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Learn how to make homemade ice cream using the ice cream maker method. This is my best recipe for vanilla ice cream that can be used as is or as a base for endless variations. The creamiest ice cream is made with a cooked custard, aged, churned, and then frozen.

Homemade ice cream in waffle cones

Overview

  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Techniques Used: Cooked Custard

The best homemade ice cream is made from a custard base. A custard is a mixture of milk and sugar thickened with eggs. This makes a very rich and dense style of old-fashioned ice cream.

You know when you get an ice cream at the grocery store and it melts so quickly while you are eating it and it seems very light and airy? Compare that to a high quality ice cream from an ice cream shop. A high quality ice cream won’t melt as fast because it doesn’t have a lot of air whipped into it.

Premium ice cream contains a high percentage of fat and is churned in a way that incorporates a lot of air. This creates a very dense and rich ice cream like this recipe creates. It is my favorite thing to serve alongside a warm fruit cobbler or apple pie!

Varying flavors of ice cream in waffle cones

Using an Electric Ice Cream Maker

If you want to make the best homemade ice cream you really need an electric ice cream maker. The way an ice cream maker works is that it churns the ice cream base as it is beginning to freeze. This movement breaks up the ice crystals as they form, creating a very smooth final texture.

There are many recipes out there for no-churn ice cream. This style of ice cream can be great in a hurry but it is much airier and does not have the same premium ice cream texture.

Ice cream base being poured into ice cream maker

I have the Cuisinart 1 1/2 Quart Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker. It is the perfect size for homemade ice cream and it is a very easy to use machine.

How to Make Homemade Ice Cream

This recipe is a great base recipe for simple homemade ice cream. The vanilla flavor is great on its own or it can be used to make endless varieties of flavors.

Freeze the Ice Cream Maker Bowl

It is very important that the bowl of your electric ice cream maker is completely frozen before you churn the ice cream. I leave mine in the freezer at all times, however it should freeze for at least 12-24 hours before churning your ice cream.

Check the instructions listed on your specific ice cream maker. This will ensure that it is frozen enough to begin freezing the ice cream mixture as it churns.

Heat the Milk and Cream

To make the base of the ice cream, you will start by making a simple vanilla custard. 

Milk and cream in a pot on the stovetop

Heat up the milk and heavy cream just under the boiling point. Add vanilla bean paste or extract the the mixture. If you have access to whole vanilla bean, you can use that instead.

Whisk the Egg Yolks

While the milk and cream are heating up, separate the eggs. By only using the yolks, we will add richness as well as help thicken the mixture. There is a range that can be used for how many egg yolks you want to use. I find 3 to be the perfect amount for texture and flavor. But if you like a more frozen custard style of ice cream you can increase the egg yolks to 4 or 5.

Whisking egg yolks in a bowl

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until they become light in color and increase to double the volume. This will improve the final texture of the ice cream.

Temper the Egg Yolks

Tempering the egg yolks helps bring the temperature up slowly so they do not start cooking.

Tempering the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks

To do this, slowly stream in about a quarter of the hot cream mixture while vigorously whisking. It can help to nestle the bowl in a towel to steady it while whisking.

Heat the Custard Mixture

Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the rest of the milk/cream mixture and heat it on the stove over low heat. Stir the mixture continuously and bring it up to about 170°F/76°C. You do not want the mixture to boil.

Check the consistency on the back of a spoon

You will know the mixture is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and you can draw a line in it with your finger without the mixture coming back together.

Strain & Chill the Mixture

Pour the ice cream custard base through a fine mesh sieve to catch any lumps that may have formed. Place a piece of plastic wrap right on top of it so that a skin does not form, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.

Chilling the ice cream base is a process called “aging”. This process serves to make sure the mixture is chilled enough to begin freezing in the electric ice cream maker but it also helps improve the final texture. As the mixture chills, tiny crystals form around the fat globules present in the base which will give the mixture a very smooth final texture.

Aging the ice cream base overnight is desired with 3 hours being the minimum time needed.

