Grape Nut Ice Cream
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Jamaican Grape Nut Ice Cream is a rich vanilla custard ice cream. It’s a creamy sweet and a little salty, it’s slightly nutty and oh so delightful!
I was first introduced to this Grape Nut Ice Cream back in 2013 on a winter’s getaway to Jamaica.
Grape Nut also referred to as “Grain Nut” Ice Cream
Even though we discovered this Caribbean ice cream flavor in Jamaica, and believed that it originated there, after doing my homework, I found out that it’s also popular in the Canadian Maritimes, Nova Scotia, and New England. Who knew? (well, I guess we both do now!)
I have also discovered that Gifford’s Dairy in Maine has been making and selling Grape Nut Ice Cream for years. Guess I need to plan a trip to the North East, right?
You may also hear Grape Nut ice cream called grain nut ice cream or great nut ice cream, too!
What is Grape Nut Ice Cream Made Of?
The ingredients in this homemade Grape Nuts ice cream are all very simple ones. Egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar, pure vanilla extract, and of course, Post Grape Nuts cereal.
You prepare a traditional vanilla custard with egg yolks and sugar, tempered by warm cream. That mixture is then warmed to 170 degrees F. over the stove.
It’s chilled in the refrigerator for about an hour before the vanilla and cereal are added in, then it’s frozen. The result is a sweet, rich and creamy frozen custard with a slight salty nutty taste.
The Grape Nuts aren’t hard like they are when they come from the box. They have about the same texture as they do when they soak up some milk from your cereal bowl.
What is a Grape Nut Anyway?
Funny thing? Grape Nuts Cereal contains neither nuts nor grapes! It is a cereal that was created by C.W. Post way back in 1897, actually made of both wheat and barley. The “batter” was baked into a sheet and then he used a coffee grinder to produce the little kernels. Post called the glucose that came from baking “grape sugar,” and the name was born.
Grape Nuts are a very crunchy cereal, that tastes nutty and slightly malty. They are a great combination with vanilla frozen custard!
Making Homemade Grape Nut Ice Cream
Because I (sadly) can’t just snap my fingers and be on the beach in Jamaica enjoying this frozen confection whenever I want, I set out to make it for myself.
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More Jamaican/Caribbean Recipes to Enjoy
We love the food in the Caribbean so much, I have been building my recipes up for Jamaican fare. Here are some other favorites:
- Jamaican Sweet Coconut Rice – pictured above
- Dirty Monkey Cocktails
- Tropical Chicken Nachos with Tropical Salsa
- Jamaican Jerk Glazed Chicken
- Spicy Caribbean Shrimp
See ALL of my Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Recipes
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Grape Nut Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 cups cream divided
- 1 cup grape nut cereal
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a metal bowl whip egg yolks and sugar until fluffy.
- In a metal bowl over a pan of boiling water on the stove (or use your double boiler) warm 2 cups of cream. (do not boil)
- Add warm cream in a slow stream to egg mixture, whisking constantly. This is the custard.
- Set the custard mixture in a metal bowl over boiling water (or use double boiler)
- Stir custard with a wooden spoon constantly, until thermometer reaches 170 degrees.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining cup of cream, place in the refrigerator to cool for about an hour.
- When the custard is cool, add vanilla and grape nuts and pour it into your ice cream maker.
- Freeze according to your maker’s instructions.
- Pour into a metal loaf pan, cover, and place in your freezer until frozen.
Notes
Nutrition
The great flavors of blueberries and almonds mixed in ice cream? This sounds wonderful!
Oh yes thank you for a great review of one of a delicious flavour icecream we eat in Jamaica… . Yes yes yes, grape nut is delicious. You should also try our icecream cake when your their. Hmm hmm.
And how about Pistachio icecream. Oh so delicious. Make sure to get the one with the Pistachio nut in there. And the icecream should be green coloured.
You can find it at Wakefern Shop Rite grocery stores.
How creamy and delicious this is. Your recipe is awesome. Thanks for sharing.
