Lucky Charms Ice Cream Recipe - We are not Martha (2024)

This Lucky Charms Ice Cream is made with cereal-infused milk and packed with extra Lucky Charms marshmallows and marshmallow fluff. Dare I say it's magically delicious?

I originally made this Lucky Charms ice cream wayyy back in 2012. At the time, I was lamenting about how I was about to turn 30 years old and how fast time was flying by. Oh, I was so young and innocent back in those days! And also, a really bad photographer. Seriously, though.

Which is exactly why I'm taking the time to update this post. To be fair, 2012 was a different time in the recipe creation/food blog world and I'll never forget when Bon Appétit magazine picked this recipe up and featured my photos on their website.

This is the same absolutely delicious Lucky Charms ice cream recipe that's been around for over 12 years... Now, the photos just look a little more tasty, too!

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

If you're a lover of Lucky Charms cereal, you have to try this ice cream! It's easy to make and tastes just like the magically delicious cereal.

It's made with a cereal milk base and has lots of Lucky Charms marshmallows and marshmallow fluff mixed in. Does it get any better than that??

It makes the perfect St. Patrick's Day treat, but much like the cereal, there's really no time of year for this ice cream!

🗒 Ingredients

The ingredients for this recipe are pretty simple ice cream ingredients. I do blend marshmallow fluff into it for even more deliciousness, but you have the option to either make your own or use store-bought fluff.

Here's everything you need (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

• Lucky Charms cereal
• Whole milk
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Large egg yolks (be sure to save an egg white for the homemade fluff)
• Heavy cream
• Marshmallow Fluff: either store-bought or using the recipe I provide

Here's everything you need if you're planning to make your own fluff:

• Large egg white (save one from the yolks in the ice cream!)
• Light corn syrup
• Salt
• Confectioners' sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Cream of tarter

You'll need a scoop of Lucky Charms for the cereal milk ice cream base, but you'll also need extra Lucky Charms marshmallows to mix into the ice cream. You can easily pick them out of the cereal box, but did you know you can also purchase an entire bag of Lucky Charms marshmallows? So fun!

🥣 Equipment

This Lucky Charms ice cream does require an ice cream machine. I have the ice cream attachment to my KitchenAid mixer and highly recommend it.

I've probably made hundreds of quarts of ice cream over the years with it!

You'll also want containers to store your ice cream in. You can use a simple food storage container (like Tupperware) or you can use one specific to ice cream.

👩‍🍳 How to make marshmallow fluff

If making your own marshmallow fluff, you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. Or you can make it while the ice cream base is chilling before you process it.

If you've never made fluff before, I'll tell you now, it's superbly easy. And worth it. Just try it. Please?

All you need to do is beat egg white, corn syrup, and salt in a mixer on high until the mixture thickens (4-5 minutes). It will start off clear, but after beating it, it will turn white.

Then mix in confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and cream of tarter. And marshmallow fluff is yours!

This recipe make a little bit more than you need for the ice cream, so do something fun with it.

Store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

🍦 How to make Lucky Charms ice cream

If you're scared of making homemade ice cream, don't be! It's actually really easy, even for custard-based recipes. While there are plenty of no-churn ice creams out there, I still fully believe you're going to get the best, creamiest ice cream with a maker, so I recommend investing in one (they're great for adding to wedding registries!).

To start the ice cream making process, make yourself a bowl of Lucky Charms (but don't eat it!). Seriously though, combine the cereal with the milk and pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

You really want to let the flavors meld so you're left with a delicious cereal milk.

Strain the milk from the cereal and you're left with a glorious bowl of cereal milk. Which we all know is delicious and the best part of a bowl of cereal (well, maybe besides marshmallows).

Now, heat that milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until the mixture just reaches the point of simmer. Then remove from heat.

While you're heating your milk, lightly whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl.

And pour about half of the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking all the time (this process is called tempering and is done slowly so you don't heat the eggs too much and cook them). Then pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.

