Table of Contents
  1. Why use peaches in the summer?
  2. Why include rosemary in this ice cream?
  3. Watch how to make this peach rosemary ice cream
  4. Have I convinced you to make this recipe?
  5. Peach Rosemary Ice Cream Recipe

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Is there anything that screams summer more than peach rosemary ice cream? Yeah, no, I don’t think so!

Ice cream has always been an event for me. And if the fact that this is the fifth year of Ice Cream Week hasn’t convinced you yet, let me spell it out: I love ice cream in all types and forms. Soft serve is always delicious and often what I choose at an ice cream shop. But the hard scoop variety… now that can be next level.

I think those hard scoop ice creams purchased from the store have tainted us all with how ice cream really should taste. To make ice cream more profitable, most companies increase the “overrun” in the recipe. What is overrun? AIR! Conventional ice cream companies add air, which is why store-bought ice creams are almost fluffy in texture. This is not real ice cream.

Once I purchased my ice cream maker – for me, it’s an attachment for my stand mixer – my life changed.  Now that I make ice cream and have a base recipe I know and love, it’s easy to change up the flavors. Peach rosemary ice cream is clearly a summertime treat. Full of fresh peach puree and a subtle pinch of rosemary, this is a new, fresh way to enjoy ice cream!

Top down view of scoop of ice cream in a glass container with peaches and herbs sitting on marble surface

Here in the States, we’ve become so used to having pretty much any fruit available all year round. But if you’ve ever experienced a winter in the Midwest, you know that this availability is just not possible without the help of warmer climates. To make sure their aisles are fully stocked, grocery stores ship in most of their fruit from hundreds (if not thousands) of miles away. This also means we don’t honestly know the flavor of locally grown and picked fresh fruit. And there’s just no comparison.

Why use peaches in the summer?

With all these fruit options, the one that is still only available when it’s genuinely in season is peaches. You cannot grow peaches in extremely warm climates throughout the year. This means there’s a limited growing time, even for those climates that stay warm all year round. So when July rolls around, it’s a mandatory requirement to enjoy all the peaches you can, and they are so, so, so good!

In my personal opinion, there is nothing better than homemade vanilla ice cream with freshly macerated peaches dolloped on top. And that was the inspiration for adding peaches to this ice cream. Instead of diced peaches stirred into the ice cream, I’ve found that pureeing the fruit adds a more consistent flavor. Additionally, the pureed fruit creates a smoother ice cream, free from those icy bits that frozen fruit can sometimes create.

Close up view of light yellow scoops of ice cream sitting in glass with peach slices in background all on marble surface

Why include rosemary in this ice cream?

I’ll be honest: I don’t really have a good reason for why rosemary works so well with peaches. It just does. Rosemary can be a heavy flavor that’s usually paired with anything that’s cooked for a long time: a pork roast, stew, take your pick. But I think since peaches also have a pungent flavor, the combo of the two just works well together.

Total side note: speaking of this ideal pairing, if you love a peach Bellini, try adding a bit of rosemary. Just like in this ice cream, you’ll love the combination.

Once the ice cream base is made, the rosemary sprigs simply infuse the base with their oils. The combination is subtle and just makes you happy. And isn’t that exactly what ice cream is supposed to do?

Spoon holding peach rosemary ice cream with slice of peach in background sitting on marble surface

Other fruit infusion ice cream recipes

Watch how to make this peach rosemary ice cream

YouTube video

Have I convinced you to make this recipe?

I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!

Three scoops of ice cream sitting in a glass with peaches and ice cream scoop in background all on marble surface

Peach Rosemary Ice Cream

4.34 from 3 votes
There's nothing like fresh peaches in the summer. And this peach rosemary ice cream is a perfect blend of fruit and herbs!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Freezing Time 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours 5 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup peach puree (approximately 3 peaches)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 small sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions
 

  • To make the peach puree, peel peaches and remove the pits. Cut into large pieces and blend with an immersion or countertop blender until smooth.
    1 cup peach puree (approximately 3 peaches)
  • In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the 2 cups milk, heavy cream, prepared peach puree, sugar, corn syrup, and salt.  Whisk to combine and place over medium heat.
    2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk, 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp light corn syrup, 1 tsp kosher salt
  • While the milk mixture is heating, in a separate bowl, combine the reserved 2 tablespoons milk and cornstarch. Whisk together until smooth.
    2 cups + 2 tbsp whole milk, 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
  • Bring the milk mixture to a rolling boil and continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Return to heat and bring back to a rolling boil. It is essential the mixture comes back to a rolling boil to activate the thickener.
  • Remove from heat add the vanilla extract and rosemary sprigs. Stir to combine and steep for 20 minutes.
    1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 small sprigs fresh rosemary
  • Once steeped, remove the rosemary sprigs and pour the ice cream base into an airtight container. Cover and chill for 6-8 hours. The ice cream base can be stored for up to 48 hours.
  • Once ready to chill, follow the manufacturer’s instructions with the ice cream maker. Churn approximately 25 minutes. Enjoy immediately as soft serve or pour into an airtight container and place in freezer 4-6 hours for a hard serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 281kcal
Course Ice Cream
Cuisine American
Difficulty Intermediate
Method Freezing

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Kaleb

I’m Kaleb! I'm not a chef, professional baker, landscaper, or designer, but I like to play each on Knollgate Farm. Come join me on my journey and let's learn together!

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4.34 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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3 Comments

  1. Where do you get Mira-cleer?
    When I hit the link it goes to the company but no link to order or store locations.

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious, even when using corn starch instead of Mir-Cleer! I used 2 large Rosemary sprigs which made the ice cream have a stronger Rosemary flavor but was still tasty. If you don’t want a dominant Rosemary flavor, use one small Rosemary sprig and/or steep for less time. I love how Kaleb incorporates fresh herbs into some of his ice cream recipes. I will make this one again!

  3. 3 stars
    The flavor was delicious, but the consistency was a bit off. It didn’t want to scoop into nice creamy scoops, it wanted to break apart. What do you suppose I did wrong?