No-Bake Peppermint Custard Recipe for a Healthy Dessert
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This peppermint custard recipe is heaven on a spoon! It’s a healthy and refreshing twist on a classic summertime dessert, grasshopper pie. My recipe is made with just a handful of simple ingredients, combining a minty cream filling with a pie crust. It’s a multi-step prep process that takes at least 15 minutes to make and 3 hours of chilling. It takes time, I know, but I promise the wait is worth it!
This foolproof recipe is perfect for busy (and practical) folks who love good food but don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. Usually served chilled, this pie is ultra-reviving to the palate when temperatures rise.
Enjoy it as an afternoon snack to beat the heat, or serve as a yummy after-dinner dessert. Serve it from a big dish or divide into four small ramekins and present individual portions. Better yet, batch the recipe on the weekend and store it in the fridge to last all week!
Homemade dessert recipes don’t have to be complicated, and I’m on a mission to prove that with this crustless custard pie. Go ahead, give it a whirl!
Table of Contents (click to view)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
When it comes to desserts, my favorites are chocolate pudding, chocolate mousse, and this easy mint custard. It’s just like what my grandma used to make, but with a few minor tweaks that make it gluten-free and low-carb, all without losing the creamy deliciousness I’ve grown to love.
Truly, who doesn’t enjoy a good dessert? And if they’re easy to make using healthy ingredients, why not indulge? I’m sure this will be a hit with the whole family! Here’s why:
- Simple ingredients: Uses 6 essential ingredients you may already have in your fridge and pantry.
- Amazing flavors: Rich and creamy, with a light sweetness that’s just right even without sugar, and a cool, refreshing note from peppermint.
- Family-friendly and kid-approved: Tastes just like the real deal (without the carb overload), my family can’t tell the difference.
- Basic kitchen equipment: Make creamy and minty custard using a whisk, a medium saucepan, a mixing bowl, and a large baking dish or ramekins for easier portion control.
- Easy-to-follow directions: Prep and serve homemade custard by following a simple 6-step method – no advanced cooking skills needed!
On another note, this peppermint custard recipe is suitable for those on a strict carnivore diet if you’re ok with a little bit of mint extract and sweetener. If you’re looking for more delicious, zero-fiber recipes, grab a copy of The Carnivore Cookbook and browse my collection of strict carnivore-friendly recipes.
How to Make Peppermint Custard with Gelatin
Calling this the best custard recipe you’ll ever have may sound like a stretch, but it’s definitely the easiest you’ll make. Even though the total time for this recipe is over 3 hours, most of it is hands-off time in the fridge. The actual active prep process is super quick!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions to make this refreshingly creamy mint-infused custard recipe.
Ingredients You Need
My peppermint custard recipe can be made entirely from natural, organic ingredients without artificial flavors. You won’t even need cornstarch, cornflour, or all-purpose flour to thicken the custard. All you need are the following:
- Gelatin
- Egg yolks: Help thicken and bind ingredients together. Must not be replaced with any egg substitute.
- Heavy whipping cream: Provides a stable base for the recipe, resulting in a rich and silky-smooth custard while reducing the risk of curdling.
- Whole milk: Helps achieve that classic texture and flavor from traditional custard.
- Peppermint extract: Can also be substituted with peppermint spirits.
- Sweetener (optional): I like to use powdered sugar or Lakanto’s powdered Monkfruit sweetener for keto as it comes out much smoother than if you use a granulated sugar substitute.
Step-By-Step Instructions
If you’ve never tasted a homemade peppermint custard, you’re in for a real treat! It may not look all that special, but once you dig into that rich, creamy goodness, you’ll discover a new level of indulgence.
My recipe doesn’t need to be thickened with flour or starch. The blend of eggs, heavy cream, and gelatin is enough to create a thick, creamy custard. Enjoy it any day of the week and satisfy your sweet cravings without guilt. Let’s get cookin’!
- Make the mint mixture. Simmer water in a pan, then evenly sprinkle gelatin over the surface. Let it sit for several minutes before mixing it with milk and mint extract. Whisk thoroughly until smooth and free of clumps.
- Combine with other ingredients. In a small bowl mix together beaten egg yolks with optional sweetener, whisking continuously while slowly adding the mint mixture. Combine until smooth, then chill in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes or until thickened to a pudding-like consistency.
- Mix in whipped cream and chill. Beat the heavy cream into stiff peaks, then gently fold into the chilled mint mixture. Refrigerate for another 3 hours or until completely set. Serve chilled and enjoy!
