You don’t need an ice cream machine to make incredibly creamy No Churn Moose Tracks Ice Cream at home. This peanut-butter-and-chocolate favorite is loaded with hot fudge swirls and chopped peanut butter cups. With just six ingredients and about ten minutes of hands-on prep, you can have homemade Moose Tracks ready to freeze.
Table of contents
- Ingredients
- Step-by-step instructions
- Tips and tricks
- How to make a chocolate version
- More no-churn ice cream ideas
Peanut butter and chocolate fans—this one’s for you. Moose Tracks originally became famous in the late 1980s and pairs smooth vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups and ribbons of chocolate fudge. This no-churn variation recreates that classic flavor without an ice cream machine and with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups heavy cream, cold
- 1 cup chopped peanut butter cups
- 1/4 cup hot fudge, warmed slightly for drizzling
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and sea salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. If you don’t have a mixer, you can whip by hand—expect to work your arm a bit longer.
- Gently fold the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula until just combined, keeping the mixture airy.
- Warm the hot fudge briefly (about 20–30 seconds in the microwave) so it’s easy to drizzle. Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups, then drizzle the fudge into the ice cream base. Fold only a few times to create swirls; avoid fully mixing the fudge in if you want streaks rather than chocolate-flavored ice cream.
- Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart (or larger) container. Smooth the top, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 5 hours, ideally overnight, until firm.
Tips and tricks
- Use a metal container for faster freezing. Metal transfers cold more quickly than plastic or glass, so your ice cream will firm up sooner.
- Freeze toward the back of the freezer. The back is colder and more consistent than the door, producing a quicker, more even freeze.
- Makes about 1/2 gallon. This recipe yields roughly 4 pints or about 12 scoops, depending on scoop size.
- Store airtight for up to six months. Keep the ice cream in a sealed container to prevent freezer burn and flavor loss.
- Gluten-free option. This recipe is naturally gluten-free if the peanut butter cups you use are labeled gluten-free—check packaging to be sure.
- Don’t substitute key dairy ingredients. Heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk provide the texture and stability that make no-churn ice cream creamy. Replacing them can change the texture significantly.
- Use a wet ice cream scoop. Running the scoop under warm water before scooping makes servings come out cleanly and neatly.
How to make a chocolate version
If you prefer Chocolate Moose Tracks, it’s an easy swap: add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the condensed milk, vanilla and salt mixture and whisk until smooth. Continue with the recipe the same way—fold in whipped cream, add chopped cups and swirl in warm fudge. For a richer, “extreme” chocolate version, use fudge-filled chocolate cups instead of peanut butter cups.
More no-churn ice cream ideas
Once you’ve mastered this no-churn base, try other flavors by swapping mix-ins and swirls. Popular variations to explore include:
- Peanut Butter Ice Cream with extra peanut butter ribbons
- Cherry-style ice cream with chopped cherries and chocolate chunks
- Strawberry no-churn with fresh strawberry puree
- Cookies-and-cream with crushed sandwich cookies
- Salted caramel with homemade or store-bought caramel swirl
- Peppermint bark for a holiday twist
- Classic chocolate using cocoa in the base
- Maple bacon for a sweet-and-savory treat
Use the simple four-step method—mix the condensed milk base, whip the cream, fold together, freeze—and you can create dozens of homemade ice cream flavors without an ice cream maker.
No Churn Moose Tracks Ice Cream — Recipe Summary
Servings: 12 scoops. Prep time: 10 minutes. Freezing time: at least 5 hours. Total time: about 5 hours 10 minutes.
Ingredients include sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, sea salt, cold heavy cream, chopped peanut butter cups and hot fudge. The method is quick, reliable, and perfect for making rich, homemade Moose Tracks without special equipment.