Okay, am I the only one who spends like 45 minutes wrapping a present, and in the end it still looks like it came out on the losing end of a cat fight?
I am so bad. I always measure wrong, so when I pull it together it’s an inch or 2 short. Then I have to do some work-around that may or may not include copious amounts of ribbon and extraordinarily large bows.
Or the opposite: I cut enough paper to cover a baby grand piano for the DVD I’m wrapping. Face-palm.
Sometimes I seriously think I need girl-lessons. I learned a couple years ago that I’ve been curling my hair backwards for my entire life (away from your face, Karen, away). And don’t even get me started on painting my nails. I just had a mini-manicure session with my sister-in-laws, and my sparkly red nails are pretty much just sparkly red fingers. It looks like my 2-year-old was in charge. I even got some in my hair and on my white sweater.
Oh, and I tried to give my son a haircut tonight and actually drew blood. Not his, I cut my own finger. Between the blood and the red-nail-polish-gone-wrong, I look like I just got out of a boxing match. Being a girl is hard.
But this ice cream’s not! (Sorry, that segue was just too perfect to pass up.) Really though, that’s why I’m posting this recipe a couple days before Christmas. If you are scrambling to find a dessert that is impressive but ridiculously easy because you’re too busy trying to cover up your horrible wrapping jobs scouring Target for last-minute stocking stuffers, then I’ve got the recipe for you.
You’ve heard of doctored cake-mix recipes? This is a doctored ice cream recipe. Take vanilla ice cream and add a few simple ingredients, refreeze, and tell everyone it’s homemade. Just kidding! Kind of.
I know it looks like ordinary peppermint ice cream, but I promise it’s not. Peppermint is a strong flavor, so it usually kind of takes over whatever it’s in, but not so with this ice cream. It’s big on vanilla, light on the peppermint. And the white chocolate adds the perfect touch without being overwhelming.
Simplify your life and make this for Christmas. If you want to dress it up, pair it with these Browned Butter Brownies. There is probably nothing better than ice cream and brownies. (And this was not on purpose, but the topic of that post is actually about brownies and ice cream. Brownies and ice cream should probably just get married.)
Do you guys give up? Or are you thirsty for more?
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Very Vanilla Ice Cream with White Chocolate and Peppermint

Ingredients
- 1 & 3/4 quarts vanilla ice cream, 7 cups, good quality
- 4 ounces white chocolate
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup round peppermint candies or candy canes, crushed (about 15 candies)
Instructions
- Place the ice cream in a large bowl and leave it out for about a half an hour until it is soft and workable.
- In a small bowl, melt the white chocolate in the microwave. Melt for 20 seconds, stir, then stir every 10 seconds after that until it is mostly smooth. Some little lumps are okay.
- Immediately add in the vanilla bean paste to the chocolate. Stir quickly and then mix all of it into the vanilla ice cream, stirring with a large spoon. There will be some steaks of white chocolate, but that's a good thing.
- Gently stir in most of the peppermint, reserving some to sprinkle on top of each serving. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish or large tupperware. Freeze until firm, about 3-4 hours. Sprinkle with remaining peppermint and serve.
I am soooo happy to have found your recipe! My Granddaughter wants peppermint ice cream for her birthday and I can’t find it anywhere! I will make this. It sounds yummy!!!
Hi Amy! Enjoy the recipe! You also might want to check out Nana’s famous peppermint ice cream, it’s a family fav! https://thefoodcharlatan.com/peppermint-ice-cream/
Simple and yummy! Thanks!
Thanks Sarah! Let me know if you try it out :)
Mmm! I love doctored up anything! I refuse to give my son a haircut until he’s walking, even though my sister says he looks like he has a mullet, lol! I’m not ready to let go of him being a baby quite yet, lol! Looks fantastic Karen! I bet your nails aren’t that bad ;)
Thanks Chels! It’s hard to avoid the baby mullet at some point. Or the backstache. Or wings. It just comes with the territory :)
Ha! In the past I loved wrapping, but now I have one of the cats and the dog helping. Its like an olympic sport. This ice cream is genius. Merry Christmas!
Thanks! That does sound like an olympic event Laura!!