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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}
I tried this and it was delicious! I added about 1/8 tsp of xanthan gum which enhanced the creaminess and helped with preventing ice crystals when freezing!
This was the first recipe we tried in our new electric ice cream maker. We were blown away—so good! Can you tell me what the serving size is for the nutrition facts provided?
You will typically get 1.5 quarts; the nutrition information was based on 6 servings. So your serving would be approximately 1 cup.
Yes I made this Ice cream & yes it does stand up to its name! Easy(to make & eat!), creamy & delicious. Thank you for your post. Diane
Music to my ears Diane. Easy on all accounts.
Hi there! Your recipe was our first ever attempt (as adults without parental supervision 😁)at making homemade ice cream. I’ve had a Kitchen-Aid mixer for about 25 years, but had no idea there was an ice cream attachment. Anyhoooooo…we followed your recipe but added finely chopped strawberries to the mix when it was about 2 minutes away from being completely churned. BEST ICE CREAM EVER!!! We are so proud of ourselves, because at ages 70 and 64 respectively, my husband and I made ice cream without our parents help!!!😜 (God rest their patient souls!) Tonight we’re going to tackle peach ice cream using your recipe. Someday we’ll get around to making straight vanilla, but for now with summer fruits still available we are going wild! Thank you for your great recipe with such concise instructions. You rock!!! We have a new hobby we can do together now!😄
This gave me the biggest smile! You are now hooked! I can’t wait to see your reviews on some of my other ice cream recipes. Try the chocolate cookie dough ice cream recipe. It’s amazing!
I just want to know how much of ice and salt do you used to put the Ice Cream Maker to work. For you attention thank you very much
My favorite ice cream maker does not use ice and salt. But for those that do use it, it usually depends on the size of the device. I would check the manufacturer’s suggestion for the correct amount.
Lives up to its name and claim! Easy enough to do with my two year old son and we both voted delicious! Thank you so much!
Kids love making ice cream. Mine will stare into the machine the entire time begging for “just a taste”. I am glad you enjoyed it, Rachel.
Our go to recipe!
That is fantastic, Sarah! Thank you.
This is Melissa Clark’s recipe from the NY Times, with very minor alterations. The original calls for 2 cups cream and 1 cup milk; this variation reduces the cream by 1/4 cup and increases the milk by 1/4 cup, and adds a little more sugar. I’ve been making The NY Times ice cream for years, it has over 3,000 reviews and it’s one of their all-time favorites.
Try it. The NY Times recipe is easy to find (so easy even Mary Younkin found it!) Some things are better in their original (non-plagiarized) form.
Hey Patti, there are many delicious homemade ice cream recipes. Considering ice cream has the same basic ingredients of milk, cream, and sugar it isn’t surprising there are other similar versions published. Find the one that works for you and go with it. This happens to be our favorite and the favorite of many others as well.
And for what it’s worth, I just googled Melissa’s recipe. The recipe is custard based and requires both eggs and a cooked custard base. So, uhm, yeah, it has milk and cream and sugar – as does pretty much every other ice cream recipe. There are only so many ways we can combine them. But this recipe remains an egg-free favorite for me.
Wrong, Patti. You’re misinformed re “plagiarized” recipes. Basic recipes and techniques are commonly shared and adjusted in the food & recipe world, online and in print. There is no claim or copyright unless the recipe or technique is specifically unique, trademarked, and lifted word for word usually with image. This ice-cream recipe has been adjusted and is worthy of publishing on it’s own. Trying to say it’s plagiarized would be like saying a roast chicken recipe is plagiarized. Keep doing what you’re doing barefeet! Your response was very gracious.
So instead of an ice cream maker can i use my blender/food processor or do i need an ice cream maker?
A blender or food processor won’t really work because it doesn’t aid in the actual freezing of the ice cream. If you don’t have an ice cream maker here is a method I have used and recommend: https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/ice-cream-without-a-machine/
Does it matter if i use 2% milk
You can use 2%. It won’t be as creamy due to less fat in the milk and it might not freeze quite the same but it will work Rachel.
I am wondering would it be sposibly to swap out diffint flavors like instead of vanilla extract
Rachel – You certainly could. This recipe is a great base to build from.
I tried this recipe for the first time yesterday and it was super creamy and delicious!
Thank you, Kathy! It is so delicious. 🙂
Love this! Wish you had an easy chocolate recipe!
You are in luck, Dana, because we do have a chocolate ice cream recipe. https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/chocolate-ice-cream/
Love making ice cream. I’ve found that it tastes even yummier using OliveNation’s vanilla bean paste. It give it a very vanilla taste without the alcoholic taste found in most vanilla extracts.
Sounds delicious. I will have to try that brand. Thank you, Kourtney.
I’ve never made anything in my ice cream maker. The recipes all included say to bill the ingredients after hearing everything on the stove. Is this necessary?
Chilling the mixture does make it freeze faster. I admit sometimes I chill it, sometimes I just let it get to room temperature. It still works great for me.
Very nice Thank you for the simplicity of this recipe
I’m glad it was helpful, Mark.
So yummy
Thank you, Faith, I would agree completely.
This is probably a silly question, but is sea salt necessary? Can I use regular salt? I live 60 miles from the nearest store lol.
Sea salt is just what I always have on hand and like to use, but by all means, don’t make a special trip. You can use regular salt.
I recently received an ice cream attachment for my standing mixer, and was very excited to try it out. My first home made ice cream maker! I followed your recipe and after putting most ice cream in containers for the freezer I walked to my husband with a spatula containing a little leftover.
Me: ‘Babe, do you want to clean the spatula?’
Him: ‘Nooo…’ (while he simultaneously snatched the spatula out of my hand).
…
Him: This taste like vanilla ice cream…
Me: Yeah, it’s a vanilla ice cream recipe.
Him: But it really tastes like vanilla ice cream.
Me (confused): Yeah, it’s supposed to…
Him: I didn’t expect it to taste EXACTLY like vanilla ice cream, this is awesome!
That says it all, I think. Thank you!
That’s awesome, Lynn. Thanks for the grin. I’m glad you like the ice cream!
Love it! First time making ice cream and it is delish! Used your recipe instead of the ice cream maker’s due to the great reviews. Very pleased with the results.
I’m so glad you like it, Louise!