Food and Recipes Desserts Ice Cream Black Walnut Ice Cream Be the first to rate & review! Black walnuts add a unique touch to this no-churn ice cream. By Ann Taylor Pittman Ann Taylor Pittman For 20 years, Ann Taylor Pittman built a career of creating healthy recipes at Cooking Light magazine, where she most recently served as Executive Editor. She is the recipient of two James Beard Foundation Awards: a feature writing award and a cookbook award. She is now a freelancer specializing in recipe development, writing, and video. Follow her on Instagram. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on October 27, 2024 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Shell Royster Active Time: 25 mins Freeze Time: 6 hrs Total Time: 6 hrs 25 mins Servings: 12 Jump to recipe Black walnut ice cream is an old-fashioned favorite. Smooth, sweet, and creamy, this frozen dessert is loaded with lots of delicious black walnut flavor thanks to a nut butter that incorporates with the cream. This recipe is made with a no-churn technique; it uses whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk, which keep the ice cream scoopable and creamy and prevent it from getting icy in the freezer. What Are Black Walnuts? Native to North America, black walnuts are different from the English walnuts you're probably used to finding at the supermarket, both in flavor and appearance. Black walnuts are smaller and more difficult to crack than English walnuts, with a bold, earthy, and robust flavor that's much more pronounced than their English counterparts. Black walnuts are typically harvested in the fall, and are often used in baking and cooking applications where their strong flavor can be highlighted. Ingredients for No-Churn Black Walnut Ice Cream Just five ingredients are needed to create this ice cream, with toasted black walnuts adding a deep, earthy flavor into the mix. To make no-churn black walnut ice cream, you'll need: Toasted chopped black walnuts: Adds a bold, nutty flavor and crunchy texture to the ice cream.Heavy whipping cream: Whipped for a light and airy texture after freezing.Vanilla extract: Adds depth to the ice cream.Kosher salt: Enhances the overall flavor, bringing out the nuttiness of the walnuts.Canned sweetened condensed milk: Sweetens and gives the ice cream a creamy texture. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox How To Make No-Churn Black Walnut Ice Cream If you thought making homemade ice cream was a drawn out process, get ready to be amazed. A walnut paste is whipped with cream until light and fluffy, and mixed to combine with condensed milk, salt, and vanilla. Freeze, and you're ready to serve! Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started: Step 1. Make walnut paste: Process 1 cup walnuts in a blender to a loose paste. Transfer 1/4 cup to a large bowl.Step 2. Combine ice cream ingredients: Gradually beat in cream until combined; continue to beat to medium peaks. Beat in vanilla and salt on low speed. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until combined.Step 3. Add ice cream to loaf pan: Spoon half into a 9- x 5–inch loaf pan; sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup walnuts. Top with remaining cream and walnuts.Step 4. Freeze ice cream: Cover and freeze until firm enough to scoop. No-Churn Black Walnut Ice Cream Variations To change up this ice cream recipe, consider these variation ideas: Nuts: Swap the black walnuts with standard walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts.Mix-ins: Fold in chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, toffee bits, toasted coconut, or bourbon-soaked raisins for a fun twist.Swirls: Swirl in caramel sauce, fudge sauce, Nutella, or dulce de leche for a unique spin.Flavorings: Add spices, including ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom. You can also add depth to the ice cream with a sprinkle of instant espresso powder, or a splash of almond extract, maple extract, bourbon, or rum. Our Tips for the Best No-Churn Ice Cream For the best no-churn ice cream, keep these tips in mind: Use black walnuts: While standard (English) walnuts will do the job, black walnuts add a rich, bold flavor to the ice cream that takes it to the next level.Chill your bowl: Whip the cream in a chilled bowl for a faster process with better volume.Add salt: Add salt to taste to balance the sweetness of the condensed milk, and enhance the walnut flavor.Add alcohol: For the creamiest, most scoopable no-churn ice cream, a splash of vodka, rum, or other liquor can lower the freezing point and reduce iciness.Freeze properly: Keep your ice cream well-sealed to avoid freezer burn. You can also top the ice cream with a layer of parchment paper right on the surface before wrapping or covering for even more protection. How To Store No-Churn Black Walnut Ice Cream After freezing the ice cream for at least six hours, it's ready to serve. Past that point, store the ice cream covered in the freezer for up to three weeks. Top with a sheet of parchment paper and wrap tightly to help avoid freezer burn. Ways To Serve Black Walnut Ice Cream The bold, nutty flavor of black walnuts, tempered by the sweet, creamy ice cream base, is an ideal complement for a variety of desserts. Serve as a classic sundae with caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a sprinkling of additional toasted nuts, or as an ice cream float with cream soda or root beer. You can also serve scoops over warm brownies, blondies, or pecan or apple pie, or sandwiched between chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies for one-of-a-kind ice cream sandwiches. More No-Churn Ice Cream Recipes You'll Love There's no need to break out an ice cream maker. These simple, convenient recipes make it easy to create delicious homemade ice creams with very little effort: Pineapple No-Churn Ice Cream No-Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream No-Churn Cantaloupe Sorbet Watermelon Ice Cream Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 1/2 cups toasted chopped black walnuts, divided 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/8 tsp. kosher salt 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk Directions Make walnut paste: Place 1 cup of the walnuts in a blender; process on medium speed until a loose paste forms, 1 minute to 1 minute, 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Scrape 1/4 cup of the walnut paste into a large bowl. (Reserve remaining walnut paste for another use.) Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Combine ice cream ingredients: Gradually beat in cream with a hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium-low speed until well combined, about 1 minute, 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until medium peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Beat in vanilla and salt on low speed until just combined. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk on medium-low speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Add ice cream to loaf pan: Spoon half of cream mixture (about 2 1/2 cups) into a 9- x 5–inch loaf pan; sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup of the walnuts. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Top with remaining cream mixture; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Freeze ice cream: Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm enough to scoop, at least 6 hours or up to 12 hours. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Keep covered in freezer up to 3 weeks. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Frequently Asked Questions What does black walnut taste like? Black walnuts taste buttery and nutty, like traditional walnuts, but with a more pronounced, bold, earthy flavor. Can I use other types of nuts instead of black walnuts? Yes—feel free to swap the walnuts with any other kind of nuts you enjoy, including standard walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, and more. How can I enhance the flavor of black walnuts in ice cream? Toasting the walnuts before using helps to bring out their flavor, but salt, extracts, liqueurs, and spices can also be added to help enhance the flavor of the ice cream. Rate It Print