This easy homemade ice cream recipe is creamy and delicious! Simple to make with just 5 ingredients, your whole family will scream for ice cream!
That is your higher purpose- to be radiant for no other reason than being alive. ~ Richard Rudd
Ice cream and I have a special connection. I have loved it all my life, and I’m pretty sure it loves me too. Honestly, it has brought so much pleasure through the years, and I am not ashamed to admit it! Growing up, ice cream was saved for special occasions and treated this way; it is an indulgence I allow myself.
As a chef, perfecting ice cream has been a lifelong challenge, beginning at our restaurant in my 20s and then later in my catering business. I’ll be truthful: there were some epic failures!
What I’ve learned is that simple truly is best. After years of testing this recipe, I feel it’s pretty close in flavor and texture to Alden’s Organic Vanilla Ice Cream, my favorite store-bought brand. It’s deliciously rich and creamy with real vanilla bean flavor.
Looking for dairy-free ice cream? Here’s our vegan ice cream recipe.
What makes this the BEST Homemade Ice Cream Recipe
Here’s the secret: use real vanilla beans (if you have time), the right amount of fat, and add salt! I’ve tested the ice cream dozens of times with and without egg yolks, and they are never ever missed. So, to simplify further, we leave these out. It makes the whole process even easier!
In a great big hurry? I also offer up my “emergency recipe” for making ice cream without heating it first– a godsend in my catering business for making ice cream on the fly. We swap out maple syrup for the sugar and use vanilla extract for a 3-minute hands-on version.
Ice Cream Nerds: I also want to offer an option to experiment with a stabilizer (xanthan gum) and whey powder (milk powder) for those who want to sharpen their ice cream-making skills (and increase shelf life for up to 3 months)! But, as I said, both of these are optional.
Homemade Ice Cream Ingredients
- Vanilla beans: Or sub 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, but using vanilla beans is worth the extra time!
- Whole milk: The fat content of whole milk gives ice cream the best flavor, texture, and structure. You can sub half and half, but it tends to be overly rich.
- Heavy whipping cream: For deliciously rich, creamy, and thick ice cream. This is a non-negotiable; anything less “fatty” will make crystalized “ice milk,” not ice cream!
- Granulated cane sugar: Or, for our quick version, sub 1/2 cup maple syrup to sweeten your ice cream.
- Salt: Enhances the vanilla flavor of the ice cream, gives depth.
- Optional: Milk powder (or whey protein powder) to make it even creamier without added fat, and 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to stabilize the ice crystals, and prolong shelf life.
*See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients.
How to make Homemade Ice Cream
See the notes if you are using milk powder and xanthan gum.
Step one: If using real vanilla beans, split the pod in half lengthwise using a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds.
Step two: Place the whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Step three: Stir continuously until sugar dissolves, reducing to medium-low heat as needed to prevent a simmer. Once dissolved, remove from heat and chill.
Tip: The longer the mixture chills, the more flavorful the ice cream will be! Chill anywhere from 2-24 hours.
Step four: Using a slotted spoon, remove the vanilla pods. Transfer the ice cream mixture to the ice cream maker and churn according to its instructions.
Step five: Enjoy right away in a bowl or cone, or store immediately.
Ice Cream Recipe Variations
Fast, Cheater Version: Sub 1/2 cup maple syrup for the sugar and use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean. Skip the heating and chilling steps and simply mix everything together and churn. Maple syrup adds a lovely toasty taste, but a slight beige color. This quick version has been repeatedly tested in my catering business and everyone raved!
Making Ice Cream for Resale: To stabilize the ice cream and prolong shelf life, experiment with using xanthan gum and milk powder. See recipe notes!
Create different flavors– my favorite is cardamom icecream, simply add a teaspoon of ground cardamom to the batch! If adding fruit or berries, it’s best if you cook it down with a little sugar (like jam!) so it doesn’t get rock hard (1 cup fruit with 3 tablespoons sugar). Try adding cocoa powder, toasted nuts, coconut, chocolate chunks, brownie bites, whatever your heart desires. Play around and have fun.
Toppings for Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
- Fresh fruit: Berries, sliced bananas, or peaches.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts, almonds, pistachios, peanuts, or pecans.
- Granola: Try our Favorite Granola Recipe or Dark Chocolate Granola.
- Chocolate: Chopped chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, or cacao nibs.
- Coconut: Shredded or toasted coconut flakes.
- Spices: Cinnamon, cardamom, or a dusting of cocoa powder.
- Herbs: Chopped mint or basil.
- Crushed cookies or brownies: Like our Double Chocolate Chip Cookies!
- Nut butter: Peanut butter or almond butter.
- Mini marshmallows, sprinkles, or candy bars
- Swirls of caramel sauce or chocolate syrup
How to store Homemade Ice Cream
Store homemade ice cream in an airtight container, smoothing it out with a spatula. Place a piece of parchment paper against the top of the ice cream (this will prevent ice crystals from forming). Seal with a lid and wrap with a kitchen towel, placing it away from the door in the back of the freezer. The ideal freezer temperature is 25F.
Tip: The vanilla ice cream base can be stored in the fridge for up to one week before churning, or freeze for up to 3 months (fully thaw the freezer container before you churn ice cream).
How to Scoop Ice cream like a pro!
