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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dessert / Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

May 22, 2020 Updated July 17, 2024 7 Comments

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a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream in two gray bowls

The creamiest Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream you will ever eat.  Rich egg and cream-based custard with the perfect amount of vanilla.

gray tin filled with homemade vanilla ice cream with a scoop

a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream in two gray bowls

Vanilla ice cream may seem plain to some, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream can transform a slice of pie.  A slice of cake is always better with ice cream.  After one bite you’ll notice how the cream coats your lips.  The ice cream isn’t pure white because the custard is thickened with egg yolks.  The egg yolks I used to make the ice cream are from local free-range chickens with amazing dark golden yolks. 

This vanilla ice cream recipe is the base for most small-batch ice cream flavors that I make.  I came across this recipe many years ago in a recipe book by Bi-Rite creamery.  With this simple vanilla ice cream recipe, you can create any flavor you can dream of.  

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Custard

Lemon curd ice cream mixture cooking in a saucepan on the stove.1
Adding cream mixture to eggs and sugar in a glass bowl.3
Adding egg mixture to a low skillet on the stovetop.5
Adding sugar to the glass bowl with whisked eggs.2
Adding hot liquid to eggs and sugar in glass bowl.4
Wooden spoon dipped in cooking custard with finger trail across the custard6
  1. Add 1 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Stir over low heat.
  2. While the cream mixture is heating, beat 5 egg yolks in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly mix in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
  3. Once the milk has begun to steam a bit, add the hot cream mixture to the egg yolks one ladle full at a time. Continue until at least 1/2 of the cream mixture had been incorporated into the egg yolk mixture.  This will temper the yolks so they don’t turn into scrambled eggs in your ice cream.
  4. Slowly pour the egg/cream mixture back into the remaining hot cream.
  5. Continue to cook over low heat. using a wooden spoon to stir constantly. Do not boil.
  6. Cook custard just until the mixture coats the spoon. Approximately 160℉
Vanilla ice cream custard poured through a wire mesh strainer.1
Cooked ice cream custard in white bowl with plastic wrap2
  1. Strain hot mixture through a mesh strainer to catch any lumps. ALWAYS strain your custard.  Sometimes there are bits of cooked egg in the custard.  Straining will make a very smooth ice cream base.
  2. Pour into a bowl and cover.  Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Churning Tips:

  • Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations for churning.  As stated above for the frozen bowl ice cream maker.  
  • Make sure your custard is very cold.  I like to chill my custard overnight.  In a pinch, I will put the bowl of cooked custard in an ice bath and stir until it is cold, then chill for another 2 hours.  
  • Don’t overfill the bowl of the ice cream maker.  I think I have overfilled every type of ice cream maker.  It can be a mess and just doesn’t completely freeze and churn the ice cream.
  • The center of every churn has a dasher.  That churns the custard mixture.  Most are plastic.  Make sure you remove the dasher and lick it clean.  I remember, as a child, fighting over who got to lick the dasher clean.  It’s the best!
  • Don’t freeze the ice cream in the bowl of the ice cream maker.  It will freeze rock solid and will take a jackhammer to get it out!  Always transfer the ice cream to a separate container.   Preferably a chilled container.

Churning the Ice Cream

Chilled thick vanilla ice cream custard with white spatula stirring1
Smooth churned frozen vanilla ice cream in ice cream maker3
Golden vanilla ice cream pouring into ice cream maker2
  1. Remove ice cream custard from the refrigerator. Just look how thick and rich the custard is!  Carefully lift the plastic wrap and scrape off any custard that may have stuck to the wrap.  Stir in the vanilla extract.
  2. Pour vanilla ice cream custard into the ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers directions.
  3. Ice cream will be thick smooth and creamy when the ice cream has finished churning.  Remove from the maker into a separate container.  I like to freeze the container before I start churning the ice cream.  An ice-cold container will help the ice cream from melting before transferring to the freezer.  It’s a good idea.
a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream in two gray bowls
4.89 from 9 votes
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Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

The creamiest vanilla ice cream you will ever eat. Smooth, decadent, and rich.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Overnight chill or 2 hours 2 hours
Servings 6 servings
Calories 376 kcal
Author Janet Barton

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

How to make Ice Cream Custard

  1. In a medium-size saucepan add cream, milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar and salt. Heat over medium/low heat until steaming. Whisk egg yolks and slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. When the cream mixture is hot and steaming, slowly pour a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture stirring constantly. Continue to add at least 1/2 of the hot cream mixture. Slowly pour the egg/cream mixture back into the pan and cook over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Cover and chill completely about 2 hours or overnight. When ready to churn, remove plastic wrap at stir in vanilla.

