Kahlua Ice Cream
This Kahlua ice cream is rich, smooth, and just a little bit boozy, with plenty of vanilla and coffee flavor in every scoop.
I’ve been making the BEST boozy ice cream lately and have to tell you about it. It starts with a creamy vanilla custard base made with whole milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. It’s the exact same recipe I use for my homemade vanilla ice cream.
Then I stir in a little Kahlua for a hint of coffee flavor and a touch of booziness. If there’s any leftover Kahlua, I like to pour some over the top of the scooped ice cream just before serving.
This recipe uses an ice cream machine, so you’ll want to prep it well ahead of time. Then plan on letting the ice cream firm up overnight in the freezer. It’s about a 2 day process in my kitchen but very little of that time is hands-on.
Helpful Things to Know
- ✓ Requires an ice cream maker
- ✓ Made with 7 ingredients
- ✓ Best made one day ahead
- ✓ Custard chills 2 to 4 hours before churning
- ✓ Freezes 8 to 10 hours to firm up
- ✓ Contains alcohol
Kim’s Best Tips
Keep the Kahlua at ⅓ cup. Adding more sounds like a great idea, but extra alcohol can lower the freezing point and keep homemade ice cream from freezing firmly enough to scoop.
Cook the custard slowly over low to low-medium heat to keep the eggs yolks from scrambling. As it cooks, it will thicken slightly. It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon, and you can run your finger through it and the line stays in place.
Make sure the custard is completely cold before pouring it into the ice cream maker. A warm ice cream base won’t churn as well, and it can thaw the ice cream maker insert.
Try my homemade vanilla ice cream if you want the same custard-style base without liqueur, or my homemade coffee ice cream for another coffee-flavored option. You can also use Kahlua in coffee with Kahlua or a frozen mudslide.
How to Make Kahlua Ice Cream
Prepare the ice cream maker: Follow the manufacturer’s directions for your machine. If it uses a removable freezer bowl, make sure the bowl is completely frozen before you begin making the ice cream.
Cook the custard: Whisk the heavy cream, whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Set the saucepan over low to low-medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. As the custard cooks, it will thicken slightly. It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon, a line drawn through it holds. Make sure not to let it boil. Boiling the base causes it to separate and get a gritty texture.
Add the flavor and strain: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir the vanilla extract and Kahlua into the warm custard. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-safe bowl. Straining removes any small pieces of cooked egg and leaves the ice cream base smooth.
Cool and chill: Set the bowl of warm custard inside a larger bowl filled with ice to cool the mixture quickly. Let it sit in the ice bath for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally so the custard cools evenly. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface, then refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. The custard should be completely cold and about as thick as thin pudding before it goes into the ice cream maker.
Churn and freeze: Pour the cold custard into the prepared ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions until the ice cream is thicker and firmer than soft serve. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for 8 to 10 hours until firm enough to scoop.
How strong is the flavor of the ice cream?
To me the Kahlua flavor is mild and tastes more like coffee than a liqueur. It changes vanilla ice cream just enough to be something different.
Does the alcohol cook out?
Nope. Since you’re adding the Kahlua liqueur after the making the custard, all the alcohol stays in the ice cream. This is definitely a dessert for adults.
More Ice Cream Recipes
Don’t let that ice cream machine gather dust! Put it to good use with one of other recipes:
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup Kahlua coffee liqueur
💌 Don't forget to save this recipe!
Instructions
- Prepare the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. If the machine uses a freezer bowl, freeze it ahead of time.
- Add the heavy cream, whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan. Whisk until well combined.2 cups heavy cream1 cup whole milk5 large egg yolks¾ cup granulated sugar¼ teaspoon salt
- Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes. The custard should thicken slightly and coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the vanilla extract and Kahlua.1 tablespoon vanilla extract⅓ cup Kahlua coffee liqueur
- Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-safe bowl.
- Set the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice. Let the custard cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.
- Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours, or until completely cold. The chilled custard should have a thin, pudding-like consistency.
- Pour the chilled custard into the prepared ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s directions until the ice cream is thick and firmer than soft serve.
- Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze for 8 to 10 hours, or until firm.
Notes
- Keep the Kahlua at ⅓ cup. Adding more alcohol may prevent the ice cream from freezing firmly.
- Kahlua is stirred in off the heat, so the finished ice cream still contains alcohol.
- Do not let the custard boil. High heat can scramble the egg yolks, cause the base to separate, and make it grainy.
- Straining the custard removes any small cooked egg bits and helps give the ice cream a smoother texture.
- For a stronger coffee flavor, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder into the warm custard before chilling.
- Store the ice cream in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 weeks. Press plastic wrap or parchment paper directly against the surface before adding the lid. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.