With the heat on low, continue whisking until mixture thickens up and coats the back of your spoon. Keep stirring and keep your eye on it because you don't want it to thicken too much and start getting clumpy. Remove from heat.

Pour heavy cream into a large bowl. And strain the egg/milk mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the heavy cream, continuing to whisk.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (so that the plastic wrap is touching the top of the cream mixture to avoid a skin forming) and move to fridge for about 4 hours (I usually make my ice cream base one day, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and finish it the next day).

When the ice cream mixture is chilled, process it in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. For me, that means pouring mixture into my chilled ice cream bowland mixing on low for about 20 minutes.

When the ice cream was almost done, I added about 1 ½ cup of marshmallow fluff and my 1 cup of Lucky Charms marshmallows.

Scoop the ice cream in an airtight container or two and pop in the freezer for about 6 more hours until it's at the consistency of your liking. I know. It's a lot of waiting. But the results are totally worth it.

And at last, you can call your magical Leprechaun friends in for dessert. It's like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This Lucky Charms ice cream really actually does taste like cereal milk. I'm not sure if Momof*cku invented the whole cereal milk idea, but I kind of want to marry it.

I also quite honestly want to marry this ice cream. It is legit that good.

The best thing is, you get a bit of marshmallow in every bite of ice cream. And even if for some strange crazy reason, you didn't, you'd still taste the marshmallow in every bite. Thanks to infusing the milk and adding in plenty of extra fluff. Best idea ever.

Marshmallow heaven.

⏲️ How to store

Be sure to keep this ice cream in an airtight container in your freezer.

When stored properly, it should keep fresh and delicious for about a month.

Make sure the temperature of your freezer is well-regulated as fluctuations can cause freezer burn.

🎉 Variations on recipe

I think this Lucky Charms ice cream is pure perfection. I love that upon your first bite, you can tell exactly what it is and nothing is covering up those delicious cereal flavors.

However, there are lots of fun add-ins and toppings you could use to take this ice cream to whole new levels. Here are some ideas:

• White chocolate chips: Their creamy texture and sweet flavor can complement the marshmallow flavors in the ice cream.

• Chocolate sauce or caramel sauce: Drizzle either chocolate sauce or caramel sauce over the top for an extra sweet addition.

• Cereal milk ganache: Even better than hot fudge? Cereal milk ganache made by stirring warm cereal milk into either white chocolate or milk chocolate.

• Toasted nuts: To add a little cereal-like crunch to the ice cream, consider mixing in some toasted pecans or walnuts.

• Sprinkles: For more fun colors, mix in the sprinkles of your choice into the ice cream... Of course, I recommend rainbow sprinkles!

By the way, is it just me or have cereal box toys gone way downhill since we were kids? If the boxes even include anything these days, it's trading cards or something you have to send away for.

Or something totally lame. Ugh, maybe that's just one more way I'm old.

But I will never be too old for concocting desserts out of sugary kids cereals.

And I hope you will never be too old to enjoy them. Or to at least humor me. For the most part, that's all I ask. But you really should make this Lucky Charms ice cream, even if you think you're too old for it.

Your inner kid will come out and you'll completely forget how old you are. Age is just a number anyway. At least that's what I'll keep telling myself. Age is a number and marshmallow-EVERYTHING is delicious always and forever.

🌈 More Lucky Charms recipes

If you're looking for more delicious recipes using Lucky Charms, I have quite a few ready for you! I absolutely love baking with Lucky Charms and the options for what you can make with them are endless. Here are some of my favorite recipes:

I also love these Lucky Charms Doughnuts and these Lucky Charms Marshmallow Rice Krispies.

Though this Lucky Charms ice cream is the most perfect St. Patrick's Day dessert, Lucky Charms really knows no season and the ice cream can be enjoyed year round, just like the cereal.

And once you try this, you're going to want to keep your freezer stocked all the time!

Do you still enjoy a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal every now and then?

📖 Recipe