Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe (Easy & Homemade)
If there’s one ice cream flavor that is ubiquitous across the country and the world at large, it has to be the Vanilla Ice Cream. So, on this post of mine, I have shared a simple eggless recipe of the same that results in a creamy, soft and delightful vanilla ice cream. This step-by-step procedure will help you churn the best product of this quintessential ice cream flavor at home. The recipe has minimal ingredients and the ones that won’t get you stressed while you are sourcing them too. You’ve got to try it!
About Vanilla Ice Cream
Come summers, come the array of ice creams and other similar cold/frozen sweet dishes that especially the Indian cuisine houses.
Since summers and ice creams are synonymous, then why not have the perfect recipe for a classic Vanilla Ice Cream as well!? This post is just that.
Most of us like to have ice creams or Kulfi during summers. And when it comes to ice creams, the undefeated champion is the Vanilla Ice Cream.
Why? Because it is simple and basic. So, can be easily jazzed up to something really fancy as well and made into a complete, good-looking dessert itself.
Before I go more into the details of this recipe, here’s some more scoop on the Vanilla Ice Cream.
Till the 1760s, none of the ice cream recipes featured vanilla as the common flavoring. It was considered as rare as any other fancy food stuff or ingredient.
According to food historians, it is believed that the famous American philosopher and statesman Thomas Jefferson can be regarded as the ‘father of the Vanilla Ice Cream’ in USA.
He came across the flavor in France, after which he introduced the recipe to the Unites States of America. He also had his version of the recipe for Vanilla Ice Cream.
The popularity of Vanilla Ice Cream reached its peak by the early 19th century, when this ice cream flavor was touted as the most common one.
About My Recipe
With ingredients like full fat milk or full cream milk, milk, vanilla extract, sugar, cream and cornstarch (cornflour), this recipe of Vanilla Ice Cream demonstrates the basic method of preparing an eggless version.
For making this Vanilla Ice Cream, a custard is prepared first. Whipped cream is folded in the custard and then kept to freeze. There are other variations too, with some being very quick and some taking time.
In this Vanilla Ice Cream recipe, no ice cream maker is used. You just need a good electric blender.
You can also check this quick, easy, no churn and another no ice cream maker recipe of the vanilla flavored Ice Cream Recipe made with just 3 ingredients.
Since it is very hot at my area of stay, the Vanilla Ice Cream would begin to melt as soon as I would serve or take pictures.
I tried a lot of times to get a neat frozen ice cream picture. But the temperature was very unforgiving. Thus, ended up with what you see on this post. However, trust me, the taste is just on-point.
You can serve the Vanilla Ice Cream plain or topped with a chocolate or caramel sauce. You can also serve the ice cream with fruits like chopped mangoes, a mix of fruits and berries, dry fruits and nuts.
How to make Vanilla Ice Cream
Prep and Make Custard Sauce
1. Before you begin, set the temperature in the refrigerator to its highest cold setting.
Then, in a small bowl, take 2 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Easily swap cornstarch with arrowroot flour and rice flour.
2. Mix to a smooth paste.
3. In a saucepan or pan, take 1.5 cups full cream milk or full-fat milk.
4. Add ½ cup sugar.
5. Keep this pan on the stovetop and begin to heat it. Stir, so that the sugar dissolves.
6. When the milk becomes slightly hot, add the cornstarch paste gradually.
7. Stir quickly, so that lumps are not formed.
8. Simmer on low to medium heat till the milk thickens. Stir often while the milk is thickening, so that the milk does not get browned or burnt from the base.
9. The custard sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
10. Take this custard sauce mixture in a bowl and allow it to become warm or cool. Then, keep covered in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour.
11. Remove from the freezer. Change the temperature setting of your refrigerator back to the earlier one.
12. With an electric beater, beat on a medium to high speed for 1 to 2 minutes. You can also beat in a blender or mixer jar.
13. Beat the custard sauce very well.
Whip Fresh Cream
14. In another bowl, take 200 ml (about ¾ cup) cold or chilled fresh cream.
You can use heavy whipping cream having 36% fat and above. Even malai (cream that floats on top of milk or clotted cream} can be used.
Remember that the cream or malai has to chilled or cold.
15. Begin to whip the cream on medium to high speed.
16. Whip till you get soft peaks.
17. Add 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. Here, I used homemade vanilla extract. You can also add scraped seeds from 1 or 2 vanilla beans.
Make Vanilla Ice Cream
18. Add the whisked custard sauce to the whipped cream-vanilla mixture.
19. Fold gently and lightly, taking care that the ice cream mixture holds the volume and does not fall flat.
20. Here’s the Vanilla Ice Cream mixture ready to go in the freezer. Cover the bowl tightly with a lid, aluminium foil or cling film. Keep in the freezer.
