These ice cream recipes are the top flavors to make at home! When it comes to flavor, homemade is always best.
Want to whip up a batch of ice cream at home? You’ve come to the right place. Here at A Couple Cooks, we’re experts in the art of homemade ice cream. Making it at home tastes infinitely better than store-bought and is so much more fun! If you’ve got the time, it feels so much more satisfying to whip up your own version of mint chocolate chip ice cream than a pint from the store. Here are the top ice cream recipes to make at home, from classics like vanilla and chocolate to more adventurous flavors like strawberry cheesecake and Rocky Road.
And now…our top ice cream recipes!
The very best vanilla ice cream in the world? Homemade. And this vanilla ice cream recipe rivals any gourmet brand you can find at the store. The frosty custard has a lusciously creamy mouthfeel, with the perfect sweet vanilla notes and rich undertones. The texture stays creamy in the freezer for days (a feat for homemade!)
Want the very best frosty treat? Try this homemade chocolate ice cream recipe! It’s irresistibly creamy, with a rich chocolate flavor that makes it hard not to take another bite. With just 7 ingredients, it’s simple to whip up at home too!
Everyone knows that homemade ice cream is the best. And in the case of strawberry ice cream, the results are beyond worth the effort. Try this homemade strawberry ice cream recipe! It’s lusciously creamy, with a pure sweet tart berry flavor interspersed with chunks of red berries.
Are you a mint chocolate chip fan? Then let us introduce you to our favorite homemade ice cream recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip! The flavor is fresh and beautifully minty, the texture is beautifully creamy and scoopable, and it’s studded with bittersweet chocolate chunks perfectly dispersed into every bite. We’ve cracked the code to making this popular ice cream flavor at home!
Calling all coffee lovers! Here’s the ice cream recipe for you: this homemade Coffee Ice Cream recipe! Imagine: a lusciously creamy frozen dessert, scented with rich, bittersweet espresso. Every spoonful will make you melt a little inside! Pair it with chopped chocolate or chocolate sauce for the ideal simple dessert, or you can even add mix-ins of your choice.
If you’re a fan of ice cream mix-ins, there’s nothing better than the good old classic Rocky Road Ice Cream! This ice cream flavor is almost a century old and still popular as ever. The creamy chocolate base holds chunks of toasted nuts and marshmallows, creating irresistible texture and flavor contrasts. Make it homemade and you can add chocolate chunks too (why not?!).
Are you a chocolate lover? Here’s a standout ice cream recipe to try: homemade Chocolate Chip Ice Cream! It pairs a lusciously creamy vanilla base with irresistibly irregular chocolate chips and chunks that are perfectly dispersed into every bite. Pouring melted chocolate into the cold ice cream achieves the stracciatella effect with irregular pieces.
Are you a cheesecake lover? Then you’ll absolutely adore it frozen: try this Cheesecake Ice Cream! Adding cream cheese to a standard vanilla ice cream makes it over-the-top rich, creamy and indulgent. Take one bite and you’ll raise your eyebrows in amazement (we did). The best part? Stir in some chopped graham crackers to simulate that signature crust.
When it's the season, what's better than a creamy, fall-spiced ice cream recipe? Try this Pumpkin Ice Cream recipe! Scoop up a bowl and it’s lusciously soft and creamy, scented with just the right hit of cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg. Each rich spoonful will make you raise your eyebrows in delight. Take it to the next level and add candied pecans for a sweet, salty crunch.
Got some juicy, ripe peaches? Try this homemade Peach Ice Cream recipe! This recipe comes out lusciously creamy, vanilla-scented with chunks of sweet peaches throughout. A simple scoop is the most decadent treat on a summer evening!
Try this over-the-top dessert: Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream! This homemade ice cream is decadent and rich, featuring zingy-sweet fruit against a creamy vanilla base and soft graham cracker chunks. Take one bite and you’ll mumble “wow” before immediately poising your scoop for another.
Love homemade ice cream? Then we’ve got a treat for you: this Peppermint Ice Cream recipe! It tastes just like a peppermint stick, flavored with both extract and crushed candies. The texture is lusciously creamy, and the candy shards of red and white give it the perfect festive look. It’s fun to whip up at home and will wow everyone!
This homemade Vegan Ice Cream recipe is creamy, delicious, and made with all whole foods: no additives or preservatives. It has a luscious creamy texture and it tastes like real vanilla ice cream (no weird aftertastes, either!). In fact, it’s the best vegan ice cream we’ve tried.
You’ve probably heard about one ingredient banana ice cream: and we’re here to tell you it’s worth the hype! Imagine: creamy, tropical-scented ice cream that requires no ice cream maker or ingredients other than the blackening fruit on your countertop. When you’ve got ripe bananas, this is one of the best ways to use them!
If you love fruity ice cream, here’s the flavor that’s stolen our hearts: blueberry ice cream! It’s sweet and creamy, with a pure fruit flavor that tastes like an elevated version of this humble berry. Mix up a homemade batch and it stays creamy in the freezer for weeks!
Let's end with our very favorite ice cream recipe: cookie dough! Wow, is the homemade version of this flavor sublime. The soft, salty sweet bits of dough with pops of chocolate are abundant in the creamy, frosty vanilla cream.
Ice cream makers
Making ice cream at home as one requirement: an ice cream maker! You’ll find it’s a great investment you can use to make sorbets, sherbet and ice creams all year round. Here are a few notes on different types of ice cream makers:
- Top choice: a freezer bowl ice cream maker. Here’s the 2 quart freezer bowl ice cream maker we use. It’s very durable and has held up well over the years. For this method, you’ll need to make sure to freeze the base of the ice cream maker overnight before making this recipe.
- Expensive but easy-to-use choice: automatic ice cream maker. Do you make ice cream often? You might want to consider this automatic ice cream maker, which is larger and more expensive. However, it requires no pre-freezing, so you can make ice cream any time you please! You can also make multiple batches back to back without needing to freeze the base again.
15 Ice Cream Recipes!
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart 1x
Description
This homemade ice cream recipe is irresistibly creamy! It’s tasty as vanilla or use it as a base for other flavors (see the list above!).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups whole milk, divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, slowly whisk the cornstarch into 1 cup whole milk, then whisk in the sugar. Heat over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes, whisking frequently, until it’s almost simmering and the mixture thickens.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining ½ cup whole milk and the heavy cream, salt and vanilla extract.
- Transfer the mixture to a large metal or glass bowl. Place the bowl in a smaller bowl of ice water for 1 hour, making sure not to splash any water into the custard. Alternatively, simply place the bowl in the refrigerator and wait for 3 hours or until the temperature drops to 40°F.
- Churn according to your ice cream maker instructions, about 25 minutes for soft serve consistency. For hard ice cream texture, transfer to a loaf pan or sealed container and freeze in the freezer for at least 2 hours (or up to 4 hours). Store in a loaf pan with a parchment sheet over the top or a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: Ice Cream
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Ice cream recipes
Let us know if you have any questions!
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