Smooth.
Creamy.
Sweet, drippy ice cream, cascading into a delicious pool of vanilla.
Yes, it’s winter. But I can’t keep this dreamy recipe to myself for the next four months. And actually, I really like eating ice cream in the winter.
One of my favorite memories is of a Christmas my family spent with relatives in Italy. The weather was bitter cold and rainy, and yet we knew it’d be a sin to leave without sampling the famed Italian gelato. Therefore—decked in hats, scarves, and heavy coats—we sat in a little gelateria, clumsily using gloved hands to spoon the rich, creamy dessert into our mouths. I’ve never tasted ice cream as delectable as on that blustery December day.
Perhaps this memory is what prompted me to pull out my ice cream maker a few days ago, in the ugliest weather we’ve experienced so far this year. The frustrating thing about ice cream makers is that you can really only make one batch per day, since the base needs to be completely frozen for optimum performance.
And I am not a patient person! If a recipe experiment doesn’t come out perfectly the first time, I immediately want to try again. My first attempt at making a healthy ice cream was awful. Loosely following a recipe from The New York Times, I mixed cornstarch in with my almond milk. The result was not an ice cream; it was a paste! In my second attempt, I reduced the amount of cornstarch, but it was still pasty. So, on day three, I omitted the cornstarch altogether…
Perfect!!
Feel free to customize this basic recipe any way you want! Add cocoa powder for healthy chocolate ice cream, berries for a sherbet, or even crushed candy canes and peppermint extract for a Christmas treat.
Four Ingredient Ice Cream
- 2 cups milk of choice or nondairy creamer or coconut milk (see note below)
- 1/4 cup sweetener of choice: such as pure maple syrup, brown sugar, or xylitol for sugar-free
- pinch stevia or 1 extra tbsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- optional ingredients for whatever flavor you desire
Mix all ingredients (except optional ingredients, if they are chunky) in a dish. If you have an ice-cream maker: simply transfer to your ice cream maker and watch the magic! (I have a Cuisinart, and it took 12-14 minutes to turn the liquid into ice cream. Warning: Make sure your ice cream maker’s base is completely frozen before use, or it will NOT work!!) You can eat it straight from the machine, or freeze a few hours for firmer texture. Homemade ice cream is best the day it’s made, but you can technically thaw it out and it will keep for a few weeks. If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, see nutrition link below:
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**A word about the milk: If you use only almond milk, the texture is more foam-y (in a good way, if that makes sense!) than creamy. If you use only nondairy creamer or full-fat canned coconut milk, the texture is more like ice cream. If not serving right away, be sure to thaw a little if your freezer is super-cold. Also, I’d probably stay away from fat-free milks, such as ricemilk.
If you are using all almond milk and still want it creamier, you can freeze the ice cream and then re-blend it in a Vita-Mix for Vita-mix ice cream. The end result is incredibly creamy, without the fat and calories of using the coconut milk or creamer.
Do you have a favorite ice cream flavor?
Mine’s always been mint-chocolate chip. But plain chocolate is a close second. Coconut’s good, too! And cookie dough, peanut butter, cookies-n-cream… probably the only flavors I’m not big on are sorbets or sherbets.
Here’s a list of flavors: Over 100 Healthy Ice Cream Recipes.
(All of the recipes in the above link can be made without an ice-cream maker.)
My favorite ice cream flavor has to be java chip or mocha almond fudge! Coffee ice cream is the best:) Except late at night… haha.
Coffee is a very good flavour but I think mocha is better!:-)
Hi, how much coffee and cocoa powder would you add to this recipe. thanks
I think mine has to be mango or vanilla with morello cherries…yum!
bluebell – which is made in Texas – is AMAZING! They have a Christmas Cookies ice cream flavor. It is fabulous. I really enjoy the old school Homemade Vanilla thought. Yum!
Ooh I saw that in the grocery store the other day! It gave me a fun idea, too :).
Blue Bell is the BEST! I feel sorry for the rest of the country that can’t get it! 🙂 Our favorite it Butter Crunch, with Butterfinger-type candy all in it. We also just tried the Red Velvet Cake. It’s yummy, too!
Gosh, is there any place in the U.S. that doesn’t get Blue Bell? I grew up in Texas and was disappointed when I moved to the Carolinas, but it’s been here about 10 years now. Also, my parents in Phoenix are able to get it.
Not that it matters. I recently bought an ice cream maker to avoid the junk like carageenan and artificial sweeteners. This recipe is perfect! It’s so easy and delicious. To me, it tastes like Dairy Queen’s soft serve and who knows what’s in that stuff! I also mixed in some fresh strawberries that I had puréed and frozen, and that was also amazing!
This one’s a keeper! 🙂
mmmm ice cream in december! I love vanilla bean, with specks of real vanilla. With apple pie of course. Ice cream is big for me in the summer but I practically forget about it in the winter!
I haven’t eaten ice cream in a long while, but my favorite used to be Baskin Robbins’ bubblegum flavor. I’d often beg my parents to take me after gymnastics practice. :]
4 ingredients, sounds awesome! you have some amazing ice creams katie! I love classic vanilla and cookies and cream. but all ice cream is delicious! thanks for sharing!
I love all ice cream flavours especially ones with a bit of crunch.;-)
I love all ice cream flavours especially ones with a bit of crunch. Katie your recipes are the best!!!
I also like eating ice cream no matter the weather. Mint chocolate chip is a favorite, but I also really like pistachio. There aren’t too many flavors I don’t like. 🙂
Love the addition of the rainbow sprinkles!
I fell in love with mint oreo and then it was discontinued. I was broken-hearted because it was SO fantastic!
You can’t beat regular vanilla with fresh raspberries over the top in the summer. I’m also a fan of caramel cashew frozen custard.
Then again… never met an ice cream I haven’t really liked. 🙂
thank you thank you thank you!!! my boyfriend just got me a cuisinart ice cream maker, but all of the recipes in the recipe book are super fattening and I have been wanted to try a lighter version! this is JUST what I was looking for! you could not have had better timing 🙂
I’m crushing up candy canes and putting them in mine for a peppermint ice cream tonight 🙂
Just make absolutely sure it’s 100% frozen before you start, or it won’t work! Oh, and be sure to put the turner in before the liquid… that’s another issue I ran into! 😉
How delicious! The sprinkles make it that much better! I’m not patient either, so this is perfect!