Ricotta Peanut Butter Ice Cream | No-Churn, Refined Sugar-Free

Three scoops of healthy creamy ricotta peanut butter ice cream into a glass, showing its soft, no-churn texture.

Ricotta Peanut Butter Ice Cream | No-Churn, Refined Sugar-Free

Annie, Healthy Food by Annie

This creamy no-churn peanut butter ricotta ice cream is rich, scoopable, and naturally sweetened with banana, honey, and rum-soaked raisins. Made without heavy cream or an ice cream machine, it has a smooth ricotta base, deep roasted peanut butter flavour, and little chewy raisin bites in every spoonful. A high-protein, refined sugar-free frozen dessert that feels comforting, nostalgic, and beautifully satisfying.

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Prep Time 10

Freeze Time: 3

Total Time 3 10

Course Dessert, Healthy Snacks & Treats

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free Option, Refined Sugar Free

Servings 8 Medium Scoops

Calories 210 kcal

Ingredients

Main Mixture

1⅔ cup (400 g) whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tbsp natural smooth peanut butter
½ banana
30 ml (1 shot) dark or golden rum
⅓ cup (50g) raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of salt

Peanut Butter Swirl

3 tbsp tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp tablespoon honey

Instructions

Prepare the Rum-Soaked Raisins
Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour over the rum. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until warm and slightly plumped. Let them cool for 5 minutes, then drain and reserve any remaining rum.
Prepare the Peanut Butter Swirl
In a separate small bowl, mix the smooth peanut butter and honey until silky and combined. Set aside.
Blend the Ice Cream Base
In a food processor, add the ricotta cheese, peanut butter, banana, vanilla extract, honey, reserved rum, and salt. Blend until smooth, creamy, and velvety.
Fold in the Raisins
Gently fold the cooled rum-soaked raisins into the ricotta peanut butter ice cream base.
Add to the Container with Swirl
Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container. Drizzle half of the peanut butter swirl over the top and gently swirl it through with a spoon.
First Freeze Cycle
Freeze for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove from the freezer, stir gently, then swirl in the remaining peanut butter mixture.
Final Freeze Cycle
Return to the freezer for another 2 hours, or until fully set and scoopable.
Serve and Enjoy
Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes if it has frozen firmly, then scoop into bowls, cones, or dessert glasses. Enjoy creamy homemade ricotta ice cream with rich peanut butter flavour and soft rum raisin bites.
Serving Tip
If frozen for longer, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping for the best texture.

Notes

For the best flavour, use natural smooth peanut butter made from 100% peanuts. I used my homemade roasted peanut butter, which gives the ice cream a deeper roasted flavour and a beautifully creamy texture.

If the ice cream freezes very firm, let it soften at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.

Because this recipe uses rum that is not cooked off, a small amount of alcohol remains in the finished ice cream. For an alcohol-free version, soak the raisins in warm water or warm orange juice instead.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Nutrition per serving: 1 of 8 servings, Calories: 210 kcal, Protein: 9.4 g, Carbohydrate: 16 g, Net Carb: 15 g, Sugars:12 g, Fat: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sodium: 90 mg, Calcium: 170 mg

Note: Made with 100% natural homemade peanut butter, no added sugar

Nutrition Facts Notes:

✔️ Higher in protein: Whole-milk ricotta and natural peanut butter provide protein, making this no-churn ice cream more satisfying than many traditional frozen desserts.

✔️ Good source of calcium: Ricotta cheese contributes calcium, which supports healthy bones and teeth, normal muscle function and nerve signalling.

✔️ Made with 100% natural peanut butter: The homemade peanut butter contains just one ingredient—roasted peanuts—with no added sugar, added oils, salt or preservatives.

✔️ Naturally sweetened: Banana, raisins and honey provide sweetness without refined white sugar. However, they still contribute naturally occurring and added sugars, so portion size remains important.

✔️ No-churn and easy to make: This recipe requires no ice cream machine—simply blend, swirl and freeze.

✔️ Contains healthy unsaturated fats: Peanuts provide mostly unsaturated fats, while ricotta adds creaminess and richness.

✔️ Naturally gluten free: The core ingredients are naturally gluten free. Check the labels of vanilla extract and any packaged ingredients if certified gluten-free products are required.

✔️ Classic rum-raisin flavour: Raisins and rum create a rich, fruity flavour. Because the rum is not cooked, some alcohol remains in the finished ice cream.

✔️ Not suitable for children or alcohol-free diets: This dessert contains uncooked rum. For an alcohol-free version, omit the rum and add a little extra vanilla or rum-flavoured essence.

✔️ Energy-dense dessert: Although higher in protein and calcium than many standard ice creams, it is still rich in calories due to the ricotta, peanut butter, honey and raisins.

✔️ Best enjoyed as a measured portion: One medium scoop, or 1 of 8 servings, gives a satisfying dessert portion while helping keep calories and sugars moderate.

✔️ Storage tip: Let the ice cream soften at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping, as homemade no-churn ice cream can freeze more firmly than commercial ice cream.

Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on the brands of ricotta, honey and raisins used, the size of the banana, the exact amount of peanut butter, and the final scoop size.