Ice cream is the treat of choice in our home and is the perfect addition to many desserts!
Made with just four simple ingredients, it’s a fuss-free dessert that you can whip up for the family on a whim. The creamy, rich texture and classic vanilla flavor make it a true crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re serving it plain or loading it up with your favorite toppings, this recipe will quickly become a go-to in your home.
If you want to take just a couple more minutes and make an incredible homemade ice cream topping, check out our Dulce de Leche recipe.
If you love this recipe, you are sure to love our homemade Peppermint Ice Cream too!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Fresh is always better. The taste of homemade is far superior to store-bought versions with only 4 simple, clean ingredients!
- Make it yours. With endless toppings and mix-in combinations, from summer to winter, there is never a bad time to enjoy ice cream!
- For all desserts. Smoosh it in a cookie ice cream sandwich, make a float, or pair it with brownies or cake. A scoop of vanilla ice cream goes with everything!
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar – Splenda can be substituted. Start with ⅓ to ½ cup of Splenda, as it is much sweeter than sugar.
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract -or substitute vanilla bean paste or scrape the seeds from one fresh vanilla bean into the mix.
- 2 cups half and half – You can use whole milk instead of half-and-half, but the ice cream may not be quite as rich and creamy.
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream– The fat content in the heavy cream is what creates the “cream” in ice cream. We do not recommend substituting this ingredient.
- Optional mix-ins: Add crushed Oreo cookies, edible Cookie dough, chopped candy bars like Reese’s or Kit Kat, M&Ms, mini chocolate chips, brownie bits, chunks of fresh fruit, chopped nuts. Stir them in during the last few minutes of churning.
How to Make Vanilla Ice Cream
- MIX. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, vanilla, half and half, and heavy cream, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely.
- POUR. Pour into an ice cream maker, filling no more than two-thirds full. (If you have extra mixture, just store it in a container in the refrigerator until you can churn it.)
- CHURN. Freeze cream mixture according to the manufacturer’s directions. For those whose ice cream makers use ice, adding rock salt to the ice in your ice cream maker can lower the temperature and speed up the freezing process. Serve immediately or store in covered containers in the freezer.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- To help prevent the formation of ice crystals, make sure your ingredients are very cold before you start mixing and use high-fat ingredients.
- You can use other extracts to change up the flavor, like 1-2 teaspoons of mint, rum, maple, or cherry extract.
- If you’re adding things like chopped cookies, brownie bits, or chocolate chunks, be sure to add them in during the last few minutes of churning.
- Try pairing this sweet treat with a cobbler, cake, or brownies, or top with Whipped Cream, Hot Fudge, Strawberry Sauce, sprinkles, sliced banana, chopped candy bar, and a cherry on top.
How to Make Vanilla Ice Cream
Equipment
- Ice Cream Churn
- rock salt
- ice
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine all ingredients, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely.
- Pour into an ice cream maker, filling no more than two-thirds full. (If you have extra mixture, just store it in a container in the refrigerator until you can churn it.)
- Freeze cream mixture according to the manufacturer’s directions. For those whose ice cream makers use ice, adding rock salt to the ice in your ice cream maker can lower the temperature and speed up the freezing process. Serve immediately or store in covered containers in the freezer.
Notes
- To help prevent the formation of ice crystals, make sure your ingredients are very cold before you start mixing and use high-fat ingredients.
- You can use other extracts to change up the flavor, like 1-2 teaspoons of mint, rum, maple, or cherry extract.
- If you’re adding things like chopped cookies, brownie bits, or chocolate chunks, be sure to add them in during the last few minutes of churning.
- Try pairing this sweet treat with a cobbler, cake, or brownies, or top each scoop with Whipped Cream, Hot Fudge, Strawberry Sauce, sprinkles, sliced banana, and a cherry on top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
French vanilla starts with an egg yolk custard base, and regular vanilla is just a cream and sugar base.
There could be a few reasons why your homemade ice cream isn’t getting thick, such as inadequate fat content, incorrect freezing temperature, and undermixing.
You can make the ice cream mixture a day ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to add it to the ice cream maker to churn.
Store in an airtight container in the freezer. For best results, only store in the freezer for 3-4 weeks.
Be cautious about how long the ice cream sits out when scooping. Homemade ice cream tends to melt a lot faster than store-bought, and once it melts, it doesn’t refreeze well.
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This recipe was originally published July 2020.
What about a Cremi machine, I just bought one looking for recipes
Wonderfully easy and delicious! I’ve made it with peaches and also with mixed berries! Set it and forget it in my cuisinart maker.
Yes! So easy and good. The peaches and berries sound like a delicious addition! I’m glad you love the ice cream!
Can you use all half and half?
I haven’t ever tried using all half and half, so I’m not exactly sure how it would turn out. You’ll have to let us know if you give it a try!
No excuses for making homemade ice cream. So easy to make! Love plain old simple vanilla!
We loved this ice cream! My girls loved helping me mixing it all up. We made it to go on top of brownies, and it was the perfect addition!
I LOVE to make this homemade vanilla ice cream with the kids! They love it and it is so easy!
The best way to make homemade ice cream! So easy and comes out so creamy!
Why does homemade ice cream taste so much better?! I don’t make it enough, but when we do..it is gone so fast!! This ice cream is the creamiest!
I usually just buy the ice cream packages for the ice cream maker, but Having a tecioe us eveb better. Im going to try your edible cookie dough recipe so I can combine the two.