July is National Ice Cream Month, and with these triple-digit temps, it makes perfect sense to devote an entire month to this fan-favorite frozen desert.
Ice cream is a year-long staple at our house, but during the summer months, we make it extra special by making our own. Our boys absolutely love making homemade ice cream! They love watching our machine in action and love to experiment with different flavors.
Some homemade ice cream recipes can be a little time-consuming, which is why we recently switched to the “ready-to-pour” recipe below, courtesy of my father-in-law.
No heating of the mixture is required. You just mix the base ingredients as directed and pour it straight into your ice cream maker. My ice cream maker of choice is the KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment for our stand mixer. We absolutely love it! I am all about making my current kitchen appliances more versatile.
The only prep work required is ensuring the mixing bowl is frozen beforehand.
Pro tip: Keep the bowl in your freezer after every use (especially during the summer), so that it’s ready to go for the next time you want to make delicious homemade ice cream. Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!
HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
¾-cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1–2 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk to combine milk and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
- Stir in heavy cream and vanilla.
- Turn machine on, pour mixture into freezer bowl, and mix until thickened, 25–30 minutes.
HOMEMADE ICE CREAM VARIATIONS
Baklava Ice Cream
- Add 1 cup honey along with 2 tsp. vanilla.
- Add 2 tsp. cinnamon.
- Add ¼-tsp. nutmeg.
- Add ½-cup coarsely chopped nuts (pistachios, pecans, or combination) during the last 5 minutes of freezing.
Bourbon Salted Carmel Ice Cream
- Add 3 tsp. bourbon along with 1 tsp. vanilla.
- Add ¾-cup salted caramel during the last 5 minutes of freezing.
Mint Cookie Ice Cream
- Omit vanilla, add 3 tsp. Crème de Menthe.
- Add green food coloring to the desired color.
- Add 1 sleeve (16) coarsely chopped Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies during the last 5 minutes of freezing.
Java Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
- Add 2 tbsp. instant espresso powder along with 1 tsp. vanilla.
- Add 1 cup chopped dark chocolate pieces (chips or bar) during the last five minutes of freezing.
Ream More: Where to Find Shaved Ice, Popsicles, and Ice Cream in Dallas
