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:
**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.)
That ice cream looks fantastic. I’m a chocolate girl but the vanilla even looks amazing. I usually get Blue Diamond almond milk, but you made me curious – why do you say not to use Silk?
LOL I tried it… I’m not sure what happened, but it was awful (both in taste and texture)!
wow thats brilliant! & looks yummy.
Salted caramel banana soft-serve or peanut butter chocolate HAVE to be the best “ice creams” I’ve ever had. Just wondering – could you make this in a vita with frozen milk?
Yes, definitely. These recipes all use that idea: https://lett-trim.today/baby-making/reader-recipes/vanilla-bean-ice-cream-nutritional-info/thumbnails-again/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Brilliant! I loved your post about ice cream and it got me thinking. I’ve had family asking what they can get me for Christmas and I’m running out of ideas so your post was wonderful and gave me a great idea, the cuisinart ice cream maker! How fun would that be to make ice cream with the kids? We are dairy free so I’m thinking we could make ice cream cheaper than we can buy it. Would you agree? Also, just read the comment about using the vita-mix for ice cream and I already have one of those, can you tell me how the texture is in the vitamix vs the ice cream maker? Do you freeze the leftovers and if so, do they turn out ok consistency wise? Thanks so much for your help.
I love pralines and cream from Baskin Robbins but it is full of milk so I don’t get to have it much anymore.
Hmmm… I’ve actually not re-frozen the vita-mix one.
The texture really does depend, though, on what milks you use. I’d recommend ones with a higher fat content… unless you want the spongey texture, which some people like too!
Coffee! Green tea! Chai! Summer’s here all year round so I’ll be trying it! 😀
I still haven’t tried making my own ice cream! I really want to now. My favourite is, and always will be, cookie dough 🙂
Do you think this would work for one of those Cuisinart soft serve ice cream machines??
I’m not sure. I’ve never seen one of those… I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker.
But if you do try it, I’d love to hear how it goes.
THIS is the exact reason why I have an ice cream maker. Thanks Katie – putting my base in the freezer now!!!
I love vanilla with things mixed in it, or just strawberry plain! Strawberry was always my go-to growing up! Sooo good.
I absolutely love gelato! My favorite flavors have been gelato: amaretto chocolate chip, amarena black cherry, nutella swirl, and sea salt caramel. If only I could emulate them at home! What model of Cuisinart do you have? I have wanted an ice cream maker but did not know which brand is best.
Hmmm… I don’t know. It doesn’t actually say! It just says “Cuisinart frozen yogurt, ice cream, and sorbet maker.” It’s a few years old.
Ohh I was having such an ice cream craving last night so I had some So Delicious Coconut Milk ice cream.. but I’d wish I’d had a homemade one! Turning it into a peppermint one sounds fab– chocolate with peppermint perhaps?? But my all time favorite ice cream flavor is jamoca almond fudge- I grew up ordering it at Baskin Robbins and it kind of stuck!