Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time3 hours 25 minutes
Servings4 Servings
Creamy. Chocolatey. Absolutely irresistible. If you’re a fan of the classic Homemade Moose Tracks ice cream, this delicious version is about to become your new obsession. It starts with a rich and silky vanilla egg custard base that’s churned until it’s luxuriously smooth, then studded with mini peanut butter cups and swirled with ribbons of homemade chocolate fudge ripple. It’s nostalgic, decadent, and surprisingly simple to make with just a little bit of prep and a lot of love.
Whether you’re scooping it into cones for the kids or sneaking a bowl after dinner, this frozen treat is a crowd-pleaser from the very first bite. Let’s dive in.
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Heather’s Notes
- Egg Custard Base = Creamy Magic
The base for this ice cream is a classic French-style custard made with egg yolks. It gives the finished product a rich mouthfeel and scoopable texture that rivals any store-bought pint. - Mini Peanut Butter Cups Add Texture & Flavor
Those tiny chocolate peanut butter bites melt slightly into the ice cream, offering little surprises of nutty goodness in every bite. - Homemade Fudge Ripple That Doesn’t Freeze Solid
A quick stovetop chocolate sauce made with corn syrup and cocoa creates a glossy fudge ripple that stays soft, even when frozen. - Easy to Customize
Don’t have mini peanut butter cups? Swap in chopped peanut butter-filled pretzels, chocolate chunks, or even cookie dough. - A Showstopper for Gatherings
This is one of those desserts that makes people’s eyes light up. It looks impressive, tastes like something from an ice cream shop, and always disappears fast.
Ingredients in Moose Tracks Ice Cream
Ice Cream Custard Base:
- Half & half
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla Bean Paste – or 1 vanilla bean
Add-ins:
- Fudge Sauce – homemade or store-bought
- Peanut Butter Cups – mini or regular sized cut in half
How to Make Moose Tracks Ice Cream
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the half & half and sugar. When it begins to simmer, remove from the heat.
- Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Temper the eggs by slowly whisking in half of the warm half & half mixture. Make sure to whisk quickly or the eggs will scramble. Add the remaining milk mixture and whisk to combine.
- Pour the egg & milk mixture back into the saucepan and stir in the heavy cream.
- Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and add to the cream mixture and toss in the vanilla bean pod.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the cream coats the back of a metal spoon.
- Pour into a medium sized bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the cream or a skin will form.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Remove the vanilla bean and pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- When the ice cream is frozen, drizzle in the fudge sauce with the ice cream maker running. Add the peanut butter cups and let it churn a few times to incorporate.
- Remove the ice cream to a glass loaf pan and place in the freezer to continue to harden, or serve immediately.
Tips for Storing
- Keep It Airtight:
Store the ice cream in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn and unwanted odors from sneaking in. - Press Plastic Wrap on Top:
Before sealing the container, lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream to minimize ice crystals. - Freeze Flat for Even Texture:
Use a shallow container so the ice cream freezes faster and more evenly, reducing the risk of iciness. - Best Within 2 Weeks:
For optimal texture and flavor, enjoy this homemade treat within 2 weeks of churning. Not that it’ll last that long.
FAQ’s
Yes. While an ice cream maker yields the best texture, you can pour the custard into a freezer-safe container, freeze for 45 minutes, then stir vigorously with a fork every 30 minutes until it becomes creamy. The texture won’t be quite the same, but it will still taste amazing.
You can substitute the custard base with a Philadelphia-style ice cream (no eggs), made from just cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla. It won’t be quite as rich but will still be delicious.
They do firm up slightly, but because they’re coated in chocolate and contain creamy peanut butter, they stay chewy enough to bite into easily.
More Recipes We Love
Greek Yogurt Custard with Fresh Berries
Red, White, & Blue Ice Cream Sandwiches
Homemade Moose Tracks Ice Cream might just ruin you for the store-bought kind. The creamy vanilla custard, melty chocolate ripple, and pops of peanut butter make every spoonful better than the last. Once you taste the love packed into this scoop, you’ll never look back. Grab a spoon and let summer start early.
Homemade Moose Tracks Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups half & half
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- ⅓ cup fudge sauce, of choice
- ½ cup peanut butter cups, minis or cup regular pb cups in half
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the half & half and sugar. When it begins to simmer, remove from the heat.
- Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Temper the eggs by slowly whisking in half of the warm half & half mixture. Make sure to whisk quickly or the eggs will scramble. Add the remaining milk mixture and whisk to combine.
- Pour the egg & milk mixture back into the saucepan and stir in the heavy cream.
- Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and add to the cream mixture and toss in the vanilla bean pod.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the cream coats the back of a metal spoon.
- Pour into a medium sized bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the cream or a skin will form.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Remove the vanilla bean and pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- When the ice cream is frozen, drizzle in the fudge sauce with the ice cream maker running. Add the peanut butter cups and let it churn a few times to incorporate.
- Remove the ice cream to a glass loaf pan and place in the freezer to continue to harden, or serve immediately.
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Nutrition
*Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
This is a family favorite. I hope you love it too