I dream of apple cider donuts year-round, so when Fall rolls around, I want to eat them as often as possible. Creating this apple cider donut ice cream was no simple task, mostly because it took a lighter hand than I expected to get a flavor that really shines. The key for me was keeping the ice cream simple (vanilla with a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg) so the donut pieces would stand out. A ribbon of homemade apple cider caramel sauce takes the apple-forward flavor over the top and adds a wonderful gooey texture that’s perfect against the soft donut pieces.
Spiced Vanilla Ice Cream with Homemade Apple Cider Caramel and Apple Cider Donut Chunks
I tried several iterations of this recipe before landing on this combination of ingredients. First, I stirred homemade apple cider caramel directly into the base here. But the flavor turned out muted and was quickly overpowered by the donut pieces. This base turned out to be better suited for a simpler flavor, and it’s the method I first tested for my chaider ice cream. Then, I steeped the donuts directly into the base, then stirred in plain caramel sauce and apple cider donuts. But the donut flavor was fatiguing on the palate.
Ultimately, I landed on a lighter-handed approach: My favorite custard base with a touch of classic donut spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), a homemade apple cider caramel swirl, and chunks of real apple cider donuts stirred in. It hits all the notes, and you can taste each element individually. Nothing gets lost or overpowered. It’s like having a fresh cider donut, a glass of apple cider, and a bowl of ice cream all in one bite.
Keeping the Caramel Soft After Freezing
The apple cider caramel can easily go from a soft, luscious ribbon to hard candy if you’re not careful (it comes down to the temperature you cook it to and how much cream goes in at the end). I cook mine to 245–250°F for a caramel that stays pliable straight from the freezer. For the full breakdown (plus what to do if yours turns out too firm), check out the full apple cider caramel sauce recipe.
Apple Cider Caramel Donut Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 454 g apple cider 16 oz
- 242 g heavy cream
- 150 g cane sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg optional
- ⅛ tsp cloves optional
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 4 g vanilla extract
- 2-3 apple cider donuts depending on size
- 150 g cane sugar
- 0.3 g guar gum
- 60 g skim milk powder
- 400 g whole milk
- 400 g heavy cream
- 42 g egg yolks from 3 eggs
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 g vanilla extract
Equipment
- 2-Quart Saucepan
- Whisk
- Fine-Mesh Sieve
- Instant-Read Thermometer
- Compressor-Style Ice Cream Maker
Video
Method
- Place 454 g apple cider in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until it reaches ¼ cup in volume, lowering the temperature as needed to prevent burning. This should take about 30-45 minutes.
- While the cider is reducing, heat 242 g heavy cream to just boiling, then remove from the heat and cover until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, place 150 g cane sugar in a medium saucepan with just enough water to wet it and ½ tsp lemon juice.
- Heat the sugar over medium, and let simmer until it reaches your desired caramel color. I like to aim for 245-250°F (firm-ball stage) to keep the caramel from turning out too hard.
- Stir in the hot cream, and whisk over low heat until it forms a creamy caramel.
- Stir in the cider reduction, 4 g vanilla extract, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ⅛ tsp cloves, and ½ tsp kosher salt.
- Pour into a heatproof container and let chill for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Cut 2-3 apple cider donuts into bite-sized chunks and freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet overnight.
- Whisk together 150 g cane sugar, 0.3 g guar gum, and 60 g skim milk powder in a 2-quart saucepan.
- Stir in 400 g whole milk until the solids dissolve, then stir in the 400 g heavy cream.
- Heat the mixture over medium-low, stirring constantly, until it reaches 110°F.
- Scoop a ladleful of the warm cream over 42 g egg yolks, whisking constantly. Then, whisk the yolks back into the pot.
- Heat the mixture to 165°F, stirring constantly over medium-low heat.
- Remove from the heat, then stir in 3 g ground cinnamon and ½ tsp ground nutmeg.
- Strain over an ice bath, and let cool to 75°F.
- Stir in the 4 g vanilla extract, then let the mixture chill for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Pour the chilled custard base into the bowl of your ice cream maker, and churn according to the instructions in the manual.
- Scoop a portion of the freshly churned ice cream into your storage container, then stir in a few frozen donut pieces and a large scoop of the apple cider caramel.
- Gently swirl everything together, then continue layering until your container is full.
- Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper firmly pressed onto the surface of the ice cream, followed by the lid of the container. Let cure for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.
Notes
- The cider caramel can be made up to a week ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm it slightly before layering so it swirls instead of clumping.
- Fresh cake-style apple cider donuts from an orchard or farmers market hold up better than glazed yeast donuts, which turn gummy when frozen.
