This post kicks off a week of ice cream recipes. Yes, you read that correctly – for the rest of the week I will be posting a new ice cream recipe every day. It’s in honor of July being NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH! And also in honor of my great love of ice cream 🙂
Anyway, I thought that for starters, I should share a good vanilla ice cream recipe. Everyone needs one of these classics in their arsenal.
Back to where I first received my love of homemade ice cream:
Every time that my family visited my grandparents house when I was growing up, Grandpa would either have homemade vanilla ice cream waiting or would make some once we got there (Grandma would always have chocolate milk and macaroons on hand too. What are grandparents for after all!!) It was a tradition we all certainly loved.
I have Grandpa to thank for my voracious appetite for homemade ice cream (and probably for sweets in general) and for introducing me to the best sort of dessert ever created.
I decided to make a “safer” version of Grandpa’s ice cream instead of using raw eggs, since many of you showed uneasiness over raw eggs in this ice cream.
And so the search began…
I’ve made alot of batches of vanilla ice cream in search of the best for you. I think I’ve finally got it right – this recipe is eggless, no cook, and super easy. I’m usually a big fan of French style ice creams (think: rich and creamy) but for vanilla, I prefer Philadelphia style. (think: all-american, lighter) Also, when it tastes this good without eggs, why bother with the hassle and cost of adding them? My grandpa’s homemade {no-cook} vanilla ice cream is my benchmark against which I measure all vanilla ice cream recipes.
Another consideration I take into account when making homemade ice cream is the cost. Most recipes call for heavy cream, but I think it’s a bit expensive at the grocery store. This is one reason why my recipe calls for half and half instead of heavy cream and whole milk. However, the main reason I used half and half is because I don’t like the taste of that much heavy cream in my ice creams. Plus, I like to think this means it’s healthy for me 😉
(Ps. If you haven’t already entered my giveaway, you can enter here through July 21st.)
{No Cook} Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients
- 3 cups half and half
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir for several minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.
- Churn according to your ice cream makers instructions. Freeze for at least several hours or overnight before serving. Scoops great right from the freezer!
Yummy! Love homemade vanilla ice cream!
Thanks! Me too! of course 🙂
I always love to meet a fellow ice cream enthusiast! Well, I’m more ice cream obsessed! This vanilla looks wonderful – Great photos 🙂
Haha, you know I am ice cream obsessed too when I have a whole week of it! Thanks and thanks for the fb share!
I make mine with raw eggs… I also like ice creams without it, but I don’t think they last as long. Thanks for sharing at Two Cup Tuesday!
Hmm, that’s interesting, I’ve never heard anything about ice cream lasting longer without eggs. …of course, that’s never a problem around here because it’s always gone so quickly!!
I love how this turned out Laura! Looks so creamy!! Thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!
Thanks! And it was – delicious!
I’m definitely saving this recipe. There’s nothing like a good vanilla ice cream and yours looks delicious! Nice pics, too! Makes me want to dive right in!
Thanks Alli!
Absolutely love love love this ice cream recipe. So simple and so delicious. My son said it was amazing. I made it tonight for a fruit crisp and it was a perfect match.
I was looking for an ice cream recipe that used half and half since I had a quart that I needed to use up. Found this recipe and tried it tonight. It turned out great, but curious as to why you use 3 cups of half and half ? I needed to use up my whole quart so I used 1 cup of sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla. Again, it turned out great.
Glad you enjoyed it! You know, for some reason I thought my ice cream maker only held 1 quart (which, when you add the sugar in, comes to about that much), so I didn’t want to overflow it! I guess I need to start making bigger batches of ice cream 🙂
Although again, the smaller size batches freeze a little better in mine.
I made this ice cream and I think it is great.! Is milky, cold, icy and sweet. I sprinkled in some cinnamon and grated one piece of semisweet chocolate in it; just a touch. This recipe is very easy and quick! Thanks!
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This is a great rcipe! The ice cream is milky, cold, icy and sweet!
5 star recipe. I just made this. I used the vanilla but also scraped some vanilla bean seed into it. It’s wonderful!!! I tasted it in soft phase and have it in the freezer now. Thank you for this recipe. It’s keeper!!!
One thing I like is, you don’t have to preplan, make a custard ahead of time. Also I think it’s healthier.
Hi Laura, this looks great! Quick question, I have a 1.5 qt. Machine, do I have to adjust measurements for this recipe. I want to get as much ice cream as possible per recipe. Thanks for your time🍦
Sorry for the late reply..You’re welcome to adjust the recipe for a larger ice cream maker. For some reason, I thought my ice cream maker only held 1 quart, so hence the 1qt recipe 🙂 I’ve made about 1.5 recipes at a time though and it works great. Hope you enjoyed the ice cream!
Must I put it in my refrigerators freezer after churning it in the ice cream machine? Or will it harden enough over time just alone in my ice cream maker? Hoping to make this for Thanksgiving
It totally depends on your ice cream maker. My ice cream maker never worked well enough not to put it in the freezer first, but yours may! If you generally don’t have to freeze your ice cream after churning and before eating, you should be fine with this recipe as well.
Please send me more of your flavors of ice cream. That you’ve made with the no cook if possible. Thank you so much
Here’s a link to all of the ice cream I have made: https://crowthercafe.com/category/ice-cream/
Can you put strawberries in this receipe?
You could, I never have though. I have a great recipe for strawberry ice cream that I love (https://crowthercafe.com/2013/05/06/homemade-fresh-strawberry-ice-cream/). You would definitely want to make sure the strawberries were thoroughly dried though or the ice cream would end up icy.
I use heavy cream, and it’s costly. By me getting half and half, does it change the taste and texture? I have a ice cream maker and every Sunday after Church, family gets together for dinner and of course my ice cream. Thanks 😁
Heavy cream is definitely a thicker texture than half and half, but I actually prefer the lighter half and half texture. Hope you enjoy!
Hi what an easy receipe. Thanks. Can you make this witthout an ice cream maker?
You may be able to, but I think it would probably freeze harder. I have not tried it without churning before.