Dip your ice cream scoop into cold water ( not hot water) and shake it off before scooping.
How long does Homemade Ice Cream last?
Homemade ice cream will last about one month in the freezer. Using xanthan gum will extend the freeze time to 3 months.
My favorite ice cream maker
I love this Whynter ice cream maker because it has a compressor (yet it is small),so there is no need to pre-freeze the bowl or cylinder. You can have ice cream anytime without planning ahead! The pink version is usually on sale and costs half as much as the others.
Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe FAQs
Using whole milk and heavy cream keeps the ice cream rich and creamy. Remember to store it properly too, covering with parchement paper.
While egg yolks are commonly thought to thicken ice cream, we use heavy cream to create that rich, creamy consistency. We have tried it both ways, and we don’t miss the egg yolks here!
Old-fashioned vanilla ice cream is traditionally made with egg yolks, which gives it a custardy flavor and texture. This custard base is also sometimes called French vanilla ice cream.
It depends! The hands-on time is only 10 minutes with 30 minutes of churning time. But chilling the base can be done anywhere from 2-24 hours. Our quick version only requires about 30 minutes in total!
Hope you enjoy the BEST Homemade Ice Cream recipe! Take your time with it, experiment and get creative by adding to these simple ingredients, or do our quick version- however you make it, I know you will love it. Let us know what you try!
More Recipes Like This
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Churning time: 30
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: churned
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This easy homemade ice cream recipe is creamy and delicious! Simple to make with just 5 ingredients, your whole family will scream for ice cream!
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean (or sub 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated cane sugar (or sub 1/2 cup maple syrup)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- optional: 2 tablespoons milk powder (or whey protein powder) and 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
Instructions
*See notes if using xanthum gum and/or milk powder
- If using a real vanilla bean, split it in half lengthwise using the tip of a sharp knife and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan. Add the pods.
- Place the whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan in a medium pot and heat over medium heat, gently heating.
- Stir until sugar has dissolved, lowering the heat to prevent it from coming to a simmer. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and chill. (See notes for our “cheater version”- no chilling required.)
- FYI, the longer you chill the mixture the more flavorful the ice cream will become (2- 24 hours).
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the vanilla pods. Transfer the ice cream mixture to the ice cream maker and churn according to its instructions.
- Eat right away or immediately store.
- To store, place it in a wide, shallow glass container, top it with parchment paper, and press it against the ice cream (this will prevent ice crystals). Cover with a lid and wrap with a kitchen towel, placing in the back of the freezer away form the door.
- To scoop frozen ice cream, dip an ice cream scoop in cold water and shake it off before using.
Notes
Fast Emergency Version: Use 1/2 cup maple syrup instead of sugar and sub vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. No need to heat it or chill it; just mix and churn. The maple gives it a lovely, toasty flavor but, in full disclosure, a slight beige-y color. I don’t mind it! This has also been repeatedly been tested in my catering business; everyone raves!
If using milk powder or xanthan gum, whisk them with the sugar first, to prevent any clumping. Gradually whisk in the sugar mixture with the cream and milk. Heat, and continue with the recipe. If, for some reason, you still have some clumping, you can use an immersion blender in the saucepan (remove the vanilla pods first). Or feel free to strain.
Xanthan gum is a natural stabilizer that will improve texture of the ice cream and extend shelf life to 3 months. Milk powder ( or whey powder) increases the protein composition and improves the creamy texture without adding more fat. Both are optional, but they are fun to experiment with. Note that too much xanthan gum can create an unpleasant texture, so go light.
One more tip: Some ice cream “experts” suggest holding the heated cream mixture just below a simmer for 30 minutes to improve the texture. I have tested this, and perhaps there was the slightest improvement, but not enough to justify the effort. Try it if you like. 🙂
The vanilla base can be stored in the fridge for up to one week before churning, or freeze for up to 3 months ( fully thaw before churning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅔ cup
- Calories: 207
- Sugar: 21.1 g
- Sodium: 131.4 mg
- Fat: 12.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
Fantastic ice cream recipe! I tried all three options- the fast version with maple syrup was surprisingly good, a good option if no time to heat it. I made this with real vanilla beans both ways with and without xanthan and milk powder (which I happened to have both on hand), and both were really good; however, adding both the xanthan and milk powder resulted in the best creamy texture, and my wife and kids agreed. In the past, I’ve always added eggs, but no longer. Thanks for sharing this easy method; you have a new convert to your website.
Excellent Allen! Big thanks for your helpful review! Sounds like you all may be fellow ice cream fans.🤩
Hi Sylvia,
This recipe left out a critical step – straining the mixture to remove the pods.
I’ve made ice cream in the past using my Cuisinart recipe book and straining the pods out of the custard base/milk mixture is definitely required.
I don’t think people will enjoy eating ice cream with vanilla pods which I think is inedible.
I hope that you can correct your recipe sooner than later as there will be a lot of unhappy people trying to eat ice cream with inedible vanilla pods based on your recipe.
Opps, you are right John, I forgot to include that and thanks for pointing it out. 🙂
👍
I don’t have an ice cream maker. Can I just freeze it and scoop it?
This recipe is designed for the ice cream maker- the mixing action makes it airy and light. We haven’t tried just freezing, it may get really hard and icy. Let us know if you do!