Creamy cinnamon spice ice cream swirled with apple pie filling and graham cracker crust. This flavorful ice cream is perfect when you want both a cold treat and the taste of fall!

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Why this recipe works

My favorite part about this ice cream is that nothing in it is labor intensive or difficult to make. You can actually make it a no-churn ice cream (see notes below) to shave off a little time, but both methods are quick and yield a perfect ice cream texture.

The ice cream base uses eggs—but don’t let that scare you! It’s very, very simple to make as long as you can whisk quickly. And even if the eggs scramble, you can strain them with a mesh sieve (I know I’ve had to do this plenty of times!). Eggs create the creamiest possible ice cream. In fact, when the custard is chilled, it’s almost mousse-like and is so silky and rich.

Then there are the flavors. Oh. My. Goodness. Cinnamon vanilla ice cream, apple pie filling, and graham cracker crust. It really is a bit of apple pie a la mode, but without the hassle of making an apple pie! Plus, it lasts a lot longer than a pie, so you can enjoy those perfectly fall flavors (and textures) anytime!

Key ingredients

Egg yolks. Don’t be intimidated! Using egg yolks is fairly quick and makes the ice cream just so, so creamy and delicious.

Sugar. Granulated is used. When you whisk it with the yolks, it will be lumpy at first, but keep whisking, as the sugar will melt and become fluffy.

Whole milk. Try to use regular whole milk instead of nonfat. You won’t actually save very many calories per serving using nonfat here, and it’s much creamier with whole.

Vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla, not imitation.

Cinnamon. Using a quality cinnamon helps ensure you get a vibrant flavor.

Heavy cream. Heavy cream really is necessary to get the perfect texture.

Apple pie filling. I used my favorite brown sugar, bourbon, and cider filling for this recipe, but any filling would work.

Graham cracker crust. I used a simple crust, but this would also be great with my honey cinnamon graham cracker crust! Using a crust is better than simply crumbling graham crackers, as it can be backed into crumbles and will keep its crunch in the freezer.

How to make apple pie ice cream

1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy. At first it’ll be goopy and lumpy and seem like it can’t be whisked. Just keep going and the sugar will melt then it’ll all turn fluffy and pale. You should be able to pull the whisk up and create ribbons that stay visible for a few seconds.

2. Heat milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium, until steam comes off and bubbles begin to form along the edges.

3. Temper the milk into the eggs. I always temper all of my milk to be safe. Pour slowly and whisk the eggs quickly. Then pour it all back into the saucepan.

4. Heat until thickened. It should be able to coat the back of a spoon (meaning if you run your finger on the custard on the back of your spatula, it leaves a distinct line that doesn’t fill in). I usually cook it until it resembles instant pudding before it’s been chilled.

5. Chill. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the custard to prevent a film forming while it cools. It needs at least an hour to chill.

6. Prep fillings. You can do this ahead of time or while the custard chills. You’ll cook the apple pie filling then let it cool, and you’ll crumble the graham cracker crust on a pan and cook it for 5-10 minutes so it’s crunchy and doesn’t turn soggy in the freezer.

7. Churn custard and heavy cream. Stir the two well then churn according to your manufacturer’s directions. Be sure you have enough ice or have frozen it long enough, per direction. (*See note below for making this without an ice cream maker, i.e. no-churn.)

8. Layer and swirl with apple pie filling and graham cracker crust. You’ll do 1/3 of each at a time, or honestly any amount you’d like. It’s just important to dollop and swirl the mix-ins so they don’t harden into a layer.

9. Freeze. It needs at least 3-4 hours to freeze, ideally overnight.

Enjoy!

Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe

*How do I make this a no-churn ice cream?

It’s so simple! You’ll still use all the indicated ingredients and still make the custard as directed, letting it chill fully. Once the custard part is cooled, instead of combining it with the cream then churning, you’ll beat the cream to soft peaks (separately) then fold it into the custard in three additions then layer and swirl with the apple pie filling and graham cracker crust. It will basically be a mousse at this point, so you’ll have to freeze it, unlike slow-churned ice cream that is a soft serve consistency when freshly churned. However, it’s a small price to pay for this faster, simpler option!

Can I make this without eggs?

Yes! I personally prefer the taste of egg-based ice creams, but you can make this recipe by using one 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk instead of the egg yolks, whole milk, and sugar. Simply combine one 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk with the vanilla and cinnamon. This replaces the custard, so you can then either add the heavy cream and churn with an ice cream maker or follow the no-churn option above.

