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I have a well-established love of ice cream, with over 150 ice cream recipes here on the website, and yet I still make this simple ice cream recipe at least once a month. There’s a reason why we call this the easiest (and best!) ice cream you will ever make or taste.
How To Make Homemade Ice Cream
Can anyone ever turn down a scoop of rich and creamy homemade ice cream? With just a handful of ingredients, this vanilla ice cream is beyond easy to make and it’s adaptable for whichever add-ins you’re craving.
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 have tried many ice cream recipes with many levels of difficulty, but my husband has deemed this recipe his favorite! Thank you so much for your hard work! I love the endless possibilities!
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 churning a batch of ice cream.
I’ve also topped this ice cream with warm chocolate sauce, salted caramel sauce, or my favorite of all, this simple berry sauce. There has yet to be a combination that we didn’t love.
Homemade Ice Cream Recipe
When I first started making homemade ice cream, I initially followed recipes for traditional custard-style ice creams. And while a custard base does make for an amazing ice cream, don’t get me wrong, custard ice creams tend to be rich as can be.
And I quickly found that most custard ice creams just aren’t my thing. Besides, I’ll be honest, I like to make things simpler and not more complicated in the kitchen wherever possible.
The Ice Cream That Changed Everything
When I discovered Philadelphia-style ice cream, it was a complete game changer. You’ll need just 5 ingredients to make this ice cream: cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
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!
How To Make Ice Cream
This ice cream is dead simple. Just combine some cream, milk, sugar, a pinch of salt, and a splash of vanilla in a saucepan. Give it a stir and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Then cool, chill, and churn; 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 will happily scoop this ice cream into bowls or cones for dessert the same evening.
Want To Make It Even Easier?
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 make it even better.
Truthfully though, I’m impatient most of the time, so I skip the simmer step frequently. This is fantastic ice cream, however you make it.
The ice cream works beautifully in every ice cream maker I’ve tried. Hand crank, electric crank, freezer bowl, and ice cream compressor are all terrific options, but don’t worry, you can make ice cream without a machine too!
Ice Cream Recipes
Once you have an ice cream maker in your kitchen, get ready for all the ice cream recipes you can handle. Two kinds of chocolate and real cream make this the best and easiest homemade chocolate ice cream. The deliciously rich chocolate flavor of this recipe comes from the combination of both cocoa powder and melted chocolate chips.
Strawberry Ice Cream is an old-fashioned favorite made simply with strawberries, sugar, cream, and milk. Just a few ingredients add up to a summer ice cream treat that everyone loves.
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.
This creamy, rich Blueberry Ice Cream is filled with chunks of dark chocolate that will melt in your mouth. Oh, my friends, make this. You won’t regret it – and I’m willing to bet that you’ll fall in love with it at first bite. I know I did.
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!
The Best (and Easiest) Ice Cream You’ll Ever Make
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups heavy cream
- 1¼ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean split in half lengthwise
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup of the cream into a saucepan and add the sugar and salt. If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds of the bean into the mixture and then add the vanilla pod to the saucepan.
- 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). Whisk to combine and chill in the refrigerator.
- When ready to churn, remove the vanilla pod, whisk the mixture again, and pour it into the ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Serve immediately or transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and place it in the freezer until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 5/22/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 9/14/25}
Good awesome texture and flavor I’m going to make it again!!!!!!!!
How do you keep ice cream from freezing to the side and bottom of ice cream maker. I read adding powder milk helps but doesn’t tell you how to add it.
That can happen with different machines, if the ice cream freezes and thaws a bit while churning. It shouldn’t happen regularly. I’ve actually never had that happen in any of my ice cream makers, beyond a very thin and easily scrapeable layer on the sides.
Hi Joanne,
I read somewhere that you need to turn on your machine before adding ice cream base to prevent too much frozen buildup on sides of the bowl. I haven’t tried it yet but I hope it helps!
I havent made it yet, but it seems so simple and straight forward. Good pics & l’ll let you know when I do make it!! Thank you soo much!
I hope that you’ll love it as much as we do, Christy.
We’ve been working through your ice cream recipes and this one is spot-on in both taste and texture — super creamy and, with the vanilla bean option, over the top flavorful. We loved it!
Yay! I’m so glad you like it, Valerie.
This recipe is great! I had a little trouble with ice forming in the freezer so on the nest batch I added a tablespoon of vodka. Now it is my go to recipe!
That’s a great tip, Cynthia. I’m thrilled you’re enjoying the ice cream.
Can you substitute Allulose, Stevia, Swerve,or monk fruit for the sugar? I have heard some combinations of these mimic sugar. I’m on Keto Diet. Some keto recipes are not very good.
I’ve never tried an alternative sweetener, John. In my experience, sugar free ice creams haven’t worked out well.
Allulose will give it a softer texture… which is good since this probably freezes really hard.
Tina – I have never tried making it with Allulose. Thank you for the tip.
YUMMM!
My ice cream froze really hard. Any ideas where I went wrong
Did you substitute or adjust any of the ingredient amounts? If the % of cream was reduced, the ice cream will freezer more solidly. If not, I’m guessing that your freezer is set colder than mine typically is. I’d recommend allowing the ice cream to soften for a few minutes before scooping.
Pretty good it freezes hard and the instructions are not very clear. But overall I like it!
I’m glad you like the ice cream!
This recipe looks great! So excited to try it. Does this work alright without an ice cream maker? Mine has been sitting in storage for years and I’m not sure if it still works…
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. You’ll find the full directions here!
This is delicious ice cream. And it’s the closest I’ve come to the way old fashioned, hand cranked ice cream tasted when I was little.
Elisha – Thank you for sharing. Not much beats the memories of summertime and homemade ice cream from childhood.
Hi guys it was great
Bob – Happy to hear you liked it.
Followed the recipe exactly and it tastes like frozen cool whip. Also way too much vanilla and sugar to milk ratio. Waste of time and ingredients on a holiday with family. Will be throwing this one out.
Mk – Well that isn’t good. I hope you find a recipe that works for you.
This is literally the best ice cream ever! I was so happy to find a great recipe that didn’t use egg yolk. This is the easiest and most delicious ice cream recipe ever! If I can help it, I’ll never buy ice cream again, thank youuu!
Samantha – Thank you so much for the comment. It makes my heart happy to know a fellow ice cream lover enjoys this recipe as much as my family does.
Tried it for Memorial Day cookout and it was perfect. Thank you for the easy recipe. Everyone said it was a hit.
Tonya – That is awesome. A perfect Memorial Day treat.
This is the 4th vanilla ice cream recipe I’ve tried, and it will be the last. The ice cream is perfect! It tastes great, is creamy, and it’s the perfect texture; not too soft or too hard. I think melting the sugar in some cream on the stovetop is key. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe 😀
Patricia = Thank you for sharing. I am delighted my recipe has become your official go to.
Does it need to be whole milk?
You can use whichever milk you like best, Mason. However, it will be a tiny bit less creamy when using milk with a lower fat content.
How much vanilla bean paste would you use?
Myra – I have not made it with vanilla bean paste yet. My recommendation would be to use the equivalent to what you might get when scraping out a vanilla bean. So 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon maybe?
I am a girl who grew up on homemade ice cream. I know a good one. This recipe is so simple and yummy delicious. My kids told me it was the best ice cream they had ever had and the 15 year old man-child asked me for the recipe. He doesn’t do that. 😉 So good. Thank you for sharing.
Jennifer – So happy to be a part of this family tradition!
very good ice cream, my kid loves it!
I’m so happy to hear it’s a hit, Ruth!