The best 3 ingredient homemade ice cream, and it's insanely easy to make!
Hot summer days are made for enjoying ice cream, but buying it at the store by the carton can get expensive. Plus, there’s no bigger summer bummer than when you head out to buy your favorite flavor only to find that shelf in the freezer section is completely bare. Luckily, you can make delicious, customizable, no-churn ice cream at home with just three simple ingredients and minimal effort, no special ice cream maker required. Not only is this the perfect summer treat, but the recipe is so easy a kid can make it. Here’s how to make the easiest 3-ingredient homemade ice cream and customize the flavors to your heart’s desire.
Watch the video above to learn how to make 3-ingredient, no-churn, homemade ice cream.
How to make 3-ingredient homemade ice cream
Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Loaf pan or another freezer-safe container
- Parchment paper
- Hand or stand mixer
Instructions:
- Line loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. This will take about 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer, or about 1 minute with a stand mixer.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract.
- If you want to customize the flavor of your ice cream, add your chosen flavor to the bowl with the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. See flavor ideas and measurements in the tips below.
- Once the flavors are added, gently fold the mixture into whipped cream. Be careful not to overmix, or the whipped cream will deflate. The whipped cream in no-churn ice cream is what gives it its light and fluffy texture. If you overmix, it could become dense and icy.
- Add any desired toppings or mix-ins to the mixture, like chocolate chips, sprinkles, or crushed cookies. This is where you measure with your heart and get creative. The flavor possibilities are endless.
- Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan.
- Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 12 hours.
More no-churn homemade ice cream tips
- To make chocolate ice cream, add 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- To make strawberry ice cream, add 1 pint of strawberries, hulled and sliced.
- To make cookies and cream ice cream, add 1 cup of crushed Oreos.
- Use cold ingredients. This will help ice cream freeze more quickly and evenly.
- If you don't have a loaf pan, you can use any freezer-safe container. Just make sure the container is at least 2 inches deep.
- No-churn ice cream is best eaten within a few days of making it. It can also be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
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