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Every bite of Apple Butter Oatmeal Crisp Ice Cream packs those cozy fall vibes but in a cool creamy treat. I created this because I wanted the comfort of apple crisp but chilled and easy to scoop. Once September hits, my family devours every bit—oat topping never stands a chance!
My earliest tries had everyone sneaking into the kitchen just to grab handfuls of that cinnamon oat crumble! Now we can’t wait for fall—it’s our favorite thing to eat when the weather cools.
Irresistible Ingredients
- Salted caramel sauce: The finishing touch for sweet-salty goodness. Drizzle over each serving to make it extra rich.
- Unsalted butter: Pulls the oat crumble together and gives it a deep warm flavor, especially if you go for the European stuff.
- Cinnamon: Makes every bite taste like warm apple pie. Real Ceylon cinnamon is awesome if you find it.
- Light brown sugar: Bakes up perfectly caramelized and makes the crumble pair so well with apples and oats. Look for soft clumps—they’re extra tasty.
- Old fashioned oats: Bring on the chewy, crispy topping. Skip the instant kind—they’ll just get mushy.
- All purpose flour: Holds the crispy crumb together when it bakes. Choose unbleached if you can for better flavor.
- Apple butter: This is the big flavor! Use your best homemade or the fanciest jar you can find for bold apple spice.
- Large egg yolks: Give you a thick custard and deep yellow color if they’re super fresh.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors and ties the apples to the oats. Real vanilla is best if it’s handy.
- Pinch of salt: Brings out all the flavors and keeps the sweet in check. Go for fine sea salt.
- Granulated sugar: Makes it perfectly sweet and creamy. Give it a good stir so it all melts in.
- Heavy cream: Helps your ice cream stay luscious and soft. Try to use the richest cream you can get.
- Whole milk: Keeps everything light but still rich. Check out a local or organic option for extra-good taste.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Serve:
- Scoop into your favorite bowls, load it up with salted caramel sauce or whipped cream, and grab any leftover oat clusters for the top.
- Layer and Freeze:
- Spoon churned ice cream and oat crumble into a freezer-safe container by the handful—layer after layer. This keeps things crunchy as it waits in the freezer.
- Churn the Ice Cream:
- Use your machine (whatever it says in the manual) to churn the apple butter custard till it’s just barely scoopable.
- Bake the Crumble:
- Set your oven at 375°F, pile the oat mixture into a baking pan, and spread it into one even layer. Bake until you get golden crispy bits, about ten minutes. Let them cool off fully before using.
- Mix Up the Oatmeal Crumble:
- Get a bowl—toss in oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, then pour on the melted butter. Squeeze the mix with your fingers till you get clumps half an inch or smaller.
- Blend with Apple Butter:
- Pop the chilled custard and apple butter in your blender and whirl till smooth. Pour back in a bowl, cover, and chill a few more hours so it gets cold all the way through.
- Strain and Chill:
- Run the custard through the mesh strainer right into your reserved cream bowl. That’ll catch any cooked egg bits. Stick the bowl in an ice bath so it chills quick.
- Cook the Custard:
- Pour the yolk mix back in the saucepan with what’s left of the warm milk. Keep on low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it thickens just enough to coat the spoon (swipe your finger across and the line’ll stay clear).
- Temper the Egg Yolks:
- Whisk yolks till smooth in a small bowl. Slowly add a cup of your hot milk mix while whisking, so the yolks gently warm up—not scramble!
- Heat the Dairy Mixture:
- Warm up the rest of your cream, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a saucepan on medium. Stir so it’s steamy and all sugar’s gone—don’t let it boil.
- Prepare the Ice Cream Base:
- Set a sieve over a big heatproof bowl and pour in one cup of cream. Keep close by for the next steps.
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Don’t add the apple butter till the custard is fully chilled—it makes all the autumn flavors pop. Those crispy oat bits are the best part: they keep their bite and you’ll catch everyone fishing them out of the bottom of the tub.
Storing Your Treat
Keep your ice cream in a tight-lidded freezer container for up to fourteen days. Best move—press parchment or plastic wrap right against the top before you seal it. That way, you’ll dodge freezer burn and enjoy super creamy scoops every time.
Swap Suggestions
No heavy cream? Just go with all half-and-half for a lighter scoop. Gluten-free flour can easily swap into the crumble. If you’re dairy-free, use coconut cream in the base and plant butter in the oats—it’ll taste different, but still delicious!
Fun Ways to Serve
For sundae vibes, load on roasted apples, caramel drizzle, toasted pecans, or dust with cinnamon. Try it smooshed between two oatmeal cookies for the best ice cream sandwich ever.
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Seasonal and Cultural Notes
Apple butter’s got roots in old American and European kitchens—folks would simmer apples down all day in the fall. This dessert is my way of giving a shout-out to those old-school traditions, letting apple butter shine the brightest here.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → What's the trick for soft ice cream?
Let the custard chill a good while before churning, and don’t leave it spinning too long or it’ll get icy.
- → Can I grab apple butter at the store?
Totally! Any decent jar will give your ice cream deep flavor.
- → Do I bake the oat mix first?
Yep, bake that crumble till golden and toasty. Let it cool before it dives in the ice cream.
- → Which fixings should I pile on top?
Caramel sauce or fluffy whipped cream sound perfect with these cozy flavors.
- → Can I make the oat crisp ahead?
You sure can. Once it’s cooled after baking, just store in a tight jar for days.
- → Need a machine to make it?
A churner helps give you the creamiest scoop, but you can try no-churn methods if you want to experiment.