How to Make Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker

Since I have a degree in the baking and pastry arts, a lot of people ask, “What’s your favorite dessert to bake?” I love hitting them with my unexpected answer: ice cream. Homemade ice cream is such a joy, and I wish more bakers felt empowered to make their own at home. I know that not having an ice cream machine makes homemade ice cream feel entirely inaccessible, but I’m here to spread the good word: You don’t need an ice cream maker to make homemade ice cream!

In fact, there are two effective ways to make ice cream at home, sans churning. The first method shakes everything together in a plastic bag, which requires a little arm muscle but gives you fresh ice cream in about five minutes. The second is the freeze and stir method, which takes a fair bit longer but adds a lot more air and fluff, as real churning does.

Take a moment to read both methods on how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker to see which one is right for you. Both methods make a solid no-churn vanilla ice cream recipe, but feel free to play around with extracts and mix-ins to create your family’s favorite ice cream recipes at home.

Ingredients for Plastic Bag No-Churn Ice Cream

• Half-and-half: Half-and-half provides a lot of fat for a super creamy ice cream.
• Sugar: We’ll need a little bit of sugar to help the evaporated milk sweeten the ice cream in a bag recipe.
• Evaporated milk: Evaporated milk will create the freshly churned texture, sweeten the ice cream and prevent ice crystals from forming. Win-win-win!
• Vanilla extract: Whenever I make ice cream, I love splurging on the best vanilla extract, especially when it’s vanilla ice cream and the flavor depends on it so much.
• Coarsely crushed ice: Crushed ice is imperative here to create more footprint for the ice cream base to touch the ice and salt so the base can freeze.
• Salt: If you’re alarmed by the 3/4 cup salt, don’t worry—that is not going in the ice cream! The salt mixes with the ice to lower the freezing point, making the environment extra-cold and allowing the ice cream base to freeze.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the small bag

In a small zip-top bag, combine the half-and-half cream, sugar, evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Press out the air and seal the bag completely.

Editor’s Tip: Really make sure the top is completely closed so no salt gets in!

Step 2: Prepare the large bags

In a large zip-top bag, combine the coarsely crushed ice and the salt.

Add the sealed small bag to the large zip-top bag. Seal the large bag. Place both bags in another large zip-top bag and seal.

Step 3: Shake it up!

This is where the arm muscles come in! Shake and knead the bags until the ice cream mixture is thickened, five to seven minutes.

Step 4: Serve the ice cream

Serve the ice cream immediately or pop the small bag (the one with the ice cream in it) in the freezer to eat later. If desired, garnish your ice cream with the toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Freeze and Stir No-Churn Ice Cream

• Sweetened condensed milk: Sweetened condensed milk provides sweetness and an extra creamy texture. It basically acts as an ice cream base without the need to make one.
• Vanilla extract: If you’re not using another extract, make sure you have vanilla extract to give the ice cream some flavor.
• Heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream gets turned into homemade whipped cream to give the ice cream base some air and fluff. It helps mimic the same effect that churning does in an ice cream maker.

Directions

Step 1: Mix together the base

In a large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt.

Step 2: Make the whipped cream

In another large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the heavy whipping cream at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, four to five minutes.

Step 3: Fold together

Fold the whipped cream into the bowl with the sweetened condensed milk mixture until everything is incorporated, being careful not to overmix and not knock out the air.

Transfer the ice cream base to a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Step 4: Freeze and stir

Place the loaf pan, covered with storage wrap, in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, take the loaf pan out of the freezer, uncover it and then stir the mixture with a rubber spatula. Place the cover back on the loaf pan and put it back in the freezer. Repeat this process until the mixture is soft frozen, for about four hours.

No-Churn Ice Cream Flavors

• Include mix-ins: Just when the ice cream is done being shaken or stirred, add in your favorite ice cream mix-ins. Try chocolate chips, mini M&M’s, edible cookie dough, sprinkles, nuts, or pieces of cake or brownie.
• Add extracts: The easiest way to add flavor to your no-churn ice cream recipes is with a bit of extract. Try peppermint, coconut, rum, butter, orange, lemon, almond or another extract depending on your desired flavor.
• Wake up with coffee ice cream: Coffee lovers will appreciate this exceptionally thick and creamy coffee ice cream. Make it a mocha by serving scoops with hot fudge sauce or chocolate syrup.
• Celebrate with eggnog ice cream: Since eggnog already has eggs in it, it’s basically an ice cream base that just needs a little more zhuzhing. Rum, cinnamon and nutmeg add more holiday flavor. Prepare eggnog ice cream using the freeze and stir method.
• Escape with mango ice cream: Real mangoes are the star of this no-churn mango ice cream recipe. Simply puree the mangoes, then follow the freeze and stir method.
• Go citrusy with orange ice cream: I love this orange ice cream recipe because, while you can totally stick to just orange juice, you can add more flavors with orange juice blends like orange-peach-mango juice or orange-pineapple juice.

How to Store No-Churn Ice Cream

Store no-churn ice cream in a loaf pan in the freezer. The rectangular shape allows for long, big scoops of ice cream! Press storage wrap on top of the ice cream so it doesn’t get freezer burn.

How long does no-churn ice cream last in the freezer?

If stored properly, no-churn ice cream can last in the freezer for up to two months. To prevent freezer burn, always cover the surface of the ice cream with storage wrap.

How to Make Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Machine Tips

Can you make no-churn ice cream without sweetened condensed milk?

Yes, you can make no-churn ice cream without sweetened condensed milk by using the plastic bag method. The freeze and stir method, however, does need sweetened condensed milk since it acts as the custard base for the ice cream.

Can no-churn ice cream be made dairy-free?

We haven’t tested dairy-free substitutes with either of these no-churn ice cream methods. However, we do have a dairy-free, no-churn chunky banana cream freeze recipe that makes a great vegan ice cream.

If I did want to buy an ice cream maker, which one should I buy?

While learning how to make ice cream without an ice cream freezer is great, having an ice cream maker opens the door to a lot more ice cream recipes. It’s worth investing in one of the best ice cream makers so you have something reliable for years and years. I’ve had the Cuisinart Cool Creations 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker for five years now, and it’s just as reliable today as the first time I used it.