The start of the winter holidays means batches of warmly-scented Norwegian pepperkaker (gingerbread) baking away, so the cookie tin will be full and can sustain us for the whole month. With so many cookies comes a lot of dough. I like to take a good handful aside and save it to make this homemade Pepperkaker Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

It’s a simple and traditional vanilla custard ice cream base dotted with chunks of pepperkaker dough. The warm spices and sweet molasses pair perfectly with the vanilla. If you’re feeling so bold, you can toss in some chocolate pieces as well.

This makes such a delightful treat and variety from the classic cookie. A big scoop or two goes a long way and you can always top with some crumbled cookies for a little more texture. With what can be a busy season, making this ahead of time and having some on hand in the freezer is always welcome.

Pepperkaker Cookie Dough Ice Cream (Pepperkakeis)

Makes about 2 pints (1 liter)

• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (200g) pepperkaker/gingerbread cookie dough, cut into small bite-size pieces  

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In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until light and pale.

In a small saucepan, warm the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla over medium heat. Slowly add the milk to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling of the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until somewhat thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to cool at room temperature. Once cool, place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to chill.  

Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to process, adding in the pepperkaker cookie dough as instructed. Once it has finished churning, transfer the ice cream to a freezer-friendly container and leave it in the freezer to set solid. Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream machine, pour the mixture directly into a freezer-friendly container, and place in the freezer. After an hour, fold in the pepperkaker cookie dough and return to the freezer. Freeze, stirring the mixture with a fork occasionally to break up any ice crystals, for at least 3 to 4 hours or until hardened.

Let the ice cream sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving to soften slightly.

*Feel free to omit the eggs from my pepperkaker dough recipe if only making the dough for this. You can also use pre-made dough as well.