How to Make Homemade Ice Cream

There’s nothing quite like a refreshing scoop of ice cream to beat the summer heat. But have you ever thought about making it yourself? It’s easier than you might think, especially if you have a freezer machine. My family and I love whipping up homemade ice cream using our top-of-the-tank milk during the summer, and I’m here to share our simple yet delicious recipe with you

All you need is sugar, salt, 2 cups milk, 2 cups half and half, 4 cups cream, and vanilla extract. Or if you can get milk from our farm, just replace all of the milk and cream with a half gallon of top-of-the-tank milk.

Heat the Milk: Start by heating 2 cups of the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. You want it warm, but not boiling.

Dissolve the Sugar and Salt: Stir in the sugar and salt until they completely dissolve into the milk. This usually takes just a few minutes.

Mix in the Rest of the Ingredients: Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the half and half and cream along with the vanilla extract. Give it a good stir to combine everything nicely.

Chill the Mixture: Pour the mixture into a bowl and let it chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This step is crucial for getting a creamy texture in your ice cream.

Freeze It: Finally, pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream freezer and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. This usually involves letting the machine churn the mixture until it turns into smooth, creamy ice cream.

And that’s it! Once it’s done, you’ll have delicious homemade ice cream that’s perfect for a hot summer day.

Tips and Tricks

• Flavor Variations: Feel free to get creative with your flavors! Add chocolate chips, swirl in some fruit puree, or mix in crushed cookies for some extra fun.
• Serving Suggestions: Serve your homemade ice cream in cones, or bowls, or get fancy with ice cream sandwiches.
• Family Fun: Involve the kids in the process – they’ll love watching the ice cream churn and, of course, tasting the final product.

Making ice cream at home is a wonderful way to spend time with your family and enjoy a tasty treat that everyone will love.

Plus, there’s something so satisfying about knowing you made it yourself.

So, grab your ingredients, fire up that ice cream freezer, and make some delicious summer memories!

Happy ice cream making!

How to Make Homemade Ice Cream

Course: Our Blog, Recipes

Yield

4

quarts

Prep time

40

minutes

Freezing time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups sugar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 cups milk

• 2 cups half and half

• 4 cups cream

• 1 Tablespoon vanilla

Directions

• Heat 2 cups of the milk. Stir in sugar and salt until it dissolves.
• Remove from heat and add the half-and-half, cream, and vanilla.
• Chill for 30 minutes.
• Freeze following freezer instructions.

Notes

• If you can get our milk at the farm, substitute the milk, half and half, and cream for a half gallon of top of the tank.