Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 5, 2025 
This is hands-down the best recipe for thick, creamy homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream that’s perfect for loading with your favorite sweet toppings.
This Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Is The Real Deal
Is there anything better than sitting down with a large bowl of cold, creamy, smooth and sweet ice cream?
A summertime staple, a late-night favorite, a cure-all for nearly any bad mood, and the perfect treat for all celebrations. Any time is the right time for ice cream…especially this delicious Vanilla Ice Cream.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
That comforting, icy-cold Vanilla Ice Cream deliciousness tastes even better when freshly made at home with simple, wonderfully indulgent ingredients. A classic ice cream base recipe is a must-have for any home cook’s cache of desserts, and this easy homemade Vanilla Ice Cream is absolutely the best.
Why You’ll Love This Vanilla Ice Cream
- Better than packaged – I love that this recipe doesn’t use any preservatives, making it so much better for you than the store bought kind.
- Churn or no-churn – You don’t need to have an ice cream maker to make this amazing ice cream!
- Customizable – Use this vanilla ice cream as a base for your favorite mix-ins like chocolate chips, cookie dough or fruit.
Honestly, this vanilla ice cream recipe is definitely better than any store-bought ice cream!
Ingredients and Tips
- Heavy cream – Ice cream made with heavy whipping cream lends the best taste!
- 2% milk – You can also use whole milk instead for a creamier texture.
- Granulated sugar – For that added sweetness.
- Egg yolks – Egg yolks create a super indulgent ice cream.
- Vanilla extract – Use a high-quality vanilla extract to get that classic vanilla flavor.
- Sea salt – To balance out all the flavors.
- Properly temper the eggs – When making a custard base, temper the eggs by slowly adding each egg yolk to the warm milk mixture while whisking constantly. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs, preventing them from curdling when added to the hot mixture.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Dairy-free – Use canned coconut milk instead of cream and swap the 2% milk with almond milk. If you’re making a no-churn version, use a plant-based whipped cream.
- Low-sugar – Swap the granulated sugar with a sugar substitute like monk fruit.
- Vanilla bean – To enhance the vanilla flavor, use a real vanilla pod.
- Add-ins – Swirl in chocolate fudge, caramel or crushed Oreos before freezing.
How To Make Easy Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
To make this luxuriously creamy Vanilla Ice Cream, all you need is a handful of simple ingredients and ideally, an ice cream-making machine! However, don’t worry, you can also make this homemade ice cream just as easily without a machine.
Find the full Homemade Ice Cream recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Place the ice cream in a tightly sealed container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Softening – Before scooping, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for up to 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Rich and creamy classic Vanilla Ice Cream is a perfect blank canvas for loading with an imaginative array of sweet mix-ins and toppings. You can add goodies right to the freshly churned ice cream before transferring to the freezer like:
- Chocolate shavings
- Chocolate syrup
- Cinnamon
- Brownie chunks
- Crumbled cookies
- Swirls of fudge
- Ripe berries
Or, serve a variety of your favorites on the side and let family and friends customize their scoops of vanilla with toppings of their choice.
For summer, we definitely recommend you try this berry delicious Warm Blueberry Sauce Ice Cream Topping.
And for a really special treat, try serving homemade ice cream with some hot fudge or in Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones or Gingersnap Ice Cream Cups!
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s easy to make this ice cream recipe without a machine! Follow the exact instructions, omitting the heavy cream from the stovetop ice cream mix. You’ll add it in later.
Cook and chill the ice cream base according to the instructions. Once the mixture is cold, pour the heavy cream into a standing mixer with a whip attachment, and whip on HIGH speed until firm. Then, gently fold the whipped cream and cold ice cream mix together until well combined. Move to a storage container and freeze for at least a couple of hours before serving.
Yep, this ice cream has a custard base, which means that it’s made with egg yolks. That’s why it has an ultra-dense and creamy texture!
A thermometer is ideal, but if you don’t have one, just gauge the temperature by ensuring that the mixture is hot but not boiling.
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Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups 2% milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Set a medium-sized sauce pot over medium heat. Clip a cooking thermometer to the side of the pot.
- Add the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Stir and warm until all the sugar has dissolved into the cream mixture.
- Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, to make sure it is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Once all the egg yolks are well combined, stir and watch the temperature. Once it reaches 165-170 degrees F, remove from heat. Then stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Set a fine mesh strainer (sieve) over a 2 quart storage container. Pour and strain the ice cream mixture into the container, to remove any cooked egg particles. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture is COLD. (The colder the mixture is when you add it to the ice cream maker, the better the texture will be. Sometimes I make the mixture the night before I need it.)
- Pour the cold ice cream mix into a 1.5-2 quart ice cream maker. Churn the ice cream for 25 minutes, or according to the settings on your machine.
- Move the ice cream back to a clean storage container. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.
Notes
- No-Churn Method: You can make this ice cream recipe without a machine! Follow the instructions, omitting the heavy cream from the ice cream mix. (To be added later.) Cook and chill the mixture as instructed. Once it is cold, Pour the heavy cream into a mixer with a whip attachment, and whip on high speed until firm. Gently fold the whipped cream and cold ice cream mix together, until well combined. Then move to a storage container and freeze.
- Storing Leftovers – Place the ice cream in a tightly sealed container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Softening – Before scooping, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for up to 10 minutes.
Can this ice cream recipe be done in a Ninja ice cream machine ? I struggle with getting a creamy texture with this machine .
Hi Kathleen,
Technically, yes. However, I have not tested the Ninja ice cream machine, so I can’t offer suggestions here. If if works like any other ice cream maker, you shouldn’t have a problem.
What would happen if I used less eggs? If I used maybe 4 instead?
Hi Jacklyn,
It would change the texture – less dense and silky. But it would still taste good!
That is so easy to make!! I loved it!! Such a nice treat! thanks for sharing this article.
I have a 4 qt maker. Would i just perfectly double the recipe to get a bigger batch?
Thank you!
Hi Jenna,
Yes, that should work just fine. :)
I freaking love this ice cream recipe, and it is so easy to make!
My whole family loved this recipe!!!!!
I am loving how creamy this ice cream comes out! So delicious
That is so easy to make!! I loved it!! Such a nice treat!