Name: Easy No-Cook Vanilla Ice Cream
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 95 min
Ingredients: 1 cup heavy cream; 1 cup half & half; 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/3 cup sugar; a pinch of salt

Jump to Recipe

This Easy No-Cook Vanilla Ice Cream is that go-to summertime dessert. Super easy, smooth, delicious, and pretty too! The base is made with only four pantry staple ingredients, heavy cream, half & half, vanilla extract, and salt. Seriously, that’s it! Best served in a waffle cone, in a cup, or even straight out of the container. When this ice cream is frozen, it makes for a mouthwatering treat that’s not too sweet, luscious, super creamy, and perfectly hinted with vanilla in every bite. Finish it off with your favorite ice cream toppings, mix-ins, or even just leave plain to have a summertime treat that everyone will love!

two vanilla ice cream cones with flowers, in glasses, in a pie pan

About The Recipe

Let’s be real. Everyone has amazing ice cream memories attached to summer. Whether it’s a funny story or something bittersweet, nothing screams summer more than ice cream.

This vanilla ice cream is the recipe from my childhood.

Every single summer, my brother would whip up the best vanilla ice cream in the entire world (well, that’s what my five year old brain thought)! He wouldn’t let anyone in the kitchen while he was making it. I occasionally has the stirring job, but he generally didn’t trust us or our friends to help. We were younger than him but…this was his top secret recipe. He never wrote it down! It was all in his head.

It wasn’t until I got older that he finally let me in on his secrets. From there, I took over and became the ice cream queen during the summers! But, unlike my brother, I didn’t ban everyone from the kitchen.

And, over the years, I have tweaked his secret recipe until it became the ultimate homemade vanilla ice cream.

two vanilla ice cream cones on marble counter with flowers and napkin

And, like the title says, this recipe is no cook! So, I have literally been making it for about ten years. It’s so easy and with the simplicity of vanilla ice cream, it’s truly everyone’s favorite!

Serve with cookies, candy, chocolate or caramel sauce… It will always be delicious.

Equipment Needed

Ingredients

Heavy Cream
Half and Half
Vanilla Extract
Sugar
Salt

heavy cream, half and half, sugar, vanilla, and salt on marble counter

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir using a spoon or rubber spatula until the sugar dissolves, about 2-3 minutes.

milks, vanilla, salt, and sugar in a glass bowl

Pour the ice cream base into the ice cream machine and freeze according to machine’s instructions. Mine takes about 20-30 minutes to freeze.

vanilla ice cream base in a ice cream machine

Using a rubber spatula or a spoon, transfer the frozen ice cream into an airtight container and let harden. It should take about 15 minutes.

vanilla ice cream in a plastic container

Either leave in the freezer until you want it, or scoop and serve immediately!

What Goes With Vanilla Ice Cream

The best thing about vanilla is it’s simplicity! It goes with everything and always tastes delicious. Here are a few recipes on our blog that pair the best with this ice cream:

How To Store

Keep the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer. It should last about a month or so, but in this house, it only lasts less than a week before it gets eaten! Just make sure to get it out a few minutes before you want some to kinda let it soften enough to scoop.

Substitutions

If you don’t have half and half, you can make your own! Combine 1/2 cup whole milk and 1/2 cup fat free milk to have a homemade half and half.
You can use vanilla bean paste in this recipe, but you may need to scale back the amount slightly.

two scoops of vanilla ice cream on two cones with flowers, ice cream scoop, on a pie pan, with napkin

Expert Tips

Do not beat the ice cream base! Stir slowly and try to avoid having as many bubbles as possible.
This recipe is vegetarian and gluten free.
If you add any mix-ins, I cannot guarantee freeze times.
Make sure the milks are cold before starting.
If you’re a soft serve fan like me, skip the freezing part and enjoy straight out of the ice cream machine!

When you make this Easy No-Cook Vanilla Ice Cream recipe, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

4.75 from 8 votes