Easy, delicious homemade ice cream—Make no-churn ice cream 3 ways without an ice cream machine

I used to have an ice cream machine but didn’t use it often enough to justify the space it took up. So, I didn’t make homemade ice cream. But what hits the spot better than cold ice cream on a hot summer day?

Thankfully, eventually, non-churn ice cream recipes that didn’t use an ice cream machine started to surface. Most recently, the Mason jar ice cream recipe has become popular. 

Here are 3 ways to make ice cream without an ice cream machine. These recipes are easy and so much fun to make. See which one suits your family best!

Why we are obsessed with ice cream!

A report by the International Dairy Foods Association gives us some history of our love of ice cream. They reported that “Alexander the Great enjoyed snow and ice flavored with honey and nectar” and that “Marco Polo returned to Italy from the Far East with a recipe that closely resembled what is now called sherbet.”

But, importantly, ice cream became available for the general public in 1660, but it was only for the privileged because there was no way to keep it frozen until ice houses were invented in the 1800s.

Making homemade churned ice cream usually involved warming egg yolks and cream and adding this ice cream base, which is really an egg custard base, to an old-fashioned churn that was seated in a bucket of rock salt to keep it extra cold.

Fast forward to the late 1970s. I live in Burlington, VT, and a funky ice cream shop opened in a former corner gas station. There’s a great picture of the early factory on this page.

Customers wove through the shop to see how their ice was made. A couple of very weird flavors, like Carob Chip and Rum Raisin, were made fresh on-site each day. 

But B&J remember their first successful flavors as creamy Vanilla ice cream and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, which was suggested by a customer—who should get free ice cream for life, in my opinion.

Ben and Jerry’s exploded. The ice cream industry took off. The rest is history.

Is ice cream good for you?

A very recent news report warned against diets consisting of 20% ultra-processed foods. 

They included ice cream on the list, along with prepackaged soups, sauces, frozen pizza, ready-to-eat meals, burgers, hot dogs, sausages, fries, soda, cookies, cakes, candies, and doughnuts.

The report’s conclusions were based on the empty calories they provide and the links to obesity, heart disease, and cancer. And we can’t deny that a constantly poor diet is a threat to our health.

To the extent that fruit and dairy products are good for you, ice cream can have some redeeming nutritional value. But we all know that chocolate and candy decrease that value quickly.

Making your own ice cream takes it out of the “ultra-processed” category, and the best part is that it gives you control of the ingredients. You can make creamy ice cream with simple ingredients like whole milk.

Here’s the nutritional value of homemade vanilla ice cream from FitBit.com.

Can homemade ice cream be made more nutritious?

I’m sure we all agree that extras like crushed cookies and chocolate chips add amazing flavor but not much in the way of nutrients. Those are pretty much empty calories—which we all enjoy now and again.

But there are ways to make ice cream that’s just as delicious but a little more nutritious. 

The obvious way to make homemade ice cream more nutritious is to add fresh fruit

*Add fresh berries in season. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries,  and cherries are traditional favorites but experiment with whatever you have available. There is nothing wrong with adding frozen fruit.

**Bananas love to be frozen and pair well with walnuts and cinnamon (think frozen banana bread).

**Chopped apples and cinnamon will remind you of homemade apple pie.

**Try chopped peaches and a little cinnamon and nutmeg.

Add nuts 

Nuts add fiber and vitamins and are a great source of heart-friendly fats. 

**Add walnuts and maple syrup to make mouth-watering maple walnut ice cream

** Add chopped pistachios, almond extract, and a couple of drops of green food coloring (optional) to make pistachio ice cream

**Add chopped pecans and some brown sugar for praline-flavored ice cream

Other ice cream add-ins

Ice cream add-ins that aren’t as nutritious but make for an extra sweet treat. Try these to satisfy your sweet tooth. Do be afraid to combine several and make up your own new family-favorite ice cream flavor!

** Chopped sandwich cookies

** Chopped chocolate-covered mint candies

** Chunks of your favorite candy bar

** Any gummy candy

** Sweetened flaked coconut

** Tiny marshmallows 

** Make the best vanilla ice cream by adding real vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste. It will take the flavor to the next level.

Use coconut milk instead of heavy cream (see below). 

Make coffee ice cream without other additives—although coffee ice cream with chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans is my all-time favorite!

Thank you, Ben and Jerry’s, for “Coffee Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz.” But I digress…

Three ways to make homemade ice cream without an ice cream machine

There are several ways to make ice cream without an ice cream machine. Try all of these and see which one works best for you. It’s fun to involve little ones in making ice cream in a plastic bag.

How to make ice cream in a blender or food processor 

A food processor or blender can be used to do the work of an ice cream machine. However, frozen ingredients are usually used to make blender ice cream. That way, the ice cream can be enjoyed right away.

But it can also be spread into a loaf pan, flat pan, or tray for eating later.

Here’s a blender strawberry frozen yogurt recipe from The Kitchen Girl with only four ingredients.

