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Homemade Pineapple Ice Cream

Homemade pineapple ice cream with bright, sweet-tart flavor and a vivid pale yellow custard base, thickened by tempering and cooked to 175F. Churned pineapple ice cream with visible pineapple pieces for a creamy, refreshing tropical frozen dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pineapple base
  • 2 cup fresh pineapple Finely diced for visible chunks throughout the finished ice cream.
Dairy and custard
  • 2 cup heavy cream Heated until steaming for the custard base.
  • 1 cup whole milk Heated with the cream to steam for tempering.
  • 3 4 cup granulated sugar Divided: 1/4 cup for simmering pineapple and 1/2 cup for the egg yolks.
  • 4 egg yolks Beaten with remaining sugar, then tempered into warmed dairy.
Flavorings
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Stir in after straining to keep flavor fresh.
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice Adds tang and helps concentrate pineapple juices during simmering.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Balances sweetness in the custard.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 fine-mesh strainer

Method
 

Simmer and puree the pineapple
  1. Simmer finely diced pineapple with 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice over medium heat for 10 minutes, until softened and the juices look more concentrated. Visual cue: the pineapple should look glossy and slightly reduced.
  2. Cool the pineapple mixture, then blend to a chunky puree. Visual cue: you should still see small pineapple bits, not a completely smooth sauce.
Temper and cook the custard
  1. Heat heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan until steaming, not boiling. Visual cue: you should see active steam rising from the surface.
  2. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until thick and smooth. Visual cue: the mixture should look pale and slightly foamy.
  3. Slowly whisk the steaming dairy into the egg yolks in a thin stream. Visual cue: pour steadily while whisking to prevent scrambling.
  4. Cook the custard while stirring until it reaches 175F. Visual cue: the custard should coat the back of a spoon and look slightly thickened.
  5. Strain the custard, then stir in vanilla, salt, and the chunky pineapple puree. Visual cue: the mixture turns a vivid pale yellow with visible pineapple flecks.
  6. Cool completely, then refrigerate for 4 hours. Visual cue: the custard should be cold and set enough to churn smoothly.
Churn and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled pineapple custard in an ice cream maker until thick and soft-serve consistency. Visual cue: it should look aerated and noticeably thicker than the liquid base.
  2. Transfer to a container and freeze until firm. Visual cue: the surface should look matte and scoopable, not soft.

Notes

For the smoothest churn, cool the custard until fully room temperature before refrigerating (this prevents icy texture). Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months. For a dairy-light swap, replace the whole milk with additional heavy cream or a barista-style oat milk, but note the texture may be softer due to different fat content.