Making Ube Ice Cream: Creamy Purple Ube Ice Cream Recipe

What is ube ice cream?

Ube ice cream is creamy ice cream with the recognizable purple color and soft flavor of ube. It is best known from Filipino cuisine, where ube is widely used in sweet dishes and desserts.

Ube is a purple yam with a soft, slightly sweet, and subtly nutty flavor. This is exactly why ube works well in creamy desserts such as ice cream, cheesecake, cakes, and milkshakes.

For this recipe, we use 100% pure ube powder from the Philippines. This allows you to determine the amount of ube yourself and eliminates the need to work with a pre-sweetened premix.

What does ube ice cream taste like?

Ube ice cream tastes soft, creamy, and slightly sweet. The flavor is more subtle than, for example, chocolate or caramel ice cream, and has a slightly nutty and vanilla-like quality.

This keeps the ice cream accessible, while the purple color and ube flavor clearly set it apart from classic vanilla ice cream.

Want to get to know the flavor of ube better? Then read what does ube taste like?.

Can you make ube ice cream without an ice cream maker?

Yes. You do not need an ice cream maker for this recipe. By whipping heavy cream until light and airy and combining it with condensed milk, you create a creamy base that can be frozen immediately.

The most important step is to mix the ube powder thoroughly with a little bit of warm water first. This ensures the ube distributes evenly throughout the ice cream mixture and prevents dry clumps.

After mixing, the ice cream needs to freeze completely for a few hours. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop.

Making ube ice cream with an ice cream maker

If you do have an ice cream maker, you can use the same flavor base but work with a more liquid ice cream base. The machine freezes and churns the mixture simultaneously, resulting in fewer large ice crystals.

For home use, however, the version without an ice cream maker is often easier because you only need a few ingredients and a sealable container.

Tips for creamy ube ice cream

Use cold heavy cream

Heavy cream whips best when it is very cold. You can also place the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator briefly if it is very warm.

Do not over-whip the cream

Stop at soft to medium peaks. If you whip the cream too stiff, it becomes harder to fold in the ube mixture while keeping it airy.

Mix the ube powder separately first

Mix the powder with a small splash of warm water into a smooth purple paste before adding it. This gives you a more even color and texture.

Use a sealable container

Store the ice cream in a well-sealable container while freezing. This helps to limit dehydration and the formation of unwanted ice crystals.

Let the ice cream soften briefly

Homemade ice cream can be quite firm straight from the freezer. Let it stand for about 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.

Which flavors go well with ube ice cream?

Ube is relatively mild in flavor and therefore combines easily with other ingredients.

• Coconut – gives the ice cream a more tropical flavor.
• Vanilla – strengthens the soft, dessert-like side of ube.
• White chocolate – makes the ice cream richer and sweeter.
• Condensed milk – provides extra creaminess and sweetness.
• Mango – offers a fresh and fruity contrast.
• Matcha – combines the soft ube with an earthy and slightly bitter flavor.

Variations on ube ice cream

Ube coconut ice cream

Replace part of the dairy base with coconut cream or add toasted coconut as a topping. Coconut and ube are often used together because the flavors complement each other well.

Ube soft serve

For a softer, soft-serve-like texture, you can freeze the ice cream for a shorter time or process it briefly in a high-powered blender before serving.

Ube ice cream with white chocolate

Add small pieces of white chocolate to the ice cream mixture for more texture and a sweeter flavor.

Ube milkshake

Have leftover ube ice cream? Use a few scoops as a base for an ube milkshake. This way, you get a completely different dessert drink with very few extra ingredients.

Ube ice cream as a base for desserts

You can, of course, serve ube ice cream as a simple scoop, but it also works well as part of other desserts.

• With warm brownies or cake
• On pancakes or waffles
• As a topping on a milkshake
• In an ice cream sandwich
• With coconut, mango, or white chocolate
• Next to a slice of cheesecake

Want to bake more with ube? Then check out our recipe for ube cheesecake or our ube pancakes.

More to make with ube powder

The same ube powder you use for ice cream can also be incorporated into drinks, batters, and other desserts.

Think, for example, of an ube latte, milkshake, cheesecake, pancakes, or cold foam.

For more ideas, you can view our overview of ube recipes.

Ready to get started? View our 100% pure ube powder from the Philippines.

Ube ice cream for ice cream parlors and catering

Ube ice cream can also be interesting for ice cream shops, dessert bars, cafés, and restaurants that want to add a striking flavor to their assortment.

The flavor is soft and recognizable enough to remain accessible, while the natural purple color ensures that the ice cream immediately stands out in a display case or dessert.

With the same ube base, you can also make other products, such as ube milkshakes, lattes, pancakes, and desserts.

Do you work professionally with ube? Then view our page on ube for catering for bulk packaging and more information.

Frequently asked questions about ube ice cream

What is ube ice cream?

Ube ice cream is ice cream to which ube is added. Ube is a purple yam that is widely used in Filipino desserts and gives the ice cream its recognizable purple color and soft flavor.

What does ube ice cream taste like?

Ube ice cream tastes creamy, soft, slightly sweet, and subtly nutty. The flavor is often combined with vanilla, coconut, and dairy.

Do you need an ice cream maker for ube ice cream?

No. With whipped heavy cream and condensed milk, you can easily make ube ice cream without an ice cream maker.

How long does ube ice cream need to be in the freezer?

Count on at least 6 hours of freezing time. For the best results, you can let the ice cream freeze overnight.

Why is my homemade ube ice cream hard?

Homemade ice cream often contains less air and stabilizers than commercial ice cream and can therefore freeze firmer. Let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Can I make ube ice cream plant-based?

Yes. You can experiment with, for example, coconut cream and plant-based condensed milk. The flavor and structure may differ slightly from the dairy version.

How much ube powder do you use for ube ice cream?

For this recipe, we use about 15 to 20 grams of ube powder for approximately six servings. You can adjust the amount slightly depending on how strong you want the ube flavor to be.