What if my eggs scrambled?

Sometimes, the eggs scramble just a bit. If they’ve scrambled a lot, with large chunks of egg, you should start over. However, if you’re unsure or think you see some tiny egg bits, just use a large fine mesh sieve to strain the custard before chilling. It’ll remove any egg that didn’t temper properly.

Can I use store bought fillings?

You can definitely use store bought apple pie filling. I just really like using fresh apples, so I can chop them small enough to make scooping easy. If you do use store bought, I suggest chopping it up a bit, if you can. As for the graham cracker crust, I don’t recommend store bought. Making the raw crust, crumbling it onto a pan, then baking it creates this crunchy texture that won’t turn soggy.

Make this ahead of time

This is just my preference. You’ll need to let it freeze overnight, so at the very least, make this a day before serving. However, I like to make the custard one day, churn it the next, then serve it the next (or whenever I want to eat it). It lasts for at least a month if in a good container. You just want to be sure you churn it the day before you’ll need it, so it can set in the freezer for at least a few hours.

My tools

Here are my must-have tools I use for making ice cream. Affiliate links provided.

Ice cream maker (or stand mixer or handheld mixer)

Ice cream container (or use a 8x4 loaf pan or 9x5 loaf pan)

Ice cream spade or scoop

Mesh sieve (in case some egg scrambles as you temper it)

You might also like:

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Ice Cream

Homemade Drumstick Ice Cream

Foolproof French Apple Pie

Caramel Apple Pie Bars

Apple Pie Ice Cream

Print recipe

prep time: 40-45 minutes (includes making both fillings)
chill time: 1 hour
churn time: 30 minutes
freeze time: 4-8 hours
total time: 10 hours, 15 minutes

servings: about 9-10 (½ cup servings)

Ingredients:

3 large egg yolks, room temperature
⅔ cup (133g) sugar sugar
¾ cup (170g) whole milk
1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon (2g) ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups (360g) heavy whipping cream, cold
ice cream maker, prepped per directions (optional–see no-churn option at the bottom)*
1 to 1 ½ cups apple pie filling
one unbaked graham cracker crust (regular or cinnamon honey)

Instructions:

Follow your ice cream maker’s directions to prepare it for use, which could include placing the bowl in the freezer for up to 24 hours (*see note above for no-churn option).
It’s recommended to make the apple pie filling ahead of time, but you could also make it while the custard chills. You can use store bought apple pie filling, but chop any large pieces of apple so it’s scoopable. Store the apple pie filling in the fridge until ready to use.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until lighter and frothy, 2-3 minutes. At first it may seem thick and clumpy, but keep going until the sugar melts and it becomes lighter in color and frothy. Set aside.
Combine the whole milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to steam and small bubbles begin to form along the edge of the pan.
Temper the milk into the eggs by very, very slowly streaming the milk into the eggs while whisking the eggs very quickly. Be sure to whisk constantly and quickly as you do this to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Once all of the milk has been added to the eggs, scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula (be sure to get to the edges and corners), until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. It should feel thicker as you stir, as well, similar to instant pudding before it’s chilled.
Remove from stove and pour back into the bowl the eggs were in. Stir for a couple of minutes to cool slightly, then add the heavy cream to stop the cooking process.
Cover well and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
While the custard chills, you can make the graham cracker crumbles (or make ahead and store well-sealed on the counter). Prep the crust “dough” according to directions. Once mixed, squeeze into crumbles about the size of peas. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350F/175C for 5-10 minutes, until browned slightly. Let cool completely.
Once the custard is cooled, follow your manufacturer’s directions to churn the ice cream. Don’t overmix. It should just start looking like ice cream when you stop the mixer.
Once the ice cream is finished, pour about ⅓ into a 9x5 loaf pan or an ice cream container. Dollop about ⅓ of the apple pie filling and ⅓ of the graham cracker crumbles onto the ice cream. Swirl slightly with a knife. Repeat this process two more times, until all ice cream is layered with desired amount of apple pie filling and graham cracker crumbles. Cover well and freeze for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. You may need to let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes before scooping.

Enjoy!

Store leftovers in an airtight container. Ice cream should last at least 1-2 months, but this can vary depending on your freezer and how well-sealed it is.