Homemade Ice Cream Recipe
Made with just 6 ingredients and no fancy machine, this Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream recipe is the ultimate summer staple. We spent weeks perfecting the balance between rich custard and light whipped cream so you get an ultra-creamy texture and deliciously indulgent flavor every single time. It takes just 25 minutes of hands-on time and freezes into the dreamiest scoop. Whether we’re making it for weekend BBQs, birthdays, or late-night cravings, this recipe is one we come back to again and again. We know you'll love it, too!
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the milk and bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Keep a close eye on the milk since it will bubble over if you don’t turn the heat off once it comes to a simmer. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt. Let cool off the burner for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar for 2 minutes until the mixture begins to turn pale.
- Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking quickly until well combined. This step is great done with two people, so one person can pour the milk and the second person can whisk.
- Return the mixture to the small pot and cook over medium heat, whisking consistently, until it begins to thicken for about 6-10 minutes. Once the mixture starts to nearly boil over, turn off the heat immediately and continue to whisk so it doesn’t bubble over. It will be thickened compared to earlier, but not quite as thick as pudding.
- If there are any clumps, strain the custard through a sieve into a new large bowl (you can clean out the bowl from earlier) and cover directly with plastic wrap. If there are no clumps, no need to strain the custard before pouring it into the bowl.
- Let cool in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight until cold.
- Whip heavy cream in a large bowl (or in an electric stand mixer with a whisk attachment) until medium peaks form.
- Fold the custard mixture into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula just until combined.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into a loaf pan and spread into an even layer.
- Cover directly with plastic wrap and then place another piece of plastic wrap covering the entire pan to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for 6-8 hours or best overnight.
- Remove from the freezer 5-10 minutes before scooping.
Notes
- Run your ice cream scoop under hot water for easy scooping.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!