Our homemade vanilla ice cream recipe has been a summer staple for as long as I can remember. How to make it the old fashioned way using an ice cream maker.
My family's vanilla ice cream recipe has been a part of every summer for as far back as I can remember. While it's morphed from person to person, it's pretty much the same ice cream I remember enjoying with family on special summer occasions gone by.
When we recently visited Boquillas, one of the main souvenirs we made a beeline for was a huge bottle of Mexican vanilla.
I used to bake with it as a teenager; it has the best flavor, and guess how much this huge bottle cost when we picked it up in Mexico? A little over $13. If you've noticed how much vanilla costs lately, you know that's a bargain.
So far, we've made a batch of chocolate chip cookies with it, and then we made a big freezer of homemade vanilla ice cream. It has amazing flavor and makes the best vanilla ice cream ever.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?
If you’d rather skip all of my mixing tips, important recipe info, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the scrumptious old fashioned ice cream recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.
VANILLA ICE CREAM INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED:
- Eggs* – If you'd rather make an egg-free version, my raw milk ice cream without eggs is the best. Don't worry, you can use store bought milk and cream if you don't have access to raw milk.
- Pure cane sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
- Salt
- Whole milk
- Ice
- Rock salt
KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED:
Before you get started, you may want to check out our complete guide to ice cream accessories and tools for making ice cream at home. It's the ultimate list for every ice cream lover's kitchen and especially helpful if you're planning an ice cream social.
Mixer – A mixer will ensure you mix everything together really well.
Ice Cream Freezer – This is an ice cream maker recipe, so you’ll need a maker/freezer.
Food Storage Containers – We use dishes similar to these to store our ice cream in the freezer, especially when we have a big batch.
Ice Cream Scoop – Can’t have ice cream without a scooper.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM
Use a mixer to mix up homemade vanilla ice cream with eggs; this will ensure that the ingredients are mixed really well, especially the eggs*.
- Start by creaming (or mixing) the eggs and the sugar together.
- Then add in the vanilla extract. Did you know you can even make your own vanilla?
- Next, mix in the sweetened condensed milk, scraping all the ooey gooey liquid out of the can with a spatula.
- Then add both cans of evaporated milk.
- Add in a good-sized dash of salt, which equals out to about a teaspoon.
- Mix everything together well.
- Pour the mixture into the metal canister of your ice cream maker.
- Finish topping off the canister with whole milk, making sure to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, leaving room for expansion as it freezes. Your metal canister should have a fill line.
Make sure your ice cream freezer, especially the canister, is washed out good. We store ours in the garage, so we always have to wash it before we use it.
HOW TO FREEZE HOMEMADE ICE CREAM WITH AN OLD FASHIONED ICE CREAM MAKER
Freezing the mixture to make homemade vanilla ice cream is fairly easy, especially once you get it going. You will need to stay with it so you can monitor if it needs more ice, rock salt, or needs unplugged when done.
While I always advise you to follow manufacturer instructions for your specific ice cream maker, here are a few tips.
- Put the lid on, place the metal canister down into the bucket of your ice cream maker, set the motor in place, and plug it in to turn it on and get the motor running, which will start to turn the canister.
- Crush a big bag of ice, gradually pouring ice around the canister. Tip: You can add up to a gallon of water if needed, as well. We sometimes do this because our motor will seize up. Adding a bit of water will help it keep turning.
- Add 2-3 cups of rock salt as you add the ice, making sure to top it off with rock salt.
- Let the motor run until it stops. Once the ice cream is frozen, the motor on your ice cream maker will stop churning. Unplug it immediately. This should signal that the ice cream is completely frozen. Wipe any excess ice or rock salt off the lid and out from around the top of the canister. Then remove the lid.
Carefully remove the churning paddle, and let your kids battle it out over who gets it. Oh, the memories!
Serve the ice cream immediately.
If you’re not ready to serve it up just yet, you can always leave the lid on, remove the motor, top the canister off with ice, and place a towel or two over it to insulate it and keep it cold.
Homemade vanilla ice cream pairs really well with peach cobbler, blueberry cobbler, and apple crumb pie.
FAVORITE MIX-INS FOR ICE CREAM
There are so many things you can mix into your ice cream to make it even more fun, especially with kids.
- Fruit or Fruit Jam – We especially love mixing strawberry jam or blackberry jam into our ice cream.
- Chocolate Syrup, Butterscotch Topping, Caramel Topping, etc. – With whipped cream and a cherry on top.
- Oreo Cookies – I especially love crushing up Oreo Minis.
- Chocolate candies – Like M&M's, Snickers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and more.
- Brownies or Cookies
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER VANILLA ICE CREAM
We always have a lot of leftover ice cream when we make it homemade, so we purchased some of these freezer containers to hold all the leftovers. They're big enough to hold 2-3+ servings of ice cream.
Then we just stick it down in the freezer. If you have an upright, I'd place it on the shelves, rather than the door, so it doesn't melt or have a higher risk of freezer burn.
Homemade ice cream usually keeps for up to about a month in the freezer. You can use leftovers to make delicious homemade ice cream sandwiches.
LOOKING FOR MORE HOMEMADE ICE CREAM RECIPES FOR ICE CREAM MAKERS?
- Banana Ice Cream (our favorite!!!)
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream
- Homemade Peach Ice Cream
- Butterfinger ice cream recipe
- Mint Oreo ice cream
And if you want a no-churn recipe, my friend Kelly from Eat Picks makes a delicious no-churn cherry chocolate chunk ice cream.
