brown sugar cinnamon ice cream;

Originally posted October 23, 2020. Updated May 22, 2024 for content and clarity.

Fall is fair season. It’s been an annual tradition for over 10 years now for us to go to the Bloomsburg PA State Fair. We go every year, and the first thing we get is apple dumplings. Apple dumplings with cinnamon ice cream. So with COVID in the air and no fairs, we had to make our own fair this year. And I decided to try my hand at brown sugar cinnamon ice cream.

The best part of making your own ice cream is that you have so much control over the flavor. I built on the original recipe from Sugar Dish Me, adding a cinnamon stick to steep in the custard. Plus I decreased the sugar a little because I like less-sweet desserts, especially paired with a sweet dessert like apple dumplings.

I prefer a cinnamon-forward, slightly less sweet ice cream. But if you’ve got a sweet tooth, add extra brown sugar.

secret to success

I’m super happy with how this ice cream turned out. It’s definitely cinnamon-y. Like hit you in the face cinnamon. My sister gave her approval and she’s a notorious cinnamon fiend. She’d probably be happy with even more cinnamon, but for us mere mortals, it’s a great, cinnamon-forward, less sweet ice cream. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you can add extra brown sugar, up to 2/3 cup total (instead of 1/2 cup).

Brown sugar cinnamon ice cream goes so perfectly with baked apple desserts. Think apple dumplings, apple pie, apple turnovers… Of course, you could add cinnamon ice cream to any fruit dessert, not just apples! But apples and cinnamon are a classic. Good for breakfast too. (I won’t tell anyone if you sneak some ice cream for breakfast too!)

We just had to have cinnamon ice cream to go with apple dumplings. Apple dumplings + cinnamon ice cream is our fair breakfast every year. So even though we were making our own fair, lucky for us, the whole group we usually go with is laden with bakers.

So we made all our favorite fair staples ourselves, including apple dumplings. It was an amazing weekend, we ate so much. Despite COVID attempting to wreck our plans, we still baked up a storm. (And ate a delicious storm.) Just some of the delicious treats we made and ate together:

• cinnamon rolls (check out my recipe for fluffy cinnamon rolls here)
• apple dumplings (an easy version: apple pie crescents!)
• Stuffed pretzel pockets (want to make homemade pretzels? I’ve got you covered.)
• bloomin’ onion (purchased from Outback)
• fried cheese
• potato pancakes
• crab dip pretzels
• empanadas
• s’mores macarons
• gyro & feta fries (purchased from our local Souvlaki Bar)
• individual potion drinks for each person! (Check out the full series: witch potion cocktails)
• alcoholic (or not) malted milkshakes
• homemade cinnamon ice cream

But this ice cream, you guys. Considering it was a last-minute addition to the list, it turned out phenomenally. It was creamy and sweet and packed that cinnamon punch. (We like cinnamon ok.) And paired with a fresh and warm apple dumpling… you need this in your life.

An ice cream maker is required, but I promise it’s worth it!

secret to success

I want to give you an immediate heads-up: this recipe requires an ice cream maker. It’ll be worth it, don’t worry! But I like to say that up front so you can factor it into your plans to make this recipe. There’s nothing I hate more than discovering that I don’t have all the equipment when I’m ready to start cooking.

The second thing to note is that many ice cream makers require freezing the basin before churning. Make sure you check the manufacturer’s instructions on your machine, and you prep if needed. If your ice cream maker requires chilling the bowl, at a minimum pop it in the freezer before you start on the custard. The custard will need to chill, so you’ll have a long stint in the freezer, but it’s really best to freeze it overnight or as long as you can. I actually ended up borrowing a neighbor’s kitchen aid ice cream maker which worked out great since they already had it frozen. Easy win for me!

There’s a lot of wait time in this recipe, so plan accordingly!

secret to success

There’s a lot of wait time in this recipe, so plan accordingly! Chilling the bowl of your ice cream maker, chilling the custard, and then freezing your final product. You can eat the ice cream immediately after churning for a soft-serve texture. If you prefer that hard scoop, then you’ll need to freeze after churning for 2+ hours before serving.

Last, if you like hard ice cream, make sure you factor that into your waiting time. When it comes out of the ice cream maker, it’ll be a sort of soft-serve consistency. If you want a hard ice cream perfect for cones and scoops, then plan for extra freezer time. But don’t worry, it’s worth the wait. That cinnamon flavor packs a punch and is perfect to pair with almost any dessert.

Bonus tip: if you can find them, add cinnamon chocolate chips! Chop up the cinnamon chips and fold them into the mixture immediately after churning. That way you add extra texture and extra cinnamon!

secrets to success;

Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!

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more recipes;

Looking for the perfect pairing? Here are some options to serve with your brown sugar cinnamon ice cream.

• This apple pie taco bar is sure to please! Build your own apple pie tacos, and top with a bit of this delicious brown sugar cinnamon ice cream.
• Turn this cream cheese apple cake from coffee cake into dessert, with a delicious scoop of ice cream.
• Serve with s’mores cheesecake for a fun twist.