Apple Crisp Ice Cream

by Sofi | Broma Bakery

This easy apple crisp ice cream is made with creamy cinnamon vanilla ice cream, juicy apple compote, and buttery oat crisp topping. No ice cream maker required!

The Best Ice Cream for Fall

Today I come bearing good and bad news. I’ll start with the bad: ice cream season is coming to an end. It has been a glorious ice cream season this year. Espresso Martini Brownie Ice Cream, Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream, Oatmeal Cookie Chunk Ice Cream… we’ve been eating well. But now, the good news: we’re closing out ice cream season with one of the tastiest ice creams to ease your way into fall. Meet Apple Crisp Ice Cream.

It’s everything you love about a classic apple crisp, but in ice cream form: dreamy cinnamon vanilla ice cream swirled with a juicy apple compote and studded with buttery pockets of crisp topping. It’s cozy and cool, sweet and warmly spiced, and basically the perfect dessert for that weird little stretch of time when you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to summer but are already thinking about apple cider donuts.

And because it’s no-churn, you don’t even need an ice cream maker.

What is apple crisp ice cream?

Apple crisp ice cream is essentially apple crisp in ice cream form. Instead of serving warm baked apples and crunchy oat topping alongside vanilla ice cream, all of those components are layered together into one frozen dessert.

This version uses a simple no-churn cinnamon vanilla ice cream base, homemade apple compote, and a buttery oat crisp topping. The combination gives you the flavor and texture of classic apple crisp with the cool, creamy texture of homemade ice cream. Eat it by the spoonful, sandwich it between two oatmeal cookies, or, my personal favorite: put a scoop on top of a warm apple crisp.

Yes, that is technically apple crisp with apple crisp ice cream.

No, I do not see a problem.

Ingredients for apple crisp ice cream

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this easy homemade ice cream.

For the apple compote:

• Apples: You can use almost any baking apple you like. Sugarbee, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, and Fuji all work well. A combination of sweet and tart apples is especially delicious.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the apples and helps them cook down into a soft, jammy compote.
• Cinnamon: Adds that classic warm apple pie flavor.
• Ginger: A little ground ginger gives the apple filling a subtle warmth and keeps the flavor from tasting flat.
• Cloves: You only need a pinch. Cloves are powerful, but that tiny amount adds a lovely depth to the apple mixture.
• Lemon juice: The acidity balances the sweetness of the sugar and brings out the flavor of the apples.

For the no-churn ice cream base:

• Heavy whipping cream: Whipping the cream creates the light, airy texture that makes this no-churn ice cream so creamy.
• Sweetened condensed milk: This is the secret to easy homemade ice cream. It provides sweetness and helps create a smooth, scoopable texture without making a traditional custard.
• Cinnamon: Adds another layer of warm spice to the vanilla ice cream base.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla brings everything together and makes the apple and cinnamon flavors taste even richer.
• Salt: Don’t skip it. A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and makes every flavor pop.

For the crisp topping:

• Old-fashioned oats: These give the topping that classic apple crisp texture.
• All-purpose flour: Helps bind the crumble together.
• Brown sugar: Adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness that pairs beautifully with the apples.
• Unsalted butter: The key to a rich, buttery crisp topping.
• Salt: Just enough to balance the brown sugar and butter.

The best apples for apple crisp ice cream

You can use almost any apple you enjoy for this recipe, but I love using an apple with a little acidity to balance the sweet ice cream base.

Sugarbee apples are one of my favorite apples for baking because they’re naturally super sweet, but hold up after cooking!

Honeycrisp is a great all-around choice because it’s naturally sweet with a little tartness.

Granny Smith apples are perfect if you like a more tart apple flavor. Their acidity creates a really nice contrast with the sweetened condensed milk.

Pink Lady or Braeburn apples are also delicious and have a great balance of sweet and tart flavor.

You can even use a combination of apples. In fact, mixing a sweet apple with a tart apple can give your apple compote even more depth.

Tips for making the best apple crisp ice cream

• Let the apple compote cool completely: This is one of the most important tips for making homemade ice cream. If the apple mixture is still warm when you layer it into the whipped cream, it can melt the ice cream base and make the finished texture less creamy.
• Don’t overmix the ice cream base: When folding the sweetened condensed milk into the whipped cream, use a gentle hand. Overmixing can deflate the whipped cream and make your ice cream denser.
• Don’t over-swirl: A few gentle swirls are all you need. You want ribbons of apple compote and distinct pieces of crisp topping throughout the ice cream.
• Let the crisp topping cool before layering: The crisp topping should be completely cool before you add it to the ice cream. If it’s warm, it can melt the surrounding ice cream and lose some of its crunch.

As we reluctantly wave goodbye to summer and welcome crisp mornings, cozy sweaters, and approximately 700 different apple desserts, make a batch of this apple crisp ice cream.

Happy baking!

XXX

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