Best Vanilla Bean Ice Cream to Make This Summer

Looking for the ultimate homemade vanilla bean ice cream? This recipe uses a few simple ingredients and is ready to eat in just 30 minutes! Top it with a homemade raspberry sauce for a summer dessert that is out of this world delicious.

Is there anything better than a scoop of delicious ice cream on a hot summer day?

Yes, yes there is. And its this delicious homemade ice cream on a hot summer day.

I have many memories that include a front porch and homemade vanilla ice cream in the summertime. There is something so special and almost nostalgic about it for me. For years, I always associated it as something that was a labor of love. Well worth it, but it took a lot of time and effort to make.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I found out how darn easy it was to make! Am I alone in this? Hopefully not. Either way, it was life-changing, I tell ya.

Why You’ll Love It

• Creamy and delicious. This homemade ice cream recipe has a cool, creamy texture, and is packed full of vanilla flavor, making it melt in your mouth delicious.
• Simple, wholesome ingredients. This homemade version of vanilla ice cream contains only 5 ingredients, with no refined sugar or preservatives in sight.
• Extremely versatile. This recipe works great as a “base recipe.” It can easily be customized to accommodate your favorite flavors and add ins. It works great paired with summer cobblers, like peach blueberry crisp, or even salted caramel brownies.

This is an easy recipe full of simple ingredients, and really does make the best vanilla bean ice cream! Let’s get started.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)

How to Make Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

1. In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
2. Pour the ice cream mixture in the bowl of an ice cream maker and follow instructions according to the manufacturer’s directions. (This will vary depending on the brand of ice cream machine you have). For my Cuisinart ice cream maker, this is very simple and takes about 20-25 minutes.
3. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the freezer for later use.

Tips for Success

• I recommend using full fat milk and cream in this recipe to get the creamiest ice cream texture. Using lower fat ingredients will result in an ice cream with an icier texture. Let’s all agree here-we want creamy ice cream!
• This recipe does include raw eggs. We get our eggs from trusted local sources, so we are comfortable with it. If you aren’t comfortable consuming raw eggs, you can mix together all the ingredients over a double boiler and slowly heat the ice cream base over medium-low heat to cook the eggs. Place in the fridge to cool completely before placing it in your ice cream maker.
• I like using vanilla bean paste in this recipe because I like seeing the specks of real vanilla bean throughout the ice cream. If you don’t have any vanilla paste, pure vanilla extract or a vanilla bean pod will also work! If using a whole vanilla bean, use a sharp knife to cut down the center of the pod, and scrape out the vanilla bean straight into the ice cream mixture.
• Make sure your ingredients (as well as your ice cream maker bowl) are cold. If they are too warm, they may not form the creamy ice crystals needed to create the perfect ice cream.
• For best results, I recommend letting frozen ice cream sit out on the counter at room temperature for a couple minutes to soften a little bit before eating.
• This works as a great base recipe. Have fun experimenting with it! Add in chocolate chips and mint extract for a mint chocolate ice cream version, use it for homemade ice cream sandwiches, or top it with homemade raspberry sauce. I am even dreaming up a chocolate and cherry ice cream version…YUM.

Tools You’ll Need

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• Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker (HIGHLY recommended!)
• Measuring Cup
• Measuring Spoons

What if I Don’t Have an Ice Cream Maker?

Do not fear! If you don’t own an electric ice cream maker that will churn ice cream for you, you can still have delicious homemade ice cream, it just may take a little longer and include a few more steps.

Begin by placing the blended milk mixture into a glass baking dish and freeze for about an hour. You will see it begin to freeze around the outside. Using a rubber spatula, stir around the outside of the dish to incorporate the frozen parts into the rest of the mixture. Place back in the freezer and freeze for an additional 30 minutes, before scraping down the sides again. Repeat this process until the ice cream is fully and evenly frozen, stirring it every 30 minutes or so. Voila!

Craving More Recipes?

• 3 Ingredient Raspberry Sauce
• Peach Blueberry Crisp
• Einkorn Blueberry Crisp
• Salted Caramel Brownies

Pin it For Later!

You can find the printable recipe card for this delicious vanilla ice cream recipe down below.

If you loved this recipe for homemade vanilla bean ice cream, make sure to come back and leave a star rating and a comment. I’d love to know how it turned out for you!

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Rachael