Brown Butter Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
This Brown Butter Cookies and Cream Ice Cream starts with a rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet Oreo custard ice cream base that is churned to absolute perfection. The brown butter adds a warm, nutty richness that pairs absolutely beautifully with the bold Oreo flavor throughout every single bite — making this the most indulgent and irresistible cookies and cream ice cream you will ever make. Best served affogato-style over a warm brownie with a hot shot of espresso poured right over the top for the most dreamy and decadent summer dessert experience!
If you try out this recipe, I’d love to see it! Leave a comment with a star rating below and tag @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and hashtag it #wellmadebykiley
Ingredients You Need:
Full ingredients and recipe are in the recipe card below. Read through this section for all the ingredients substitution and baking tips!
Whole Milk: The base of the rich and creamy Oreo custard ice cream — whole milk adds a luscious, full-bodied richness that creates the most incredibly smooth and perfectly textured ice cream base throughout.
Heavy Cream: Used in two portions in the Oreo custard ice cream base — one portion is heated with the milk and Oreo crumbs to create the rich custard base and the second portion is whipped to soft peaks and folded in right before churning for an extra layer of creaminess and a lighter, airier texture throughout.
Oreo Crumbs: Added directly to the whole milk and heavy cream before heating to steep and infuse the entire custard base with the most bold, deep, and perfectly sweet cookies and cream flavor — about 10 Oreos blended into fine crumbs is all you need for the most intensely flavored Oreo custard base throughout.
Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: Adds a warm, sweet, and aromatic flavor that enhances the bold Oreo and warm brown butter flavors throughout the custard ice cream base.
Egg Yolks: The key to the richest, creamiest, and most perfectly set Oreo custard ice cream — five egg yolks add a beautiful golden color, a rich depth of flavor, and a thick, luxurious texture that makes the ice cream truly stunning throughout.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the Oreo custard ice cream base to a perfectly balanced and indulgent finish that pairs beautifully with the bold Oreo flavor and warm brown butter throughout.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the rich Oreo and warm brown butter flavors throughout the custard ice cream base.
Salted Butter: Browned until deep golden amber and nutty and whisked directly into the custard base right after tempering the eggs — the brown butter adds a warm, nutty depth of flavor that pairs absolutely beautifully with the bold Oreo flavor and makes this cookies and cream ice cream truly one of a kind throughout.
Whole Oreos: Slightly crushed or chopped into large uneven chunks and folded into the churned ice cream at soft serve consistency for the most satisfying pockets of bold Oreo flavor and that classic cookies and cream crunch in every single bite — keeping large chunks is key for the best texture throughout.
Brownies: The base of the affogato-style serving — a warm and fudgy brownie serves as the perfect indulgent base for the brown butter cookies and cream ice cream and bold espresso shot for the most dreamy and irresistible summer dessert experience.
Espresso Shot: Poured hot right over the brown butter cookies and cream ice cream and warm brownie for the most classic and dreamy affogato-style serving — the contrast of the hot espresso, cold creamy ice cream, and warm fudgy brownie creates the ultimate indulgent summer dessert experience in every single bite.
Why You’ll Love Brown Butter Cookies and Cream Ice Cream:
Rich, Creamy, And Perfectly Sweet Oreo Custard Base: The Oreo custard ice cream base is incredibly rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet with a bold and deep Oreo flavor that makes every single bite absolutely irresistible and completely unforgettable.
Warm Nutty Brown Butter Richness: The brown butter adds a warm, nutty depth of flavor that pairs absolutely beautifully with the bold Oreo flavor throughout and takes this cookies and cream ice cream completely over the top in the most indulgent and irresistible way.
Bold And Deep Oreo Flavor Throughout: Every single bite is packed with that bold, deep, and perfectly sweet Oreo flavor that pairs absolutely beautifully with the warm brown butter and rich custard base throughout.
Churned To Perfection: This ice cream is churned to the most perfectly smooth, creamy, and perfectly textured result that melts beautifully in your mouth with every single bite for the most indulgent frozen treat experience.
That Affogato-Style Serving Experience: Serving this ice cream affogato-style over a warm brownie with a hot shot of espresso poured right over the top creates the most dreamy, indulgent, and completely irresistible dessert experience that you will want to recreate every single summer.
