Easy 3-Ingredient No-Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
This creamy no-churn vanilla bean ice cream requires just three ingredients and no ice cream machine. It’s rich, silky, and studded with vanilla bean specks for a gourmet treat that’s surprisingly simple to make at home.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes (includes freezing time)
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream, 36-40% milk fat)
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (full fat preferred)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Pour the cold heavy cream into the chilled bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed, whip the cream until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla bean paste until well combined.
- Pour the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream. Gently fold together with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain and the mixture is uniform and thick like a soft mousse.
- Scrape the mixture into a 9×5-inch loaf pan (or freezer-safe container). Spread into an even layer and tap gently to release air bubbles.
- Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream mixture to prevent ice crystals. Cover the pan with another layer of plastic wrap or a lid.
- Freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until firm and scoopable.
- Before serving, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly for easier scooping.
Notes
Do not overwhip the cream; stop at stiff peaks to avoid turning it into butter. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. For best texture, freeze overnight. Let soften 5-10 minutes before scooping. Variations include adding chocolate chips, strawberry swirl, mint chocolate chip, or crushed cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 26
- Sodium: 80
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Protein: 4
Keywords: no-churn ice cream, vanilla bean ice cream, 3-ingredient ice cream, easy ice cream, homemade ice cream, no machine ice cream