Easy Hokey Pokey Ice Cream with Mānuka Honeycomb

A genuine New Zealand classic made the easy way, for you to enjoy no matter where in the world you are! Or if you’re in NZ already, this is a great way to upgrade your usual hokey pokey fix.

Hokey pokey ice cream is a New Zealand favourite; vanilla ice cream studded with crunchy golden honeycomb. This no-churn version skips the stovetop and the ice cream machine entirely, using good-quality vanilla ice cream folded with store-bought honeycomb and a generous swirl of mānuka honey. It comes together in minutes and tastes like the real thing.

Serves: 6–8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: None
Freezer time: 2–3 hours

Ingredients

• 1 litre good-quality vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• 150g honeycomb, such as wafers or bars, roughly chopped into small chunks
• 3–4 tablespoons Manuka Hunters mānuka honey
• Pinch of sea salt (optional, for a salted honey finish)

Method

1. Take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it soften at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, until it's soft enough to stir but not melted.
2. Scoop the softened ice cream into a large, chilled bowl.
3. Fold through the chopped honeycomb pieces, mixing just enough to distribute them evenly.
4. Drizzle the mānuka honey over the top and fold through gently; two or three turns are enough to create a rippled effect rather than mixing it in completely.
5. If using, sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the top.
6. Spoon the mixture into a freezer-safe container, smoothing the top. Drizzle a little extra mānuka honey over the surface if you like.
7. Cover and freeze for 2 to 3 hours, until firm enough to scoop.

Why This Recipe Works

Starting with a good-quality vanilla ice cream means all the hard work is already done. Folding rather than fully mixing keeps pockets of honeycomb crunch and ribbons of mānuka honey running through the ice cream, rather than everything blending into one flavour.

Tip for Best Results

Work quickly once the ice cream has softened, so it doesn't melt before it goes back in the freezer. If it does get a little too soft, just pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes before folding through the mix-ins.

A Kiwi Classic, Ready in Minutes

This is an easy one to make with kids, since there's no cooking involved, just folding, drizzling, and freezing. It's a great treat for a warm afternoon.

Explore More Recipes - Discover more ways to enjoy mānuka honey.

Browse and Shop the Manuka Hunters collection. Click on Amazon for outside NZ shopping.

Related Reading - Behind the Scenes: How Authentic Mānuka Honey Is Made