Vanilla Ice Cream

A classic homemade vanilla ice cream made with real vanilla beans, cream, and egg yolks for a rich and creamy texture.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 2

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 250 kcal

Split the vanilla bean pods in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a medium pot. Add the pods, heavy cream, whole milk, and sugar.
Warm the mixture over low to medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves and steam rises, but do not boil.
Remove the pot from heat and take out the vanilla pods. Scrape the seeds back into the mixture.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually add a small amount of the hot milk mixture while whisking.
Pour the egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 5-7 minutes).
Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl and chill thoroughly in an ice bath or in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until thick and scoopable (about 20-30 minutes).
If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a shallow freezer-safe container and freeze, stirring every 30 minutes for the first few hours to prevent ice crystals.
Once churned or frozen, serve immediately for soft-serve texture or transfer to a sealed container and freeze until firm.

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Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Press plastic wrap against the surface to prevent freezer burn.

Keyword homemade