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.
Would it be possible to substitute the cream for just more milk or an extra egg yolk?
Vanessa, I don’t think you’ll have the desired result using just milk as you would if you used cream. Thanks!
Hey, can I use an ice bath/ quicken the cooling process of the custard base? Also, does this come out of the churner thick and scoop able as in these photos or does it need to freeze first?
Rey, I haven’t tried using an ice bath for this ice cream but place in the refrigerator until it reaches 65º F. The ice cream is ready to scoop and eat once I take it out of the ice cream maker. I hope you enjoy.
I accidently added heavy whipping cream already ahead of time by accident, what will happen?
I haven’t done this, Michael, so I can’t tell you how it will turn out. I’m hoping it did worked just fine.
I have made this ice cream and your directions are spot on 😊
I don’t buy ice cream anymore!
Denise, don’t you love that you can make your own ice cream and have control over the ingredients? So glad you love this ice cream.
I love your white cake and especially the choc cake recipe. Made it hundreds of times and each time a winner. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Moyra, for letting me know how much you love my recipes.
wow this is easier than the process of the older version. I just made it and placed it in an airtight ice cream container bought on Amazon. Question though, I heated until 165 I noticed it was getting thicker quickly. Should I have drained it?
Alice, the ice cream mixture will thicken fairly quickly. Hope you enjoy!
Great recipe! I steeped a vanilla bean with the milk, and also added the vanilla extract to the base. Great vanilla flavor, good consistency.
I know that vanilla bean added such great flavor, Jon. Thanks for the tip.
so perhaps I did things wrong but my “cook” time seemed to take forever. Do you need to stir as you are heating the combined mixture? It also seemed to take a while for my milk to simmer, it started to make a skin. Should I have had it up more?
Tiffany, you don’t stir the milk while it is heating. Heat just until it begins to simmer. You may not have the heat high enough on your cooktop. You do need to stir the combined mixture constantly. Hope this helps.
Hi Robyn,
I just put a batch of custard in the fridge using your exact recipe, but I was wondering, since the heavy cream comes in a pint, would the ice cream be creamier and better if instead of milk I used the other cup of heavy cream? if so, you probably would have said so, but thought I would ask. thanks!
Gary, I haven’t tried this recipe with only heavy cream so not sure how it would be.
A pint of half and half is perfect for this recipe. It ‘s 50% heavy cream and 50% whole milk so you can use the whole thing and it’s exactly two cups.
I love vanilla! My family loves chocolate. Can I add some good cocoa powder to the milk as it heats to achieve a chocolate ice cream??
Brenda, I haven’t tried making this recipe into a chocolate ice cream but I do have other chocolate ice cream recipes you might want to try: No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream, Chocolate Ice Cream, and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.
I have made this and now I will be using to freeze dry to reconstitute later.
Diane, let me know how it turns out. I would love to freeze dry it, too.