By Joy painting autumn series, golden and red, Naomi brings Will to Magnolia House, Joy teaches Will to hold a brush. The week was the life. The life was the cooking. The cooking was the love. And the love was the week, and the week was one of the weeks that stack together to become the years, and the years become the life, and the life is the woman at the stove who cooks and writes and loves and does not stop.
I made she-crab soup on Sunday — the anchor, the constant, the practice. The soup was perfect. The perfection was the practice. And the practice continues, one Sunday at a time, one bowl at a time, one life at a time, the woman stirring, the roux thickening, the kitchen warm, the family fed, the love alive.
After a Sunday that gave me she-crab soup on the stove and Will’s small hand learning to hold a brush beside Joy at Magnolia House, I wanted the evening to stay golden just a little longer — and nothing holds autumn in place quite like pumpkin ice cream, spiced and cool and sweet, the color of every leaf Joy painted that week. It felt right to end a day that full with something that tasted like the season we were all living inside of together.
Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 6 hours (includes freezing) | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Combine the base. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until the sugars are fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Add the dairy. Pour in the heavy whipping cream, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is thoroughly combined and no streaks of pumpkin remain.
- Chill the mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the mixture is very cold. This helps the ice cream churn and set more evenly.
- Churn or freeze. If using an ice cream maker, pour the chilled mixture in and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, typically 20—25 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. If making no-churn, pour the mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan.
- Freeze until firm. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, or smooth the top of the loaf pan. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for at least 4—5 hours, or overnight, until fully firm.
- Serve. Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before scooping to soften slightly. Serve in bowls or cones, optionally garnished with a dusting of cinnamon or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 95mg