This no churn Coffee Macadamia Ice Cream is perfectly creamy with a slight crunch from the macadamia nuts mixed in. It is also super easy to make, you’ll be so happy to have this delicious treat in your freezer for those hot summer days.
Mahalo to MacFarms® for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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About 4 years ago, we visited Vietnam for my cousin’s wedding. We picked up a pint of Haagen Dazs Macadamia Ice Cream from the convenient store down the street from the hotel we stayed at. Best pint of ice cream I’ve ever eaten! But we could not find anything like it stateside.
So naturally, I’m excited to get an opportunity to create this macadamia nut ice cream recipe for you, and for me too!
Why you’ll love this ice cream
There’s nothing so satisfying like a scoop of cold creamy ice cream to cool you down after a long day. I think you’ll love this coffee macadamia ice cream especially because:
- It is super quick and easy to make!
- You don’t need an ice cream maker because this recipe is no churn – just like my mango ice cream.
- There is no tempering of eggs or watching the custard like in a regular ice cream recipe
- It is extremely creamy, freezes well, and doesn’t get icy easily thanks to heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk
Ingredients and Substitutions
As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:
- Macadamia nuts – roasted unsalted macadamia nuts are chopped up finely and mixed into the coffee ice cream base. You can also use raw macadamia nuts, I recommend toasting it in a pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until lightly brown and nutty to bring out their flavor.
- Kona coffee dark chocolate macadamias – Kona coffee dark chocolate covered macadamias are also chopped up finely and mixed into the ice cream. You can simply substitute chopped dark chocolate for these if you aren’t able to find them.
- Heavy whipping cream – this is the base of the ice cream. It makes the ice cream airy and creamy. You can try using light whipping cream, it should work as long as it whips up fluffy but it will result in an ice cream that is not as rich.
- Sweetened condensed milk – this is used to sweeten the ice cream. Because it is basically a liquid sweetener, you don’t have to worry about making sure the sugar crystals dissolve. It also keeps the ice cream extremely creamy as well. I’ve seen sweetened condensed coconut milk but haven’t used it myself so I can’t recommend a replacement.
- Espresso powder – this is used to add coffee flavor to the ice cream. Make sure you use instant espresso powder. If you use instant coffee powder, you may need a lot more to create a strong flavor.
- Vanilla extract – I always use vanilla extract to add complexity to sweets even when vanilla isn’t the main flavor. I wouldn’t skip this and also make sure it is pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Salt – a big pinch of salt goes a long way in boosting the flavor of sweets.
How to make Coffee Macadamia Nut Ice Cream
The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
First, make the coffee whipped cream
You can make this in a stand mixer or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Add your espresso powder to the cold whipped cream, stir to dissolve and beat the cream until stiff peaks form.
Then, make the ice cream mixture
In a large mixing bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Use a spatula for this step since you’ll need a spatula for folding the whipped cream in the next step.
Add whipped cream to the sweetened condensed milk mixture in 3 increments. Lightly fold the whipped cream into the mixture each time, take care not to press all the air out of the whipped cream. We want the ice cream mixture to be light and airy.
When you’re about finished folding the last bit of whipped cream, add the chopped macadamias and Kona coffee dark chocolate macadamias and fold them into the ice cream mixture.
Finally, freeze the ice cream
Simply transfer the ice cream mixture to an airtight container and freeze for 4-8 hours or overnight. There is no need to churn the ice cream or mix it while it’s freezing. The ice cream is good to go once it is frozen to your desired consistency.
Baker’s Tips
- Use full fat ingredients for the richest and creamiest ice cream. The higher the fat content, the less chance of ice crystals forming in your ice cream.
- Be gentle – When folding the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture, make sure to be gentle so you don’t knock out all the air from the whipped cream. This will keep your ice cream airy, fluffy, and light.
- Timing – Freeze ice cream for 4 hours for soft serve consistency, 8 hours and longer for firmer ice cream.
- An alternate way to roast the macadamias – roast them in the oven on an unlined baking sheet at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. I would also stir it half way through to make sure they’re evenly browned. However, for the amount we’re going to use in this recipe, I think it’s better to just do it on the stove.
Storage
This coffee macadamia ice cream needs to be stored in the freezer in an airtight container. I used a glass loaf pan with a lid as well as plastic deli containers quart size, both will work.
It is best to store the ice cream at the back of the freezer to avoid too much temperature fluctuation from the freezer opening and closing constantly. The ice cream will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
More recipes with macadamias
- Macadamia Nut Pie
- Macadamia Coconut Brittle
- Macadamia Snowball Cookies
- Macadamia Coconut Croissants
- Turkey Salad Sandwich with Macadamias
📖 Recipe card
Coffee Macadamia Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup heavy whipping cream (454 g)
- 1 can (14 oz sweetened condensed milk (397 g))
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (14 g)
- 2 tablespoon espresso powder (8 g)
- Big pinch of salt
- ¼ cup roasted macadamias (finely chopped,34 g)
- ¼ cup of Kona coffee macadamias (finely chopped, 45 g)
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl with the balloon whip or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix espresso powder with heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form.
- In another large mixing bowl, stir together vanilla, salt and condensed milk to combine.
- Lightly fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture, a third at a time, taking care not to deflate the whipped cream too much.
- Fold in chopped macadamias and Kona coffee dark chocolate macadamias.
- Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours for soft serve consistency, or up to 8 hours or overnight before serving.
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have Kona coffee macadamias, simply replace dark chocolate.
Nutrition
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I made this and it’s delicious! A very nice pick me up with instant espresso and the added crunch of macadamia nuts. All my favorite things in one container.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking the time to leave a review 🙂