How to Make Ice Cream at Home – Homemade ice cream is so good and you can make it with just a few ingredients and no special equipment. Most cookbooks and magazine recipes expect you to have an ice cream maker at home, but you can imitate the churning effect of an ice cream maker by shaking or tossing around the ingredients inside a tightly sealed ziplock bag.
The best part of this method is how quickly it comes together. In just 5–10 minutes, you can make a delicious, creamy batch of homemade ice cream.
Table of Contents
Why You Need Salt to Make Quick-Freeze Ice Cream
One essential ingredient in this method is salt. When you mix salt with ice, it lowers the freezing point of the ice. Water normally freezes at 32°F, but a 20% salt solution freezes at a lower 2°F. That’s why we sprinkle salt on icy roads in the winter; the salt causes the ice to melt.
In this vanilla-flavored recipe, the icy solution is so cold that it quickly and easily freezes your flavored milk (or cream) into ice cream. You could also use this trick to make instant slushies using your favorite soft drink.
How to Make Ice Cream without an Ice Cream Machine
Method #1: Two Ingredient Ice Cream
This method is its own recipe. Simply whip 2 cups of cream, by hand or with an electric mixer, until stiff peaks form. Slowly drizzle in a chilled can of sweetened condensed milk. Add your desired flavorings or mix-ins. Remove to an airtight container and freeze. It’s that simple!!
NO CHURN ICE CREAM FLAVOR IDEAS:
Note: some mix-ins may increase the amount of time the ice cream needs to freeze before serving. Also be sure to check out all my ice cream recipes for more inspiration and guidance!
Cheesecake
Add 8 ounces softened cream cheese to the 2 ingredient method below. Use an electric mixer to beat with the condensed milk and vanilla before folding into the whipped cream as the recipe instructs.
Mint chip
1 teaspoon peppermint extract + 1 cup mini chocolate chips + green food coloring
Peanut Butter/ Nutella / Cookie Butter
1/2 cup to 1 cup spread
Cinnamon Roll
3 tablespoons butter, melted + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Caramel or Dulce de Leche
1/2 – 1 cup caramel drizzled over the almost frozen mixture, stir to break up the ribbon a bit. Add a teaspoon of sea salt and/or a few tablespoons of bourbon for a gourmet touch!
Chocolate
3/4 cup cocoa powder (sifted) + 4 ounces melted cooled chocolate
Rocky Road
1 cup chocolate syrup + 1 cup mini marshmallows + 1 cup toasted almonds swirled into ice cream
S’mores
10 graham crackers, crushed + 1 Hershey’s bar, chopped + 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
Mocha
1/2 cup cocoa powder (sifted) + 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
Cookies & Cream
15 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
Blueberry swirl
2 cups fresh blueberries + 3 tablespoons sugar + 2 tablespoons lemon juice cooked in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until burst. Chill before swirling into ice cream.
Method #2: Plastic Bag Method
Place the ice cream mixture in a quart size resealable bag, squeezing out as much air as possible and sealing tightly. Place this bag inside another quart bag, again squeezing out as much air as possible and sealing tightly. Put the bags inside a gallon size resealable bag and fill with about 4 cups crushed ice then sprinkle with 4 tablespoons coarse salt. The salt lowers the freezing point of the ice and creates an extra cold environment that absorbs heat, causing the ice cream base to freeze.
Squeeze out all the air and seal tightly. Wrap the bag in a towel or put gloves on before shaking vigorously and massaging the bag, making sure the ice is surrounding the ice cream mixture constantly. Shake for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the ice cream is frozen. The more vigorously you shake, the smoother your ice cream will be.
Method #3: Freeze & Stir Method
Place the unchurned ice cream recipe mixture in a deep stainless steel baking dish and freeze for 45 minutes. As it begins to freeze near the edges, remove it from the freezer and stir vigorously with a spatula. Return to the freezer.
