For ice cream fans, this is the easiest way to make it at home. There is no need for an ice cream maker or egg yolk custard. The ingredients are simply mixed and frozen. The results are irresistibly smooth, rich and delicious. And they're incredibly versatile when it comes to flavors. In this post, you'll find all my tips and recipes.
The easiest homemade ice cream!
We're huge fans of simple ice cream recipes that require no special equipment, just bowls, an electric mixer and a container.
No-churn ice creams are exactly that! Find the recipes at the end of this post or in the ice cream recipe archive.
Why make no-churn ice cream
- Simplicity: it requires fewer steps than traditional churned ice cream. You don't need an ice cream maker or any specialized equipment. This makes the process more approachable for beginners and those who may not have access to specialized kitchen tools.
- Quick and easy: you don't need to prepare an egg custard and refrigerate it for hours, pre-freeze a bowl or deal with the time-consuming churning process. It's especially handy when you crave ice cream and want it ready in a shorter amount of time.
- Variety: no-churn ice cream recipes are incredibly versatile. You can experiment with a wide range of flavors, mix-ins, and toppings. The possibilities are endless, whether you're into classic vanilla, chocolate, or more unique flavors like lavender honey or toasted coconut.
- Texture: this type of ice cream tends to have a slightly softer and creamier melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Freshness: you have more control over ingredients and can choose high-quality dairy or non-dairy bases, adjust the amount of sugar and flavorings according to your taste preferences and dietary restrictions and be sure it has no preservatives.
FAQ
The most significant difference is that churned ice cream requires an ice cream machine (or maker) to churn the base before freezing it. Unless using professional equipment, the mixture must be extremely cold, which takes hours. No-churn ice cream, as the name implies, avoids this step, making it a breeze to mix.
Yes, they are! No-churn ice creams are wonderfully smooth and creamy, just like old-fashioned recipes.
Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness and a creamy texture, and it contributes to the structure and shelf life of ice cream. It's a wonderful shortcut.
Yes, it does. It goes from solid to half-melted faster than its traditional counterpart. So take it out of the freezer when you're ready to serve and eat it.
Yes, you can. All the recipes in this post can be frozen directly after mixing the ice cream base with the flavorings and add-ins.
Toppings
Treat no-churn ice cream like regular ice cream. Top it with whatever you want. Here are some ideas.
- Caramel sauce or dulce de leche.
- Berry toppings: blueberry sauce, strawberry topping, cherry sauce topping.
- Chocolate fudge sauce.
- Sprinkles.
- Crushed cookies: plain or filled.
- Lemon curd and berries.
Make popsicles or paletas
This type of ice cream is excellent for making popsicles. Simply fill the molds according to the manufacturer's instructions and freeze.
As said before, no-churn ice creams are hard initially but start to melt faster, so consider that when eating individual popsicles. Smaller molds might be a solution if kids will be eating them.
Recipe roundup
Condensed Milk Ice Cream
This no-churn vanilla ice cream is smooth, creamy, and irresistible. And you only need 3 ingredients!
Strawberry Ice Cream
This homemade ice cream has an outstanding fresh strawberry flavor! It's a no-churn, 4-ingredient recipe made mostly in the blender.
Chocolate Ice Cream
It has a deep chocolate flavor, 4 ingredients, no added sugar, a smooth, velvety texture and an irresistible flavor.
Creamy Cheesecake
If you're looking for a homemade vanilla ice cream that tastes like cheesecake, this frozen treat combines the best of both worlds.
Lemon Ice Cream
With a ripple of lemon curd, it has a smooth, velvety texture and fantastic taste. A lemon lover's dream.
Cookies and Cream
If you're craving homemade Oreo ice cream, this recipe is easy to make and big in flavor, a game-changer.
Berry Cheesecake Popsicles
You can use any berry you want, and it's a great recipe to make with and for kids. Simply mix, fill the popsicle molds and freeze!
Funfetti Ice Cream
Only 4 ingredients are needed to make this incredibly smooth and creamy ice cream with colorful sprinkles that takes 10 minutes to mix.
What is the science behind no-churn ice cream?
The main components of no-churn ice cream are typically heavy cream and condensed milk and together they create an unbelievably creamy, crystal-free ice cream.
- Forming an emulsion: heavy cream contains fat globules, while condensed milk contains water, sugar, and milk solids. When they are combined and whipped, an emulsion is formed. An emulsion is a mixture of two immiscible (unmixable) liquids, in this case, fat and water, stabilized by molecules called emulsifiers, helping to prevent the fat and water from separating. This emulsion contributes to the smooth and creamy texture of the ice cream.
- Incorporating air into the mixture: whipping the heavy cream incorporates air bubbles that help give the ice cream a light and airy texture. As the ice cream freezes, these air bubbles become trapped in the mixture, contributing to the overall volume and texture.
- Sugar: the condensed milk used in no-churn ice cream recipes contains a high sugar concentration. Sugar lowers the freezing point of water, so the mixture will take longer to freeze and form ice crystals. This is important for preventing large ice crystals from forming and creating a smoother texture in the ice cream.
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