21. When the ice cream is semi-set after 4 to 5 hours, remove and whip again very well in the same bowl. I did not take picture of this step as I whipped the ice cream in the night.
Again, cover tightly and keep the ice cream in the freezer till it is completely set. The picture below is that of ice cream after it is set. If you want a smoother texture, you can whip twice or thrice too.
22. When the ice cream is well set, scoop and serve Vanilla Ice Cream in bowls or plates.
You can top the ice cream with any sauce (chocolate or caramel) or fruits or serve it plain. You can even garnish with chocolate sprinklers or chocolate chips.
Expert Tips
- Cream: For the cream, you can use any one of these – whipping cream or heavy cream with 36% fat and above. Make sure to use whole milk or full cream milk for this ice cream recipe. This is how you will achieve a creamy and soft-textured ice cream.
- Temperature: Ensure setting the temperature of your refrigerator to the highest cold setting before beginning with the process of making the ice cream. Also make sure the cream is cold or chilled before you whip it.
- Vanilla: If you don’t have vanilla extract, you can also scrape the seeds from 1 to 2 vanilla beans and use it for the recipe. Even vanilla powders works well.
- Texture: To get a smoother texture in the ice cream, whip the mixture twice or thrice once the ice cream is semi-frozen.
- Thickening Substitutes: In place of cornstarch (cornflour), use rice flour or arrowroot flour or tapioca starch.
- Vegan Swaps: In place of whipping cream, use non-dairy cream or non-dairy whipping cream; in place of dairy milk, you can use almond milk or any of your preferred plant based milk.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons milk – full cream milk or whole milk
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 to 2 vanilla beans
- ½ cup sugar or add as per taste
- 200 ml cream whipping or heavy, about ¾ cup cream – 36% fat and above
Instructions
Making custard sauce
- Before you begin, set the temperature in your fridge to its highest cold setting. In a small bowl, take 2 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
- In a saucepan or pan, take 1.5 cups full cream milk or whole milk. Add ½ cup sugar.
- Keep this pan on the stovetop and begin to heat it. Stir so that the sugar dissolves.
- When the milk becomes slightly hot, add the cornstarch paste gradually.
- Stir quickly so that lumps are not formed.
- Simmer on a low to medium heat, till the milk thickens.
- The custard sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
- Take the custard sauce in a bowl and allow it to become warm or cool down. Later keep in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Remove from the fridge. Change the temperature setting of your fridge back to the earlier one.
- With an electric beater, beat the custard sauce till it increases a bit in volume. Beat on a medium to high speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
Whipping cream
- In another bowl, take about the heavy cream or whipping cream.
- Begin to whip the cream on medium to high speed. Whip till you get soft peaks.
- Add the vanilla extract. Here I used homemade vanilla extract. You can also add seeds from 1 or 2 vanilla beans.
Making vanilla ice cream
- Then add whisked cornstarch thickened milk to the whipped cream.
- Fold lightly taking care that the ice cream mixture holds the volume and does not fall flat.
- Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or aluminium foil or cling film. Keep in the freezer.
- When the ice cream is semi-set or semi-frozen after 4 to 5 hours, remove and whip again very well in the same bowl. Cover again tightly and keep in the freezer for the ice cream to set.
- When the vanilla ice cream is well set, scoop and serve in bowls or plates. You can top the ice cream with any syrup or fruits or serve it as is.
Notes
Substitutions
- Cornstarch – Swap with rice flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot flour. Mix to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Cream – Malai or clotted cream that floats on top of the milk can be used.
- Dairy milk – Almond milk or any preferred plant based milk.
- Fresh cream – Non-dairy cream or non-dairy whipping cream.
Nutrition
This Vanilla Ice Cream from the archives, originally published in May 2015 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
yummy!!
Hello mam… I try ur vanilla ice cream twice in summers… In last year it was turned out awesome but this year it was more disaster… Once i have used pure malai without any addition of store bought cream and when i was whipping it neither soft peaks nor stiff peaks formed instead when i added it in custard sauce it got curdled uffff that was really a huge mess… Another day i made this very same receipe with store bought cream without any addition of malai so i faced a problem in its whipping i got no stiff peaks in it despite of so much beating … As u mentioned that in ur receipe that whip the cream till soft or stiff formed… So plx guide me in it…..
And mam one more thing my oven is getting over me day by day i am zero in baking… Plx get me guidance.
ohh…for malai, using the whipping blade in a mixer-grinder, it is made to a smooth cream. the malai has to be churned till a smooth cream-like consistency is got. then this cream has to be whipped. before whipping, make sure the cream is chilled or cold. for store-bought cream, you can whip till soft or stiff peaks. the whipping has to be done for at least 9 to 10 minutes. if the cream is added in hot custard sauce, it can curdle. whenever you whip cream , make sure it is cold. keep in the fridge for some hours and then whip. in the summers, you can keep both the bowl and the whipping attachment in the fridge. hope this helps.
regarding oven, let me know what information you are looking for.
