Try making ice cream at home the easy way! Here’s how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker and without eggs or cooking a custard first.
I had this dream that I would make all these different homemade ice cream flavors. Cinnamon ice cream to go with apple pie. Deluxe chocolate ice cream with all the add-ins for “one of those days”. So I bought an ice cream maker. I wasn’t an expensive high-end one, but it wasn’t the cheapest either. It didn’t work. Smoke came rolling out and filled my kitchen.
I wasn’t committed enough to my dream to buy a high-end several-hundred-dollars ice cream maker. 🤣 So I started looking for a different alternative. How to make ice cream without an ice cream maker!
So many recipes called for a cooked custard before you made ice cream. No thanks. After more research and a little of my own MacGyvering I found a recipe and a set of instructions that were fun, easy and ended with the results I wanted.
How to make ice cream without an ice cream maker.
Dustin Chapple, with the Food & Wine Test Kitchen, has a YouTube Channel series where he shows Mad Genius cooking tips every Tuesday. His ice cream making tips are truly genius! He shows how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker in a different way than anybody else. I luv it. (Will explain why after you watch his video.)
I know it takes an extra step to do it his way, but I love that because this is where you fold in any add-ins! And the finished product is the consistency of ice cream parlor ice cream.
But – you do need to freeze it longer than he suggests. (You need patience when making ice cream, but at least we’re not hand-churning it anymore!) Because it has a cream base, it needs at least 8 hours in the freezer at stage one when it’s in the bag, and overnight is better.
At stage 2, fold in chocolate chips, fruit pieces, nuts – whatever. Or, put one layer on the bottom of the loaf pan, pour a squiggle of sauce from side to side, carefully put another layer on top, and you have a ripple when you scoop. It needs another 6 hours in the freezer, or overnight.
So – if you’re making ice cream for a party or family reunion, you basically need to make it 2 days in advance for it to be perfect. The plus side is you can make different kinds of ice cream in different loaf pans if you want. You can make your own ice cream bar. Put loaf pans on a bed of ice to keep cold.
{Keep It Simple Sweetheart} The basic vanilla ice cream recipe without eggs or cooking a custard first.
I love this recipe using Eagle Brand Sweeten Condensed Milk. No stirring until your arm drops off to dissolve the sugar! There are no eggs, no cooking a custard and waiting for it to cool before you can start making ice cream. Very simple: 20 minutes and it’s in the freezer for stage one.
The is the basic, foundational ice cream recipe. See our other flavors below.
Now that you have the basic ice cream recipe, create other flavors.
Berry Ice Cream
Mash 1 cup of berries, add to mixture in stage one to add flavor and color. Fold in 1 cup of whole berries in stage 2.
Burnt Almond Ice Cream
In stage one, stir in 2/3 cup chocolate sauce to make chocolate ice cream. In stage 2, toast 1 cup sliced almonds by browning in a frying pan, stirring frequently. Chop into smaller pieces. Fold into ice cream mixture. Create a chocolate swirl by pressing 1/2 ice cream mixture into bottom of loaf pan, zig zag chocolate sauce on top from side to side. Carefully press remaining mixture on top. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Add 1 tsp maple extract in stage one to flavor ice cream. In stage 2, toast 1 cup of pecans by heating them in a frying pan, stirring frequently until browned. Cool completely. Fold into ice cream in a bowl. Press half of ice cream mixture in bottom of loaf pan. Put a zig zag pattern of maple syrup from side to side on top of ice cream in loaf pan to make a ripple. Carefully layer remaining mixture on top. Freeze for another 6 hours or overnight.
Butterscotch Ice Cream
At stage one, add 1 c butterscotch sauce (get the best quality) and mix well. If you want to add a butter scotch or chocolate swirl, do so at step 2. Or, fold in Skor baking bits. Freeze for another 6 hours or overnight.
Candy Cane Ice Cream
At stage 2, stir in 1 1/2 cups crushed candy cane pieces and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Cereal & Milk
Chop Fruit Loops cereal into small pieces. Fold 1 cup into vanilla ice cream and freeze 6 hours or overnight.
Cherry Jubilee Ice Cream
In stage one, substitute almond extract for vanilla extract. In stage 2 fold in 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries and 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Freeze 6 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Ice Cream
In stage one, stir in 2/3 cup chocolate sauce for flavor and color. At stage 2 fold in 1-2 cup of add-ins, if desired, such as mini chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, nut pieces, etc. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
At stage 1 substitute 1 tsp peppermint extract for vanilla extract to flavor. If you want it the green color, also stir in one drop of green food coloring. At stage 2, fold in mini chocolate chips or small chocolate shavings. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream.
Melt 1/4 c peanut butter (microwave at 10 second intervals until melted). Cool. Add to ice cream at stage one to flavor. At stage 2, if you’d like to add peanut pieces stir 1 cup into the ice cream mixture in a separate bowl. Create a ripple with a zig zag of chocolate sauce in center of layers. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Cinnamon Ice Cream
Add 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon to the vanilla ice cream recipe. Saigon Cinnamon is the most flavorful.