I have been obsessed with grape nut cereal lately. This looks so good, it is definitely going on my to-do list 🙂
We love any kind of ice cream and this is a new one for us to try. YUM!
Never thought of this combination before but it sounds amazing! I need to try this 🙂
I never would have thought to use grapenut cereal in ice cream! It looks absolutely delicious!
My mother made this over 60 years ago and never traveled out of the country. I think she added the grape nuts just before the ice cream got hard. I’ve never heard of anyone else making it before.
Good memories. It was my fathers favorite.
Aw! Thanks for sharing! I love comments like these! <3
My boyfriend is Jamaican and grape-nut ice cream is his favorite ice cream but hasn’t had it since he was last in Jamaica about 20 years ago. I decided to surprise him for his birthday and make it for him, so I tried your recipe. He was beyond excited and said it tasted exactly like how he remembers. He now asks me to make this for him every week or so lol. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
Savannah – Comments like these are what makes what I do so worth it! Than you for taking the time to share that with me. I am tickled that you made this for him and that it brought him fond memories of home. Cheers!
Love love this ice cream. Taste of the Tropics in Brooklyn sells and ships this ice cream. Used to sell at store here in VA but they stopped….have no idea why.. I will try this at home looks good. If not I will just continue to order and get it shipped from Brooklyn. Thanks for the recipe!!
You’re welcome!! I hope you love it! I have had people who grew up in Jamaica tell me it’s perfect! I hope that you think so, too!
I love Grapenut Ice Cream! I like my cereal softened so I would probably add them when heating the mixture.
And the best way to serve it….with warm thickened msple syrup…..
This is one of my favorites! They really don’t stay super hard in the ice cream, but they aren’t mushy by no means, either! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Doesn’t anyone carry this grape nut ice cream here in New Hampshire ? If it’s made in Maine, c’mon …… Giffords used to be in some freezers here in NH ??
Better homemade! 😉
I grew up in Massachusetts and have been eating grapenut custard and grapenut ice cream my whole life and I am now in my 60’s. I have a batch of grapenut custard in the oven right now. Anyone who has never tried it, has no idea what they are missing.
I am planning to try this. I see you describe the taste as slightly salty, but there is no salt in the recipe. Are the grape nuts a little salty?
That’s right. Grapenuts have that savory taste to them. I absolutely ADORE this ice cream recipe, I hope that you do too!!
I don’t usually click on dessert recipes, cause that’s really not my thing. I’m a savory gal, but I do love ice cream. And this one sounds fabulous! I never would have dreamed of any cereal in ice cream. Thanks!!!
That is a huge compliment then! It is so wonderful — I literally dream about this ice cream. I hope you give it a try!
I made your recipe for Grape Nut Ice Cream as a surprise for my husband, we are both Jamaican and he was blown away with how close it remained him of home.
His heart was happy.
Thanks for a great recipe this was my first time making ice cream.
Janet, Thank you so much! This makes me so happy!! What an amazing compliment. Thank you kindly!
I would love to make this but I’m new ice cream making. Could tell me what ice cream maker you use?
I have always had the electric one that looks like a bucket. Like this one on Amazon:https://amzn.to/3YndOXl
My family has been making Grapenut ice cream for decades, and we add crushed pineapple. So delicious!!
I have never had it with pineapple! That sounds incredible! I need to try that!
The first time I made this it came out great! The second and third times the grapenuts sank to the bottom. Could it have been due to hot July weather?
I have never heard of that happening before? I am scratching my head on this one. Do you feel like it wasn’t frozen enough?
I grew up in New England and my favorite milkshake shop in Boston used to make me a grape nut, coconut, and pumpkin milkshake. It was sooo delicious. I never new grape nut ice cream was actually a “thing” but so glad to hear I’m certainly not the only one who loves the flavor combo!
I have heard from others that it was a thing in the NE part of the US. I had only ever had it in Jamaica. That milkshake sounds incredible!