One weekend the Mr. and I were on the road and we popped into a local shop for an ice cream cone. When we both spotted Circus Animal Cookie ice cream and of course, we both chose that flavor.
It's one of those nostalgic treats you know? It just reminds me of being a kid.
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Since it is one of our favorite childhood cookies, we said TWO SCOOPS PLEASE! In my opinion, there are few things better than these adorably tasty pink and white cookies.
I knew I had to try to recreate this recipe at home. I'm all about easy desserts and though this recipe is pretty easy to make, you do need an ice cream maker. This is the one I use! I've had it for years and I give it a nice work out every summer.
Ingredients for Circus Animal Cookie Ice Cream
You can read and print the full recipe below, but these are the ingredients you will need to make this ice cream recipe.
- Whole Milk
- Cornstarch
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream
- Salt
- Cream cheese softened
- Sugar cookie mix (just buy the premixed kind)
- Circus Animal Cookies
- Nonpareil Sprinkles
And the end product was this creamy, yet crunchy, pink ice cream. SO. GOOD.
I served it on a pink ice cream cone, but you could serve it on a waffle cone, too. You can print out these free cone wrappers to make it extra fun!
Other Nostalgic Desserts to Make
I love putting a spin on a childhood favorite. Here are a few other desserts I've made inspired by things I loved as a kid:
- For all the sugary cereal fans out there: Mini Cereal Ice Cream Cakes
- Pudding lovers and sprinkle kids: Mini Pudding Parfaits
- For the candy bar lovers: Mini Cheesecake Bites
- Because, donuts! Lucky Charms Donuts
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Circus Animal Cookie Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese softened
- 1 ¼ cups sugar cookie mix just buy the premixed kind
- 20 Circus Animal Cookies roughly chopped
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of milk with the cornstarch and mix until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine remaining milk, heavy cream, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn temperature down, stir in cornstarch mixture then bring back to a boil for 1 minute.
- Whisk in cream cheese and cake mix, then pour into a large heat-safe bowl.
- Let mixture come to room temperature before covering and letting sit in the fridge overnight to chill for best flavor.
- Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Add the cookies and sprinkles in last 5 minutes of churning.
- Transfer to freezer safe container and let harden in the freezer for several hours (or eat immediately for perfect soft serve texture).
Notes
Melinda says
Hello there. I made this ice cream base last night and I had a few questions. Did you add in the sugar cookie mix without adding the extra wet ingredients or did you prepare the sugar cookie mix according to the bag and add the prepared mix? The box of sugar cookie mix I used suggested only one egg and half a stick of butter, but I didn't prepare it, I added it in dry, and my ice cream base has turned into a kind of jelly doughy substance.. So I think I did not do it correctly.
Tori says
Hi Melinda! Correct, it's just the mix from the box, not the additional ingredients listed on the box.
Larissa says
These animal cracker cookies are a favorite from my childhood. What a fun way to serve them.