Coffee Ice Cream
Add 1 cup brewed coffee, chilled, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp ground cloves in stage one ice cream to flavor. If you wish, you can create a ripple with chocolate sauce. Freeze for another 6 hours or overnight.
Cookies ‘n Cream
Crush chocolate wafer cookies in varying sizes and fold in 1 cup at stage 2. Freeze 6 hours or overnight.
Fruit Ice Cream: peach, mango, pineapple, etc.
Add 1 cup mashed or puree fruit in step one. Add a drop of food coloring if desired. Fold in diced fruit pieces in step 2 if desired. Freeze for 6 hours or over night.
German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream
In stage 1 add 1 cup of Hershey’s Chocolate sauce to create chocolate ice cream. At stage 2, toast 1/2 pecans and 1/2 c coconut by stirring in a frying pan until browned. Dice 2-3 brownie squares in to small pieces. Fold into ice cream mixture. Press 1/2 mixture on bottom of loaf pan. Put a zig zag of good quality caramel or butterscotch sauce on top, side to side. Carefully press remaining mixture on top. Freeze another 6 hours or overnight.
Malted Milk Ice Cream
In stage one, stir 1 cup Ovaltine into half and half cream to dissolve and add to other ingredients. In stage 2, chop 1 cup malt balls into chunks and fold into ice cream mixture. Freeze 6 hours or overnight.
Matcha Ice Cream
At stage one, stir 1 Tbsp matcha tea powder into 3 Tbsp boiling water. Cool. Stir into other ingredients and make ice cream per instructions.
PB & J Ice Cream
Melt 1/4 c peanut butter (microwave at 10 second intervals until melted.) Cool. Add to ice cream mixture at stage one to flavor. At stage 2, add a ripple in center layer with 1/4 c grape jelly or strawberry preserves/jam. Melt another 1/4 cup peanut butter, cool and pour thin layer across the top of loaf pan. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight. Will create a jelly ripple with peanut butter pieces when scooped.
Pralines ‘n Cream
At stage 2, in a separate bowl, fold chopped Southern-style praline pecans into ice cream mixture. Press half of mixture into loaf pan. Create a caramel swirl by pouring caramel sauce in a zigzag from side to side on top. Press remaining mixture on top. Freeze another 6 hours or overnight.
Red, White and Blue Ice Cream
At stage 2, fold in 1 cup fresh strawberry pieces, 1 cup wild blueberries (they’re smaller and will be in your freezer section) 1 cup mini marshmallows. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Rocky Road Ice Cream
At stage one make chocolate ice cream by adding 2/3 c of chocolate sauce to mixture before freezing. At stage 2, fold in 1 cup mini marshmallows, 3/4 cup nuts, either peanut or pecans, toasted by heating in a frying pan, stirring continually until browned. Cool before adding to ice cream. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
S’mores Ice Cream
In stage one, stir in 2/3 cup chocolate sauce to make chocolate ice cream. At stage 2 add 1 1/2 cups Joe’s Tasty Travels S’mores Mix. They are available in Canadian Walmart stores.
Strawberry Ice Cream
Puree or mash 1 cup fresh strawberries. Add to ice cream mixture at stage one. If you want it a pinker color, add a drop of red food coloring. At stage 2 you can fold in 1 cup chopped strawberries, if desired. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream.
Puree or mash 1 cup fresh strawberries. Add to ice cream mixture at stage one. If you want it a pinker color, add a drop of red food coloring. At stage 2 fold in 1 cup pound diced into small cubes, and add 1 cup chopped strawberries, if desired. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Superman Ice Cream
Divide your ice cream mixture at stage 1 into thirds. Into one third, mix 1/2 cup pureed cherries or cherry jelly. Stir 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup white sugar until dissolved. Mix into 1/3 of ice cream mixture and add drop of yellow food coloring. Into last third, add 1-2 drops of blue food coloring. Freeze flat in separate zippered plastic bags. At stage 2 press one layer on bottom, then second layer, and third layer on top. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight. When scooped, it will show all three colors.
Make your ice cream a dessert:
- Put foil in loaf pan.
- Combine graham cracker crumbs or chocolate crumbs or Oreo crumbs with 3 Tbsp melted butter and press into bottom of pan.
- Fold add-ins into ice cream in a separate bowl and then add on top of crumbs.
- Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
- Invert ice cream loaf onto chilled serving platter. Remove foil.
- Spoon fudge sauce, berry preserves/jam or Dulce de Leche (Eagle Brand has it in the can like sweetened condensed milk) on top of crumb layer and garnish with whole berries, chocolate curls or mint leaves.
Want more? See all of our ice cream dessert recipes.
[pt_view id=”349e8803zk”]
If you like this, sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss any recipes, party ideas, motivational tips or freebies.
