Summer peaches are already hard to improve upon, but turning them into a silky homemade ice cream is a very good place to start. This recipe from our August Cookbook Club pick, The Southerner’s Cookbook from the editors of Garden & Gun magazine, layers ripe peach flavor into a rich custard and finishes it with a subtle touch of goat cheese for extra tang and depth.
The Summer Dessert Worth Planning Ahead For
This is not a toss-everything-in-the-blender ice cream. It is a proper cooked custard, complete with egg yolks, tempering, chilling, and an ice-cream maker.
That means it takes a little time—but none of the steps are difficult, and the payoff is worth it.
The peach pits steep in the milk and cream to deepen the fruit flavor. The chopped peaches are macerated with lemon juice and brown sugar, then puréed. Finally, goat cheese is whisked into the warm custard before everything is chilled and churned.
It is classic homemade ice cream with one very smart Southern twist.
Peach Ice Cream
Recipe from The Southerner’s Cookbook by the editors of Garden & Gun magazine
Makes 1 quart
Ingredients
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2 ripe peaches, peeled and finely chopped, about 2 cups, pits reserved
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1½ cups whole milk
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1 cup heavy cream
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2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1 tablespoon light brown sugar
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½ cup granulated sugar
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4 large egg yolks
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½ teaspoon vanilla extract
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¼ teaspoon kosher salt
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About ½ of a 3-ounce log goat cheese, such as Alabama-made Belle Chèvre, crumbled
Preparation
In a medium saucepan, heat the peach pits, milk, and cream over medium heat until steaming.
Remove from the heat, cover, and steep for about 1 hour.
In a medium bowl, combine the peaches, lemon juice, and brown sugar. Let sit for 1 hour.
In a blender or using an immersion blender, purée the peaches and any juices that have collected in the bowl. Set aside.
Remove the peach pits from the milk mixture and discard them.
Add the granulated sugar to the saucepan with the milk mixture and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is steaming, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
While the milk mixture heats, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until smooth.
Temper the egg yolks: Slowly whisk ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
Place the crumbled goat cheese in a large bowl. Pour the custard over the cheese and gently whisk until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth.
Whisk in the peach purée.
Let the custard cool for 15 minutes over an ice-water bath, stirring frequently.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 4 hours.
Transfer the chilled custard to an ice-cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
Serve.
Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Why Steep the Peach Pits?
The peach pits are heated with the milk and cream, then left to steep for an hour before being discarded.
It is a small step, but it gives the dairy an extra layer of peach aroma before the fruit purée is added. The finished ice cream tastes more rounded and fragrant than it would from the chopped peaches alone.
Just be sure to remove and discard the pits before continuing with the custard.
About That Goat Cheese
Yes, there really is goat cheese in this peach ice cream.
It melts directly into the warm custard, giving the base a slightly tangy, almost cheesecake-like quality. That savory edge keeps the dessert from tasting flat or overly sugary and works especially well with ripe summer fruit.
Use a mild, creamy goat cheese rather than a strongly aged variety. You want richness and tang—not a flavor that overwhelms the peaches.
The Three Places This Recipe Needs Patience
Let the peaches macerate
The lemon juice and brown sugar draw out the peaches’ juices and intensify their flavor. Give them the full hour before puréeing.
Chill the custard completely
Warm custard will not churn properly. Four hours in the refrigerator gives the base time to become thoroughly cold and lets the flavors settle.
Freeze after churning
Freshly churned ice cream has a soft-serve texture. Freeze it for at least 2 hours if you want firm, scoopable ice cream.
How to Tell When the Custard Is Ready
Cook the custard over low heat and stir constantly. It is ready when it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Run a finger through the custard on the spoon. When the line stays clear instead of immediately filling back in, remove the pan from the heat.
Avoid letting the mixture boil, which can scramble the egg yolks.
Serve It Simply
This ice cream has enough personality to stand on its own. Scoop it into chilled bowls or cones and leave it at that.
For a little extra flair, add sliced fresh peaches, toasted pecans, a drizzle of honey, or crumbled shortbread cookies.
It would also be excellent beside pound cake, peach cobbler, or a warm fruit crisp.
From Our August Cookbook Club Pick
Our August Cookbook Club selection, The Southerner’s Cookbook from the editors of Garden & Gun magazine, is full of recipes that respect Southern tradition without treating it like a museum piece.
This peach ice cream captures that spirit perfectly. It starts with an unmistakably Southern summer ingredient, uses a classic custard technique, and adds goat cheese for a subtle twist that feels clever rather than fussy.
It is familiar, surprising, and exactly the kind of dessert people remember.