Easy Ice Cream Recipes

Summer time is the perfect time for easy ice cream recipes. It is a way to cool off and enjoy a treat under a shady tree. Whether it is homemade ice cream recipes in a machine or a different method, we have the ideas and the recipes.
homemade  recipes

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Easy Ice Cream Recipes

Homemade Recipes in a Machine

Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups milk
  • 1 3/4 cups cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a saucepan stir together eggs, sugar and milk. Cook on low heat . Stir constantly for 8-10 minutes until mixture starts to thicken. Set off stove and allow to cool. In separate bowl, stir cream and vanilla together. Pour into cooled milk mixture. Chill several hours. Then run through ice cream machine. Store in a plastic container in the freezer.

Chocolate

To make a Chocolate Recipe, stir in ¼ cup cocoa powder with the sugar and milk mixture. Cook and follow recipe above.
chocolate

Strawberry Ice Cream

Ingredients
  • 1 quart fresh strawberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Wash strawberries and remove stems. Stir ½ cup sugar and strawberries together then set aside while preparing remaining recipe. In saucepan stir together eggs, cream, milk, ¼ cup sugar and vanilla. Cook on low heat. Stir constantly about 6-8 minutes until mixture starts to thicken. Add strawberries to cream mixture and stir together. Chill in fridge several hours then run through ice cream machine.
strawberry ice cream

Peppermint Ice Cream

An easy ice cream recipe that includes a little peppermint candy flavor.
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups whipping cream
  • ½ Cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon Peppermint extract
  • Red food coloring
  • About 1/2 Cup crushed peppermint sticks or peppermint candies crushed
Combine ingredients together and pour into ice cream machine or use the roll a can method. (below).


Mint Chocolate Chip Recipe

Ingredients
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 ¾ Cup milk
  • ¾ Cup sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 ¾ Cup whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon Peppermint extract
  • 4 drops green food coloring, optional
  • ½ Cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
In saucepan, combine eggs, milk, sugar and salt. Cook and stir constantly until mixture reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. It will coat a metal spoon. Set aside and allow to cool. Then stir in cream, vanilla, peppermint extract and food coloring. Chill for 2 hours. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill ice cream freezer cylinder 2/3 full; freeze according to directions. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze.
mint ice cream

Super Easy 3 Ingredient Ice Cream Recipe

3 ingredient Ingredients
  • 14 oz. Can sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 Cups half and half or light cream
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa, if you want chocolate flavor
Directions:
Combine all ingredients together then pour into ice cream machine.

More Recipes to Try

Chocolate Toffee
chocolate toffee

Oreo Cookie Cream

Use a basic vanilla ice cream recipe and prepare per directions. Before freezing stir in chopped sandwich cookies.
cookies and cream

Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients:
  • 4 Bananas, sliced
  • 1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 Cup milk
Directions:
Add ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a plastic container and freeze until firm.
banana

Roll in a Can Method

Don't have an ice cream machine? Try the roll a can method.
  1. Place a 1 lb. can inside a 3 lb.can. (or a coffee size can)
  2. Fill 1 lb. Can or Tupperware with tight fitting lid with ice cream ingredients. (use any of the recipes above.)
  3. Layer crushed ice and rock salt around the small 1 lb. Can.
  4. Cover both cans with their plastic lids. Tape shut if you'd like to make sure it remains sealed.
  5. Get several people to help or at least two helpers. Sit in a circle on the floor and roll the can back and forth for about 15 minutes or until ice cream thickens.

Science Behind Homemade Ice Cream

The salt lowers the freezing point of the ice. Meaning your ice cream freezes gradually. The mixture of the salt and ice helps freeze your ice cream quickly. (But it will still take 10-20 minutes to be ready)  You will start to see condensation on the outside of your can, this will show you that it is working!

