No-Cook Homemade Ice Cream
Is there anything better on a hot summer day than 4 quarts of homemade ice cream…
NO!! …except maybe 5 or 6 quarts?
We’ve made ice cream at our house forever. I think we got a freezer
as a wedding gift and we’re now on our third one! The second one died last season, so I went on the hunt for a replacement this year.
They were irritatingly hard to find! The first ‘big-box’ store I searched in (back in early May, mind you), never got them in and I was told by a manager that one year they stocked a whole bunch of them and only sold 4, so they wouldn’t get many if they got them at all. Really? Doesn’t anyone still freeze ice cream the [almost] old fashioned way??
The real old-fashioned way is, of course, with a hand crank like my parents used, and theirs before them. It took elbow grease and sometimes teamwork, if you could get someone to agree to take turns turning. That was the ‘crossfit’ of the old days! 😉
My mother with the old hand-crank ice cream freezer.
After searching through stores, I finally wound up with this one
(electric, of course!!) from Amazon and I absolutely LOVE the texture of the ice cream it makes! It may be in limited supply, but there is also this one. (I have included my affiliate links for your convenience).
source: amazon
My recipe once called for raw eggs, but about 20 years ago, I converted my homemade ice cream recipe to an egg-free version! It’s been my secret up until now… and I’m giving it up!! This is the formula that has made me famous (in my family *wink*).
Warning: This recipe may be habit-forming! Here’s the recipe:
No-Cook Homemade Ice Cream
- 1&1/4 cup sugar
- 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
- 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp pure vanilla
- dash salt (about 1/8 tsp)
- 2% or whole milk (to fill line)
- ice and rock salt
- Mix sugar and evaporated milk in mixing bowl until sugar appears dissolved, then add all ingredients except fresh milk.
- Mix with wire whisk until incorporated.
- Pour some of your milk into the mixture and stir.
- Pour into freezer canister.
- Add fresh whole or 2% milk to fill line. Whisk to incorporate.
- **Don't forget to insert the dasher before freezing!**
- Follow these directions to freeze...
- You will need about 12-15 lbs of ice and a box of rock salt.
- **Start your freezer before adding ice and salt!**
- Pour a layer of ice into the bucket followed by about 1/3 cup of salt. Repeat layering until the bucket is full, ending with salt. As ice melts, add more ice and salt. It should take about 1/2 box to make one freezer of ice cream. Most electric ice cream makers will stop turning when the ice cream is ready, at which time you want to switch off or unplug.
- If you don't eat your ice cream right after it freezes, pack more ice on top and cover with a heavy towel. It will keep, and even harden a bit, for up to 3 hours!
Go ahead and Pin this photo so you’ll always have the recipe handy!
Now you’re ready to endure the dog days of summer!! Hope you enjoy this ice cream as much as our family does!
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I love homemade ice cream! I’m definitely pinning this!
Thanks, Erin!!
Can you give me the recipe for a 6 quart homemade ice cream instead 4
To make 6 quarts, usually all I do is add about 1/2 cup more sugar and pour milk to the fill line, or just below it. You could add one more can of evaporated milk to keep the richness about the same, then to fill line with whole milk.
Yum! This looks wonderful (and way easier than I always thought homemade ice-cream making would be!). Thanks for sharing! xx, b @being-bianca.com
It’s truly not hard, Bianca, and the more often you make it, the easier it becomes! I never have to look at my recipe anymore! Thanks for reading!!
This looks DIVINE!! I will be pinning this recipe for sure, Sondra 🙂 YUM!! My parents used to make homemade icecream all the time when I was growing up, and our church always had Ice Cream Socials! Sweet memories.
Sounds like you have some wonderful memories associated with homemade ice cream… let’s keep the tradition alive! Thanks for pinning, Melanie, and I do hope you enjoy the ice cream!
Thanks for the recipe sounds delicious.
I love the history lesson,I wasn’t aware of the hand-crank ice cream method.
It’s so interesting!!And I love your mother’s photo!!!
Thanks so much for sharing.I’m pinning this recipe!!
So glad you stopped by… and thanks for pinning! They actually do still sell the hand-crank varieties, but most of us probably do use the electric models.
You had me at ice cream! Yum. Pinned. I’m always impressed with your creations. Please join us tonight at 7 pm. I can’t wait to see what you have been working on! http://loulougirls.blogspot.com/
Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls
This is similar, but not exactly the same as the recipe my family has handed down for generations now. You can’t beat homemade ice cream, especially for the Fourth of July, can you? Happy 4th, Chloe
How much milk?
Hi Kathryn,
Thanks for reading! I didn’t specify the mount of whole milk because ice cream freezer may differ. You will want to use enough milk to bring the mixture up to the fill line of the canister (for my 4-qt freezer, I usually use less than 1/2 gallon of regular milk).
Have you ever tried this recipe with a six 6qt? I’m trying to figure out milk ratio if I were to make a batch and half
Hi Kylie! I used to have a 6 quart maker and I just added a bit more sugar (maybe 1/4 cup) and you could use another can of evaporated milk if you wanted to keep it just as rich. And more vanilla never hurts a thing!!
What ounce cans of the milks please?? 🙂
Hi Lara! Thanks for your question. I have edited the recipe to specify a 12-ounce can of evaporated milk. I have only seen one size can of sweetened condensed milk, which is 14 ounces.
I hope you enjoy the ice cream!!
I am making it now. But I have a question do I add whipping cream and whole milk or either or?
The whipping cream is in what I call the ‘base’. You mix all ingredients together except the whole milk, then add whole milk to fill line in your freezer. Does that make sense?
Thanks for reading, Denice!!
Mine doesnt have a fill line. I put a half gallon in and it tastes winderful !!!!
