One of the most divine things on earth is Bauder’s peppermint ice cream. Although it has been touted by Gourmet magazine and The New York Times you would never suspect anything magnificent upon setting foot inside the almost century-old pharmacy doors. It is not intentionally retro, it just hasn’t changed.
Growing up in Des Moines, Bauder’s pharmacy was a staple of our social circle. As a child my grandparents would take me there for ice cream on warm summer nights. In middle school we would sneak out of confirmation class and go buy candy and vanilla Cokes at Bauder’s, returning to church just in time for our parents to pick us up. In high school we would meet in the empty lot behind Bauder’s to drink beer and smoke cigarettes on Friday nights, come Saturday morning many of my friends would show up there for work making turtle sundaes or delivering prescriptions. We were testing the waters of adulthood, but in a place that was safe and familiar.
You can get lunch there, but I wouldn’t bother unless you have a craving for egg salad on sliced wheat bread or grilled cheese made with American slices and toasted on a heavily-margarined sandwich press.
I’d stick to the ice cream. Their famous ice cream, made in house, is a revolving door of flavors depending on the season. In the summer the fresh peach and strawberry ice creams are a must, but around Christmas time it is the peppermint ice cream that cannot be passed up.
Crunchy peppermint candy pieces enveloped by thick, rich ice cream is a holiday classic that I crave every year and have never found anywhere else. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since about November 27th. Okay, I haven’t really stopped thinking about it since this past summer when I had a Bauder’s peppermint bar at the Iowa State Fair. Two inches of peppermint ice cream topped with fudge sauce and sandwiched between an Oreo cookie crust. That thing was like a colossal brain-freeze and probably should have been shared with someone else….but wasn’t.
I told my husband that I was going to try to replicate the recipe and he suggested I make it dairy-free…..so he could eat it, of course. I was unsure how to make it thick and creamy without using any cream. I didn’t know if I should add stabilizers or gelatin, but then I realized I don’t have to make it vegan, I just have to make it without milk or cream. What makes ice cream super creamy? Okay, heavy cream……but also egg yolks, and I could still use those! Yea for me!
I was pleasantly surprised with how good the ice cream turned out. I was expecting a sort of icy, kind of svelte ice cream that was pepperminty, but tasted “healthy”.
Not at all.
This ice cream is creamy, silky, and packs a peppermint punch, with crunchy chunks of candy and a delightful pink color…..and still kinda healthy.

Peppermint Stick Ice Cream {Dairy-Free}
A creamy dairy-free peppermint stick ice cream for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 quart) original rice milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3/4 cup crushed hard peppermint candy
Instructions
- Prepare a ice bath by filling a large bowl 3/4 of the way full with ice and cold water. Combine rice milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.
- Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl until smooth. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the yolks, a little at a time, whisking constantly. Scrape mixture back into the saucepan. Clean and dry the bowl then set the bowl in the ice bath and place a fine mesh strainer on top.
- Place milk mixture over medium-low heat and cook until mixture thickens slightly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, about 10 minutes. Make sure you are scraping the sides and bottom of the saucepan frequently to prevent the eggs from curdling. The custard won't get super thick like a dairy-based custard but will still leave a trail when you draw your finger through the custard on the back of the spoon.
- Pour mixture through the strainer into the bowl set over the ice bath. Stir in the peppermint extract and cool stirring occasionally. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Freeze custard in the ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. The ice cream will still be pretty soft; transfer to a freezer-safe container, and fold in the crushed candy. Let ice cream freeze for at least 6 hours (this may take shorter or longer depending on your ice cream maker and freezer). While the ice cream is freezing the candy will fall to the bottom so give it a stir a few times during freezing to distribute the candy evenly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 209mgSodium: 126mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 0gSugar: 33gProtein: 7g

Peppermint Stick Ice Cream {Dairy-Free}
A creamy dairy-free peppermint stick ice cream for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 quart) original rice milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3/4 cup crushed hard peppermint candy
Instructions
- Prepare a ice bath by filling a large bowl 3/4 of the way full with ice and cold water. Combine rice milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.
- Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl until smooth. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the yolks, a little at a time, whisking constantly. Scrape mixture back into the saucepan. Clean and dry the bowl then set the bowl in the ice bath and place a fine mesh strainer on top.
- Place milk mixture over medium-low heat and cook until mixture thickens slightly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, about 10 minutes. Make sure you are scraping the sides and bottom of the saucepan frequently to prevent the eggs from curdling. The custard won't get super thick like a dairy-based custard but will still leave a trail when you draw your finger through the custard on the back of the spoon.
- Pour mixture through the strainer into the bowl set over the ice bath. Stir in the peppermint extract and cool stirring occasionally. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Freeze custard in the ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. The ice cream will still be pretty soft; transfer to a freezer-safe container, and fold in the crushed candy. Let ice cream freeze for at least 6 hours (this may take shorter or longer depending on your ice cream maker and freezer). While the ice cream is freezing the candy will fall to the bottom so give it a stir a few times during freezing to distribute the candy evenly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 209mgSodium: 126mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 0gSugar: 33gProtein: 7g
those are the most adorable little cups, where are they from?
Hi X,
Thanks! My husband made those cups. Check out his site: armandoramosiii.com
oh, he should sell them on etsy or something, they’re great!
thanks for the link, really cool work, i like the herd installation!
Oh, this sounds delicious and know I really want to visit Bauders!
Whatever food with peppermint is just amazing. With that minty kick, how would you say no to that? I’d love to have an ice cream maker at home, but still not sure if it would be that worthy to have. I’ve seen many freezers online but this one seems to be too intriguing for me ever since my kid started to keep asking for sherbets!
Thanks Sarah! You should give it a try and let me know how it turns out.