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Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

Orange creamsicle ice cream made with a smooth vanilla custard churned and swirled with a bright orange syrup. You’ll get a creamy white base with vivid orange sherbet-like ribbon swirls and a citrusy finish from orange zest.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vanilla custard base
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar divided
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Orange swirl syrup
  • 0.5 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar remaining 1/4 cup
  • 0.01 orange food coloring (optional) use only if you want an extra vivid orange

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 small saucepan
  • 1 whisk

Method
 

Make the vanilla base
  1. Heat the heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, then whisk to combine.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar until smooth, then slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the yolks.
  3. Return the mixture to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175F, when the custard visibly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Strain the custard into a bowl to remove any bits, then whisk in the vanilla extract and salt.
  5. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate if needed so the custard is fully chilled before churning.
Make the orange syrup
  1. Combine the fresh orange juice, orange zest, and the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan.
  2. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly syrupy and reduced, with a glossy look that clings lightly to a spoon.
  3. Cool completely.
Churn and swirl
  1. Churn the vanilla custard in an ice cream maker until thick, with a soft-serve consistency that holds ridges.
  2. During the last 2 minutes of churning, drizzle in the orange syrup to form swirls, then stop churning without fully mixing it in.
Freeze
  1. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer container and layer spoonfuls, keeping the orange ribbons visible in the cross-section.
  2. Freeze for at least 4 hours until firm enough to scoop cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: for the cleanest custard, keep the heat steady while you cook to 175F—once it coats a spoon, stop and strain immediately. Store leftovers covered in the freezer for up to 2–3 weeks. Freezing again after scooping is fine for texture but may soften the swirl slightly. Dietary swap: use a fair-trade honey substitute for up to half the sugar if you want a slightly warmer flavor (texture may be a bit softer).