Southern Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Hearing the name Southern Sweet Potatoes has always made me smile—especially because it carries the warmth of Great Grandma Lena’s kitchen and the familiar aroma of roasted sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and butter. Turning those same comforting flavors into an ice cream feels a little unexpected, but the result is pure Southern magic: a silky sweet-potato custard ribboned with buttery praline cream and studded with crisp pecan pralines. It’s everything we love about the holiday casserole—just in a frozen, spoon-ready form.

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Ice Cream Base

• 1 cup roasted sweet potato purée (from about 1 large roasted sweet potato)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp table salt
• ⅛ tsp cinnamon (optional; keep subtle)
• ⅛ tsp xanthan gum (optional, for extra smooth texture)

Praline-Cream Swirl

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• ½ tsp table salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix-Ins

• 1 cup chopped pecan pralines, frozen before use

Directions

Prepare the Sweet Potato Purée

Roast a whole sweet potato at 400ºF (200ºC) until very soft, about 45–60 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and purée until completely smooth. Measure 1 cup and set aside.

Make the Custard Base

In a medium saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, egg yolks, and salt until well combined. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (170–175ºF / 77–80ºC). Do not boil.

Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, sweet potato purée, vanilla, buttermilk, and cinnamon (if using). If using xanthan gum, sprinkle it in while blending with an immersion blender to avoid clumping.

Chill the base for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Make the Praline-Cream Swirl

In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar and cream. Simmer 1–2 minutes until lightly thickened. Remove from heat, stir in salt and vanilla, and cool completely. Refrigerate until cold.

Churn & Assemble

Churn the chilled sweet potato custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. When nearly finished, fold in the chopped frozen praline pecans.

As you transfer the ice cream to a container, alternate layers of sweet potato ice cream and thin ribbons of praline-cream swirl. Gently marble with a butter knife and freeze until firm.

Notes

Preparation

• Roasting sweet potatoes concentrates their natural sweetness and deepens flavor.
• Adding buttermilk after cooking the custard keeps its flavor bright and prevents curdling.
• Pecan pralines should be fully frozen before folding in to maintain crunch.
• Keep the praline-cream swirl cold but pourable for clean ribbons.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve on its own as a holiday-inspired treat.
• Pair with pecan pie, pumpkin pie, or warm apple crisp.
• Add extra pralines or a warm caramel drizzle for richer servings.
• Great with the Praline-Cream Swirl or just sprinkled with chopped pralines or roasted pecans.

Variations

• Add a toasted marshmallow swirl for a “sweet potato casserole” twist.
• Use browned butter instead of regular butter in the custard for deeper caramel notes.
• Swap praline pecans for toasted pecans if you prefer less sweetness.

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Ice cream keeps up to 2 months in an airtight container.
• Store praline-cream swirl separately up to 1 week refrigerated or 2 months frozen.
• Let ice cream sit at room temperature 5–10 minutes before scooping for best texture.