Jean's Bourbon Ice Cream

Bourbon does double duty in this ice cream. Its flavor adds caramel-vanilla warmth that pairs beautifully with the sweetened condensed milk, and the alcohol lowers the freezing point of the custard, keeping the texture scoopably soft straight from the freezer instead of rock-solid.

Sweetened condensed milk is the smart shortcut here. Instead of cooking a traditional egg custard base, the condensed milk provides the sweetness, body, and silky texture in one can. The raw eggs blended in give the ice cream its richness and lift.

Half-and-half hits the dairy sweet spot. Heavier than milk for proper creaminess, lighter than pure cream for a less cloying texture. Six cups is a lot, which is why this is a true gallon-freezer recipe meant for a crowd.

The mint sprig garnish is more than decoration. The cool herbal note cuts through the richness and balances the boozy warmth on the tongue, especially in summer.

Pro Tips

• Use a quality bourbon you’d actually drink. Cheap bourbon’s harshness comes through in the cold cream where it would burn off in cooking.
• Pre-chill the ice cream base in the fridge for at least an hour before churning. Cold base freezes faster and yields a smoother, less icy texture.
• Don’t pour in more bourbon hoping for stronger flavor. Too much alcohol prevents the ice cream from freezing at all.
• Eat within 2 weeks. Even with the alcohol’s preservative effect, the texture degrades and the bourbon flavor fades after that.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract along with the bourbon for deeper rounded flavor.
• Stir in toasted pecans during the last 2 minutes of churning for bourbon-pecan ice cream.
• Swap bourbon for rum and add a teaspoon of vanilla for a New Orleans-style alternative.