Vanilla Rice Krispy Ice Cream

Andrea Potischman | Mar 27, 2024

You know what they say about ice cream; “I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream“. This tagline phase is cross-generational, eliciting childhood memories of hot summer days and that sought-after cone or a scoop of ice cream that helped keep the heat at bay. That memorable line is actually from a popular novelty song, first published in 1927, with words and music by Howard Johnson, Billy Moll, and Robert A. King.  The phrase quickly became a pop culture saying still referenced today because, despite all the health food hype, ice cream still reigns supreme.

This vanilla rice krispy ice cream is a copycat recipe based on Salt & Straw‘s flavor that rocked my world recently. Truth be told, my older son, typically a chocolate ice cream guy, swooned over this creamy, cereal-studded vanilla that surprises you with great flavor and texture, despite its simplicity.

Salt & Straw

Salt & Straw is an artisanal ice cream shop that popped up in Palo Alto a few years ago. Even today it maintains long lines at all hours, for those in search of that memorable scoop, with unusual flavor pairings. The story behind this ice cream is a great one.

Owner/founder Kim Malek had a dream about creating a community gathering place. A place where you could run into neighbors, spend time with family, or treat yourself.  Her answer to that was an ice cream shop. Tyler, her cousin, wanted to help. Tyler bought used ice cream makers and got to work. He began testing and developing ice cream recipes in his own personal “Wonka-verse” in Kim’s basement. Meanwhile, Kim bought a push cart. They then turned to their community, asking friends—chefs, chocolatiers, brewers, and farmers—for advice. The two found inspiration everywhere they looked. And that’s how Salt & Straw came to be. Their tagline is simple and sweet; “if you ever stop believing in magic, eat some ice cream“. Now that’s now that’s a keeper if you ask me.

Cereal in Ice Cream

Despite not being a cereal person, I seem to be drawn to cereal in ice cream. Not that long ago I developed another copycat cereal ice cream recipe based on Humphry Slocombe‘s boozy Secret Breakfast ice cream. That one was made with bourbon and caramelized corn flake “cookies“. That recipe won a contest award for its flavor profile and similarity. Adult cereal and milk ice cream is clever, unique, and playful which inspired me to copy it. This vanilla rice krispy ice cream recipe, for similar reasons, was just as appealing.

Rice Krispy Magic

Unlike the cornflake cookies I make for the bourbon ice cream, in this recipe the cereal is not sweetened or baked which is how the magic happens. The cereal, after resting, takes on a slightly chewy texture similar to that of a marshmallow rice krispy treat. For me, this was the hook, and I fell in love quickly with that unique mix-in texture. This playful ice cream has been a favorite this summer and a great way to help beat the heat.

Vanilla Rice Krispy Ice Cream

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Rate this recipe

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2 ratings

Servings:

4

Prep:

30 minutes

Cook:

15 minutes

Wait:

12 hours, 45 minutes

Total:

45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup rice Krispy cereal

Directions:

1. In advance, freeze the ice cream maker bowl, ideally overnight.
2. For the ice cream: In a large mixing bowl add the egg yolks and sugar, and whisk until pale yellow. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan add the heavy cream, half and half, and vanilla, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once hot, remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture. Do not pour the warm liquid in too quickly or you will "cook" the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the pot and place over medium heat. Cook, while continually stirring, until thickened. The mixture should reach 170 degrees F.
4. Remove from heat, strain through a fine strainer, and into a medium mixing bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and cool slightly on the counter. Wrap well and refrigerator until well chilled, about 2 hours, or overnight.
5. Once the base is cold, pour it into the ice cream maker. Churn, per the machine instructions, until it's the thickness of soft serve ice cream, about 20-25 minutes. Turn the machine off. Fold in the Rice Krispies.
6. Transfer the ice cream to a container, cover it with parchment paper, and freeze for at least 4 hours or longer for a firmer texture.