I have a history of not letting things set. This means I’m the worst at letting my nail polish dry, but that’s because the second I finish painting my last nail something urgent comes up and I’m frantically trying to navigate through my life with wet polish! An important phone call, a scratch that needs scratching, a knock at the door, my son jamming bread up his nose, or picking up a bowl’s worth of Cheerios off the floor are all things that would happen the second I’m done painting my nails.

The reason why I don’t often make ice cream is that I’m totally impatient when it comes to letting ice cream set. About 2 hours after I put this ice cream into the freezer for its big deep chill, I dipped a clean spoon in to taste. To my dismay, it wasn’t finished but it DID taste totally awesome. Why didn’t I just let it set??!

OK so I let it set. Then I scooped out some ice cream, plunked in a lone gingersnap and got right down to business. Creamy pumpkin ice cream studded with gingersnaps and perfumed with hint bourbon? You know you want it! This is the ice cream recipe that made me realize that ice cream really is worth the wait. Perhaps after 32 years of living I will finally figure out patience?

And we’re off!

Warning- this post is photo heavy! There’s some techniques involved. Pay attention!

Gather your ingredients:

Here comes TEAM FLAVOR! Pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon & ginger.

This is TEAM SLURRY. Milk & cornstarch. That’s right! Cornstarch in this ice cream. No eggs!

Mix the milk, cream, sugar, salt & corn syrup in a pot. Get it boiling.

Then add TEAM SLURRY to the milk. Put it back on the heat and let it thicken up.

This is TEAM CREAM CHEESE. A little of the hot milk gets mixed into this team.

And then finally all the milk gets mixed in. Hello TEAM ICE CREAM BASE.

TEAM FLAVOR gets acquainted with TEAM BASE. Perfect fit!

TEAM PUMPKIN ICE CREAM gets chilled over ice and then TEAM MIXER takes over.

Oh look at that. This ice cream is taking shape.

TEAM PUMPKIN ICE CREAM is all smooth & creamy and ready for the BIG CHILL.

TEAM OH NO YOU DIDN’T arrives…

TEAM OH NO YOU DIDN’T mixes with the chilled TEAM PUMPKIN ICE CREAM.

There’s some mixing going on…After another chill in the freezer out comes a new team!

TEAM PUMPKIN GINGERSNAP ICE CREAM.

Proof that teamwork is AWESOME.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

(recipe adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams At Home & Sunset Magazine)

• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons. light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon. kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon. ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coarsely crushed gingersnaps
• 2 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

In a bowl, stir together 1/4 cup milk and the cornstarch; set slurry aside. In a 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together remaining milk and the cream, sugar, syrup, and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes; stir in slurry. Return to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Place cream cheese in a bowl and pour in 1/4 cup hot milk mixture; whisk until smooth. Then whisk in remaining milk mixture. Add in the pumpkin, vanilla and spices.

Pour mixture into a plastic bag; seal, and submerge in a bowl of ice water until chilled. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to a storage container and freeze for about 2 hours.

Remove ice cream from freezer and stir in the crushed gingersnaps and bourbon. Put ice cream back into the freezer and continue to freeze  until scoopable, 2 1/2 hours and up to 1 week.

Shutterbean Notes:

-I used 3/4 cup pumpkin puree for this but I’d recommend a full cup. Make it pumpkin-y!

-The gingersnaps will be crunchy the first day you make the ice cream and will soften through the next few days. It still tastes pretty awesome!