GET THE PRINTABLE OLD-FASHIONED ICE CREAM RECIPE
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Old Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
- La Vencedora Mexican Vanilla Flavoring (31.79 oz)
- KitchenAid 5-Qt. Artisan Design Series with Glass Bowl
- Nostalgia Electric Wood Bucket Ice Cream Maker, 4-Quart
- OXO Good Grips Solid Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop, 8-Inch
- Freshware Food Storage Containers [36 Set] 16 oz Plastic Deli Containers with Lids | BPA Free | Stackable | Leakproof | Microwave/Dishwasher/Freezer Safe
Ingredients
Ice Cream:
- 6 large eggs*
- 1 1/4 cups pure cane sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 24 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups whole milk*
Freezing Supplies:
- 16 pounds ice
- 3 cups rock salt
Instructions
- Start by creaming (or mixing) the eggs and the sugar together using a mixer.
- Then add in the vanilla extract.
- Next, mix in the sweetened condensed milk, scraping all the ooey gooey liquid out of the can with a spatula.
- Add both cans of evaporated milk.
- Add in a good-sized dash of salt, which equals out to about a teaspoon.
- Mix everything together well.
- Make sure your ice cream freezer, especially the canister, is washed out and ready.
- Pour the mixture into the metal canister of your ice cream maker.
- Finish topping off the canister with whole milk, making sure to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, leaving room for expansion as it freezes. Your metal canister should have a fill line.
- Put the lid on, and place the metal canister down into the bucket of your ice cream maker.
- Crush a big bag of ice, gradually pouring ice around the canister. Tip: You can add up to a gallon of water if needed, as well. We sometimes do this because our motor will seize up. Adding a bit of water will help it keep turning.
- Add 2-3 cups of rock salt as you add the ice, making sure to top it off with rock salt.
- Let the motor run until it stops. Once the ice cream is frozen, the motor on your ice cream maker will stop churning.
- Unplug it immediately. This should signal that the ice cream is completely frozen.
- Wipe any excess ice or rock salt off the lid and out from around the top of the canister. Then remove the lid.
- Carefully remove the churning paddle.
- Serve the ice cream immediately. If you’re not ready to serve it up just yet, you can always leave the lid on, remove the motor, top the canister off with ice, and place a towel or two over it to insulate it and keep it cold.
Notes
- Fruit or Fruit Jam – We especially love mixing strawberry jam or blackberry jam into our ice cream.
- Chocolate Syrup, Butterscotch Topping, Caramel Topping, etc. – With whipped cream and a cherry on top.
- Oreo Cookies – I especially love crushing up Oreo Minis.
- Chocolate candies – Like M&M's, Snickers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and more.
- Brownies or Cookies
tip #1 I have always let any ice cream I make ,no matter the method, needs to “cure” in the canister at least 30 minutes, just as you suggested.
#2 I get my Mexican vanilla from Amazon. Great prices for regular and clear and you’re right there is a world of difference
Great tips, Janet. Thank you!
Does using Egg Beaters or cooking the eggs change the taste or texture of the ice cream?? I want to make this recipe tomorrow, and am undecided what to do about the eggs.
Melissa, I’m not sure as I haven’t tried it. I would think cooking the eggs may take away some of the richness of the ice cream. But I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it.
Going to use this recipe this weekend with an old Manual crank Ice cream maker hope all goes well
Jill, I hope you enjoy!
Making this for my daughter party right now and freezing it for the party it tastes really good I just had to let it turn more for it to be thicker and frozen more I kept adding ice and rock salt
Thank you, Jennifer! That’s a great tip.
Hello, Sounds great and I am going to try this soon. My ice cream maker is 6 qt. What adjustments do I make to your recipe?
Hey Henry, thank you! If you want to make more ice cream, I’d make a recipe and a half… So instead of doubling the recipe, I’d add an extra half of the ingredient amounts… If that makes sense. That should make 6 quarts.
I made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I was nervous, as this was the first time I have ever tried homemade ice cream, but it is absolutely delicious! I will be making it all year long! Thanks for sharing!!!
Emily, you’re very welcome. Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed.
Why does it say prep time 15 minutes, cook time 30 minutes, and freeze time 45 minutes if you say you don’t cook it?
Bobby, sorry for the confusion. Prep time is 15, freeze time (cook time) is 30, making the total time 45.
Why would anyone want to put raw EGGS in icecream,that is so groose don’t you have a good one that you cook the eggs in.i don’t want raw EGGS In ANYTHING THE REST SOUND SO GOOD ,I LOVE HOMEMADE Ice cream. Thank you. Susie ambrose
Hi Juanita, you can do one of two things… 1. Use pasteurized eggs. OR 2. Another reader shared, “I did bring the eggs (mixed with some of the milk) to 160 degrees, just how I have always done it.” I hope this helps!
Going to try this. Not going to serve right away. How long do you think it stays in the covered iced canister?
This is the BEST homemade vanilla ice cream I have ever made! It did take a little longer to freeze, but it was worth the wait.
Thank you so much, Haila! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Joyce, my dad used to keep it for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. We sometimes just stick the whole canister in the freezer for a short amount of time. Too long, though, and it’ll be almost impossible to scoop. I hope you enjoy!
I will be trying this. I hope that this is a helpful hint: I use pasteurized eggs (one brand is Egg Beaters) in my homemade ice cream. It works great… and no risk of salmonella!
Lynn, that is a fantastic tip! Thank you for sharing. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
I’m wondering how long do you mix the eggs. Cause I’m having a hard time with the egg whites being in here
Nancy, we usually just mix until everything is mixed well. Here are a couple of reader shared tips… 1. Use pasteurized eggs. OR 2. Another reader shared, “I did bring the eggs (mixed with some of the milk) to 160 degrees, just how I have always done it.” I hope this helps!