Hi Mam,
I tried this recipe. it was awesome. actually i wasnt having corn starch and whipping cream. I tried with paste of arrowroot , rice powder and malai respectively. And I used a mixie for blending as i dint have electric blender also.
It was perfect to taste. My husband liked it very muchh. Thankyou so muchhhh Dassana mam.
Happiness is when your cooking experiment is success…
Best wishes
thanks soumya for sharing the variations. in fact, arrowroot is used while making frozen desserts like kulfi or ice cream as it is a good thickening agent and makes the ice cream creamy. also when malai is whipped what one gets is whipping cream. rice powder also helps in thickening. perfectly you made the recipe. yes i know it feels good when the cooking experiment is a success. welcome and wish you all the best.
Hi Dassana,,,,,,Amazing recipie,,,,,I was actually on top of the world jumping with joy after knowing my recipie came out well ,,,,,I wonder how would you feel being a master of such amazing recipies????????,,,,,thanks Dassana ,,,,,you are an amazing person too as your reply is so simple ,kind,ready to help and quick
thank you kavita. glad to know that the vanilla ice cream recipe turned out great.
to be honest i also feel elated and joyful when i create a successful recipe. it can be any recipe and need not be a complex one. more joy and love i also feel when my family enjoys these recipes.
thanks for this sweet comment.
I tried your kulfi recipe.
Came out really good.
Feeling happy.
thanks rejni for the feedback on kulfi recipe. nice to know.
Hmmm Your vanilla ice cream looks yummy! I have one question: How to make whipping cream?
thanks. whipping cream can be made at home by freezing over a few weeks the clotted cream that collects on top of milk when it is boiled. you will have to keep on adding layers of clotted cream from boiled milk and then keep in the freezer in a covered box. we call this clotted cream as malai in hindi language. before you make cream, remove the box from the freezer and keep in refrigerator overnight. next day, using a food processor with whipping attachment of a mixer or a stand mixer, beat the cream. first the cream will become smooth and liquid. this cream can be refrigerated again and used for curries or gravies. if you continue to beat the cream, then the cream will start becoming thick and have soft peaks first, followed by stiff peaks. now the cream is ready and can be used to make ice cream of whipped cream frostings for cakes or cup cakes.
hi mam
from where we can buy the vanilla essence or Vanilla extract
riya, you can get it in any good super store or you can buy online.
Awesome recipe.. i prepared fresh fruit icecream and it was a superhit…. Thanks
Welcome Preeti
thank you
welcome nisha
Hi dassana.. Thanks for the recipe. I am going to try this. Do you have a recipe for coffee ice-cream?
welcome nisha. i do not have any recipe for coffee ice cream. will try to add.
Hi Dassana,
I have simply fallen in love with your blog. I’m sort of addicted to it for the past two weeks and have been writing down you recipes ever since. This is probably because I’m a little stressed now and visiting your blog kind of refreshes me. I must say you make the dishes seem a lot easy than what they usually are and a lot of my favourite dishes from your blog are waiting to made. And definitely, when I read about you in the ‘About Us’ column, I couldn’t believe you were pretty young to have such an elaborate knowledge on cooking and making so many dishes. When I had been reading your recipes before I saw your picture, I imagined you to be much older (sorry about that 😉 ), as the recipes, dishes and method of cooking seemed to ask for a lot of experience. And your lifestyle is very relishing too, with your inclination to spirituality, adapting very healthy ways of food (going organic,vegetarian and vegan) as I myself have adapted to these ways of living. Holding on to a spiritual path and staying a vegetarian and going organic are soooo…life changing. I wish both you and Amit lots of goodness and do keep the work going 🙂
thank you very much indira for this lovely and beautiful comment. i am so happy that reading the blog refreshes you. honestly speaking, even when i read my own recipes and words at times, i also feel refreshed and good. in fact at times i cannot believe that i have written or taken the pics. sometimes its the shakti which makes you do things and you know you are doing it, but you don’t see or feel the grace in your work. then later when you see your work and you are like, how did this happen or really did i write this way.
i started very young. cooking was a hobby from a young age and a degree in home science, did ignite the passion further. but i was happy cooking once in a while or on weekends, when working in the teaching and then later in the corporate sector. i never know that this blog would inspire so many people from all age groups. it was nothing short of a miracle.
its always better to live a balanced life. some exercise or yoga, healthy food, some meditation, loving what you do, being sincere and true, having an empathetic and loving relationships with your family & friends, does make a big difference.
also thanks a lot for your wishes.