This no churn Chocolate Pretzel Caramel Ice Cream is unbelievably creamy, easy to make and even easier to eat. Five ingredients and 30 minutes or less and it's ready for the freezer. First you taste the incredibly smooth texture. As that begins to melt away you taste the crunchy, salty chocolate pretzel and finally the intense flavor of the homemade caramel. An throughout all you're thinking is, "this is a keeper for sure"!
The caramel can be made weeks ahead and tucked away in the fridge. So there is no last minute rush to get it done. The remainder is super easy. The hardest part is waiting for it to freeze!
For more no churn ice creams you'll want to try these: Nutella Ice Cream Squares, Ultimate Hot Fudge Marshmallow Sundae, Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie, and the Truly Amazing S'Mores Ice Cream Cake.
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Difference between Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk
Unsweetened condensed milk is known as evaporated milk. There is an important difference between these two varieties. Sweetened condensed milk has a thicker, syrupy texture with added sugar. All condensed milk is sweetened. Evaporated milk is simply thickened milk without added sugar and therefore has a less sweet flavor. Evaporated Milk is used in the filling and frosting for a German Chocolate Cake among other recipes.
Ways to use Leftover Condensed Milk
- There will be about ½ cup condensed milk left over.
- Chocolate Fudge can easily be made by combining ½ cup condensed milk, 1 ½ cups finely chopped chocolate (dark is best here) and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with foil or parchment overlapping the top edges to lift it out. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and, stirring constantly over low heat melt the chocolate until everything is completely blended and shiny. Pour into the pan and let set at room temperature. Remove from the pan using the overhang and cut as desired.
- Coconut macaroons - Add about 7 ounces of shredded coconut to the leftover condensed milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Do not add all of the coconut at once. You want the coconut to be sticky and coated. It may take a bit more or a bit less. Bake at 325°F on parchment paper sprayed with a non-stick baking release for 10 to 12 minutes just until the edges turn golden. The bottoms may be dipped in chocolate after they have cooled.
- Store opened sweetened condensed milk in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 weeks, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Use leftovers to easily sweeten coffee or tea, drizzle over fresh fruit.
REcipe Ingredients
Caramel
FRONT ROW: Unsalted butter, vanilla and corn syrup
BACK ROW: Water, granulated sugar, heavy cream
No Churn Chocolate Pretzel Caramel Ice Cream
FRONT ROW: Vanilla extract, chocolate covered pretzels
BACK ROW: Heavy cream, caramel, condensed milk
Key Ingredients
- Heavy cream should be used. Do not substitute whipping cream or half and half. Heavy cream whips up thicker and is more stable.
- Corn Syrup is used in the caramel to prevent the sugar from crystalizing and becoming grainy. Consumer corn syrup is not high fructose. The caramel can be made without it but extreme care must be taken to make sure all of the sugar, including that which sticks to the sides of the pan must be washed down so not one grain is left or it can crystalize the entire batch.
- Sweetened condensed milk - All condensed milk is sweetened. Evaporated milk is also condensed but it is unsweetened and a completely different product. It is much more liquid and cannot be substituted for the sweetened condensed milk.
- Chocolate covered pretzels can be found in milk chocolate or dark chocolate. I chose the milk chocolate to better balance the flavors. Trader Joe's has both in a big bag.
- When making the caramel the darker the initial sugar syrup the stronger the taste. Be careful not to take it too far or it can become bitter.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions.
Step by Step instructions
Caramel
This should be made at least a day ahead or up to a couple of weeks ahead. If made more than a couple of days ahead, store in the fridge.
Step 1. Water, granulated sugar and corn syrup in pan before boiling. Step 2. Granulated sugar, water and corn syrup boiling over high heat. Step 3. A lid is placed on the pan for 3 to 4 minutes to wash down the sides so no sugar granules remain to make the caramel grainy. Alternatively, the sides can be washed down with a pastry brush and cold water. Step 4. The sugar is boiled until it reaches a deep golden color. Remove from the heat.
Step 5. Butter is melted in the hot, golden syrup before adding the cream. Step 6. Cream and vanilla is added before returning the caramel to the heat. Clip a thermometer onto the pan if possible. Step 7. The caramel in the last stages of boiling. At this point it just has to be taken to the degree called for in the recipe. Step 8. Cooked caramel cooking in the pot before storing in a container.
