(Note: this post was originally published on August 9, 2020. It has been updated several times with additional recipes and photos).
The most important technical guide ever to appear on The Rogue Brussel Sprout is here. It's the GUIDE TO BOOZY NICECREAM and it's exactly what your summer needs. In this guide, I'll cover some basics first, with a focus on ingredients and techniques. Then I'll share a bunch (!!!) of fun variations that you can easily make at home. Feel free to see these as jumping-off points for your own ideas.
Before we dive in, I want to address two important questions. First, why nicecream? As many of you have probably seen and tried, "nicecream" is a pureed, frozen banana dessert that has taken the foodie world by storm. It's vegan, naturally sweetened (depending on what else you add, of course!), and free of weird additives and stabilizers unlike many other frozen desserts. Plus it's infinitely customizable and super easy to make at home in whatever size batch you want. It's a major win with regards to nutrition, ease, and cost.
Second, why boozy? Obviously I love cocktail recipes and distilled products! But adding alcohol to nicecream actually serves a very important purpose chemically. If you've made and re-frozen nicecream before, you've undoubtedly noticed that it turns into a giant hard brick. Not fun, especially if you want to prep a big batch in advance! Adding some distilled alcohol actually lowers the freezing temperature of the nicecream, helping your creation to stay rich and creamy even after sitting in your freezer overnight.
Plus, at the risk of stating the obvious, distilled alcohol is an incredible vehicle for flavor! In addition to adding all sorts of deliciousness, it also hides the banana taste (not that there's anything wrong with banana, but it just doesn't make sense with all the flavors you might want to dream up).
Before we launch into specifics, let's talk about nicecream technique in general. It's really very simple, as long as you freeze the bananas ahead of time. Take the following steps and apply them to all of the fun recipes below!
Without further ado, here are some of my boozy nicecream favorites!
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Inspired by the flavors (and color!!) of the classic cocktail, this nicecream is perfect for a summer day. This one is a favorite in our house because it has such tropical ocean vibes. Plus it's naturally colored with blue spirulina!
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So light, fresh, and tropical! This flavor is perfect for summer since it unifies the classic mojito cocktail with everyone's favorite summer fruit: blueberries! This is an especially great choice if your yard gets overtaken by mint during the growing season.
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I developed this one in collaboration with Koloa Rum, and gosh is it fun. Inspired by the flavors in baklava, this nicecream has sweet honey and crunchy pistachios. Serve it with baklava for extra flair!
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The name says it all. This is like Cherry Garcia on a trip through bourbon country. The flavors are absolutely wonderful and go especially beautifully with caramel sauce. Of all the recipes here, this is the one I make most frequently.
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This is a pick-me-up for sure, with double the coffee thanks to both espresso powder and Kahlua. It's luscious and creamy, and the banana flavor is completely undetectable. If you have nicecream skeptics in your life, this is a great one to start with.
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I actually first developed this nicecream to use in my Fig, Bourbon, and Cinnamon Nicecream Cake but it quickly became a house favorite that I've made many times since. This is a wonderful, surprising combination and is perfect for transitioning nicecream into fall.
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Based on the classic cocktail, this one is simultaneously fresh and cozy, making it a great year-round nicecream. In case you need a refresher, a Moscow Mule is made with vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer. Numerous riffs exist, including the Kentucky Mule (made with bourbon) and the Mexico Mule (made with tequila). Any will work here, but I like the Kentucky best because bourbon has so much flavor.
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This one is so summery and refreshing! It has the most lovely bright green color thanks to a secret ingredient. It's wonderful with brownies or crushed chocolate cookies for a "grasshopper" vibe.
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The classic cocktail gets a nicecream update with this fresh, summery flavor. This is such a fun one, and you can easily substitute in other fruits. Mango works especially well.
And there you have it- everything you've ever needed to know about boozy nicecream. I hope you'll make yourself a couple of these! And remember that these are all just ideas- the sky is the limit, so don't be afraid to experiment with different flavors. One of the great things about nicecream is that you can taste as you go and adjust as needed.
And don't forget to bookmark this page and check back! I'll keep adding to it as I create new recipes, so there will always be new content coming. I have a few other classic cockails that I can't wait to re-create as nicecream.
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
It's all of my summer dreams come true! Nicecream gets a boozy update for incredible flavor AND improved texture. This guide will give you everything you need for infinite flavor variations.
There is no single recipe for this post. Instead, please refer to all the variations above!
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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