The Perfect Flavor Combination: The rich brown butter Oreo ice cream, warm brownie, and bold shot of espresso come together for the most perfectly balanced and absolutely irresistible flavor combination in every single bite.
Impressive Yet Surprisingly Simple: This ice cream looks and tastes like it came straight from a high-end ice cream shop but is made completely from scratch right in your own kitchen with simple, everyday ingredients.
Perfect For Any Occasion: Whether it is a summer gathering, a dinner party dessert, a special treat, or any time an ice cream craving hits, this brown butter cookies and cream ice cream is always the ultimate showstopper on the dessert table.
Tips for Making Brown Butter Cookies and Cream Ice Cream:
Freeze The Ice Cream Maker Base The Night Before: Place the base of your ice cream maker in the freezer the night before making the ice cream — preferably in the back or coldest part of the freezer — a properly frozen base is essential for churning the ice cream to the right consistency.
Brown The Butter First: Brown the butter before starting the Oreo custard base so it is ready to whisk in right after tempering the eggs — the brown butter does not need to be cooled before adding to the custard base for this recipe.
Watch The Brown Butter Closely: Butter can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly, so stay at the stove and stir continuously until it turns a deep golden amber color and smells nutty. Remove from the heat immediately.
Add Oreo Crumbs To The Milk Mixture: Add the Oreo crumbs directly to the whole milk and heavy cream before heating — this allows the Oreos to steep into the milk mixture and infuse the custard base with the most bold, deep, and perfectly sweet Oreo flavor throughout.
Heat The Milk Mixture Until Just Simmering: Heat the whole milk, heavy cream, Oreo crumbs, and vanilla until they just reach a simmer — do not bring it to a full boil or it can affect the texture of the custard and make it difficult to temper the eggs properly.
Temper The Eggs Slowly And Carefully: When streaming the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, go slowly and whisk continuously — pour a small amount of the hot mixture in first, whisk quickly, and then continue pouring slowly and steadily to prevent the eggs from cooking and scrambling.
Whisk In The Brown Butter After Tempering: Whisk the browned butter into the combined mixture right after tempering the eggs — this ensures the brown butter incorporates smoothly and evenly throughout the custard base for the most incredible nutty depth of flavor in every single bite.
Cook The Custard Low And Slow: Cook the custard base over medium-low heat and whisk continuously — do not be tempted to turn up the heat as this will scramble the eggs and ruin the custard. The mixture is ready when it just barely coats the back of a spoon and reaches between 170F–180F.
Strain The Custard Base For The Smoothest Result: Pour the custard base through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl after cooking — this removes any small lumps and gives the ice cream base an incredibly smooth and silky texture throughout.
Chill The Custard Base Completely Before Churning: The custard base must be completely cold before churning — chill for at least 4–6 hours or preferably overnight for the best churning result and the creamiest, most perfectly textured ice cream.
Reserve The Second Cup Of Heavy Cream: Keep the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream refrigerated until you are ready to churn — whipping it to soft peaks and folding it into the completely chilled custard base right before churning adds extra richness, creaminess, and a lighter, airier texture to the final ice cream.
Add The Crushed Oreos At The End Of Churning: Add the slightly crushed or chopped Oreos only after the ice cream reaches soft serve consistency and churn for just 3–5 more minutes — adding them too early can cause the Oreos to break down too much and lose those satisfying large chunks throughout.
Keep Large Oreo Chunks: When crushing or chopping the Oreos for mixing in, aim to keep large uneven chunks — larger pieces create the most satisfying texture contrast with the smooth, creamy custard base and give that classic cookies and cream experience in every single bite.
Freeze Overnight For The Best Texture: While 1–2 hours is the minimum freeze time, freezing overnight gives the ice cream the best texture, the most beautiful consistency, and the cleanest scoops for serving affogato-style over a warm brownie.
Serve Affogato-Style For The Best Experience: Serve a few generous scoops of the brown butter cookies and cream ice cream over a warm brownie and pour a hot shot of espresso right over the top — the contrast of the cold creamy ice cream, warm brownie, and bold espresso creates the most dreamy and completely irresistible dessert experience.
