Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream With Machine

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If this is your first time making delicious homemade ice cream with an ice cream maker, you won’t believe how easy it is! This Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe is made with simple ingredients and is the perfect summer treat bursting with bold vanilla flavor.

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Here in Maine, no summer is complete without a visit to the ice cream shop. But I’ll be doing a lot less driving this summer: this creamy vanilla ice cream is as easy to make as it is delicious.

Serve this simple vanilla ice cream in ice cream cones, on top of pies, or as ice cream sandwiches!

I personally love putting a scoop between two honey peanut butter cookies for a tasty homemade ice cream sandwich!

If you love this recipe, try making my classic Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream too!

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

• This recipe is uncomplicated, versatile, and delicious.
• The addition of the tempered eggs makes the creamiest ice cream.
• Homemade ice cream is waaaaayyyy better than store-bought ice cream.
• It’s a super fun activity to do with kids, with tasty results.

Ingredients

This homemade vanilla ice cream is made with simple, basic ingredients. 

• Heavy Cream – Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream for the perfect creamy texture.
• Whole Milk
• Light Corn syrup and Granulated sugar – This combination not only adds necessary sweetness, but also helps prevent ice crystals from forming in the ice cream.
• Egg Yolks – To help create that creamy, custardy texture
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Coarse Kosher Salt – This is not regular table salt. If you only have table salt, cut the salt quantity in half.

How to Make Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream

Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for great results every time.

Prep: Place a 2 quart metal bowl in the freezer to chill and fill a larger bowl with ice. 

Step 1

In a 2 quart saucepan, combine the cream, milk, salt, corn syrup, and ¼ cup of sugar. Heat over medium high heat stirring occasionally until the temperature reaches 175°F on an instant read thermometer.

Step 2

Meanwhile, combine the 4 egg yolks and ¼ cup of sugar in a small bowl and whisk until light yellow and combined (30 seconds).

Step 3

Once the cream mixture is consistently steaming and reaches 175°F, remove from the heat. Scoop out ½ a cup of the cream mixture and slowly whisk it into the egg yolks, this is called “tempering”.

Step 4

Add the tempered yolks back to the pot with the heated cream and continue to heat over medium heat until the sauce is slightly thickened and the temp reaches between 185-190°F on a thermometer.

Step 5

Step 6

Allow the ice cream base to cool completely in the ice bath before storing in the fridge. Chill until very cold, about 4-6 hours or overnight.

Step 7

Once chilled, pour the ice cream mixture into the bowl of your ice cream maker and churn per the maker’s instructions. Serve immediately for soft serve or freeze for scooping later.

Tip: Depending on the style of ice cream maker you have, if your churning canister requires freezing, make sure it has been frozen for 24-48 hours before churning.

Substitutions and Variations

• For vanilla bean ice cream: A vanilla bean can be sliced in half to expose the bean caviar, and added to the cream as it heats. Strain the bean pod out of the cream mixture before churning. Vanilla beans or a small bit of vanilla bean paste can be used.
• Different flavors can be added during the last minute of churning like strawberry compote, berry jam, caramel sauce, chocolate chips, toasted nuts, coconut, and oatmeal cookie bits.

Tips & Tricks for the Best Ice Cream

• Tempering the egg yolks is a must. Whisk a little hot cream in slowly to allow the egg yolks to cook and thicken the ice cream base properly without curdling. 
• Get the ice cream churning in a cold, cold mixer. I learned from an America’s Test Kitchen article that the colder the base is when it’s churned, the smoother the ice cream will be.
• Depending on the style of ice cream maker you have, if your churning canister requires freezing, make sure it has been frozen for 24-48 hours before churning.

Additional Details

• Corn syrup is less sweet than granulated sugar and using a combination of the two helps to prevent ice crystals from forming, giving you a softer, creamy ice cream. It also makes the ice cream scoopable after freezing!
• Whisking sugar into the egg yolks before tempering will slow down the coagulation of the proteins, meaning the egg yolks won’t curdle as easily when added to hot liquid.

What to Serve With Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

• Apple Pie
• Blueberry Apple Crisp or Apple Crisp
• Fudgy Brownie Bites
• Honey Peanut Butter Cookies or White Chocolate Chip Cookies – these make great ice cream sandwiches!
• Funfetti Cake Waffles – these also make great waffle ice cream sandwiches!

Best Topping Options for Ice Cream

• Fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or peaches. You should also try this with grilled peaches.
• Top with my fresh Strawberry Compote
• Crushed cookies, graham crackers, or fudgy brownie bite pieces or peanut butter cups
• Crushed peanuts or cashews
• Chocolate or peanut butter chips…or both
• Hot fudge, chocolate, or caramel sauce
• Jimmies or sprinkles
• Top with some of your favorite cereal

Equipment

• Ice cream maker– My recommended ice cream machine is the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. For easy homemade vanilla ice cream, Cuisinart holds a good amount of ingredients and churns the ice cream very evenly.
• I also have the Kitchenaid Ice Cream Maker Attachment for stand mixers. That ice cream maker is ok for simple ice creams, but can get a little messy if the bowl is too full.

FAQs

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