Baggie Easy Ice Cream Recipes

These are a lot of fun and super easy ice cream recipes kids can have fun putting together. The technique is different then the rolling a can method only because you are squeezing the bag and tossing it around but the science behind it is still the same. You might want to get your winter gloves out for this activity- it gets cold!
how to make-baggie method

Individual Baggie Vanilla Ice Cream Recipes

Ingredients
  • ½ cup half and half, milk or cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 sandwich size Ziploc baggie
  • 1 gallon size Ziploc baggie
  • 3 cups crushed ice
  • ½ cup rock salt
Add cream, sugar and vanilla into small baggie and zip closed. In larger baggie add ice and rock salt. Place smaller ice cream filled bag inside larger rock salt baggie. Seal bag closed. Double check to make sure both are sealed tight. Squeeze, toss, wiggle, play catch with the bag until mixture thickens about 10-15 minutes. Eat with a spoon.
check mark redFor a Chocolate baggie ice cream recipe add ¼ teaspoon cocoa powder or 1 tablespoon chocolate drink mix powder.

check mark redFor a Malted milk flavor add 1 tablespoon malted milk powder.

7 Easy No Ice Cream Machine Recipes


Frozen Yogurt in a Bag

Ingredients
  • 2 containers plain or vanilla yogurt
  • 1 cup mashed fruit, strawberries or peaches work great
Add ingredients in a Ziploc bag and squeeze together to combine. Freeze several hours.(Or use the method above) When ready to eat snip a corner off a bag and squeeze out or eat with a spoon.
Here's another recipe for making frozen yogurt.
frozen yogurt




Fun Ice Cream Recipes for Kids 

Ice Cream S'mores

Easy ice cream recipes that are a twist on the traditional s'more.
Ingredients
  • Whole graham crackers or square cookies
  • 1/3 Cup marshmallow crème
  • 1 Cup chocolate ice cream, softened
Break graham crackers in half to make squares. Top each cracker with a scoop of ice cream and a spoonful of marshmallow crème. Top with another graham cracker square. Wrap up in plastic wrap and freeze several hours.
marshmallow smore

Ice Cream Balls

Ingredients
  • Ice cream, flavor of choice
  • Crushed nuts, cookies or candies
Crush nuts, cookies or candies that you would like to roll ice cream balls in. Place crumbs in a bowl. Set out a sheet of waxed paper on top of a cookie sheet. Allow ice cream to sit out a few minutes and become soft. With plastic gloves or clean fingers take a scoop of ice cream out and roll into a ball with your hands. Set ball into crumbs and roll around to coat. Set on waxed paper cookie sheet. Set in freezer. Freeze several hours.
dessert balls

Homemade Sandwich Recipes

Ingredients
  • Ice cream of choice
  • Two flat cookies
  • Crushed nuts, cookies or candies, optional
Place a scoop of ice cream between two flat cookies. Press together. Roll outside edges with crushed nuts, cookies or candies, if desired. Wrap up in waxed paper and store in the freezer several hours. You can change the look and flavor very simply with this easy ice cream recipe by changing the ice cream flavor or use a variety of crushed cookies and candies.

 sandwich

Try this waffle ice cream sandwich
waffle sandwich


Dipped Ice Cream Cones

Decorate your ice cream cones.
dipped cones


Chocolate Ice Cream Boats

Create a chocolate ice cream boat. Or a chocolate bowl to serve your ice cream.
ice cream boats   chocolate bowl

Ice Cream Social

Invite friends, neighbors or family and have an ice cream social. Include several flavors of ice cream or have each person bring their own favorite flavor. Have available at the party chocolate, caramel, strawberry syrup and fresh fruit such as chopped pineapple, sliced strawberries and cherries. This can be a great event when the weather is hot outside and no one wants to cook.

Ice Cream Kids Cooking Party

Check out our Sundae kids cooking party where kids can make cookie cups and build their own sundae.

