You guys. We all know that it’s the holiday season, which means crazy office parties and treats shared among friends and family. Here’s the thing…I don’t think you’re going to want to share this No Churn Eggnog & Gingersnap Protein Ice Cream with anyone. You’ll be too busy hoarding it all for yourself. “Everyone else can have the cookies, I’ll take this ice cream, thanks.”
It seems like every holiday season, I end up picking up a bottle of Califia Farms Holiday Nog Almond Milk and it inspires so many recipes! It’s got that classic eggnog flavor in a much less thick, much less sugary almond milk. I honestly don’t enjoy how thick traditional eggnog is but I love the flavor, so this is perfect for me. And you know what eggnog goes really well with? Gingersnap cookies. The spices complement one another really well, especially when they’re combined with the cool, creamy deliciousness of this ice cream base. 
Because I don’t have an ice cream maker sitting around at home – which is surprising considering the amount of kitchen appliances I keep around – the only ice cream I ever really make is the no-churn variety. I’ve made a few flavors in the past like this raspberry swirl one and this mermaid one, but this is the first time I’ve tried out the sweetened condensed milk trick (the others use sweet potatoes to thicken them!). It makes for a seriously creamy (and seriously sweet) ice cream.
You’ll notice that there are THREE recipe cards in this post…the first is the original ice cream recipe that uses your run-of-the-mill, store-bought sweetened condensed milk. But because sweetened condensed milk has a boatload of sugar (and honestly made the ice cream a little too sweet for my taste), I decided to try out a lower sugar alternative to the condensed milk. The consistency you can get with your own on the stovetop is pretty incredible.
The other recipe card you’ll see is for the gingerbread syrup, which is super versatile and can be used in Skinny Gingerbread White Russians, protein lattes, oatmeal, or whatever else you want to infuse some holiday flavor into. Enjoy!
No Churn Eggnog & Gingersnap Protein Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups Califia Farms Holiday Nog Almond Milk (18 oz)
- 4 34 gram scoops Cellucor Vanilla Casein
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup gingersnap syrup (4 oz)
- 6 Stauffer ginger snap cookies crumbled
- 3 oz bourbon
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Dash ground cloves
- Dash ground ginger
Instructions
Add eggnog and protein powder to a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth and thick. Add condensed milk, bourbon, and spices and continue to mix until well combined.
Pour the ice cream base into a 1.5 liter loaf pan or similar freezer-safe container. Freeze for about 2-3 hours - the ice cream should be firm but still able to be stirred with effort.
Pour gingersnap syrup and crumbled gingersnap cookies on top of ice cream. Using a spoon or knife, swirl the syrup and cookies throughout the ice cream base, being careful not to overmix (you want to still be able to see the definition of the gingersnap swirls). Return to freezer for 1-2 hours longer before serving.
Gingerbread Syrup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup molasses (regular works better than blackstrap) (4 oz)
- 1/4 cup water (2 oz)
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar (24 grams)
- 2 cinnamon sticks (or 1/2 tsp ground)
- 2 whole cloves (or 1/8 tsp ground)
- 1 whole nutmeg (or 1/8 tsp ground)
- 1″ knuckle fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly (or 1 tsp ground)
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain out spices (if using whole spices instead of ground) and allow to cool.
(Lower Sugar) No Churn Eggnog & Gingersnap Protein Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups Califia Farms Holiday Nog Almond Milk (18 oz)
- 4 34 g scoops Cellucor Vanilla Casein protein powder
- 1/2 cup gingersnap syrup (4 oz)
- 6 Stauffer ginger snap cookies crumbled
- 3 oz bourbon
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Pinch ground cloves
- Pinch ginger
Lower Sugar Condensed Milk Alternative
- 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 2 tbsp Monkfruit sweetener (24 grams)
- 2 scoops pure stevia powder (90 mg)
- 1/8 tsp xanthan gum (0.4 grams)
- 2 1/2 tbsp Cellucor Vanilla Casein protein powder (21 grams)
Instructions
Lower Sugar Condensed Milk Alternative
Add coconut milk to a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Lower heat to medium-low and whisk in Monkfruit sweetener, stevia powder, and xanthan gum until dissolved.
Simmer mixture until reduced by half (about 1 hour), whisking frequently to prevent burning. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Whisk in casein protein powder until no lumps remain (strain if needed). Add more casein protein powder 1 tbsp at a time if needed to reach the consistency of sweetened condensed milk. Set aside.
Ice Cream
Add eggnog and protein powder to a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth and thick. Add condensed milk alternative, bourbon, and spices and continue to mix until well combined.
Pour the ice cream base into a 1.5 liter loaf pan or similar freezer-safe container. Freeze for about 2-3 hours – the ice cream should be firm but still able to be stirred with effort.
Pour gingersnap syrup and crumbled gingersnap cookies on top of ice cream. Using a spoon or knife, swirl the syrup and cookies throughout the ice cream base, being careful not to overmix (you want to still be able to see the definition of the gingersnap swirls). Return to freezer for 1-2 hours longer before serving.
