Best Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Posted Jul 19, 2020, Updated Mar 14, 2025
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This homemade vanilla ice cream recipe is rich and creamy with a deep vanilla flavor. Watch the video and follow our step-by-step instructions to learn how to make this 5-ingredient vanilla bean ice cream recipe!
Is there anything more classic than vanilla ice cream? Serve it on top of pies, crisps, cobblers, crumbles, inside cookie ice cream sandwiches, or enjoy it on a cone in all it’s vanilla-infused glory.
This homemade vanilla ice cream recipe is the best of the best. The ice cream base is made with both vanilla beans and vanilla extract, which impart an irresistibly rich flavor that is out-of-this-world delicious.
Trust me when I say this is the best vanilla bean ice cream you’ll ever eat! It’s rich and creamy and better than your favorite ice cream shop. Serve it in a bowl drizzled with chocolate sauce or caramel sauce!
Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Half and half/heavy cream. This recipe calls for 3 cups of liquid dairy. You can change the ratios of half and half : cream if desired, as long as the total amount equals 3 cups. You can also substitute some of the liquid with whole milk.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar works well in place of white granulated sugar.
- Vanilla Bean. Technically you could omit the vanilla bean, but I do not recommend it. You can use vanilla bean paste in place of the actual vanilla beans.
- Egg Yolks. There is no substitution for egg yolks in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract. Pure vanilla extract yields the best flavor, I don’t recommend using imitation.
- Sea Salt. A pinch of sea salt goes a long way. Any fine salt works well in this vanilla ice cream recipe.
How to Make Vanilla Ice Cream
Let’s discuss how to make this vanilla ice cream recipe, we’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by warming the half and half, salt and sugar over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Then slice a vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds.
Remove the half and half mixture from the heat. Scrape vanilla beans seeds into the mixture and stir. Place vanilla bean pods in the mixture. Cover and let sit for 1 hour to infuse.
After 1 hour, remove the vanilla bean pods from the infused mixture.
Re-warm the infused mixture over medium heat. Be careful, you do not want it to get too hot before it’s combined with the egg yolks.
Beat the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl, add ½ cup of the warm mixture to the egg yolks whisking during the addition. Then add that mixture to the warm half and half on the stovetop.
Cook the custard over medium-low heat stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
Place the heavy cream into a bowl with a fine mesh strainer on top of the bowl. Then, strain the custard into the heavy cream. Discard the custard remnants left on the strainer.
Next, add vanilla extract to the mixture and stir to combine.
Cool the Vanilla Ice Cream Base
Transfer the vanilla ice cream mixture to the refrigerator and cool completely (preferably overnight).
Churn
Churn in an ice cream maker until the vanilla bean ice cream is thick and the consistency of frozen yogurt.
Freeze
Transfer the vanilla ice cream to a glass container with a lid and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until hardened.
Serve
There is no wrong way to enjoy this homemade vanilla ice cream recipe. Serve it all by itself on a cone, in a dish with a dollop of fresh homemade whipped cream, chocolate sauce or caramel sauce. Use it in a root beer float. It’s also incredible in this homemade ice cream cake recipe.
I also recommend serving it with your favorite dessert recipes to make them a la mode:
- It is perfection on top of the best peach cobbler.
- Who doesn’t love vanilla bean ice cream with pie? Some recommendations:
- Apple crumble pie needs a scoop, same with this classic apple pie.
- In the summer, try this blueberry pie or strawberry pie.
- I personally love enjoying this flourless chocolate cake and these molten chocolate lava cakes with a scoop or two! YUM!
- It’s delicious on top of bread pudding and croissant bread pudding!
- Make chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches.
- Serve it alongside this chocolate chip cookie cake or the best chocolate cake ever.
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe FAQS
Here are some of the common questions I get asked about this recipe!
I have this Cuisinart Ice Cream maker. I bought it at a garage sale and got a great deal on it! This summer I purchased a new one, this Cuisinart Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker because it’s bigger and has a few other more desirable features.
I store our homemade ice cream in a glass tupperware with a lid. There are also great containers that are made for storing ice cream, like these 1-quart storage tubs and this jumbo 2.5 quart container (for larger batches).
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 vanilla bean seeded
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat half and half, salt and sugar over medium heat until it just begins to boil.
- Remove from heat. Scrape vanilla beans seeds into the mixture and stir. Place vanilla bean pods in the mixture. Cover and let sit for 1 hour to infuse.
- After 1 hour, remove vanilla beans from the mixture.
- Re-warm the mixture over medium heat.
- Beat egg yolks in a small mixing bowl, add ½ cup of the warm mixture to the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Then add that mixture to the half and half on the stovetop.
- Cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
- Place the heavy cream into a bowl with a fine mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
- Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Discard what is left on the strainer.
- Add vanilla extract, stir to combine.
- Transfer to an airtight container and cool completely in the fridge (preferably overnight).
- Once chilled, churn until thick and frozen.
- Transfer the vanilla ice cream to a glass container with a lid and freeze for at least 4 hours.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Half and half/heavy cream. This recipe calls for 3 cups of liquid dairy. You can change the ratios of half and half : cream if desired, as long as the total amount equals 3 cups. You could also substitute some of the liquid with whole milk.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar works well in place of white granulated sugar.
- Vanilla Bean. Technically you could omit the vanilla bean, but I do not recommend it. You can use vanilla bean paste in place of the actual vanilla beans.
- Egg Yolks. There is no substitution for egg yolks in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract. Pure vanilla extract yields the best flavor, I don’t recommend using imitation.
- Sea Salt. A pinch of sea salt goes a long way. Any fine salt works well in this vanilla ice cream recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you have recipes for sugar free ice cream
I don’t, I’m so sorry!
I’m excited to make this recipe! I accidentally added the 1 cup heavy cream to the 2 cups of half and half mixture. Do you think it will be fine once I let it sit and strain?
Yes!
This is definitely the best vanilla ice cream I have ever made, and I have tried quite a few. I’ve been using this one for over a year now and everyone that tries it tells me that it’s the best ice cream they have ever had. Laura’s ice cream recipes are all amazing and I have used many of them as the base to create additional flavors. Soooo good!
Thank you so much, Rachel!! I’m so so happy you love it!