No Egg Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Easy Homemade Recipe!)

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This no egg vanilla bean ice cream is the recipe I reach for every single summer. Look, I love a good egg-based ice cream as much as the next person. But when it’s the middle of summer and the last thing I want to do is stand over a hot stove making custard — this vanilla bean ice cream recipe with no eggs is exactly what I reach for. Five simple ingredients, your ice cream maker, and about an hour of chill time. That’s it. No tempering eggs, no double boiler, no stress. Just the creamiest, most dreamy homemade vanilla bean ice cream you’ve ever had.

Every summer I take my family to Young’s Jersey Dairy Farm north of Dayton, Ohio to pet the animals and eat their fresh made ice cream. It is one of those simple family traditions that never gets old. That farm ice cream inspired this whole recipe — I wanted that same fresh, real, creamy flavor right in my own kitchen. And honestly? This recipe delivers every single time.

Why Make Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Without Eggs?

There are so many ice cream recipes out there that call for egg yolks and honestly they can be intimidating — especially if you’re a beginner home cook. Egg based ice creams require you to make a custard on the stovetop, temper the eggs carefully so they don’t scramble, and then cool the whole thing down before you can even think about churning. It’s extra steps, extra dishes, and extra room for error.

This vanilla bean ice cream recipe without eggs skips all of that completely. You’re combining five ingredients in a bowl, chilling the mixture, and churning. That’s the whole process. And the result is still incredibly rich and creamy — the heavy whipping cream does all the heavy lifting that the eggs would normally do. No shortcuts on flavor, just shortcuts on effort. That’s my kind of recipe.

Tips for making Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

There are many recipes out there for Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. What I love about my no egg vanilla bean 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.

1. When you combine the milk, cream, and sugar, you will leave the vanilla bean ice cream mixture 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. 
2. 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. 
3. Feel free to use two vanilla beans to punch out the flavor of the ice cream.

How to Make This No Egg Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe Step by Step

Step 1: Make Your Ice Cream Base In a medium bowl combine your whole milk, heavy whipping cream, and sugar. Whisk it together until the sugar is completely dissolved — you’ll know it’s ready when you can’t feel any granules at the bottom of the bowl when you run a spoon through it. This takes about 2-3 minutes of good whisking.

Step 2: Add the Vanilla Split your vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife. Use the back of the knife to scrape all those beautiful little black seeds out of the pod and add them directly to your milk mixture. Add the vanilla bean pod too — it keeps infusing flavor while the mixture chills. Then add your pure vanilla extract and whisk everything together.

Step 3: Chill the Mixture Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is even better if you have the time. The colder your base the better your ice cream will churn. Don’t skip this step — warm mixture going into the ice cream maker equals icy, grainy ice cream.

Step 4: Churn Remove the vanilla bean pod from the mixture before pouring it into your ice cream maker. Churn according to your machine’s instructions — my Cuisinart takes about 20-25 minutes to reach a soft serve consistency. It should look thick and creamy when it’s done.

Step 5: Freeze Until Firm Transfer your churned ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before putting the lid on — this prevents ice crystals from forming on top.

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.

Storing Your Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Homemade ice cream doesn’t have the preservatives that store bought ice cream does so it’s best enjoyed within 1-2 weeks for the best flavor and texture. Here are a few tips for keeping it fresh:

Store it in an airtight freezer safe container — I love these cardboard ice cream containers because they’re the perfect size and make you feel like you have your own little ice cream shop right in your freezer.

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container. This is the secret to preventing those annoying ice crystals on top.

Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping. Homemade ice cream freezes harder than store bought so give it a little time to soften slightly for perfect scoopable consistency.

Commonly Asked Questions

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

Ice Cream Containers

Buy on Amazon

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

Buy on Amazon

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