How to make ice cream in a Mason jar

People like Mason jar ice cream because it’s really easy to make and can be stored and eaten from the same container! It’s lots of fun for kids to help with, and they get the satisfaction of enjoying the literal fruits of their labor.

This easy homemade vanilla ice cream recipe from Feel Good Foodie uses only 4 ingredients: heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

How to make ice cream in a plastic bag 

This recipe needs buy-in from the eaters because it has to be shaken for 6 minutes. But once kids know what they’re making, that will be easy!

Like other no-ice cream machine recipes, this one has only a few ingredients.

You can find the complete instructions for ice cream in a bag and the full recipe here on The Best Ideas for Kids.

My favorite ice cream recipes

These recipes use an ice cream machine and start with an egg-rich custard base, the traditional recipe for ice cream.

I like ice cream, but I only love it if it has chunks in it that I can chew—to me, that’s more satisfying. And if those chunks are chocolate, that’s even better. 

Homemade Oreo cookie ice cream

This is a great recipe for a popular favorite, Oreo cookie ice cream. It’s creamy and rich vanilla ice cream and loaded with yummy Oreo cookie chunks.

Chocolate mint marshmallow ice cream

Inspired by Ben & Jerry, this chocolate mint marshmallow ice cream ticks all my boxes!

Raspberry swirl and chocolate chunk ice cream

Even though I raise apples, blueberries, and strawberries, raspberries are my favorite fruit. 

Raspberries and chocolate pair perfectly together, and this raspberry swirl and chocolate chunk ice cream recipe makes the best of that.

I can’t wait to try this Espresso No-churn Ice Cream. I’m going to chop some chocolate-covered espresso beans and add them in….my mouth is already watering!

Even though I raise apples, blueberries, and strawberries, raspberries are my favorite fruit. 

Raspberries and chocolate pair perfectly together, and this raspberry swirl and chocolate chunk ice cream recipe makes the best of that.

I can’t wait to try this Espresso No-churn Ice Cream. I’m going to chop some chocolate-covered espresso beans and add them in….my mouth is already watering!

How to make “nice” cream

“Nice” cream is very popular now. If you’re trying to cut your intake of sugar and fats but crave the creamy cold satisfaction of ice cream, give “nice” cream a try. I think you’ll love it. 

Bonus: it’s super easy to make with just a few ingredients, and many variations can be made from the basic recipe, which always involves a banana because they freeze well and provide creaminess.

Find Your Easy tip: Many reviewers say that almond milk tends to turn “nice” cream very hard. Some said the final product was “rock solid.” Of course, you can let it thaw a bit, but I suggest adding a splash of regular milk or coconut milk to add some creaminess.

Here is a base “nice” cream recipe and some variations.

Basic banana “nice” cream

Most “nice” cream starts with a frozen banana base. Credit for this basic “nice” cream recipe goes to Live Eat Learn.

She also includes recipes for Vanilla Nice Cream, Tropical Nice Cream, Mocha Nice cream, Strawberry Nice Cream, and Raspberry Basil Nice Cream.

Chocolate peanut buttery nice cream

Peel and freeze a couple of bananas. Blend the frozen bananas with a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter and unsweetened cocoa powder. 

You can eat these “nice” creams immediately or freeze them to eat later in a shallow dish or tray.

Substitutions

Some ingredients aren’t always available when the ice cream urge strikes.  Here are some substitutions you can use.

What can you use instead of sweetened condensed milk?

Use this method to make a sweetened condensed milk substitute. These recipes replace a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk.

Ingredients:

** 1 cup and 2 Tbs of instant dry milk

** ½ C water

** ¾ C sugar

Combine sugar and dry milk. Add water and mix. Warm in the top of a double boiler until the sugar is dissolved.

Here’s the way to make this in a blender instead of a double-boiler (it’s better for hot days).

Add these to a blender: 

** 1 C instant dry milk

** 2/3 C sugar

** 1/3 C boiling water

** 3 Tbs melted butter

Blend all in a blender until smooth.

What can you use to replace heavy cream?

Heavy cream has a lot of calories and a lot of fat—and it’s saturated fat. 

Saturated fat has been linked to increases in heart disease because it can raise your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol.

However, recent studies reported that this was true for saturated fat from red meat, so the jury’s still out on saturated fat in dairy products. 

Remember: one report, even if scientific, adds evidence, but most cannot be used as definitive proof. And proof of an association does not mean something causes a condition or disorder.

Either way, to add a subtly sweet taste and cut saturated fat, use one can of full-fat coconut milk in place of 2 cups of heavy cream.

Wrapping it up

Now, your ice cream cravings can be satisfied quickly by making your own homemade ice cream.

As I write this post on a sweltering hot day, strawberries are ripening in the patch, and I plan to make strawberry ice cream that I know everyone will love even more than the store-bought stuff.

What’s your favorite kind of ice cream? I’m especially looking for an ice cream recipe that uses ginger. I think that would be delicious and refreshing. If you have one, please leave a link in the comments.

Speaking of ginger, homemade vanilla ice cream would be perfect on top of this pumpkin pecan cobbler!

Leave a comment below, and let’s figure out how to make a homemade, no-churn version!