Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

This homemade vanilla ice cream is easy to make in an ice cream maker with only 5 ingredients! It’s smooth and creamy with the best rich vanilla flavor.

The Best Homemade Ice Cream

One of my favorite frozen desserts to make during the summer is homemade vanilla ice cream. It’s the perfect refreshing sweet treat to cool off with on a hot day and it’s easy to make with an ice cream maker and only 5 ingredients!

This creamy homemade ice cream recipe is just as tasty as the old-fashioned version, but requires less work because there is no eggs or simmering on the stovetop beforehand. If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can make this no churn ice cream instead.

Ingredient Notes

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Heavy cream: This gives the ice cream a rich flavor. Avoid over-churning the ice cream or the heavy cream will taste more buttery than cream.
• Whole milk: The mixture of the cream and milk gives a richer blend of flavor as well as a creamy and soft texture.
• Sugar: Every ice cream needs that extra sweetness! Sugar is just that for this recipe.
• Salt: Balancing out the flavors gives it a nice boost of salty and sweet flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Added for flavor and tints the soft ice cream to a creamy color. If you want more vanilla flavor, use a vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste.

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Before starting to make this homemade vanilla ice cream recipe, prep your ice cream machine according to package directions. Some machines require you to freeze the bowl first and for others, you will need to have ice and rock salt.

Next, make your ice cream base by combining heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Chill ice cream mixture in the refrigerator while waiting for the ice cream maker bowl to freeze.

When you’re ready to make the ice cream, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker bowl and follow manufacturers directions for churning. I typically churn the ice cream for 25-30 minutes.

Homemade ice cream in a machine will have a soft, creamy texture immediately after churning. For scoopable ice cream, store in an airtight container in the freezer for a few hours then add to a bowl or cone and enjoy!

Recipe TIps

• Freeze the bowl. Most ice cream makers require that you freeze the bowl the night beforehand, so don’t forget! It needs to be COLD before getting started.
• Full-fat ingredients. Using whole milk and heavy whipping cream makes a world of a difference. The higher fat content creates a super creamy and rich result.
• Churning time. It usually takes my Cuisinart ice cream maker about 20 minutes to churn the mixture. Each homemade ice cream machine is different, your’s may take more or less time.
• When to add mix ins. Churn your homemade vanilla ice cream with machine until it’s reached desired soft serve consistency, then mix in the extras.
• Consistency. For scoop-able and firm, you’ll want to freeze the mixture for at least a few hours. If you like soft serve, you can enjoy it immediately after churning.

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Storage Instructions

After churning the ice cream, I love to pour the mixture from the ice cream maker into a bread loaf pan to store. I find it’s a perfect size and is super easy to scoop out of.

You can use any container, just make sure to cover it with a lid or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to reduce freezer burn. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let thaw on the counter for a few minutes and then scoop with an ice cream scoop.