Continue to check the mixture every 30 minutes, stirring vigorously as it’s freezing. If you have a hand held mixer or blender, use one of those. Repeat this process for 2 to 3 hours, or until frozen.
Method #4: Food Processor or Blender Method (best method!)
This is a new method that’s been added since this article and video were created in 2015.
Make any ice cream base according to the recipe directions. Instead of churning in an ice cream maker, pour into a ziptop bag, squeeze out all air, and seal. Freeze, lying flat, until solid.
Remove from freezer and break into chunks small enough to fit into the bowl of your food processor or a high-powered blender. Pulse until completely smooth. If adding mix-ins, either fold them in or pulse until desired consistency is reached, then pour into an airtight container. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.
The Best Ice Cream Recipes
- Death by Chocolate Ice Cream (for serious chocoholics only!)
- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Cookie Butter Ice Cream
4.84 from 56 votes
HOW TO MAKEIce Cream without a Machine
YIELD:11/2 QUARTS PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES INACTIVE TIME 6 HOURS TOTAL TIME: 6 HOURS 10 MINUTES
How to Make Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Machine with simple no churn methods and flavor ideas! Step-by-step video, recipe, and printable ice cream labels too
Ingredients
2 Ingredient Method
- 2 cups heavy cream, chilled
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Freeze & Stir or Plastic Bag Methods:
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk, chilled
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream, chilled
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
2 Ingredient Method
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. On low speed, mix in the condensed milk, vanilla, and any flavorings.
- Pour into a resealable container, cover the surface with plastic wrap, then seal. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or until firm. Keep stored in the freezer.
Freeze & Stir or Plastic Bag Methods:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, vanilla, and salt until combined. If mixture isn’t cold, place in the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes.
For the freeze & stir method:
- Place the mixture in a deep stainless steel baking dish and freeze for 45 minutes. As it begins to freeze near the edges, remove it from the freezer and stir vigorously with a spatula. Return to the freezer.
- Continue to check the mixture every 30 minutes, stirring vigorously as it’s freezing. If you have a hand held mixer or blender, use one of those. Repeat this process for 2 to 3 hours, or until frozen.
Plastic bag method:
- Place the ice cream mixture in a quart size resealable bag, squeezing out as much air as possible and sealing tightly. Place this bag inside another quart bag, again squeezing out as much air as possible and sealing tightly. Put the bags inside a gallon size resalable bag and fill with about 4 cups crushed ice then sprinkle with 4 tablespoons coarse salt. The salt lowers the freezing point of the ice and creates an extra cold environment that aborbs heat, causing the ice cream base to freeze.
- Squeeze out all the air and seal tightly. Wrap the bag in a towel or put gloves on before shaking vigorously and massaging the bag, making sure the ice is surrounding the ice cream mixture constantly. Shake for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the ice cream is frozen. The more vigorously you shake, the smoother your ice cream will be.
Food processor or Blender method:
- Note: This is NEW and not covered in the video!
- Make your ice cream mixture according to the recipe directions. Pour into a ziptop bag, squeeze out all air, and seal. Freeze, lying flat, until solid. Remove from freezer and break into chunks small enough to fit into the bowl of your food processor (using the standard s-shaped blade) or high-powered blender. Pulse until completely smooth. If adding mix-ins, either fold them in or pulse until desired consistency is reached, then pour into an airtight container. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.
Tips
- To make the vanilla ice cream creamier, add some whipped fresh cream.
- If you are fond of nuts, raisins or dried exotic berries, you can add them to this recipe to make it more tasty.
- Serve the vanilla ice cream with waffles, warm gulab jamuns, brownies or even add to shakes and desserts.
Conclusion
If you follow the recipe exactly you don’t need to blend it after the initial freezing. You can serve it right away once it is set.
But if you Over freeze it, you will need to whip it or break the ice crystals and then freeze back until set. I highly suggest using a very good pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean for this. You can also use 2 to 4 tbsps of condensed milk or milk powder to this to add flavor and subside the dominating taste of corn starch.