
I need this in apple pie!
Absolutely perfect idea!
cheesecake ANYTHING is Heaven to me, love caramel apples too!
They are truly perfect together too!
I’m glad your life feels back together. Moving is no fun.
I may be in the minority here, but I crave ice cream when it’s cool out more so than when it’s warm. Love your recipe.
Hot or cold, I am always in for ice cream! Thanks, life is starting to fall into place!
NOW officially fall is here!
I feel like you. Between our move and morning sickness, last year wasn’t fun at all. So far this year is shaping up to be a lot better. Your ice cream look delicious! I love that you put it in a pie pan.
Haha, you noticed the little pan! Hope you are feeling better!
I hope this fall is a happier one for you! This ice cream looks awesome (I love that it’s no-churn)!
Thanks Joan – so far, so good!
It’s never too cold for ice cream in my book! Can’t wait to thumb my nose at 9 degree temps as I’m indoors making this ice cream!
Didn’t they invent furnaces so we can eat ice cream all winter indoors?
I’d need to made a double batch of those caramel apples—as I anticipate eating a whole lot of them before adding them to the ice cream!!! Super idea for a fall ice cream!
I think there’s something about ice cream that tastes even better in the fall and winter. It’s like a reminder of the summer past and the one that will be here before we know it.