Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (Incredibly Creamy!)
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Want to make homemade vanilla ice cream that tastes way better than anything from the store? I’ve been making this one for years, and it’s our go-to every summer. It’s reliable, rich, and packed with smooth vanilla flavor. Read on and I’ll share my best tips for keeping things creamy and dreamy!
There is a reason vanilla is the most classic ice cream flavor. Some may say it’s boring – but when done right, it’s anything but. This isn’t the sad, pale, flavorless stuff you look past in the supermarket. It’s the real deal, custardy vanilla, made with egg yolks and cream.
I’ve been making this recipe for years, and my daughter loves it just as much as I do. The key step is tempering the eggs – but don’t worry, it’s easier than it sounds, and I’ll walk you through it.
Ingredients you need for vanilla ice cream
- Custard base: Whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, and heavy cream.
- Vanilla: You can use either vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. I personally reach for the vanilla bean paste – I love the deep flavor and the specks of vanilla seeds. Your final result will depend a lot on the quality of the vanilla paste or extract you use, so if you plan to make this, it’s worth getting a good jar. Oh, and a pinch of salt!
Tip ⇢ When heating up the milk, be careful not to let it get to a boil. This will not only change the flavor, but if the milk starts to curdle, you’ll get a grainy texture. A scorched bottom can also infuse your ice cream with a burnt taste, and not in a good way.
Storage
Once your ice cream is churned and ready, transfer it to a freezer-safe, airtight container. Press some parchment paper over the surface before sealing it to help prevent ice crystals from forming. It’s best enjoyed within three months – but let’s be honest, it probably won’t last that long!
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (Incredibly Creamy!)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract (see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the milk in a small pot over medium-high heat until it's steaming hot, but not boiling. Remove the pot from the heat and lower the heat to medium-low.1 ½ cup whole milk
- In a heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Slowly pour the milk into the eggs, whisking as you pour. This is called tempering the eggs and will prevent them from scrambling.4 large egg yolks, ¾ cup sugar
- Pour the milk and eggs back into the pot and put the pot on the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream, vanilla, and salt. Let it cool, uncovered, to room temperature and then place the pot in the fridge for at least 1 hour, until the custard is cold.1 ½ cups heavy cream, 1-2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Process the custard in your ice cream maker. If you don't have one, you can make no churn ice cream.
- You can either eat the ice cream as soft-serve or pour the ice cream into a freezer-proof container and freeze until solid, about 2-4 hours.
Notes
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Four more homemade ice creams to try next
For more inspiration, check out all of my ice cream recipes!
Do yourself a favor and omit the salt. I quadrupled the recipe and now have gallon of wayyyy too salty ice cream!!!!!
This recipe has never been tested x4 and not all recipes work when you simply increase the amounts. ¼ teaspoon of sea salt (only a big pinch) is perfect for the base recipe. If it was way too salty, I suspect something was off with the quantities when increased.
I would love to make this recipe! Can you share where you got the container to store the finished ice cream? Does it come with a lid?
I use my loaf pan for storing ice cream! I press a piece of parchment paper on top before I put it into the freezer.