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Creamy, sweet, and completely homemade, this is my favorite Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe! It’s a bare bones, super simple recipe that gives you the creamiest, silkiest vanilla ice cream ever. With only five main ingredients, you too can be an ice cream churning pro! Homemade ice cream elevates every dessert you serve this with. My favorites include: Peach Cobbler Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler, Apple Pie , Chocolate Cobbler (so good!) and Apple Turnovers.
One Simple Trick to Get Extra Creamy Ice Cream
Believe it or not, stirring in more heavy cream into the cooked custard base actually gives you a creamier vanilla ice cream! I’ve tried making this all sorts of ways and stirring in that last little bit of cream makes a world of difference with the finished churned ice cream.
Next time you make ice cream, give my method a try. It’s amazing how much creamier it actually tastes!
How to Make Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream {With an Ice Cream Maker}
The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to freeze! Everything else is extremely straight forward. Heads up: you will need an ice cream maker! This is the ice cream maker I own and would highly recommend it. For full recipe details check out the recipe card down below.
Freeze Bowl of Ice Cream Maker
Place the bowl of the ice cream maker with paddle in the freezer.
Combine Ingredients + Heat
In a small pot, measure 1 cup of the heavy cream with milk, sugar, and salt. Heat, stirring well until sugar dissolves.
Temper the Egg Yolks with the Hot Cream Mixture
Slowly pour 1/4 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks while stirring vigorously. Add another 1/4 cup and stir. Pour egg yolk mixture into pot with the remaining hot cream and stir. Cook (without bringing to simmer or boil) for 5-10 minutes or until custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove From Heat
Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and vanilla. Transfer to a plastic container, cover, and refrigerate several hours until completely chilled.
Time to Make Ice Cream!
Assemble ice cream maker {with frozen bowl} and turn on. Pour chilled custard base into the machine and churn for 15-20 minutes. Scoop ice cream out into a large airtight container and freeze until firm. Serve.
How to Make Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream {Without an Ice Cream Maker}
Not everyone has an ice cream maker! And that’s perfectly okay because I have another method for making vanilla ice cream without one. It won’t be quite the same consistency, but will taste exactly the same.
- Follow the instructions as you normally would, except this time leave out the heavy cream from the ice cream stovetop mixture. We will add it later.
- Cook and refrigerate the ice cream base as instructed above.
- Whip heavy cream in a stand mixer on high until it turns into whipped cream. Then fold the whipped cream into the chilled ice cream base until combined.
- Transfer to a large airtight container and freeze for a couple of hours. Serve!
Ice Cream Toppings and Mix-Ins
Homemade ice cream can be enjoyed on its own or add toppings and/or mix-ins to create your own ice cream concoction. Its simple, creamy yet rich flavor is amazing and is the perfect dessert blank canvas. Here are a couple of ideas:
Mix-Ins
Simply hand mix these in before the final freezing.
- sprinkles
- fresh berries
- cookies
- brownies
- cheesecake bits
Toppings
- nutella hot fudge sauce
- caramel sauce
- melted peanut butter
- chocolate shavings
Storing Homemade Ice Cream
Store remaining vanilla ice cream in an airtight container, in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. After a couple of weeks, the texture can become grainy.
More Dessert Recipes to Try!
- The Best Homemade Brownie Recipe
- Actually Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Amazing Vanilla Cake Recipe
- Buttery Apple Pie Recipe
if you liked this Vanilla Ice Cream recipe, be sure to check out all of my other ice cream recipes! Printable recipe card is below, enjoy!
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla {or 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped}
Instructions
- Freeze bowl of ice cream maker with paddle at least 6 hours in advance.
- In a small pot, measure 1 cup heavy cream with milk, sugar and salt. Heat over medium, stirring well until sugar dissolves. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks together.
- Temper egg yolks with hot cream mixture: slowly pour 1/4 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks while stirring vigorously. Add another 1/4 cup and stir. Pour egg yolk mixture into pot with the remaining hot cream and stir. Cook (without bringing to simmer or boil) for 5-10 minutes or until custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and vanilla. Transfer to plastic container, cover and refrigerate several hours until completely chilled.
- Assemble ice cream maker {with frozen bowl} and turn on. Pour chilled custard base into the machine and churn 15-20 minutes. Scoop ice cream out into a large container and freeze until firm. Serve.
You have convinced me! I’ve never done the custard type before. I have a cuisinart (looks like yours) and I have always used their recipe for vanilla. Which never firms up quite enough. Others have worked well, so I’ve always been at a loss.
But yours looks great and I want to give it a try.
However- I am a little confused because in your post, you talk about making the whipped cream and folding it in. But in the recipe you say just mix in the other half of cream after cooking.
Can you clarify?
I can’t wait to look at all your other delicious recipes- glad I found you!
Those directions are for if you don’t have an ice cream maker! If you scroll above that section, there are some general directions but the REAL directions are listed at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card. Sorry for the confusion!
Thank you for the quick response and I shudder to think I have become *that* person! When I scrolled down, it jumped a bit and I did not see the heading that you EASILY put so I wouldn’t bother you.
Thank you!!
(Also, I’ve just spent a good hour collecting a lot of your recipes! Can’t wait to try some. THANKS)