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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}
Looks delicious! Do you think I could add crushed fruit to the mix (strawberries or peaches), or would it ruin the consistency?
I typically add a fruit swirl or other add ins to this recipe after churning. You can add fruit during the process, but the other ingredients will need to be tweaked a bit. There are a few peach ice cream and strawberry ice cream recipes on this website though. It might be worth checking those out, Katie!
This is simply wonderful! I used this recipe today when I used our electric ice cream maker for the first time. I’ll be using it again!
I’m so happy that you’re enjoying the ice cream, Noelle!
Does this ice cream receipe turn rock hard after freezing?
Hi Gary, this ice cream does not freeze solid. It’s scoopable from the freezer.
This was delicious and easy! Kids and I love it!! And I made it with vanilla extract, didn’t have the bean. It was fantastic. Thank you!
I’m thrilled that you liked it so much, Kristina!
How do I make this if I don’t have an ice cream maker to churn it??
This recipe (as written) requires an ice cream maker. You could try a different method for freezing it, but I can’t speak to how well that will work, Cheryl.
I’ve had an ice cream machine for the last couple of years and have only been making the recipes from the booklet that came with it. I am excited to try your recipes! One quick question. For the life of me, I can’t seem to find heavy cream in my area. All I can find is heavy *whipping* cream. I see in the picture on this article that you are using heavy whipping cream. Is there a difference in your ice cream making? Are they interchangeable? Looking forward to trying your basic vanilla recipe this weekend!
The two heavy creams are interchangeable in most ice cream recipes! There is a slight difference in the amount of fat, but I use them equally for ice cream. Just buy whichever one is easiest to find. Happy ice cream making, Alicia!
Yummy yummy
I just wanted to thank you for making it so easy for our family to enjoy home made ice cream.
The ice cream machine was passed down to us by a friend, and (and I know this may sound like a world few Americans live in), but we have not had the means to take our little ones out for ice cream, or even buy at the store. They have been such troupers about this! When the machine landed in our hands, we ran out and bought the heavy cream, and we just surprised them with this. They measured and stirred, and watching them do this felt like the best day of my life.
They made real ice cream!
I am SO happy to hear that you’re enjoying the ice cream recipe!
Hi Mary. Your recipe sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it out. Just a small query. What’s the fat content of “heavy cream”? I wonder if I can use “double cream” here in the U.K. Thanks in anticipation:)
Hi Maggie! You can substitute double cream. I’d add slightly less of it and a bit more milk to balance it out. Heavy cream is typically 30-36% fat.
Marvelous! Thanks so much for your prompt response, Mary😇! Have a nice day😊!
Thank you for a great and simple recipe I use with my daughter (7) to experiment with what happens if you freeze cream vs. milk (the hypothesis being delicious icecream)… Could you replace vanilla with cinnamon or strawberry syrup or would that be too crude a method?
I think it’s worth a try, Kamiel. I think you might need higher amounts of the alternate extracts vs the vanilla, in order to flavor it. I have a cinnamon ice cream on the site that it a big favorite. And there are a couple of strawberry ice cream recipes here too that I’d recommend trying for a richer flavor. I’m glad you like the recipe!
Could you chill the custard overnight or would that be to long ? I am thinking of making this for a family barbecue as well as some of your other recipes.
Yes, you can absolutely chill the custard overnight if you want to prep it in advance, Ashley.
Made this ice cream recipe and it’s easy and it the flavor is fantastic!
So glad to hear that you enjoyed the ice cream, Liza!
Can you use better stevia glycerite for the sugar
I have no idea how that might work, Roger. I’ve never used it myself.
How can I make this into chocolate flavored?
There are several chocolate ice cream recipes on this site, Martha. I’d try one of those before trying to turn this recipe into a chocolate one. Enjoy!
How much does this recipe make. I may need to increase recipe for 4 quarts
I would double it, Norma. Enjoy the ice cream!
I found a great little (small sized) freezer bowl type ice cream maker for our RV. We would love to make ice cream while glamping. If I make this ahead of time and seal it up up in those vacuum bags, how long do you think this would last in the fridge? I’d guess at least a week.
It should be good for as long as the ingredients would normally last. I don’t think a week would be a problem, George.
This is easiest yet. Basic is 3 ingrediamts. No churning, no machine necessary. 2 C. (pint) heavy whipping cream. 1 can 14oz sweetend condensed milk. 2 tspns pure vanilla extract. Make sure whipped cream is very cold. Can even freeze your bowl. Whip the cream w/electric mixer on med high/high until stiff peaks form. Pour sweetened condensed milk into large bowl. Add vanilla. Can use the bean or van. bean paste, your preference, but pure is best. Scoop sm. spoonful of whipped cream into s.cond. milk mixture combine throughly, then gently fold in rest of whipped cream just until combined. Do not over mix. Pour into 9X5 metal loaf pan or suitable container with lid. Cover tightly w/plastic wrap or aluminum foil & place in freezer. Freeze 8 hrs & then serve. Creamy, sweet, rich, vanilla ice cream. No fuss no muss. Add ins (to sw.cond.milk mix,) no problem. Great for us on a tight budget w/o a machine!
How much does this ice cream yeild?
Helpful to know with recipe.
It’s 5-6 servings, depending on size. I use a 1.5 QT machine to make this recipe, Peggy.
Too many ads. Couldn’t find the ingredient list.
The recipe and full ingredient list is at the bottom of the page, Bob. That’s standard on most blogs these days, so just scroll down to the bottom, if that’s all you need. I do my best to provide as much information as possible to avoid the multitude of questions that tend to be inevitable for many recipes, this also helps tell Google and other search enginges that all relevant information has been provided – sometimes even more than some people might need/want.
We just made this icecream today!! It is amazing!! So creamy and delicious. Definitely a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying it, Nicole!