Churning the Ice Cream

  1. Pour chilled custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers directions. Makes 1 quart of ice cream.

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Amount Per Serving (1 servings)
Calories 376 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 18g90%
Cholesterol 261mg87%
Sodium 149mg6%
Potassium 123mg4%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 1277IU26%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 112mg11%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Types of Ice Cream Makers

Traditional Ice Cream Makers:

Generally 4-6 quart machines with a motor that attaches to the top of a wonder bucket.  There is a metal cylinder that has a metal and wood dasher that goes into the center of the cylinder along with a lid that the motor attaches to.  I love the metal dasher so much more than a plastic one because the metal freezes down the middle of the cylinder.  The ice cream freezes from layers of crushed ice and rock salt.  The rock salt melts the ice and makes an ice-cold brine that freezes the ice cream mixture in the metal cylinder.  My favorite brand is White Mountain Ice Cream Maker.  They, also, carry a hand churn ice cream maker that can be a lot of fun AND a lot of work. 

Frozen Bowl Ice Cream Maker:

These machines require freezing the bowl of the maker for at least 12 hours.  I recommend 24 hours at least.  In fact, just store the bowl in the freezer at all times so it’s frozen and ready when you have the craving for some quick ice cream.  Follow instructions for use precisely.  The downside to this type of ice cream maker is that there is a certain window of time that the bowl remains frozen, which is about 20-30 minutes.  If the ice cream still seems soft and you would like it to be more firm, churning longer than the 20-30 minutes will cause the ice cream to begin to melt because the frozen bowl is beginning to warm and thaw.  Yes!  This has happened to me. 

Built-in Freezer/ Compressor Ice Cream Machine:

 This is my favorite little gem.  I pretty much keep mine on my counter during the summer.  These machines have their own built-in compressors that constantly cool the mixture as it’s being churned. All you do is pour the mixture into the machine, press a button, and wait. It’s that simple!  I purchased an old model “The Ice Cream Boy”.  I found it on EBay.  Great find.  I have had it for years. The downside to this model is the metal drum is not removable, which makes it challenging to clean.   It’s great for making frozen yogurt on a whim.  Just pour in the yogurt and freeze!  Add berries.  I love it!

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Filed Under: Dessert, Ice Cream

Previous Post: « Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Icing
Next Post: No-knead Lemon Rosemary Gruyere Bread »

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Comments

  1. Jen says

    July 6, 2024 at 11:55 pm

    5 stars
    Trying this tonight. Your RECIPE DOESN’T specify when to add vanilla so I added it at the end. I plan to fold in some frozen fruit.

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      July 17, 2024 at 8:51 pm

      Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I add the vanilla right before churning or you can add it after taking the custard off the heat. Then chill.

      Reply
  2. Delia M Bottoms says

    May 14, 2021 at 7:47 pm

    5 stars
    (2nd comment on this recipe) OMG…it is the creamiest, richest vanilla ice cream. I have made it a few times already. THis has become my go-to recipe. I sometimes add vanilla bean which I think makes it extra special. (Does that make it French Vanilla ice cream?)

    Thank you for your wonderful recipes as alway!
    I hope you and your family are doing well!

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      May 24, 2021 at 2:11 am

      You’re simply the best. Thank you so much for all of your kind comments.

      Reply
  3. Delia M Bottoms says

    August 20, 2020 at 1:20 am

    5 stars
    I made fresh peach sorbet the other night. What goes great with sorbets? Vanilla ice cream! So I am planning to make this recipe. Your other recipes have been awesome, so I KNOW without a doubt that this recipe will be most delish. ;0)

    Reply
  4. Jesse-Gabriel says

    May 26, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    5 stars
    Ich wünschte deine tollen Rezepte wären auch in Gramm Angaben!
    Liebe Grüße sendet,
    Jesse-Gabriel 

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      May 26, 2020 at 8:37 pm

      I know that measuring grams is more precise than cups. I used to use an online calculator to add gram measurements, but the chart was not consistent. I will try to start by weighing all of my measurements so that I have that option available. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have used only grams for a cake recipe and receive many complaints that I didn’t have measurements for cups. I just can’t make everyone happy, but I will try to help my European friends.

      Reply
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Janet Barton

Hi I'm Janet and this is where I share my delicious made-from-scratch seasonal recipes that I make at home for my family every day.

I believe cooking from scratch, using unprocessed and whole foods is an important part of healthy eating. My goal is to help you create amazing recipes by providing easy step-by-step photos and instructions.

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