How to Store Brown Butter Cookies and Cream Ice Cream:
Ice Cream (Pints): Store the brown butter cookies and cream ice cream in pint containers in the freezer for up to 2 weeks for the best flavor and texture. Press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing with the lid to prevent ice crystals from forming.
Ice Cream (Large Container): If storing in a larger freezer-safe container, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil pressed directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing with the lid — this prevents ice crystals from forming and keeps the ice cream incredibly smooth and creamy for up to 2 weeks.
Assembled Affogato: The affogato is best assembled and served immediately — the hot espresso will begin melting the ice cream right away so assemble right before serving for the most dreamy and indulgent experience.
Softening The Ice Cream Before Scooping: Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature for 3–5 minutes before scooping — this makes it much easier to scoop and gives the most perfectly round and beautiful scoops for serving affogato-style.
Refreezing: If the ice cream softens too much during serving, place it back in the freezer for 15–20 minutes to firm up before continuing to scoop and serve for the best texture and consistency throughout.
FAQs:
Q: Do I need an ice cream maker for this recipe?
A: Yes. An ice cream maker is needed to churn the Oreo custard ice cream base to the best creamy, smooth, and perfectly textured result. Make sure to freeze the base of your ice cream maker the night before for the best churning result.
Q: Why do I need to freeze the ice cream maker base the night before?
A: A properly frozen ice cream maker base is essential for churning the custard to the right consistency — a base that is not frozen solid enough will result in ice cream that never fully sets during churning and will have a less creamy and smooth texture throughout.
Q: Why do I add Oreo crumbs to the milk mixture before heating?
A: Adding the Oreo crumbs directly to the milk and heavy cream before heating allows the Oreos to steep into the mixture and infuse the entire custard base with the most bold, deep, and perfectly sweet Oreo flavor throughout — this is what makes this cookies and cream ice cream truly irresistible in every single bite.
Q: Why do I need to temper the eggs?
A: Tempering the eggs by slowly streaming the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk and sugar mixture prevents the eggs from cooking and scrambling — going slowly and whisking continuously is the key to a perfectly smooth, silky, and lump-free custard base every single time.
Q: Why do I need to strain the custard base?
A: Straining the custard base through a fine mesh sieve removes any small lumps that may have formed during cooking and gives the ice cream base an incredibly smooth and silky texture that churns up perfectly creamy and dreamy throughout.
Q: Why do I reserve one cup of heavy cream for later?
A: The reserved cup of heavy cream is whipped to soft peaks and folded into the completely chilled custard base right before churning — this adds an extra layer of richness, creaminess, and a lighter, airier texture that gives the ice cream its signature smooth and luxurious result.
Q: When do I add the crushed Oreos to the ice cream?
A: Add the slightly crushed or chopped Oreos only after the ice cream reaches soft serve consistency during churning — churn for just 3–5 more minutes until the Oreo pieces are fully incorporated. Adding them too early can cause them to break down too much and lose those satisfying large chunks throughout.
Q: Can I make the ice cream without churning?
A: For the creamiest and most perfectly textured result an ice cream maker is recommended. However you can pour the custard base into a freezer-safe container and freeze, stirring vigorously every 30 minutes for the first few hours to break up ice crystals — the texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
Q: What brownies work best for the affogato-style serving?
A: Any fudgy and rich brownie works beautifully for the affogato-style serving — my crinkle-top brown butter brownies are strongly recommended for the most indulgent and perfectly paired result with the brown butter cookies and cream ice cream and bold espresso shot throughout.
Q: Can I serve this ice cream without the affogato-style presentation?
A: Absolutely. This brown butter cookies and cream ice cream is just as incredible scooped into a bowl or cone on its own — the affogato-style serving is optional but strongly recommended for the most dreamy and indulgent dessert experience that everyone will absolutely love.
Love these? Check out my other summer recipes:
Salted Maple Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches (w/ Butter Waffle Cookies)
Peanut Butter S’mores Oatmeal Cookie Skillet (w/ Brown Butter)
Make sure to tag me @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and leave a review or comment if you make this brown butter cookies and cream ice cream!