Churn the Ice Cream Base

Position the frozen bowl of your ice cream maker in place and turn the machine on. Stream the chilled ice cream base into your ice cream maker and allow it to churn until you have about soft serve consistency. This should take about 20 minutes.

Churning the ice cream base in an ice cream maker

Once the ice cream has started to thicken up you can add mix-ins like chocolate chunks, nuts, or sprinkles. If you want to swirl in something like a caramel sauce or fudge sauce, swirl it in by hand after the ice cream has churned. Pour the sauce over top and swirl it in with a butter knife.

Freeze the Ice Cream

Various flavors of ice cream in waffle cones

Once the ice cream has churned, you can enjoy it at a soft serve consistency or go ahead and finish freezing it to a solid ice cream in the freezer.

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to try these other delicious summertime desserts!

Homemade ice cream in waffle cones
Yield: 1 1/2 Quarts

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Base

Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

This is a recipe for a traditional homemade ice cream base that can be used for vanilla ice cream or endless other flavors. This is a recipe to be used with an ice cream maker and results in a very creamy and dense style of ice cream.

Ingredients

  • 470 grams (2 cups, 480 milliliters heavy cream, whipping cream, or double cream
  • 227 grams (1 cup, 240 milliliters) whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 large egg yolks, increase to 4 or 5 egg yolks if you want more of a custard flavor
  • 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar

Instructions

Prep

  1. At least 12 hours (preferably 24 hours) before churning the ice cream, put the bowl of the ice cream maker into the freezer.

Make the base

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream (470 grams/ 2 cups), milk (227 grams/ 1 cup), vanilla bean paste or extract (2 teaspoons), and salt (one pinch). Bring the mixture just under a boil.
  2. While the milk/cream mixture is heating, whisk together the egg yolks (3 large) and granulated sugar (100 grams/ ½ cup) until lighter in color and the mixture is double in volume.
  3. Slowly stream about a quarter of the hot milk/cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. This will bring up the temperature of the egg mixture without cooking it.
  4. Pour the egg mixture into the milk/cream mixture and heat until slightly thickened over low heat. Stir continuously and check the thickness by coating the back of a spoon and drawing a line with your finger through the cream. If the cream stays separated then it is ready. You want it to be about 170°F/76°C. If it comes to a boil, it has gone too far!
  5. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and place a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the mixture so a skin doesn't form. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill for 3 hours at the very least, but 12 hours is best! This is called "aging" the ice cream base and creates a better final texture.

Churn

  1. Place the frozen ice cream maker bowl in place and turn the machine on. Pour the chilled ice cream base into the ice cream maker and churn it for about 20 minutes until it becomes soft serve consistency. Once the mixture is starting to thicken you can add chocolate chunks, nuts, and other solid mix-ins. I like to swirl sauces and jams into the mixture by hand, if using, after the mixture has churned.
  2. Place the churned ice cream covered in the freezer to harden completely. Store for up to 3 months.

Notes

Variations

  • Mint Chip Ice Cream: Add mint extract (1 teaspoon) into the milk/cream mixture. Churn in mini chocolate chips (175 grams/ 1 cup) once the mixture begins to thicken. You can also add green food coloring (2-3 drops) if you want a green color.
  • Buttermilk Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream: Swap the whole milk for buttermilk (227 grams/ 1 cup). De-stem and roughly chop strawberries (1 pint) and toss them with granulated sugar (50 grams/ ¼ cup) and let them macerate while your ice cream base chills. Pour the strawberries and the juices into the mixture as it is churning.
  • Butter Pecan Ice Cream: Chop up pecans (75 grams/ ¾ cup) and toast them in a pan over low heat with butter (30 grams/ 2 tablespoons) until fragrant. Churn the pecans along with any butter remnants into the ice cream once it thickens.
  • Mocha Chip Ice Cream: Whisk in espresso powder (2 tablespoons) and cocoa powder (2 tablespoons) into the cream/milk before heating it. Churn in chocolate chips chunks (150 grams/ 1 cup) into the ice cream once it thickens.

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© Baker Bettie
Category: All Recipes