Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
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An old fashioned vanilla ice cream recipe that everyone loves! This creamy custard base homemade vanilla ice cream recipe is made from five ingredients and is even better than an ice cream parlor favorite!
Vanilla ice creams come in more varieties than you might think! It’s made with five simple ingredients and turns into such a rich, creamy, delicious and decadent ice cream. Just look at those real vanilla bean specks!
It’s an old fashioned vanilla ice cream recipe that was passed down from my aunt many years ago. It’s a custard base that tastes even better than the best ice cream parlor ice cream you’ve ever had.
I enjoy my other types of ice cream recipes too. But when I want the most creamy, most vanilla, best vanilla ice cream, this one is it!
Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream
My family has always loved making ice cream in the summer. It gets really hot here in the south and enjoying homemade ice cream with family and friends is so much fun! I make many different ice cream flavors and recipes, but as far as vanilla goes it’s this velvety, old fashioned custard type ice cream or my two ingredient No Churn Vanilla.
How to Make this Vanilla Ice Cream
To make this ice cream, you will need these ingredients:
- Egg yolks
- Sugar
- Whole Milk
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
Make the Ice Cream Custard
Start by adding the egg yolks and sugar to a medium saucepan. Whisk the until it’s a light yellow color and is well combined.
In another small sauce pan, heat the whole milk over medium-low heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not stir the milk.
Then gradually add the heated milk to the pan with the egg and sugar mixture and stir constantly. Return the combined mixture to heat until it reaches 165º F, but do not allow it to come to a boil. As soon as it reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the heat.
Pour custard base into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until it chills to 65º F. The longer the custard base chills, the creamier your ice cream will be.
Finish With Ice Cream Maker
Once the custard base is ready, stir in the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract). Then, pour it into your ice cream maker and process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.
Scoop and Enjoy!
This is perfect for ice cream cones! Although I happily enjoy it in a bowl if cones aren’t around. The scoops hold up well and don’t immediately begin melting the moment they are scooped onto the cone.
How Much Ice Cream Does this Make?
This recipe makes 1 quart as written.
Can this Recipe be Multiplied?
Yes! You can easily double this recipe for a 2 quart ice cream maker. It can easily be multiplied for a gallon container too!
The Two Types of Vanilla Ice Cream
Both this old fashioned ice cream and my no churn ice cream have their places in my ice cream making life. They are both incredibly delicious, easy to make and I make them both often.
More Ice Cream Recipes
No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream and Chocolate Ice Cream
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
And so many more ice creams to love!
Here’s my Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Add egg yolks and sugar to a medium saucepan and whisk until a light yellow color and well combined. In another small sauce pan, heat milk over medium-low heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not stir. Gradually add milk to egg and sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Return to heat until it reaches 165º F, but do not allow it to come to a boil. As soon as it reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the heat. Pour custard base into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until it chills to 65º F. The longer the custard base chills, the creamier your ice cream will be.
- Once the custard base is ready, stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract and pour it into your ice cream maker and process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Originally published in 2013.
I would like to make peppermint ice cream. Could I used this recipe and replace the vanilla with some peppermint extract and then add in crushed candy canes?
Thank you
I haven’t made this as a peppermint ice cream, Lisa, but I don’t see why it would not work.
Tasted great. The first ice cream I’ve made since I was a kid. But I did have some overcooking of the custard that I had to strain out. Should I stir the whole time it’s cooking?
Dave, you will need to stir often enough to keep the custard smooth and not stick to the pan. Glad the ice cream tasted great!
I just made this in a new ice cream freezer. The ice cream came out ready to eat. In the past, my homemade versions were always a little too soft right out of the freezer. I doubled everything but the eggs. It was almost too much for my 2 quart freezer. Thanks for the recipe and for the tips.
I wrote the review before freezing and wanted to note that this ice cream remains a great consistency in the freezer. I also added a tsp of maple flavoring as my mother made a maple ice cream that was my childhood favorite. I nailed it with this minor addition.
I am making this again but only 1.5 time increase and I plan to add some homemade caramel sauce into the ice cream near the end of the freezing cycle. If anyone has any suggestions for this let me know. And I will let you know the results. For the initial batch. I know I didn’t double the eggs but dang it, I didn’t write down how many eggs I used. Here’s hoping batch 2 will be as awesome.
How long should we have chilled the ice cream?
Johnny, pour custard base into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until it chills to 65º F.
I’ve made this ice cream several times and it is delicious! I sometimes mix in a pudding into my ice cream custard just to make it extra velvety and smooth! I noticed though that in your ingredient list you have cream listed but its not in the instructions. I’ve been leaving the cream out until the very end and I use it to help chill the custard base. It works for me, but is that correct for this recipe? Thanks!
Emily, I’m glad you love this ice cream recipe. In Instruction 2: Once the custard base is ready, stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract and pour it into your ice cream maker and process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Sorry you missed that but it sounds like you have been doing it correctly.
Hi Robyn,
So when you say doubled for 2 quarts (I have a Cuisinart 2 qt. ice-cream maker) you mean literally doubled? as in 8 egg yolks?
4 cups of cream and milk combined?
a cup of sugar(that actually makes sense)
4 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste or extract?
Alex, I double all the ingredients to make 2 quarts. I hope you enjoy the ice cream.
Delicious. So creamy and better than store bought. I’ll make this again and again. My one comment is that this makes a little more than a pint, no where close to a quart. It’s impossible for two cups of liquids to double in volume.
How to make ice cream
Annette, you would make this ice cream according to the instructions for your ice cream maker.
This icecream is absolutely delicious says everyone who has tried it. It also takes other flavours as well eg lemon curd. Thankyou
Thanks, Heather!
Hi, is Heavy cream what we call Double cream in the U.K.?
According to my research, it looks like double cream can be substituted for heavy cream. Hope you enjoy the ice cream!
Thanks, I’m going to make two batches and add salted caramel vodka to one…
Really good! Taste almost like my grandma. I tasted it while it was churning and felt it needed something so added 1/4 teaspoon of salt (while it was churning) and it was perfect! Next time will add the salt while I cook the egg mixture.