Instructions
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1Combine Hatch Green Chile, vodka, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, chili powder, cumin, vanilla bean, and ½ cup honey in a heavy saucepan. Bring just to a boil, then remove from heat and let the mixture cool uncovered for 30 minutes. Boiling will cook off all the alcohol from the vodka.
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2While the chile mixture is cooling, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining ½ cup honey in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy.
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3Once the chile mixture has cooled, pour it into a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the pureed mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds or large pieces.
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4Pour the strained chile mixture into the egg and honey custard base and whisk to combine. Add the heavy cream and stir until fully incorporated.
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5For soft serve, pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, add the chopped pecans, and churn according to manufacturer's instructions.
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6For scoopable ice cream, pour the mixture into an airtight freezer-safe container, stir in the chopped pecans, and freeze for a minimum of 8 to 12 hours.
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7Remove from the freezer, scoop into bowls, and serve. A delightfully sweet, smoky, and spicy dessert that just might inspire a trip to New Mexico for Hatch Chile Festival season.
This Hatch Green Chile Honey Ice Cream is a rich, creamy, and surprisingly complex frozen dessert that balances sweet New Mexico honey, warm spices, and the smoky kick of Hatch Green Chile in every single scoop. It's the kind of recipe that makes people stop mid-bite and say — wait, what is that? And then immediately ask for more.
There's a moment every year in late summer when the whole state of New Mexico smells like roasting Hatch Green Chile, and if you've ever been lucky enough to experience it, you know there's nothing else quite like it in the world. This ice cream is a love letter to that moment — to the Hatch Chile Festival, to Labor Day weekends in the chile fields, and to the kind of bold, unexpected flavors that make New Mexico cuisine so special.
Now, Hatch Green Chile ice cream might raise a few eyebrows, but hear us out. The chile doesn't make this dessert spicy so much as it makes it interesting — layered with warmth, depth, and that signature smoky flavor that plays beautifully against the floral sweetness of New Mexico honey and the richness of a custard-based cream. A touch of cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and paprika round out the spice profile in a way that feels complex without being complicated.
The Crater Lake Hatch Green Chile vodka is a fun and flavorful addition that helps carry the chile flavor deep into the custard base — and don't worry, the alcohol cooks off completely during the boiling step. Finish it with a generous handful of Legacy Pecans for a little crunch in every bite, and you've got a dessert that is truly, unmistakably New Mexico.
Make it the night before, let it freeze overnight, and scoop it out the next day for something your guests will be talking about long after the bowl is empty.