If I have a 6 quart freezer, would I still pour the milk to the fill line? Or just use half a gallon like you mentioned in a previous comment? Thanks!
Hey Julie. Thanks for reading!! You can just add milk to the fill line, but it won’t be quite as rich. I once had a 6-quart freezer myself, and I added a bit more sugar and one more can of evaporated milk and it was fine!
Thank you!
Do you have any other ice cream maker recipes such as chocolate? Thanks and am making the vanilla recipe.
What about adding fruit, how much can I add
I’d say 1 to 1-1/2 cups of diced fruit – for example, strawberries or peaches.
I made this last nite and , IT was absolutely delicious ! ! Being an only child, and raised only by my mother, who was very poor. She didn’t make homemade icecream, but rather bought it every once in a while. So I was not familiar with ANY PART of the process. SONORA LYN, this recipe made my 1st attempt look and taste like I had been doing it forever..it really is the easiest receipe. I pinned it and WILL DEFINATELY be making this a bunch. . .Thanks for making me look like an old fashion mom/grandma…big hugs across cyberspace muuuuaaaaaahh !!
I’m so glad you loved it! That makes my day!!!
I made this for fourth of July. It was so easy. Everyone loved it. I loved I didn’t have to get a pan and cook it. No eggs was awesome too. So easy. I will do this all the time for gatherings.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Doris!
I’m a little confused with the direction I mix all the ingredients together then I put in the can and into the freezer take out and mix it using my hand crank maker
Hi Leslie. I hope I can clarify the process. The ingredients do not go into the fridge’s freezer. It all goes into the can that comes with the ice cream maker, and then gets churned in the maker using ice and salt. Let me know if you have any more questions! Good luck!
Thanks for the recipe, definitely a keeper! Ice cream was a family summer staple and my daddy’s all time favorite sweet!
I have found memories of him and my momma cranking the ice cream maker, adding ice and adding salt. We usually went camping with family and everyone would get their ice cream makers out and we would have our own ice cream socials. Such sweet memories!
I have not invested in a 4 quart maker yet, I only have a small 2 quart electric freezer. I suppose this mixture could be refrigerated and done in smaller batches?
Have you ever tried making a flavored ice cream with this recipe? Interested in making chocolate.
I have added fruit to this recipe, such as strawberries and peaches, but I haven’t converted it to chocolate, although I’m quite sure it could be done!
Wonderful ice cream. Reminds me of my parents old receipe but without the eggs!…Those with no fill line, I measured my whole milk as I poured it. Used right at 7 cups in case that helps anyone.
WOW, this is PERFECT!!!!Just made it as written and is so very creamy. I might use Vanilla Bean next time….JUST because I am old and my taste buds REQUIRE oodles of flavor. Thank you for my go to that I shall use as a fantastic base for many, many add-ins! You will definitely NOT regret trying this one!!!!
My ice cream maker does not have a fill line, could you give me how much milk I should add, cup wise?
Hi Deb, Honestly, I don’t know a cup measure for the milk, but it would help to know… is your maker a 4-quart? If so, just fill to within a couple of inches of the top of your container before adding the dasher and you should be good to go.
Sondra Lyn, recipe sounds great and easy…..we are planning a family reunion in july and wanting to make several freezers of homemade ice cream. Do you know if this recipe can be made a day ahead and put in regular freezer and still be soft enough to serve….or will it get too hard??
Hi Bobbie,
The ice cream would freeze hard if put in a container and in the freezer. You could take it out several minutes before serving and it will soften. It won’t be the same as a freshly turned freezer of ice cream, though. When it thaws a bit, break it up and mash with a potato masher and it will be more like fresh-made.
Thanks for a great and easy recipe! We just made it today and love it! Appreciate you sharing it!
So glad you enjoyed it! Happy Independence Day!!
Hi Sondra. Can you make this without heavy cream? My husband doesn’t like it in his.
I used to make it without it. It won’t be quite as rich, but it’ll still be good! Or you could use half and half.
Can you make it without the heavy cream? My husband likes the plain old ice cream without the heavy cream.
I used to make it without heavy cream. It won’t be quite as rich, but it’ll still be good! Or you could use half and half.
I remember ice cream made from canned milk from back in my childhood (many, many years ago) but I lost the family recipe we had written down. This ijs so close to the old time recipe I used to love. Thanks for bringing back a wonderful childhood memory
i found a lot of good comments but never found the recipe. i made some ice cream in my new freezer this weekend but it didn’t last like the homemade ice cream I know. Your’s looked like it might be good but never found the recipe. Probably my fault, but frustrated nonetheless.
I’m sorry you couldn’t see the recipe! If you go to the blog post, you should be able to read through to the recipe. If you are seeing comments, you’re not in the right place. I will try to paste it here: Ingredients
1&1/4 cup sugar
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 tsp pure vanilla
dash salt (about 1/8 tsp)
2% or whole milk (to fill line)
ice and rock salt
Instructions
Mix sugar and evaporated milk in mixing bowl until sugar appears dissolved, then add all ingredients except fresh milk.
Mix with wire whisk until incorporated.
Pour some of your milk into the mixture and stir.
Pour into freezer canister.
Add fresh whole or 2% milk to fill line. Whisk to incorporate.
**Don’t forget to insert the dasher before freezing!**
Follow these directions to freeze…
You will need about 12-15 lbs of ice and a box of rock salt.
**Start your freezer before adding ice and salt!**
Pour a layer of ice into the bucket followed by about 1/3 cup of salt. Repeat layering until the bucket is full, ending with salt. As ice melts, add more ice and salt. It should take about 1/2 box to make one freezer of ice cream. Most electric ice cream makers will stop turning when the ice cream is ready, at which time you want to switch off or unplug.