The idea of homemade ice cream can sometimes feel daunting, conjuring up images of complex egg custards and intricate preparation steps. This classic five-ingredient eggless vanilla ice cream recipe requires only heavy whipping cream, granulated sugar, sea salt, vanilla extract, and whole milk. The result? An incredibly rich, smooth, and deeply flavorful vanilla ice cream that’s miles beyond anything you’ll find in the freezer aisle. Perfect on its own, or serving as the ideal creamy canvas for your favorite mix-ins, such as chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or fresh fruit pieces, this easy-to-make homemade treat is guaranteed to become a family favorite.
Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck has been around since August of 2013. And in the almost 12 years that Brenna, McKenna, B.O.B. Bob, and I have been sharing our recipes with all of ya’ll, we have amazingly shared 43 delicious ice cream recipes in total, starting with this Hazelnut Oreo Ice Cream in July of 2014. Now, you would think that at some point during those almost 12 years of food recipe blogging, at least once, we would have gotten around to making vanilla ice cream, right? Sadly, the answer would be no. The closest we’ve come is when we churned this Buttermilk Double Vanilla Ice Cream in 2016. And sure, while that particular ice cream could technically be considered vanilla ice cream, it is most definitely not a classic traditional vanilla ice cream recipe. So, today, after so many, many years, we’re finally getting around to sharing a basic vanilla ice cream with y’all.
This classic ice cream only requires five simple ingredients: heavy whipping cream, granulated sugar, sea salt, vanilla extract, and whole milk. There are zero eggs involved, which means that you won’t have to worry about tempering any eggs or straining the ice cream to remove any lumps. And if you’re thinking to yourself that buying a pint of store-bought ice cream is way less work than making a homemade version. Well, sure, of course it is. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. However, once you’ve tried homemade ice cream, made with simple, unartificial ingredients, I’m willing to bet that you’ll become a huge fan of “the real” thing. And guess what? When you do decide to finally invest in an ice cream machine and become that person who churns their very own ice cream, we’ve totally got you covered with at least 44 great homemade ice cream recipes to choose from.
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/4 Whole Milk
Directions:
- Place the heavy whipping cream, sugar, and sea salt in a medium heavy-bottomed non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly. When the mixture begins to steam and is gently simmering, remove it from the heat.
- Add the vanilla and milk; whisk until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a heat-safe glass bowl and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- When the mixture has cooled, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- After the ice cream base has chilled, transfer it to an ice cream machine and churn it until it reaches ice cream consistency.
- For hard-serve ice cream, freeze the ice cream in freezer-safe containers for at least 4 hours before serving, or serve right away if you prefer soft-serve ice cream.
Suggestions:
- Do not walk away from the mixture while it is on the stove. You will need to whisk the mixture constantly to prevent it from burning or coming to a boil. The mixture should take between 5 and 7 minutes to come to a gentle simmer.
- Make sure to use high-quality vanilla for this ice cream. If you skimp on ingredients, you’ll definitely lose on flavor.
Improvements:
- Add chocolate chips or chocolate chunks to the ice cream during the last few minutes of churning.
- After the ice cream has churned for 10 minutes, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped frozen fruit to the ice cream machine. Try using finely chopped frozen peaches, cherries, strawberries, or blueberries.
- Replace some of the vanilla extract in the ice cream with coconut or almond extract. I suggest starting with 1 teaspoon because coconut and almond extract are significantly more potent than vanilla extract.
- To make ice cream cookie sandwiches, sandwich this ice cream between Chocolate Chip Vanilla Cookies or Chocolate Chip Cocoa Powder Cookies.
- Add chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts to the ice cream during the last few minutes of churning.
- CLICK HERE to check out all of our other delicious ice cream recipes.
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/4 Whole Milk
Directions:
- Place the heavy whipping cream, sugar, and sea salt in a medium heavy-bottomed non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly. When the mixture begins to steam and is gently simmering, remove it from the heat.
- Add the vanilla and milk; whisk until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a heat-safe glass bowl and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- When the mixture has cooled, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- After the ice cream base has chilled, transfer it to an ice cream machine and churn it until it reaches ice cream consistency.
- For hard-serve ice cream, freeze the ice cream in freezer-safe containers for at least 4 hours before serving, or serve right away if you prefer soft-serve ice cream.
PIN THIS RECIPE
Don’t let this recipe slip away. How often do you find a recipe intriguing, yet forget where to find it when you finally get the hankering to make it? Instead of digging through old posts or wandering aimlessly around on the internet, why not Pin this recipe to Pinterest where you can find it when you eventually need it? Simply Pin the image above and you’ll have it when that time comes. You can follow us HERE on Pinterest or simply click HERE to find all of our pin-worthy recipes.
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Sour Cherries
Buttermilk Double Vanilla Ice Cream
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To make the dreamiest homemade ice cream this summer, we’re sharing our list of must-have supplies to get you started on your ice cream-making adventure. With these simple supplies, you can make delicious homemade ice cream that will delight both your friends and family. CLICK HERE to read more.
There’s no better time of year to enjoy a bowl of ice cream than during the hot summer months of June, July, and August. And when that ice cream’s homemade, it’s even more enjoyable. So, break out the ice cream machine and get ready to churn an unforgettably rich and creamy frozen dessert treat to help you survive the scorching summer heat. CLICK HERE for the recipes.
