What if I told you that homemade ice cream could be easy & delicious? With ingredients and equipment you already have on hand, this easy vanilla ice cream tastes just as good (or better) as the stuff you buy. It may sound too good to be true, but I promise it’s real!
To make this easy vanilla ice cream, all you need is milk (or evaporated milk, for a shortcut), powdered sugar, and vanilla extract – plus a little bit of time. And I promise, it turns out just as creamy and delicious as ice cream should be. It’s not icy and sad like the ice cream you may have made in a bag in school!
I came up with this recipe while looking for something to do with about a half gallon of milk that was nearing its expiration date. We already had a couple quarts of Greek yogurt in the fridge, so I didn’t want to make even more of that. It dawned on me that I could make evaporated milk – certainly I could find a way to use that! I stumbled upon this recipe for ice cream with evaporated milk and a stand mixer. With nothing to lose, I decided to try it with homemade evaporated milk. To my delight, it turned out delicious. Amazingly, it even had the perfect ice-cream texture.
Homemade Ice Cream Can Be Ridiculously Easy to Make
In addition to the simple ingredients and basic equipment, actually making the ice cream is foolproof too! Once, my whipped evaporated milk started to collapse one time because I tried to rush it. I thought it was ruined, but it eventually fluffed up at a later whipping and the finished texture was just as lovely as ever! You should also feel free to experiment with flavors and mix-ins (fold them in after the final whipping) for even more fun.
This recipe doubles as the perfect fun summer project to try with kids. Witness evaporation as you evaporate the milk. Notice the condensation when you pull the cold mixing bowl from the freezer and water condenses all over the outside of it. Observe how the milk doubles and triples in volume when it is whipped as air is incorporated. You can even learn how the air gets trapped in the milk (hint: it gets trapped in the fat molecules – learn more here).
Can I halve or double this recipe?
You could definitely halve it, but only double it if you have a very large mixing bowl. This recipe has my six-quart stand mixer basically at its limit. Any more and it would overflow! This recipe makes a lot of ice cream as is – about a half gallon when all is said and done.
Do I need any special equipment to make this homemade ice cream?
Nope! All you need is a wide skillet to evaporate the milk, a way to whip the now-evaporated milk, and a freezer with enough room for your mixing bowl. For whipping the evaporated milk, I recommend using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. It could certainly be done with a handheld electric whisk instead. Whisking by hand is possible, but it would take a lot of effort and I haven’t personally tried it. If you do, please let me know!
Can I add flavors or mix-ins?
Yes, have fun experimenting with your homemade ice cream! Personally, I love the vanilla as it is. However, I also love to top it with some hot fudge if I’m craving chocolate. You could also add some cocoa powder with the powdered sugar, experiment with different extracts, or fold in some mix-ins when you transfer it after the last whipping. The sky’s the limit with this one!
How is this different from normal ice cream?
This “ice cream” doesn’t actually have any cream, so it’s a bit lighter. There’s also no egg yolks, as is the case for custard. Even without the cream and yolks (and with no fat-mimicking additives), my husband and I agree that it still somehow feels creamy and luscious, as do any of our friends and family that have tried it!
Because it doesn’t have the high fat content of normal ice cream, it doesn’t freeze quite as hard so it melts just a bit faster. Freezing the bowl before serving helps to keep it from melting as fast. Luckily it still holds up pretty well to hot fudge! Honestly, it ends up being a huge plus. We can just pull it straight from the freezer, scoop, serve, and enjoy. No need to wait for it to thaw or heat up the scoop!
How long does this homemade ice cream keep for?
I can’t say definitively, but it lasts at least a week – ours always ends up eaten before then though! Try to keep it from defrosting too much, as this will increase the chances that it gets freezer burned. If it does get freezer-burned, it’s still edible, but not nearly as tasty as it should be.
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk – this will become 3-4 cups of evaporated milk. If you want a shortcut, you can start with 2 12oz cans of evaporated milk.
- 2 1/2 cups (280g) powdered sugar – you can easily adjust this according to your sweetness preferences. If you use a bit more or less, it shouldn’t impact the texture much, just the flavor.
- 4 tsp vanilla extract – feel free to swap this for other extracts. Or use a mix of extracts to get the flavor you want!
Directions
Step 1: Evaporate the milk by simmering in a wide skillet on the stovetop over medium heat for about 1 hour, stirring constantly. Aim to reduce it by about 60%.
Step 2: Strain the evaporated milk and refrigerate for 24 hours, or at least overnight. Shortcut: If using canned evaporated milk, refrigerate it overnight.
Step 3: Pour the chilled evaporated milk into a large mixing bowl (if using an electric hand whisk) or stand mixer with whisk attachment. Begin to whip, starting at a slow speed and gradually increasing to a high speed as it becomes thicker and fluffier, for about 4 minutes.
Step 4: Add the powdered sugar a quarter or third at a time, whipping to combine between each addition.
Step 5: Add vanilla extract and whip to incorporate, about 20 seconds. Taste and adjust the sugar and vanilla as desired. (Note: it may fall just a bit after this addition. It will be okay – mine always fluffs up again as it freezes).
Step 6: Place the whole bowl in the freezer for 1 hour, then remove and whip for 1-2 minutes.
Step 7: Return to freezer for another hour, then whip again for 1-2 minutes. Repeat 3-4 more times, until ice cream is beginning to solidify around the outside of the bowl and the texture is similar to a very soft soft-serve.
Step 8: Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe airtight container (chill ahead of time if you want to eat your ice cream sooner) and store in freezer for up to a week.
Equipment
*Disclosure: I only recommend products that I use or would use myself. The links above are affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission (at no cost to you!) if you make a purchase using the link.
Easy, 3-Ingredient Vanilla Ice Cream – No Special Equipment Required!
This ice cream tastes just like the best you can buy, but is so easy (and cheap) to make at home! It only requires three ingredients (that I know you already have on hand) and the only required equipment is an electric whisk or stand mixer.
- Total Time: 1 day 6 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole milk (or 2 12oz cans of evaporated milk)
- 2 1/2 cups (280g) powdered sugar
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Evaporate the milk by simmering in a wide skillet on the stovetop over medium heat for about 1 hour, stirring constantly, until reduced by about 60%.
- Strain the evaporated milk and refrigerate for 24 hours, or at least overnight. (Shortcut: If using canned evaporated milk, refrigerate it overnight.)
- Pour the chilled evaporated milk into a large mixing bowl (if using an electric hand whisk) or stand mixer with whisk attachment. Begin to whip, starting at a slow speed and gradually increasing to a high speed as it becomes thicker and fluffier, for about 4 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar a quarter or third at a time, whipping to combine between each addition.
- Add vanilla extract and whip to incorporate, about 20 seconds. Taste and adjust the sugar and vanilla as desired. (Note: it may fall just a bit after this addition. It will be okay – mine always fluffs up again as it freezes).
- Place the whole bowl in the freezer for 1 hour, then remove and whip for 1-2 minutes.
- Return to freezer for another hour, then whip again for 1-2 minutes. Repeat 3-4 more times, until ice cream is beginning to solidify around the outside of the bowl and the texture is similar to a very soft soft-serve (see photo in post above).
- Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe airtight container (chill ahead of time if you want to eat your ice cream sooner) and store in freezer for up to a week.
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 203 kcal
Fat: 5g
Total Carbohydrates: 34g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 5g
The nutrition data provided here is for informational only and is only an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It cannot be verified or guaranteed, and should not be used in the treatment of medical conditions. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice This data should be interpreted and used at your own risk.
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