Variations
I’ve loved custard since I was a kid. It’s still one of my favorite comfort foods. Rest assured I’d be the first in the queue for seconds! The good news is that my peppermint custard recipe is highly customizable, so feel free to adjust the ingredients and use your favorite add-ins as you please. Here are my favorite ideas:
- If you can’t get Lakanto products delivered to your area, sub with liquid stevia drops, a different brand of monkfruit sweetener, or erythritol instead. This recipe is also good even without added sweetener.
- Keep it dairy-free by substituting milk and thickened cream with coconut milk and coconut cream. However, the peppermint mixture may take longer to set so be sure to combine the ingredients properly!
- Bring out the sweetness of your custard with a pinch of mineral-rich salt or vanilla extract.
- Make it even more refreshing by topping with fresh mint leaves, berries, lemon or lime zest, or a sprinkle of cacao nibs for added crunch and a hint of chocolate flavor. Or, decorate with extra whipped cream if serving for guests or a special occasion.
- Love the mint chocolate combo of grasshopper pie? Serve with grated cacao paste shavings on top or mix in 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the bowl of eggs and sweetener. If you add cacao, use 2 to 4 tablespoons sweetener.
Expert Tips
- Taste and adjust! If this is your first time making a peppermint custard, experiment with the amount of mint extract by making a small batch first, as the mint flavor can intensify and make the dessert less sweet as it chills. Gradually increase to taste and stir well so the minty flavor is evenly distributed throughout the custard.
- Mix well. Do not boil the milk to prevent it from curdling. If you’re adding sweetener, be sure it gets mixed in well before combining with the mint mixture, to avoid a grainy texture.
- Strain for smoothness. A custard can be lumpy if you add the still-hot mint mixture to the egg yolks too quickly and don’t keep stirring (a process called tempering). If you get some lumps, strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps or cooked egg bits. You’ll end with a perfectly smooth custard!
- Don’t waste the egg whites! While this recipe only calls for egg yolks, you may not want to throw the egg whites away. Instead, make a meringue topping for your custard, make macaroons, or fry them up the next day to make scrambled egg whites or an easy omelet for breakfast.
How to Store This Recipe
You can make a peppermint custard ahead of time or store any leftovers in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It should be good for 3 to 4 days, as long as it’s stored in an airtight container. If you’re using ramekins, cover them with plastic wrap to prevent a “skin” from forming on top of your custard.
I don’t recommend storing custard in the freezer because it can separate when thawed and is much better freshly made. Once ready to enjoy, let the custard sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
What to Serve with Sugar-Free Peppermint Custard
A peppermint custard is a simple and comforting dessert that can satisfy your sweet tooth in a jiffy! Enjoy it warm or cold, on its own, or as a topping or pairing for another dessert or dish, such as:
- Chocolate cake, brownies, or any chocolate dessert.
- A scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream
- Scones or fruit tart
- Shortbread cookies or chocolate chip cookies
- Grilled steak or lightly seasoned seafood dishes
- Hot coffee, cold brew, hot chocolate, or tea
More Easy Homemade Desserts to Try
If you make this peppermint custard recipe, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and comment!
Peppermint Custard
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract or peppermint spirits
- 1½ tablespoons water
- 1½ teaspoons grass-fed beef gelatin
- 1 tablespoons powdered sugar or sugar substitute for keto
- 2 whole egg yolks
- ¾ cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Bring water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, sprinkle gelatin over the surface of the water. Set aside to sit for a few minutes.1½ teaspoons grass-fed beef gelatin, 1½ tablespoons water
- Combine milk and peppermint extract. Add this to the water gelatin mixture and whisk well to remove all clumps.½ cup whole milk, ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with optional sweetener. Continue whisking and slowly add the peppermint milk. Mix well, until smooth.2 whole egg yolks, 1 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Refrigerate until thickened to a pudding-like consistency, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, beat the cream into stiff peaks. Once mint mixture is chilled, gently fold in the whipped cream.¾ cups heavy whipping cream
- Refrigerate to set completely, about 3 hours before serving chilled.
Nutrition & Macros
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Would coconut cream work as a substitute. i love this WOE, but my allergies prevent me from enjoying desserts.
Great question! I think coconut cream will work just fine 🙂 Give it a try and let me know how it comes out!
I’ve never tried such a custard, but I love peppermint desserts! I might try your recipe with erythritol. Thanks for sharing!
How silky and delicious does this look?! Yummmmm!!!
I love anything peppermint flavored so adding this to my to do list!
It was so awesome to have a Keto dessert that actually tasted good. I was thrilled with the flavor and will be making this Keto custard again soon!!!!
What a great idea! I am loving this for dessert and Christmas!
This looks yum, I’m wondering if whole eggs would work?
If you try it, let me know!
I wonder what it would taste like if you substituted glycine for the monk fruit? Glycine is kinda sweet so it may work!
I have never tried this myself, it might work but I do not have any experience with this specific substitution.