Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Homemade Tutti Frutti Ice Cream Recipe

tutti frutti ice cream

Let’s talk family reunions and old-fashioned homemade ice cream for a minute.  In my mind, you can’t have one without the other.  And it is that time of year again for my family.

My paternal grandmother grew up on the same block as her grandparents and all of her aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Many of their children still live on the same block in Salt Lake City.  I loved visiting there when I was a little girl.

A few weeks ago we drove by with my kids and I got a little choked up thinking about my family and my great-grandmother and my great-great-aunt who lived on the corner.  Every summer there is a family reunion with that side of the family.  Last year was the first year in a very long time, probably over 10 years, that we were able to go to the reunion.  It was a lot of fun.  My kids had a spectacular time playing and participating in the same activities we always did as kids–a huge candy toss and finding coins in a pile of sawdust.

As fun as the reunion games are, my favorite part has always been the homemade ice cream at then end.  And my favorite ice cream is always (my) Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Homemade Tutti Frutti Ice Cream.

Are you at all surprised?  My grandma, who is probably my very best friend, is responsible for my own love of making homemade ice cream.  And I owe it to all the ice cream I enjoyed at these reunions and other family parties.  My grandma is the master of homemade ice cream, followed by me. ;)

Last year I stood in line to get a few scoops of Grandma’s magical ice cream.  Everyone else flocked towards Mint-Oreo or some of the other fun varieties, like Rootbeer.  I only wanted my grandma’s ice cream.  I’d been waiting for years to have it again.  And it did not disappoint.

I immediately asked for the recipe and she told me to call her the next day, which I did.

Uncle Jack, my grandma’s older brother

I love listening to her give me a recipe over the phone.  We’re just the same.  There is always a basic recipe, but a hundred variations according to what you have on hand, or how you feel that day.  There’s a lot of speculation–“Well…you could do this.  Or you could do that.”  And “Oh!  Wouldn’t that be good?!”  I’m so lucky to have my grandma.

Last year she used peaches, strawberries and raspberries with fresh orange and lemon juice.  (Is your mouth watering yet?)  I wrote down the recipe and rest of summer was spent making the ice cream over and over.

The recipe she gave me is for the giant, old-fashioned ice cream makers.  I’ve adapted it for my much smaller Cuisinart.  If you would like the recipe as she gave it to me, e-mail me and I’ll send it to you.

What are your favorite family reunion memories?

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tutti frutti ice cream

Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Homemade Tutti Frutti Ice Cream Recipe

An old fashioned recipe for tutti-frutti ice cream made with a mix of stone fruit, citrus, and berries.

  • Total Time: 8 hours
  • Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 quarts 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 1/22 cups diced peaches (or nectarines, apricots, cherries)
  • 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
  • 12 ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • juice of 1/2 lemon, about 1 Tbsp.
  • juice of 1/2 orange, about 23 Tbsp.
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • 22 1/2 cups mashed fruit (I like strawberries and raspberries and a peach mixed with a few tablespoons of sugar)

Instructions

  1. Puree all of the ingredients except for the mashed berries in a blender. Chill until very cold. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. After it is finished churning, transfer to a large freezer-proof container and stir in mashed berries. Serve immediately for soft-serve, or allow to harden in freezer for scoops.
  • Author: Lindsey Rose Johnson
  • Prep Time: 8 hours
  • Category: Dessert

The Original Recipe: My Grandma’s Homemade Tutti Frutti Ice Cream
Makes 6 quarts

Ingredients: 
7 cups mashed peaches (can use some strawberries and raspberries)
juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup juice)
4 cups granulated white sugar
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup orange juice
3/8 tsp. almond extract
tiny pinch salt
2 (12 ounce) cans of evaporated milk
2 % milk (to fill up the canister)

Ingredients:
Mix the mashed fruit with the sugar and allow to sit until sugar is dissolved.  Mix all of the other ingredients together, except for the 2% milk.  Add enough 2% milk to fill up the canister, leaving a little room at the top for expansion as the ice cream base freezes.  Churn in an ice cream maker.  Makes 6 quarts.

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23 Comments

  1. Once again, your photos are stunning. Your daughter and you have the exact same eyes! I love nostalgic recipes that take me back to my childhood. I also love using sweetened condensed milk in ice cream. Just pinned this and can’t wait to try it soon!

  2. these pictures make me so happy. i love the pink backdrop…good choice.

    the ice cream sounds so summery to me.

    if you have a chance please steal me that aqua bucket when you are at the reunion this year. thanks!

  3. This sounds amazing. I’ve never made ice cream with evaporated milk but I must try. I feel like I’m missing out.
    It was so nice meeting you this weekend. And it was thanks to you that I even got the chance to compete for the cookbook. You let me go up the orange bubble and attend. I’ll keep in touch and I’m now following your blog. BTW- I fixed post and linked to you. I dont want you to feel left out. I just had to run out and come back and fix it. All fixed. Pinned

  4. I love making homemade ice cream! We got a Cuisinart ice cream maker and have made the recipes that came with the manual, but your recipe sounds way better. Thanks for sharing a great recipe. Oh, and a fav fam reunion was when I was 7 years old and we went to upstate NY for the summer. We had a big reunion, layed baseball, bbq’d, canoed, fished, swam and just did what kids should do. Such a great memory for me.

  5. That’s the coolest ice cream maker I’ve seen! We have an old wooden one as well, but the teal just makes it look awesome! Your recipe sounds great! I love fresh fruit in ice cream and there really is nothing like a family homemade ice cream recipe. Hope you had a great weekend!

  6. Ice cream making is a big part of my childhood as well. When I was a little girl Grandpa got the idea to make homemade ice cream for my birthday. Always peppermint with crushed starlights mints. Wouldn’t you know it, he had to make it for my sister’s birthday as well. Now we are grown and he makes it for our children, with flavors like coffee and black walnut.

    I love how at our reunions all ages have a job when it comes to churning ice cream: the little ones sit on the top to keep it from moving, the older ones take turns cranking, and the oldest boss them around. Thank you for sharing your recipe and I look forward to making it. Luckily I live in a major peach producing area and have some here that REALLY need to be turned into ice cream!

  7. I love typing up and photographing these recipes…that bring nice thoughts of family. They are important to have!! My aunt just did one on my grandpa’s fudge and I’m glad now we will have it forever and ever.

  8. Thank you so much for posting this. Just recently watched an old episode of Ozzie and Harriet about Tutti Fruiti ice cream and have been on a mission to taste some ever since.

  9. Awesome pictures. Yes, I would love the org. recipe. Can’t wait to make this for our Big Family 4th of July picnic.
    Thanks
    Vickie

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