Of all the foods that make me feel most nostalgic of childhood summers, homemade ice cream is #1. This easy vanilla ice cream recipe is a summer staple and a must have for topping fruit crisps, eating with summer berries, topping brownies, or enjoying all on it’s own. The best part is that it only requires a few simple ingredients, and there’s no cooking involved. Of all the amazing ice cream recipes I love to make, this is the one I make the most. It takes less than 60 seconds to prepare and you can add in absolutely anything to customize it! Since this ice cream is not made with a custard base with eggs, it will get harder than traditional store-bought ice cream after frozen overnight. Let sit out at room temp to soften to the perfect scoopable consistency!
Ingredients Needed
The following is just a quick overview of ingredients and process- scroll to the end (or use jump-to-recipe button) for the full printable recipe.
- Heavy Cream
- Whole milk
- Sugar – I do more or less sugar depending on what I’m adding into my ice cream. If I’m going to swirl in caramel or candy for example, I’ll make the base a little less sweet. If I’m adding in tart fruit or leaving it plain, I do a little more.
- Vanilla
- Salt – just a pinch!
How to make easy no-cook Vanilla Ice Cream
- Mix cream, milk, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and stir until sugar dissolves.
- Have your at-home ice cream maker ready and churn according to directions.
- Once your ice cream is firmed up in your machine, you’ll want to transfer it to a freezer-safe container to firm up a little more.
- You can eat it plain as-is, OR add some add-ins!
Add-Ins
You can mix in any add-ins at the very end of churning by just dropping them into your machine but I usually prefer to mix in by hand. Usually as I transfer my ice cream from the machine to a freezer container, I layer in add-ins like this caramel or berry sauce below: a layer of ice cream, then swirl in some toppings, then another layer of ice cream, toppings, repeat. I feel like everything gets evenly distributed that way and instead of getting mashed into the ice cream and kind of pulverized, you get gorgeous, white, ice cream with pockets and ribbons of flavor.
Other add-in ideas: crushed cookies, candy bars, extracts, brownie or cheesecake chunks, sprinkles, toasted nuts, marshmallows, mashed fruit etc.
Ice Cream Machines
If you’re in the market for an ice cream machine, here are 4 I’ve owned and recommend.
- KitchenAid Ice Cream Attachment: If you already have a Kitchenaid Mixer, you can purchase an ice cream attachment. It’s a bowl you pre-freeze and then a special paddle.
- Cuisinart 1.5 quart: This entry level Cuisinart is a tried and true favorite. At under $100 it’s an affordable, reliable option that churns out great ice cream.
- Cuisinart 2 quart: This is a step up from #2. With a few more options and a larger capacity, you can make larger batches of ice cream, which is nice.
- Breville Compressor: This pricy machine won’t be the best choice for everyone, but it’s the one I use the most. While the canister is the smallest capacity of all these options, it’s a compressor so there is never a need to pre-freeze the container. It can instantly super cool ice cream for quick ice cream on the fly. It’s a large and heavy machine, but if you have a place to store it and you want to be able to make ice cream on a moments notice, it might be a good option for you. (Note: The current listed price on Amazon is way more than I paid for mine. If you’re interested in this option, shop around!)
Easy Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream or regular cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½-¾ cups sugar see note
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- Add-in options of your choice
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together and stir until sugar is dissolved. Start with 1/2 cup sugar and feel free to add more to taste.
- Process according to your ice cream machine directions. If desired, add toppings or add-ins in the last minute of churning. TIP: Instead of adding add-ins to the ice cream maker itself, I like to sometimes layer them into my container as I'm transferring my ice cream to a freezer-safe container to firm up.
- When ice cream is done churning it will be the consistency of soft serve. Transfer to an airtight container (these are my favorite for ice cream) and store in the freezer for at least a couple hours to help it firm up.
- If ice cream has been frozen for an extended period of time, overnight for example, it will need to sit out at room temp to soften to scooping consistency. Depending on the ambient temperature in your home, plan for 15-30 minutes.
Notes
- Adjust sugar content to your liking. I add more or less sugar depending on what I’m adding in.
- -Hand mix in crushed cookies, sprinkles, nuts, cheesecake crumbles, fruits, etc.
