My Simple Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe is soft and flavorful from real vanilla beans and pure vanilla extract. This recipe also requires natural cream and sugar and no egg yolks.
I don’t know about you guys, but it is hot here in Cincinnati, OH. It is almost like the seasons went from winter a hint of spring and full-on summer. There are a lot of foods that we all seem to love in the summer. One of those foods is ice cream. Some of the best ice creams come from farms. Every year I take my family to Young’s Jersey Dairy Farm, north of Dayton, OH, to pet the farm animals and enjoy their delicious ice cream that is made fresh on the farm! When making this easy vanilla bean ice cream recipe, I tried to go for the farm effect: to use fresh cream, whole milk, sugar, vanilla, and a touch of love.
Tips for making Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
There are many recipes out there for Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. What I love about my vanilla ice cream recipe is it doesn’t require eggs. When making ice cream using eggs, I’ll be honest; you get an extra element of smoothness from the ice cream. You are essentially making a custard and using an ice cream machine to churn it into ice cream. This recipe requires an ice cream maker, but the rest of the steps are easy.
- When you combine the milk, cream, and sugar, you will leave the vanilla bean in the mixture for as long as possible to extract the vanilla flavor from the bean. For this recipe, you only need to leave the vanilla bean in the ice cream base for about an hour, but you can leave it there longer.
- Use the best quality milk, cream, and vanilla extract. This makes a difference. The fresher and better quality, the better. But the ice cream will still taste amazing without higher-end ingredients.
- Feel free to use two vanilla beans to punch out the flavor of the ice cream.
Recommended Ice Cream Maker
I have always wanted an ice cream maker. Last year, I finally bought one, and I love it. I bought an ice cream machine made by Cuisinart. It is easy to use; you don’t need salt or top it off with ice like you may have seen with some ice cream machines. It’s affordable and comes with beginner recipes you will be confident making. I highly recommend the Cuisinart ice cream maker if you want one. This vanilla bean ice cream recipe is adapted from Cuisinart.
Toppings for the Ice Cream
Now here is the best part, the toppings. There are so many toppings perfect for ice cream. Some of my favorites are:
- Diced Strawberries
- Chocolate Sauce
- Caramel Sauce
- Sprinkles
- Brownie Bites
- Crushed Oreo Cookies
I have also used this recipe for ice to make ice cream sandwiches and banana splits.
Options for those who are lactose intolerant
I discovered I was lactose intolerant when I was 28. Out of nowhere, I suddenly started getting sick whenever I ate something, and I didn’t know what was making me sick. I decided to go to an allergy doctor ( I have no idea what they are called).
They did the typical allergy test where they prick your arm with different solutions that have the enzymes of certain groups to see what your skin responds to. Well, it came back that I was severely lactose intolerant. I will never forget what the doctor said, “Well, Nicole, I believe you are lactose intolerant, and it will only worsen as you get older. Your body is losing the ability to digest any dairy you eat.”
What do you do when you hear those words?
I tried several probiotics and lactose pills, but the effective ones were called “LactoJoy.” Before I give you my honest opinion about this product, let me say I am not getting paid to endorse it in any way, but they’re awesome!
This summer, give making homemade ice cream a chance. You can start by making this Simple Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe. All you need are a few simple ingredients! This recipe makes 2 pints of ice cream, and if you want to buy the cardboard ice cream containers, click here. Give it a shot, and let me know what you think.
Commonly Asked Questions
You can always double-dose your vanilla extract. You can use three tablespoons to get that rich vanilla flavor.
I suppose you could, but you would have to start making a custard on the stove using a saucepan and then add the custard to the ice cream machine maker.
Similar Recipes
If you like ice cream recipes like this one, you will like the ones below:
- Salted Caramel Corn Ice Cream Recipe
- Easy Pumpkin Ice Cream
- Dairy Free Homemade Peach Ice Cream
- Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Buy the products for this Simple Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe
Simple Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 2 pints 1x
Description
Cool down with this Simple Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe that requires no eggs. Just simply use whole milk, cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and a vanilla bean for added flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 c. whole milk
- 2 c. heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 c. sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 1/2 tbsp. Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine milk, heavy cream, and sugar. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla extract and split the vanilla bean in half with a sharp knife. Use the back of a knife and scrape the bean’s insides from the vanilla bean pod and stir.
- Add to the milk mixture along with the vanilla extract and whisk until well combined. Add the vanilla bean to the milk mixture to extract more flavor. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight to chill.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into the machine and churn according to the ice cream machine manufacturer’s instructions. Once the mixture has turned into soft ice cream, place it in a container and allow it to freeze in the freezer for, at least, 4 hours to become more firm.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Freeze
- Cuisine: American
that’s great ice cream recipe
I’m glad you like it Mia!
i have the same feel.
Yummy! I bet it tastes good!
This is absolutely hands down the best vanilla ice cream recipe I have ever made. And I make homemade ice cream a lot! Do you have a chocolate recipe you can share?
Thank you Melissa! Not yet, but I will put that on my radar.
This is the best vanilla bean ice cream! So quick and easy and better than the version that i made with tempered egg yolks (we don’t have AC so avoiding the stove is key!)!
Awesome Meghan! Glad you liked it.
I love vanilla bean ice cream. This sounds rich and delicious. Thanks for sharing this
No problem.
Absolutely wonderful ice cream and grandbabies approve. Just made it for the first time today and will be making it for my grandson’s 3rd birthday party next week! Thank you for sharing and I seen a comment about chocolate ice cream. I would be interested in that also. I am wondering if whole Lactose milk would work in place of the whole milk.
Thank you for trying this recipe Rachel!
The family and friends loves this recipe
Awesome!