How to Make Homemade Ice Cream
Making ice cream at home is a fun and super easy way to treat yourself and your family to something sweet. Included in this article is a recipe for vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavored ice cream, so no matter what you’re craving, there is a recipe for you. What is great about making ice cream is that it doesn’t take more than a few hours. Make it after breakfast and you’ll be eating it after dinner that same day.
But ice cream is so much better when there are toppings to go along with it. Whether you’re a hot fudge and sprinkles kind of person, or a strawberry syrup and fruit toppings person, a cold bowl of ice cream is a comfort no matter what time of year it is. It’s never too cold for ice cream!
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

Vanilla ice cream is a classic dessert that goes well with just about anything. Serve it with cake, brownies, or cookies to make your meal extra special. Vanilla ice cream also goes well with just about any fruit you can think of. So, sprinkle some berries over the top for a refreshing and healthy (healthier) treat.
You Will Need:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup sugar (you can add in less if you don’t want it to be so sweet)
- 1¾ cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- A dash of salt
- An ice cream machine
Step 1 – Heat your ingredients. In a pot on the stove, pour in your cream, sugar, milk, and salt. Don’t let the mixture simmer or boil; you want to heat it only until the sugar dissolves and a ring of foam forms around the edge.
Step 2 – Chill. Pour your ice cream mixture into a bowl or measuring glass and store it in the fridge for a few hours until chilled. You can keep it in the fridge overnight, too.
Step 3 – Churn! You can form your ice cream without an ice cream machine, but it takes a long time and will wear your arm out fast. When using an ice cream machine, all you have to do is pour your chilled mixture into your machine and use it as the machine’s instructions describe.
While the ice cream is being churned, you can add in any extra ingredients you want, like chocolate chips, bits of strawberries or raspberries, etc.
Step 4 – Freeze. Now that your ice cream is formed, you’ll want to put it in the freezer for another couple hours just to give it that real ice cream consistency.
Step 5 – Enjoy! Finally, your ice cream is finished and you can sit down and enjoy it. Ice cream does take some time to make, but you have to admit that making it is an easy process.
What’s great about vanilla ice cream is that it is a blank slate for add-ins. You can mix in cookies, brownies, chocolate, fruit, oatmeal, cookie crumbs, and whatever else you can think of. If you’re having a party, vanilla ice cream can be your go-to homemade dessert. With add-ins, you can turn a plain vanilla ice cream into something for everyone.
Vanilla Extract Substitutes

If you want to try something different, but don’t want to stray too far from plain vanilla-flavored ice cream, there are a few ingredients you can use to substitute for a vanilla extract that will give your ice cream a subtle new flavor.
So, instead of vanilla extract for the above ice cream recipe, you can use:
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Banana Extract
- Almond Extract
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, or Cloves
- A liqueur of your choice
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

Chocolate ice cream is a bit harder to make than plain vanilla, but if that isn’t a problem for you, then keep reading.
You Will Need…
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ cup milk
- 1½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- A dash of vanilla extract
- 2 tsp salt
- An ice cream machine
Step 1 – Heat your ingredients. In a pot on the stove, pour in your heavy whipping cream, your milk, and your cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a light boil, then turn off the heat and let it sit.
Step 2 – Mix your eggs and sugar. In a mixing bowl, beat your egg yolks and sugar together until it thickens. Then, pour in your milk mixture about ½ cup at a time and mix thoroughly.
Step 3 – Reheat. Pour the mixture back into the pot on the stove and heat. Stir it every minute or so. When the mixture gets thicker and coats the back of the mixing spoon, take it off the heat.
Step 4 – Add in the other ingredients. Take the mixture off the heat, and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before adding in the vanilla and salt. Mix well.
Step 5 – Cool. Put the mixture into a freezer-safe bowl and put it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Then, move the bowl to the freezer and let it freeze for about 6 hours.
Step 6 – Take out your ice cream maker. Put your ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker and follow the machine’s instructions. While you let the ice cream churn, you can add in any extra ingredients you have, like chocolate chips or fruit.
Step 7 – Freeze again. Put your ice cream back into the freezer for a few hours until it is the right consistency.
Step 8 – Enjoy! Chocolate ice cream is a bit time consuming, but if you’re having a dinner party or evening get together, taking some time throughout your day to mix and freeze your ice cream can bring a smile to your guests’ faces. If you have no get-togethers planned, then you can let your ice cream sit in the freezer overnight and enjoy it for days to come.
Now, last but not least, let’s talk about strawberry ice cream. Strawberry is, according to a YouGov survey, the 7th most popular flavor of ice cream in the United States. Strawberry ice cream, however, is my favorite flavor of ice cream, and can add a natural sweet and sour flavor when paired with chocolate or vanilla. So, I think rather than talking about another super sweet and sugary ice cream flavor, having a fruit ice cream recipe under your belt is necessary.
Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

Strawberry Ice Cream is surprisingly easy to make, and takes just as long as making chocolate or vanilla ice cream, but the flavor is just a tad bit more sophisticated. For this recipe, you can use fresh or frozen strawberries. Remember to keep a few un-cut so that you can use them as a garnish at the end.
You Will Need…
- 3 cups of finely chopped strawberries
- 1 cup of sugar
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup milk
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- An ice cream machine
Step 1 – Mix strawberries into your other ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine your strawberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice.
Step 2 – Meanwhile… While the strawberry mixture sits, pour the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and milk into a pot and put it over medium heat on the stove. Let this mixture heat up until it is just about to boil. If the mixture sticks to the back of a mixing spoon, it’s ready to be taken off the heat.
Step 3 – Combine the two mixtures. Pour your milk mixture into the strawberry mixture and mix it well. Then, place the bowl into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. After that, move the bowl to the freezer and leave it there for about 6 hours.
Step 4 – Take out your ice cream machine. Read your ice cream machine’s instructions to make your creamy strawberry mixture into delicious ice cream.
Step 5 – Freeze again. After putting your mixture through the machine, put it back into the freezer for a few hours until it is the right consistency.
Step 6 – Enjoy!
So there you have it; you now know how to make chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream. You can make a perfect homemade bowl of Neapolitan ice cream!
Don’t forget to think about ice cream toppings. Toppings can completely change the ice cream eating experience! Whether you decide to use sprinkles, fruit, candies, or hot fudge, toppings can be a great party surprise and a nice way to add a ‘sprinkle’ of happiness to your day.

So, have fun and enjoy making your own homemade ice cream. If you don’t like vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry ice cream, you can always add in your own extra flavors and ingredients while the ice cream is churning in your ice cream machine. There are hundreds of ice cream flavors to explore and discover! So get to it.