- -Mash fresh fruit in a bowl with a little sugar or a spoonful of coordinating fruit jam and then layer in swirls in the freezer container.
- -Layer in swirls of caramel, chocolate, or fruit sauce in freezer container.
- – Add extracts to your liking.
Questions & Reviews
What kind of container do you store your ice cream in? I find that normal Tupperware cracks after being in the freezer for too long.
I ordered a dozen white, “cardboard” professional type tubs from Amazon for ice cream storage, and love them,.
Also, I love the Cuisinart inexpensive ice cream maker… I have the bowl for the Kitchen Aid, and it is a bit fussy to work with… there is an attachment that I seem to have difficulty with… the Cuisinart is perfect, and I got one on sale that had two bowls… works really well.
Phyllis
Inherited an old school White Mountain, 6 qt. ice cream freezer (electric, thankfully) from Grandma and Grandpa. Nothing better than apricot or peach puree (1 qt./batch) as the add-in. So delicious and this baby will feed the multitudes!
Can this be doubled and still fit in a ice cream maker? I have a big family… 🙂
Absolutely!
I love my Kitchen Aide mixer. I do exclusively non-dairy ice creams because my husband and I are both lactose intolerant and it works great every time. This recipe looks tasty and easy enough to temp trying though.
That’s awesome. What milk have you found does best for non-dairy ice creams?
Would also love to know best products for the nondairy homemade ice creams. My father in law loves ice creamaker but can’t tolerate milk anymore. Would love to surprise him this weekend with homemade ice cream he could eat!
I usually use coconut milk.
Same ratio as the whole milk? What do you use in place of heavy whippping cream? Thanks
They have plant based heavy whipping cream which is quite delicious and works great as a substitute if this helps.
I bought the Krups Ice cream maker over the weekend and it worked very well, much easier on the pocket! 😉
I’m trying to wrap my head around egg vs no egg ice cream, but this seems like a lot less hassle and stress, definitely giving it a whirl. Thank you for an awesome blog, I’m a long-time reader and have some all-time favourite recipes I found here.
Good to hear, Tania! I love both custard (egg) based, and non-custard. Egg definitely adds a richness you just can’t get any other way, but there is also something quite glorious about just cream, milk, and sugar!
We have the Kitchenaid bowl and love it – definitely put it in the coldest freezer, or part of your freezer, that your have. After much experimentation (hard work, that ; ), our favorite base is 4 cups half and half, 2 cups heavy cream, 3/4 – 1 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons vanilla – and a good dash of salt. We love to mix in cut-up reeses, or chocolate sauce, or seedless blackberry fruit spread at the end… YUM! I’ll try your base next time, Sara. = )
I am embarrassed to admit I have NEVER made homemade of cream. I have an ice cream make that I got for my wedding 13 years ago (tomorrow)–it has been through more than a dozen moves, 3 kids and now a divorce and has never even been out of the box. You’ve convinced me that maybe I need to try to make some homemade ice cream.
Also, just wondering if substitutes like Splenda work? Although it doesn’t look like you’re adding much sugar anyway (sorry I’m being that girl….)
Oh my gosh, get that baby out!! I’ve never used sugar subs because I figure I’m throwing straight-up cream in, may as well go for broke, ya know? haha. But you could definitely try it. I’d probably use the Truvia baking blend. It might change the texture just a bit, but I think it would actually work just fine. If you try it let me know!
I got a new ice cream maker for Mother’s Day then had a lactose sensitive baby in June! I am definitely going to try this one when I’m done nursing. The cooked vanilla bases are a little too eggy for me when I want pure vanilla. Yum!
Nooooo (for the lactose sensitivity) yaaaaay for the baby! 🙂
I have the kitchenaid ice cream bowl attachment and love it! I am definitely a minimalist when it comes to kitchen equipment- mostly by necessity since my husband is in medical school and we still move from small place to small place. Its definitely not big, but it gets the job done and I love not having the extra machine base to store like I would otherwise.
So great to know- I’ve heard it works great!
I have the kitchen aid ice cream maker and love it! It lives in the chest freezer so it’s always available!
I’ve made a recipe similar to this one and it is quick, easy, and delicious! I love the ideas for mix ins!