Easy Vanilla Ice Cream
Learn the secret to making unbelievably delicious vanilla ice cream at home.
Serves4
Makesabout 5 cups
Prep10 minutes
Cook10 minutes to 15 minutes
Ice cream — be it scooped in a cup, dripping down a cone, blended into a shake, or piled high with toppings in a sundae — is my favorite warm-weather treat. In my opinion, letting a summer day pass without even a lick of ice cream is a missed opportunity. Given that, good ice cream is obviously something I take very seriously.
There’s nothing more disappointing than buying a pint and finding the ice cream to be exceptionally milky, or more ice than it is cream. So say hi to my perfect recipe for homemade vanilla ice cream. This American-style (aka Philadelphia-style) ice cream borrows a trick from its Sicilian-style gelato counterpart to deliver an ice cream that’s lighter than an egg-based version, but still full-bodied and undeniably creamy (and if you’re looking for a custard-based version, we’ve got that too). Ultra creamy, super smooth, and brimming with vanilla flavor, this homemade vanilla ice cream is worth breaking your ice cream machine out for.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s unbelievably creamy. This vanilla ice cream comes out uber-creamy and smooth thanks to a higher ratio of heavy cream to milk as well as a tiny bit of cornstarch.
- It lets the vanilla flavor shine. I tested several ratios of sugar to find the perfect amount.
- It’s lighter yet still as satisfying. Skipping the eggs makes for a lighter, cleaner vanilla-forward base that makes this ice cream deeply satisfying on its own as well as the perfect canvas for any topping or mix-in.
Key Ingredients in Vanilla Ice Cream
- Cornstarch: Adding just a tablespoon (a technique used in Sicilian-style gelato and ice cream), thickens the ice cream base slightly, yielding a creamier end result, as well as helps to minimize iciness once frozen.
- Vanilla bean paste: Provides strong vanilla flavor with the added bonus of vanilla bean flecks throughout the ice cream and is a cost-effective alternative to vanilla bean pods. However, if you don’t have paste, vanilla extract will be just as delicious.
- Heavy cream: As compared to heavy whipping cream, heavy cream contains a little more fat, making for an even more velvety base that churns nicely and yields a noticeably creamy end result.
How to Make Vanilla Ice Cream
- Freeze the bowl. If your ice cream machine requires it, take care to freeze the bowl the night before churning.
- Make the ice cream base. Straining the base ensures your ice cream comes out smooth.
- Chill the base overnight. This is called aging the base. Letting the base age until deeply chilled and thickened helps to produce a creamier ice cream.
- Churn. Spin the ice cream until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, then enjoy right away or freeze for hard ice cream.
Adding Mix-Ins
- For stracciatella-esque chocolate shards: Melt 4 ounces of chocolate and drizzle into the churning ice cream when just shy of soft-serve texture.
- For hard mix-ins (toasted nuts, cookies, marshmallows, etc.): Crush or chop the mix-ins as desired and add to the churning ice cream when just shy of soft-serve texture.
- For soft swirls (peanut butter, caramel, jam, preserves, etc.): If stiff, such as peanut butter, heat just until it can be easily drizzled. Alternate layering the churned ice cream in a container or loaf pan with spoonfuls of the fluid, saucy mix-in.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- The ice cream base can be made up to one day ahead of churning.
- The ice cream can be stored in the freezer in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
More Ice Cream Recipes
Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Learn the secret to making unbelievably delicious vanilla ice cream at home.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes to 15 minutes
Makes about 5 cups
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups
heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups
whole milk
- 3/4 cup
granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon
cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon
vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
If your ice cream machine has a bowl that needs to be frozen before churning, put it in the freezer the night before you plan to churn the ice cream.
Place 2 3/4 cups heavy cream, 1 1/4 cups whole milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, steam is coming off the surface, and the mixture is slightly bubbling around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a large heatproof bowl.
Add about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture to the bowl and whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan. Fit a fine-mesh strainer over the now-empty bowl.
While whisking continuously, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low. Still whisking constantly, continue to cook for 2 minutes more to cook off the cornstarch flavor and until very slightly thickened. A thin coating of the ice cream base will cling to the back of a spoon and hold a line when you swipe your finger. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Pour the base into the strainer, then discard the contents of the strainer. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract to the base and whisk to combine. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours or ideally overnight. (Alternatively, for same day-churning, see Recipe Notes for how to cool the base down over an ice bath.)
Transfer the chilled ice cream base to the bowl of the ice cream machine. Churn according to the ice cream machine instructions until it is thickened to a soft-serve consistency, 20 to 35 minutes. Eat immediately if you prefer a soft-serve texture. For hard ice cream, transfer to an airtight container or loaf pan, press a sheet of parchment or wax paper pressed against the surface, then freeze until solid, at least 8 hours. If frozen solid, let sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before scooping.
Recipe Notes
Cooling the ice cream base: If you do not have time to age the ice cream base, it can be cooled over an ice bath. Nestle the bowl with the strained ice cream base over another larger bowl filled with ice water and let chill, whisking often and adding more ice to the bath if needed, until 40°F or cooler, about 30 minutes.
Storage: The ice cream can be stored in the freezer in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 2 weeks.