Easy Ice Cream Pies

Ice Cream Pie Recipe

These easy ice cream recipes can be as simple as you would like them to be. Prepare or buy a graham cracker crust. You can use plain graham crackers or a different variety of cookie crumb crust. Allow ice cream to soften by leaving out several minutes. Spread ice cream into pie shell. Top with chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, drizzle chocolate sauce over the top or leave as is. Refreeze several hours.
tarts

Mini Pies

Follow the directions for ice cream pie above but make them in mini pie plates or mini tart dishes.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie Recipe

Ingredients
  • Chocolate cookie crust or graham cracker crust
  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Chocolate ice cream
  • Peanut butter sauce (From below)
  • Chopped peanuts
  • Chocolate sauce, optional
Prepare crust and fill with softened vanilla ice cream. Drizzle peanut butter sauce over top of ice cream. Freeze for 1 hour or until harden. Spread layer of chocolate ice cream. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and drizzle with chocolate sauce or leave as is. Refreeze several hours.
ice cream pie cake

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream Pie Recipe

Ingredients: pink lemonade pie
  • ½ Cup Pink lemonade, prepared or use plain lemonade if desired
  • 2 cups vanilla ice cream
  • 8 ounces cool whip or whipped cream
  • Graham cracker crust
  • Sliced strawberries, optional
Directions:
Stir vanilla ice cream and pink lemonade together. Add in whipped cream and stir until smooth. Pour into pie crust and freeze. Top with fresh sliced strawberries.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie

Make this easy ice cream recipe in a pie dish or a casserole dish. No pie crust needed.
mint ice cream pie
Ingredients:
  • ½ gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream
  • Hershey's syrup
  • Oreo Cookies or chocolate sandwich cookies
Directions:
Soften ice cream by leaving out for a few minutes. In 9x12 cake pan or pie pan, crumble Oreo cookies over bottom. Spoon ice cream on top. Arrange Oreo cookies along side of the pan. Drizzle lines with chocolate syrup on top and more chopped cookies. Refreeze.

Pumpkin Pie 

Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
pumpkin ice cream


How to Make an Ice Cream Cake

Try making an ice cream cake
cake how to make tutorial

Recipes for Toppings

Peanut Butter Sauce for Ice Cream Toppings

Ingredients pb sauce
  • ½ Cup light brown sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons butter or margarine
  • 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • Vanilla ice cream
  • ¼ Cup peanuts
Directions:
In a saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and smooth, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth. Cool and serve on top ice cream and sprinkle peanuts on top.
pb sauce

Ice Cream Fudge Sauce

Ingredients fudge sauce
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
In saucepan add sugar, cocoa, salt, butter and water together. Stir constantly on medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook and stir about 1 minute. Set aside and add ¼ teaspoon vanilla. Cool off slightly and serve warm with ice cream.

What is your Favorite Recipe?

Submit your favorite kids recipe

Do you have a favorite recipe your kids love to make? Or a recipe your kids ask you to make again and again? Share it with us!

Reader's Submitted Recipes

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Deluxe Easy Milkshakes 
Chocolate Milkshake Ingredients 3-4 scoops ice cream of choice chocolate syrup 1 Cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla tall glass Directions: To make a …

Easy Chocolate Toffee Ice Cream 
Ingredients: 2 c. heavy cream 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk 1 t. real vanilla extract 1/3 c. chocolate syrup, chilled, divided 2/3 c. …

Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches 
An easy way to make an ice cream sandwich! Ingredients: 1 qt. vanilla ice cream 4 square waffles, cut into 8 rectangles (or 8 Eggo® Wafflers) Optional …

Chocolate Dipped Cones  
A great way to serve ice cream is in a chocolate dipped cone. Place a 1/2 Cup of semisweet chocolate pieces in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the …

How to Make Frozen Yogurt 
Learning how to make frozen yogurt is becoming more and more popular as people search to find a healthier alternative to ice cream and at the same time …

Jell-O Ice Cream 
What you need: 3-ounce package of your favorite flavor Jell-O 1 cup boiling water 2 cups of your favorite flavor of ice cream or sherbet What to do: …

Ice Cream Bread 
Ice Cream Bread 2 Cups (one pint) melted ice cream flavor of choice *** Do not use chocolate ice cream that does not taste good but all other flavors …

Antioxidant Chocolate Ice Cream 
*Requires Electric Ice Cream Maker (Put freezer bowl in freezer night before) **Best to make during morning Ingredients: *Electric Ice Cream …

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