The Best (and Easiest) Ice Cream You’ll Ever Make

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Homemade Ice Cream is the quintessential summer treat, isn’t it?

This homemade ice cream recipe can also be called the easiest (and best!) ice cream you will ever make or taste. I’ve been making this ice cream at least once a month for over 5 years now.

The BEST and easiest vanilla ice cream you will ever make! get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Can anyone ever turn down a scoop of rich and creamy vanilla ice cream? This ice cream recipe is the easiest once I make and it’s adaptable for whichever add-ins you’re craving.

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I try to keep a stash of crumbled cookies, brownies, and other treats in the freezer so that I can toss in a few handfuls whenever I’m making a fresh batch of ice cream.

Don’t miss our Ice Cream Maker Review for all the information you need to find the BEST Ice Cream Maker for your needs! Spoiler alert – our top-rated machine under $50 just might surprise you. It sure surprised me!

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

While ice cream is a staple in our freezer year round, the add-in potentials for this particular ice cream are endless. I’ve filled this ice cream with chunks of brownies, bits of cookie dough, pieces of oatmeal cookies, and swirls of salted caramel sauce.

I’ve also topped this ice cream with warm chocolate sauce, and my favorite of all this simple berry sauce. There has yet to be a combination that we didn’t love.

I probably don’t even need to mention it, but this Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream is a pretty much dream come true for topping Southern Peach Cobbler, Grandma’s Cherry Flop, an Old Fashioned Apple Crisp, or this Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch.

You only need FIVE ingredients to make the best and easiest homemade ice cream! get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

How To Make Homemade Ice Cream

With just five simple ingredients, you can have this smooth and creamy vanilla ice cream at your fingertips as well.

When I first started making homemade ice cream, I initially followed the recommended recipes and tried several custard-style ice creams. Traditionally, many ice creams begin with an egg custard.

While a custard base does make for an amazing ice cream, don’t get me wrong, custard ice cream is rich as can be and I quickly found that it just isn’t my thing.

Besides, I’ll be honest, I like to make things simpler and not more complicated in the kitchen wherever possible.

When I discovered Philadelphia-style ice cream, it was a complete game changer. Philadelphia style ice cream is simply ice cream made with no eggs.

I’ve played with the basic ratios and the method over the past few years and I’m telling you now that this recipe is hands down, the BEST simple vanilla ice cream I have ever made.

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

Homemade Ice Cream is like no other! get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

This ice cream is dead simple. Stir everything together in a saucepan, simmer, Stir, Chill and Freeze; less than 10 minutes of actual prep time.

If I put the mixture together in the morning, refrigerate it, and then churn it in the afternoon, we are easily having this for dessert the same evening.

However, if you are in a rush, you can simply stir everything together cold and pour it into the machine. I can’t deny that simmering it just long enough to dissolve the sugar and then cooling it again does makes it even better.

Truthfully though, I’m impatient about half the time, so I skip the simmer step frequently. This is fantastic ice cream however you make it.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream is like no other! get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

This ice cream works beautifully in every ice cream maker I’ve tried. Hand crank, electric crank, freezer bowl, and ice cream compressor. Homemade Ice Cream turns out great in each one!

(And yes, I may have a wee bit of a thing for ice cream, because I have each of those machines and love them all!)

Ice Cream Recipes

Once you have an ice cream maker in your kitchen, get ready for all the ice cream recipes you can handle.

These recipes for Rocky Road Ice Cream, Cinnamon Ice Cream, Blueberries and Cream Ice Cream, and Cafe con Leche Ice Cream all need to be on your list to try. Fresh Mint Ice Cream is like no other mint ice cream you’ve tried in the past. 

Sweet chunks of edible cookie dough fill each scoop of this rich and creamy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream by The View from Great Island and Peanut Butter Ice Cream by Pint Sized Baker both look delicious as well.

Homemade Ice Cream Recipe

  1. Pour 1 cup of the cream into a saucepan and add the sugar, salt. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the pot and then add the vanilla pod to the pot.
  2. Warm the mixture over medium heat, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the remaining cream, milk, and vanilla. Stir to combine and chill in the refrigerator.
  3. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla pod, whisk mixture again and pour into ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  4. Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and place in the freezer until ready to serve.

