Homemade Culver’s Concrete Mixer Frozen Custard

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• That unmistakable frozen custard richness from real egg yolks and heavy cream.
• Ultra-dense, glossy texture with low air—your spoon stands straight up.
• Mix-in friendly: cookies, candy bars, or fruit—stays chunky and evenly suspended.
• Foolproof timing and temps for reliable, shop-quality results at home.

Grocery List

• Produce: Optional fruit mix-ins (ripe bananas, strawberries)
• Dairy: Heavy cream, whole milk, large eggs (for yolks)
• Pantry: Granulated sugar, light corn syrup, nonfat dry milk powder, vanilla extract, fine sea salt, mix-ins (Oreos, Butterfinger, M&M’s or your favorites)

Full Ingredients

Eggy-Rich Custard Base

• 2 cups heavy cream (480 ml)
• 1 cup whole milk (240 ml)
• 8 large egg yolks (about 150 g)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g), divided
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup (40 g)
• 3 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder (24 g)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Mix-Ins & Serving

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups (120–180 g) crushed, well-chilled mix-ins (e.g., chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped Butterfinger, chopped peanut butter cups, mini M&M’s)
• Extra mix-ins for topping (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Pre-chill your gear

Freeze your ice-cream maker canister for at least 24 hours. Place a metal mixing bowl and a loaf pan or shallow container in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before churning. This helps keep the custard dense and minimizes melting while you fold in the mix-ins.

Step 2: Heat the dairy and dissolve the sugars

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk, 1/2 cup (100 g) of the sugar, the corn syrup, and the nonfat dry milk. Set over medium heat and warm, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is steaming and tiny bubbles appear at the edges, 160–165°F (70–74°C), 5–7 minutes. Do not boil.

Step 3: Temper the yolks and cook to custard

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar and the salt until slightly thickened, 30–60 seconds. Slowly drizzle in about 1 cup of the hot dairy while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom and corners, until the custard reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C) and coats the back of a spoon, 2–4 minutes. Remove from heat immediately; stir in the vanilla.

Step 4: Strain and chill the base thoroughly

Strain the hot custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any tiny egg bits and ensure silkiness. Set the bowl in an ice bath and stir until the base cools to about 60°F (16°C), 10–15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate 4–24 hours to fully chill and “age” the base—this improves body, gloss, and scoopability.

Step 5: Prep mix-ins cold

Crush or chop your chosen mix-ins to roughly pea-sized pieces. Spread on a plate and freeze for 30 minutes before churning. Cold mix-ins stay crunchy and don’t melt streaks into the custard.

Step 6: Churn to soft-serve thickness

Whisk the chilled base briefly to re-homogenize, then pour into your ice-cream maker. Churn until very thick and creamy with minimal air and soft-serve texture—usually 18–25 minutes, depending on your machine. The custard should form lush folds and hold soft peaks. If your machine lists temperature, aim for about 21–24°F (−6 to −4°C) at draw.

Step 7: Fold in mix-ins, cure briefly, and serve

Scrape the soft custard into the chilled metal bowl and quickly fold in 1 to 1 1/2 cups (120–180 g) cold mix-ins. Transfer immediately to the chilled loaf pan, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and freeze 45–60 minutes to “cure” until spoon-stands-up thick and glossy. Scoop into chilled cups, add a sprinkle of extra mix-ins, and serve right away for true concrete-style heft.

Pro Tips

• For that signature glossy density, keep everything cold: base aged overnight, mix-ins frozen, containers pre-chilled.
• Nonfat dry milk boosts milk solids, giving body without extra sweetness—don’t skip it.
• Light corn syrup reduces iciness and adds sheen; honey or glucose syrup works in a pinch.
• A gentle churn (not max speed) keeps overrun low and texture dense.
• Fold mix-ins quickly and minimally. Overmixing melts the base and crushes chunks.

Variations

• Chocolate Concrete: Whisk 3 tbsp (18 g) Dutch-process cocoa into the dairy in Step 2. Off heat, whisk in 2 oz (57 g) finely chopped dark chocolate until smooth before straining.
• Salted Caramel Swirl: Fold in 1/2 cup (120 g) thick caramel sauce after churning, then sprinkle with flaky salt. Keep total mix-in volume to 1 1/2 cups.
• No-Churn Hack: Freeze the fully chilled base in a shallow pan. Break into chunks and process in a food processor until smooth and thick, 1–2 minutes. Fold in frozen mix-ins and freeze 30–45 minutes before serving.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Custard base can be made 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Churned frozen custard is best within 48 hours for peak gloss and density but keeps up to 2 weeks frozen airtight. To serve later, let a scoop sit at room temperature 3–5 minutes, then stir briefly to restore that shiny, concrete-like texture. Store mix-ins separately in the pantry or freezer to maintain crunch.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per serving with 1 cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies: 600 calories; 44 g fat; 45 g carbs; 9 g protein; 42 g sugars; 200 mg sodium. Values will vary with mix-in choice and portion size.