Vegan Ice Cream: Pistachio

## Variant 1 (9/12/23)

I1: 1 cup pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 2 cups oat milk
I3: 1.5 cup sugar
I4: 1 tsp vanilla
I5: ½ tsp salt

I(1-5)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Notes

This recipe started as a custard ice cream. Then I took out the half and half and used pistachio for fat. Then I took out the egg and here we are.

### Result

This very much tasted like candy. I think I overshot. I was worried it would get firmer with the loss of egg, so I added more sugar, comparable to the chocolate, but I think 1.25 might have been enough. That said, this is encouraging. I think I could potentially up the non-dairy milk and get more volume off the recipe. We’ll see how this sets, but this is promising.

## Variant 2 (9/12/23)

I1: 1 cup pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 1 cup water
I3: 2 cups oat milk
I4: 1.5 cup sugar
I5: 1 tsp vanilla
I6: ½ tsp salt

I(1-6)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Note

I melted variant 1 and added a cup of water before rechurning.

### Result

Better mouth feel. More solid. Might use three cups of oat milk instead of the cup of water next time, but generally happy with this.

## Variant 3 (9/xx/23)

I1: 1 cup = 254 g pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 3 cups almond milk
I3: 1.25 cup sugar
I4: 1 tsp vanilla
I5: ½ tsp salt

I(1-5)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Result

Tasted like almonds. All, flavor release seemed off. Melted to a watery taste and felt like there wasn’t enough pistachio flavor. Try a full fat not-milk next time.

## Variant 4 (11/20/23)

I1: 1 cup = 254 g pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 1.5 cups oat milk (1.5g fat/1c)
I3: 1.5 cups oat creamer (1g fat/1T)
I4: 1.25 cup sugar
I5: 1 tsp vanilla
I6: ½ tsp salt

I(1-6)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Result

Very tasty and creamy, but “tastes cold”; didn’t have stabilizers.

## Variant 5 (2/27/25)

I1: 200 g pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 2+ cups water (fill to 3 cups)
I3: 1 cup sugar
I4: 1/2 tsp vanilla
I5: 1 tsp salt

I(1-5)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Result

I liked. Soft. Very pistachio-y. I like this more than the custard version. Another taster said the vanilla was strong. Maybe keep vanilla at 1/4 tsp.

## Variant 6 (2/27/25)

I1: 200 g pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 2+ cups water (fill to 3 cups)
I3: 1 cup sugar
I4: 1 tsp salt

I(1-4)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Result

I liked. Soft. Very pistachio-y. I like this more than the custard version. A taster suggested the salt was too strong in this. Sounds like 1/2 tsp is probably enough salt for this and the other (maybe even the standard 1/4 tsp would be appropriate. I added more because I think of nut butters as being salty).

## Variant 7 (5/29/25)

I1: 200 g pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 2+ cups water (fill to 3 cups)
I3: 250g sugar
I4: 1/2 tsp salt

I(1-4)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Result

## Variant 8 (11/19/25):

I1: 200 g pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 2+ cups water (fill to 3 cups)
I3: 240g sugar
I4: ¼ tsp almond extract
I5: ½ tsp salt

### Result: Good!

## Variant 9 (1/29/26):

I1: 200 g pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 2+ cups water (fill to 3 cups)
I3: 240g sugar
I4: ¼ tsp almond extract
I5: ½ tsp salt

I(1-4)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Result: Very good! Note, even at ¼ tsp, the almond extract is strong for some. Try ⅛ tsp almond.

## Variant 10 (2/1/26):

I1: 200 g pistachio butter (from pureed pistachios)
I2: 2+ cups water (fill to 3 cups)
I3: 240g sugar
I4: ⅛ tsp almond extract
I5: ¼ tsp salt

I(1-5)
O1: Blend
O2: Churn

### Notes:

In general, this is the prototype now. the pistachio, sugar, and water are where they need to be. Add vanilla, almond, or nothing according to user preference.

## Global notes:

Very important note on pistachio butter. Store bought pistachio butter is much too expensive. Go to Costco, buy a bag of pistachios, and toss them in a food processer for 15-20 minutes. In just a couple minutes they'll go from pistachios to pistachio butter, but let it run for 15-20 minutes. When you process for longer, there is a transition from a firm to a liquid-y nut butter. The latter, the liquid state, gives a much better, smoother, creamier final product.

Salt is flexible. If I get pistachios that are pre-salted, I don't add salt. If I have pistachios that have no salt, up to 1/4 tsp is reasonable. I used to add more because many people expect nut butter to be savory, but I think keeping it as a functional element is better.

Otherwise, it's dealer's choice on flavoring. If someone wants an earthy flavor, don't add an extract. If someone wants a candy like taste, like a Reese's*, add 1/4 tsp vanilla. If you want a traditional pistachio flavor, add ⅛ almond (the almond extract is stronger than the vanilla, at least where I buy it).

For me, the defining element of Reese's peanut butter isn't the sugar. What makes the Reese's flavor is vanilla. If you want that same kind of candied flavor, and you want to apply it to a different nut butter, just add 1/4 tsp vanilla. Ironically, in an orange creamsicle, you would think the flavor comes from orange + cream. You'd be right, but ... the unspoken mystery element is vanilla. I find orange + vanilla evokes what I expect of orange creamsicle more than orange + cream.