No Churn Pistachio Ice Cream

Chef Cynthia
Servings

1 quart

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

6 hours

Category

Dessert

This no-churn pistachio ice cream is all about rich, old-school flavor with minimal fuss. Real pistachios get blended into a silky custard base, creating a naturally nutty, softly sweet ice cream that freezes up creamy and scoopable without any special equipment. Finished with a crunchy pistachio topping, it’s simple, elegant, and deeply satisfying—the kind of dessert that lets great ingredients do the heavy lifting.
No Churn Pistachio Ice Cream recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shelled pistachios, unsalted
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt

For Topping

  • ½ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

Directions

  1. Finely grind pistachios with ¼ cup of the sugar in a food processor until a thick paste forms.
  2. In a saucepan, heat cream and milk over medium heat until steaming but not boiling.
  3. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar until pale and smooth.
  4. Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper, then return everything to the saucepan.
  5. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in pistachio paste, vanilla, and salt until fully combined.
  7. Transfer mixture to a container and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours.
  8. Pour chilled mixture into a shallow freezer-safe container and freeze for 30 minutes.
  9. Remove and stir vigorously with a fork or whisk to break up ice crystals.
  10. Repeat stirring every 30 minutes for 2½–3 hours until thick and creamy.
  11. Let freeze undisturbed another 1–2 hours until scoopable.
  12. Serve topped with chopped pistachios.