Sisters Go Together Like Peanut Butter and Chocolate {Recipes: Peanut Butter Ice Cream and Homemade Magic Shell}

Years ago, one of the best treats my sister and I would go out for was chocolate dipped peanut butter ice cream cones from Swensen's Ice Cream. At that time there were lots of Swensen's around, and the one we used to go to was in San Luis Obispo, CA. Now the only one I know of in CA is the original one in San Francisco. Maybe someday I'll make it to San Francisco and visit Swensen's again, but until then I came up with my own recipe for Peanut Butter Ice Cream and Magic Shell for dipping or serving poured over the ice cream. 

In addition to making Peanut Butter Ice Cream, I made a version with Biscoff Cookie Butter because my daughter is allergic to peanuts. It's a toss up which one is better; they are both delicious! My daughter thinks the Biscoff Cookie Butter Ice Cream is the best I have ever made! If you are a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup fan, which I am, this Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Magic Shell is for you! 

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

This ice cream is adapted from a Pumpkin Ice Cream recipe that came with my Cuisinart Duo Ice Cream Maker that was purchased around 2003.   

1 cup natural peanut butter, smooth or chunky (I use Laura Scudder All Natural Smooth Peanut Butter)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

1. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine peanut butter and brown sugar using a hand mixer set on low. Add milk to peanut butter mixture and continue to mix with the hand mixer set on low until sugar is dissolved.  (It's a little difficult to tell if the sugar is dissolved with natural peanut butter because the peanut butter is a little grainy. Mixing for a couple of minutes should be long enough to dissolve the sugar.) Stir in heavy whipping cream and vanilla. 

2. Pour into ice cream maker and process according to your ice cream maker's instructions. 

Makes about 1 quart. 

Variation: for Homemade Biscoff Cookie Butter Ice Cream, substitute Biscoff Cookie Butter for peanut butter and use 1/2 cup granulated sugar instead of 3/4 cup brown sugar. Also, add a pinch of salt. 

Homemade Magic Shell

There are many recipes for this on Pinterest and elsewhere, they are all basically the same. All homemade Magic Shell is chocolate and coconut oil. More coconut oil can be added to make a thinner chocolate shell and less coconut oil will make a thicker one. Semi-sweet chocolate, butterscotch, or peanut butter chips would work as well. 



1 11.5 ounce package milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup coconut oil

Place ingredients into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until the chips are completely melted, about 1-2 minutes total time. Let cool to room temperature. Spoon over ice cream, let harden a bit, then enjoy!

Store in an air tight microwave safe container at room temperature or refrigerator. If stored in the refrigerator, it will have to be reheated again in 30 second increments. Stored at room temperature, mixture should remain pourable, if not reheat for few seconds in the microwave until desired consistency is reached. 






Enjoy!