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Ice Cream Recipe Without Cream (No Churn)

Ice Cream Recipe Without Cream (No Churn)

Creamy and delicious classic style vanilla ice cream without cream, and no ice cream machine needed! This simple recipe is perfect for homemade vanilla ice cream. It is perfect for adding your favorite toppings and serves the whole family.

We make a lot of ice cream year round (it’s not just a summer treat!) and sometimes I want to make a simple and quick recipe.

The great thing about this ice cream is that not only is it simple, it’s also no churn! I have an ice cream maker, and I love it, but sometimes I don’t want to wait for it to churn.

Another thing I love about this recipe is that it’s simple enough for the little ones to help make. My youngest is so excited any time I enlist his help in the kitchen. And this recipe is one of our go to desserts to make together.

Yes, You Can Make Ice Cream Without Cream!

vanilla bean pods

You can use either vanilla extract or vanilla pods to flavor it. And while I use whole milk for this version, you can also use sweetened condensed milk if you prefer.

With only three ingredients, this recipe can be whipped up fast, plus it’s super inexpensive. You will get better tasting ice cream, with no artificial additives at a much lower cost than getting store bought ice cream!

How to Use Vanilla Pods for Ice Cream

For this recipe I use pure vanilla extract, but you can substitute in vanilla pods instead.

To use vanilla pods you simply cut them in half and remove the seeds. Take your seeds and in place of vanilla extract.

Vanilla seeds will provide a much more intense vanilla flavor than extract. They can be hard to come by in some locations, so I usually use vanilla extract.

Some enjoy a super intense vanilla flavor while others like a subtle vanilla ice cream. You can adjust how much vanilla you put in your ice cream according to your taste preference.

How to Freeze Your Ice Cream

Freezing no churn ice cream the right way will give you a creamy texture but done wrong will turn your ice cream into a big frozen block.

You will want to freeze your ice cream for at least six hours (eight is even better) and stir your ice cream once per hour for the first six hours.

This will result in a delicious, creamy texture every time.

Don’t forget to stir!

How to Make Ice Cream Without Cream

This recipe yields one quart of vanilla ice cream. Prep time is only around five minutes and then on to the freezer to chill for at least six hours. This no cream and no egg recipe only requires three ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Whole Milk
  • 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract or 1 Vanilla Bean
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

Add your whole milk and granulated sugar to a saucepan and whisk it by hand until blended.

Bring your mixture to a simmer for five minutes and stir. If using vanilla bean, add it after sugar has dissolved.

Remove your saucepan from heat and allow it to cool till it reaches room temperature. Pour your ice cream mixture into a loaf pan and chill in your freezer for at least six hours. Stir your ice cream every hour.

When ready to serve, allow your ice cream to sit at room temperature for about five minutes. Then serve and enjoy!

vanilla ice cream in a bowl with spoon

Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe Without Cream (No Churn)

Perfect for adding your favorite ice cream toppings.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Chill 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

  • Loaf Pan
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Cups Whole Milk
  • 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract or 1 Vanilla Bean
  • ½ Cup Granulated Sugar

Instructions
 

  • Add whole milk and vanilla extract to saucepan (if using vanilla bean add it where noted later)
  • Bring your mixture to a simmer for five minutes while stirring. Your sugar should be dissolved. Now add vanilla bean if using it instead of vanilla extract.
  • Remove from heat and allow it to cool till it reaches room temperature.
  • Pour ice cream mixture into loaf pan and chill in freezer for at least six hours.
  • Stir ice cream every hour during initial chill.
  • Let ice cream stand at room temperature for about five minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal
Keyword Ice Cream, No Churn, No Cream
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!