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The Best and Easiest Ice Cream Recipe

The Best (and Easiest) Ice Cream You’ll Ever Make

4.66 from 418 votes
Rich and creamy homemade vanilla ice cream recipe that only requires five ingredients!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings (about 1.5 quarts)

Ingredients 

  • cups heavy cream
  • cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean split in half lengthwise or
  • Optional: 2 cups of add-ins – soft brownies, cookies, and blondies work great

Instructions

  • Pour 1 cup of the cream into a saucepan and add the sugar, salt. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the pot and then add the vanilla pod to the pot. Warm the mixture over medium heat, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the remaining cream, milk, and vanilla extract (if using extract). Stir to combine and chill in the refrigerator.
  • When ready to churn, remove the vanilla pod, whisk mixture again and pour into ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and place in the freezer until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Notes

Feel free to skip the simmer step and simply whisk everything together, then pour directly into the ice cream maker. The ice cream is absolutely delicious this way, as well as when simmered and chilled first.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal · Carbohydrates: 30g · Protein: 3g · Fat: 27g · Saturated Fat: 17g · Cholesterol: 100mg · Sodium: 97mg · Potassium: 119mg · Sugar: 28g · Vitamin A: 1103IU · Vitamin C: 1mg · Calcium: 103mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 5/22/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/1/21}

The Best and Easiest Ice Cream Recipe you will ever make! get the recipe at barefeetinthekitchen.com

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Lurker says

    For crying out loud- why do you always have to struggle through the entire text of “War and Peace” just to get to a recipe? Every recipe sight is incredibly frustrating this way.

    • Mary Younkin says

      Hi! There’s a large button at the top of the recipe page that says “Jump to Recipe”, right underneath the title before the text even starts. If you want to get to the recipe, all you have to do is click that button.

    • Seraphina G says

      I know I get so discouraged bc I can never find the recipe. I wonder if they know we don’t really want to read about the history of each ingredient or their childhood. We just wanna make what recipe we are searching for. I’m on a time limit gahd.

    • Mary Younkin says

      Again, Seraphina, I’m aware that not everyone wants to read through everything. That’s why there’s a clearly labelled, large, bolded button at the top of the page which says “Jump To Recipe”. No matter what platform you’re using, it comes first before any of the “not helpful” text. Hopefully you found the recipe you were looking for. Happy cooking.

    • Chis says

      For crying out loud-why do people looking to obtain for free the fruits of labor from others hard work always seem to be so dog gone ungrateful and petty? IF you are so darned inconvenienced, perhaps you should go out and BUY RECIPIES!!!

  2. Ellen Schneider says

    I have a small mug 1pt ice cream maker. Can I save the mixture and use next day? Only holds 1 cup of liquid. So excited to try this recipe!
    Thank you

  3. Emma says

    This was really good, I think that it melted I little to fast but it was still good I think if you want good Ice cream but you don’t want to buy it then do this. The vanilla taste is very strong but still good.5 stars

  4. Pam says

    This was my first batch of ice cream in my new Kitchenaid Ice Cram bowl. It was really delicious and very easy. It was a wonderful dessert for Christmas Day 🎄
    Thank you for the recipe5 stars

  5. Cyn says

    Thank you for the recipe, it’s my go to base. I found the skip to recipe button easily. You have to add content for search engines to digest but most people don’t understand how the internet works.

    Note use heavy cream not heavy whipping cream like I did once. The colder your mixture the better it will churn so I freeze it for 30 mins before. You can also substitute a stevia based sugar for lower sugar.5 stars

    • Mary Younkin says

      Hi, Melani. Technically, heavy whipping cream and heavy cream are the same product; it’s just a brand/region difference. That should work in this recipe. I hope you love the ice cream!

  6. Karen AKA Mimi’s I Scream says

    Wow!!! This was the 1st batch I ever made, and it was so easy and the best vanilla bean ice cream ever. I didn’t taste it completely frozen yet, but the soft serve texture that just got churned in my kitchenaid freezer bowl was amazing!!! Can’t wait to try it when it’s thoroughly frozen. My family and friends will be lining up at the door. 😊5 stars

  7. Alea says

    Hi, Mary! When do I add the brownies/cookies during the process? Should I put them all together in the ice cream maker or just add them after churning? I am using the Cusinart brand.

  8. Brenda says

    How far ahead can you make this and put in the fridge before you churn it? Also, how long will it last in the freezer? I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your recipes and knowledge. I am grateful.

    • Mary Younkin says

      You can prep the base a day or two in advance without any issues, Brenda. Just give it a quick whisk before pouring it into the machine. It will last as long as ice cream typically lasts in the freezer.

  9. Colin David Roberts says

    Use this every time . I change ingredients sometimes use coconut palm sugar or pancake syrup, or cherry pie filling , marmalade whatever takes the fancy5 stars