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Fresh Georgia Peach Ice Cream

Fresh Georgia Peach Ice Cream is a creamy homemade custard churned with ripe, juicy peaches for a sweet fruity bite. The base is gently cooked until it coats a spoon, then chilled and churned for a smooth, scoopable texture.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 4 minutes
Total Time 44 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Peach Mixture
  • 4 Georgia peaches peeled and diced
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar for the peach mixture
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
Ice Cream Base
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar for the custard
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the peach mixture
  1. Combine diced Georgia peaches, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl, then stir until coated. The mixture should look syrupy once everything is evenly combined.
  2. Let the peach mixture stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until juicy. You should see pooled peach juices around the fruit.
  3. Blend half of the peaches until mostly smooth, leaving some chunks. Keep some visible texture so the ice cream tastes fruity and varied.
Cook the custard base
  1. In a saucepan, heat whole milk and heavy cream over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Look for steam and small bubbles at the edges, not an active boil.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until the mixture looks slightly lighter in color. Stir until no large sugar clumps remain.
  3. Slowly whisk the warm cream mixture into the egg mixture to temper it. Add gradually so the eggs thicken smoothly without scrambling.
  4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat a spoon (about 10–15 minutes). It’s ready when you can draw a line through the custard and it holds.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt. The custard should look glossy and fully smooth.
Chill, churn, and freeze
  1. Cool the custard completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. The surface should be cold and set enough to churn smoothly.
  2. Stir the blended peaches and remaining peach chunks into the chilled custard. You should see fruit distributed throughout the base.
  3. Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Stop when it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
  4. Transfer to a container and freeze for 3–4 hours before serving. The ice cream should firm up enough to scoop cleanly.
  5. Scoop and garnish with fresh peach slices if desired. The top should show defined swirls with visible peach pieces.

Notes

For the smoothest custard, keep the heat at medium-low and stir constantly until it thickens enough to coat a spoon—do not let it boil. Chill time is essential for proper churning: refrigerate at least 4 hours (up to 24 hours). Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge 10–15 minutes before scooping. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but expect a softer texture.