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My husband Jack LOVES oatmeal raisin cookies! Of all of the possible types of cookies – if he had his choice – Jack would choose oatmeal raisin. So knowing Jack’s favorite dessert, a few years ago for a special holiday dinner, I made this delicious Oatmeal Raisin Ice Cream. And as a special treat last week for Father’s Day, I made this oatmeal raisin ice cream again. (This time, taking photos to share here.)
Adapted from the terrific ice cream cookbook, The Perfect Scoop, this oatmeal raisin ice cream is a bit of a labor of love. It’s not difficult to make at all – but there are a few steps that require some close attention. But – the results are totally worth the extra effort and attention and this is one decadent and delicious dessert!
First you create an oatmeal praline by toasting rolled oats in the oven until golden brown, and then melt sugar until a caramel forms. The oats and caramel are stirred together and then spread out to form a sweet, hard praline that is chopped into small pieces.
Then some raisins are soaked in sugar and bourbon while a wonderful cinnamon and vanilla custard churns into creamy ice cream (that ice cream is pretty fantastic on its own – never mind adding in the raisins and oatmeal praline!
Freeze until firm and you’ll end up with some of the best ice cream you’ve ever eaten! If you have an oatmeal raisin lover in your life, like I do – then you have to make this delicious oatmeal raisin ice cream! They will love you (even more) for it!
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Oatmeal Raisin Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Oatmeal Prailine
- 3/4 cup rolled oats (do not use instant)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of coarse kosher salt
For the Raisins
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 2 teaspoons bourbon whiskey
For the Ice Cream
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Ice cold water and ice cubes, for a water bath
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To prepare the Oatmeal Praline
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and spread the oats evenly on the sheet. Bake the oats for about 10 minutes, stirring the oats occasionally, until lightly golden brown. Set aside.
- Sprinkle the sugar into a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, and heat over medium heat. Be sure to watch this – as soon as the sugar starts to liquefy and darken on the outer edges, use a heat-proof silicone spatula
to carefully stir the mixture and start to melt the sugar in the center of the pan.
- Tilt the pan as needed and stir until all of the sugar is melted and turns to a caramel color. As soon as the caramel begins to smoke, remove the pan from the heat and quickly pour in the oatmeal, stirring to coat with your spatula. (Do NOT touch this mixture – it is super hot and will stick to and burn your skin.)
- Scrape the oatmeal-caramel mixture back onto the foil-lined baking sheet and using your spatula spread out as much as possible. Sprinkle with salt and allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, break the praline into small bits – pulsing in a food processor is the easiest way, or place into a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin to crush into small bits. Set aside.
To prepare the Raisins
- In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the water and sugar, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Add the raisins and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has absorbed into the raisins. (You’ll want about 2 tablespoons of liquid remaining in the bottom of the pan.)
- Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon and set aside to cool.
To prepare the Ice Cream
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the cream, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set a fine mesh strainer
on top of the bowl and set aside.
- In a large shallow bowl, prepare an ice bath by filling with very cold water and ice cubes. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk, sugar and salt until the sugar completely dissolves. While whisking, very slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks (make sure to whisk the whole time so that the eggs don’t turn into scrambled eggs). Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan.
- Heat the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan while you stir (a heat-proof, silicone spatula works well for this), until the mixture thickens and coats the back of spoon, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and pour through the mesh strainer into the bowl with the cream mixture. Stir in the vanilla. Place the bowl in the prepared ice bath to chill, being careful not to allow any water from the ice bath to get into the cream mixture.
- Once the custard has cooled in the ice bath, remove the bowl from the ice water and cover with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic down to touch the top of the custard. (This will prevent a skin from forming on the custard as it cools.) Refrigerate overnight.
- Churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker
according to your manufacturer’s instructions. A few minutes before the ice cream is done churning, add in the raisins (pour in all liquid as well) and the crumbled oatmeal praline. Freeze another 2 to 4 hours before serving.
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You may also like:
Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies
Oatmeal Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Cinnamon Rolls with Bourbon-Soaked Raisins
I know it’s the dead of winter here, but I want, no I need to make this ice cream. Love everything about this especially the oatmeal praline.
I gladly eat ice cream all year long Glenda – even when it’s freezing outside! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This ice cream looks amazing! Pinned!
Thanks Amy!
One of the most interesting ice cream recipes that I have seen! 🙂 I love oatmeal raisin cookies so I would really love this ice cream 🙂
Thanks Medeja – if you love oatmeal raisin cookies this is definitely ice cream you’ll love!
This ice cream looks amazing! I’d say the little bit of extra work is well worth it.
Thanks Nicole!
Yum! I love The Perfect Scoop! I have so many favorites from that book!
It’s a really great book!
This is an awesome idea! My husband and sons love oatmeal raisin cookies, and the base sounds so yummy I could keep that raisin-less for me and the girls. Looks perfect for a hot summer day.
Thanks Sherri! I have to say – the best part is really that cinnamon-vanilla ice cream! (Although the raisins and praline are pretty good too…) Thanks for stopping by!