No Churn Chocolate Pretzel Caramel Ice Cream
Step 1. Place the cream in a mixing bowl and whip until medium peaks. Add the vanilla. Step 2. Beat until very stiff. Step 3. Add the condensed milk. Step 4. Fold the two together until completely blended.
Step 5. Chop the pretzels into bite size pieces and add to the mixture in the mixing bowl. Step 6. Spread half of it in a 9x9x2" pan. Step 7. Warm the caramel if stiff but do not make it liquid. It should be cool when spooning it onto the ice cream in a random pattern. Step 8. Add the remainder of the ice cream and the caramel as before. Swirl the ice cream and caramel together, reaching down to include the bottom layer. Freeze at least 6 hours or overnight. To serve, let it sit at room temperature for 5 or 10 minutes to make it easier to scoop.
Recipe FAQ'S
Absolutely! A no-churn version can be made with whipped heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk, then layered or swirled with caramel and chocolate-covered pretzels before freezing.
For the best crunch, use larger pieces of pretzel and add them toward the end of the process rather than allowing them to sit in the ice cream mixture for too long. Chocolate-covered pretzels are another great option because the chocolate helps protect the pretzel from moisture.
The combination works because it brings together creamy, rich chocolate and caramel with the salty crunch of pretzels. The salt helps balance the sweetness, creating that irresistible sweet-and-salty flavor.
More Incredible Frozen Desserts
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Chocolate Pretzel Caramel Ice Cream
Equipment
- 9x9x2" square pan
- Stand or hand held mixer
Ingredients
Caramel
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (130 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
No Churn Chocolate Pretzel Ice Cream
- 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
- ⅔ cup condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 to 1 ½ cups chocolate covered pretzels (100 to 150 grams)
- Caramel from above
Instructions
Caramel
- In a heavy saucepan that is at least 4 times as big as the ingredients, place the water, sugar and corn syrup, stirring until combined. When it begins to boil, wash down the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold waterBoil until it becomes a deep golden color, swirling the pan so the color is even.Remove from the heat immediately and add the butter, stirring until it is melted. Stir in the cream and vanilla carefully as it may boil up. Return the pan to the heat and boil, without stirring, to 218°F. This will happen very quickly after returning to the heat. It will be very thin but thicken as it cools.Pour into a container and let it come to room temperature undisturbed.
Store at room temperature for several days or refrigerate if holding longer.
Yields: 1 cup
No Churn Chocolate Pretzel Caramel Ice Cream
- Lightly spray a 9x9x2" square pan with a non-stick baking release. Set side.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream to medium peaks. Add the vanilla and then beat until stiff.
- Pour the condensed milk over the whipped cream and fold together by hand so you don't knock the air out of the cream.
- Coarsely chop the chocolate pretzels into bite size pieces. 1 cup is fine but I used 1 ½ cups for maximum effect. Fold them into the cream mixture.
- Pour half of this mixture into the prepared pan. Briefly microwave the caramel if it too set to drizzle off of a spoon. Using a large serving spoon, drizzle as much or as little of the caramel as shown in the photo around the edges and center of the ice cream.
- Add the remainder of the ice cream to the pan and repeat the drizzling. Using a skewer swirl everything together reaching to the bottom layer.
- Freeze at least 6 hours until hard or overnight. To serve, let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to make it easier to scoop.
- Store, covered, in the freezer for 2 months.
Notes
- Heavy cream should be used. Do not substitute whipping cream or half and half. Heavy cream whips up thicker and is more stable.
- Corn Syrup is used in the caramel to prevent the sugar from crystalizing and becoming grainy. Consumer corn syrup is not high fructose. The caramel can be made without it but extreme care must be taken to make sure all of the sugar, including that which sticks to the sides of the pan must be washed down so not one grain is left or it can crystalize the entire batch.
- Sweetened condensed milk - All condensed milk is sweetened. Evaporated milk is also condensed but it is unsweetened and a completely different product. It is much more liquid and cannot be substituted for the sweetened condensed milk.
- Chocolate covered pretzels can be found in milk chocolate or dark chocolate. I chose the milk chocolate to better balance the flavors. Trader Joe's has both in a big bag.
- When making the caramel the darker the initial sugar syrup the stronger the taste. Be careful not to take it too far or it can become bitter.
Nutrition
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