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.
in my ice cream maker now, doubled recipe into 2qt. Also have apple cobbler in oven.
This sounds delicious. Hope you enjoy!
just wanted to thank you for the recipe for the most delicious ice cream me or anyone I know have ever eat in our lives. you most definitely know what you’re doing. i discovered your recipe 3 summers ago, and during the summer and spring months theres hardly a weekend goes by thst I don’t make a batch. just one question…. why can’t you stir the milk???? thanks again .
Hi Jason,
I’m so glad you love this ice cream recipe! This is an heirloom recipe from my great aunt. She was adamant in her instructions not to stir the milk and it always turned out delicious and perfectly creamy – so I never questioned her instruction. Now that you ask, I’m wondering the same thing! I think I need to make a batch soon and stir it just to see what happens! 😉 If you try it before I do, let me know if you can tell any difference.
I made this recipe this evening with my own chicken eggs & raw, pastured cream & milk! Cannot wait to tast it! How would I make this chocolate or strawberry flavored (using frozen strawberries & cocoa powder).
Thank you!
Maria, I haven’t tried making this recipe into a chocolate ice cream or a strawberry 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. Here’s another of my recipes for Strawberry Ice Cream. It does not include eggs like this one does and is really delicious as well. Maybe someone on here has made chocolate or strawberry ice cream using the old fashioned ice cream recipe and can tell you what they did,
I accidentally heated the milk *and cream!* and then added to the sugar/yolk mix. It’s all cooling in my refrigerator now. I’m planning to serve to company—did I ruin it?
Kate, several people have commented here that they did the same thing and the ice cream turned out great. Hope you enjoy!
I didn’t see what it said about adding the cream so I was scrolling through comments to see if anyone else didn’t know what to do with the cream?
AngelP, look at step 2 in the instructions. You add the heavy cream and vanilla once the custard base has chilled to 65ºF and is ready to pour into your ice cream maker.
This turned out well! It should have been in the freezer a bit longer, but my grand daughter couldn’t wait. Texture was perfect.
Becky, I have been there, too, with ones who could not wait for the ice cream to completely freeze. I’m so glad you liked it.
I want to try this recipe, I love old fashioned vanilla ice cream, but now a days I watch my sugar consumption very closely. Can another sweetener be used instead of the sugar? Or will I be the guinea pig? lol
John, I have not made this ice cream with a sugar substitute but Alex had left a comment that he substituted 15 packets of Truvia for the sugar in the recipe. He said it tasted great but I haven’t tried it. Maybe this will help you.
I made this with monk fruit sweetener. Holy smokes !!!!!! Sooooo amazing everyone enjoyed it
Sylvia Lynn, thanks so much for telling me how well you liked this ice cream recipe with monk fruit.
Love this recipe! Made it exactly as written and it turned out superb. It seems highly customizable, and I can’t wait to make it for family night! Thanks!
Thanks, Bethany. I’m thrilled that you loved this ice cream. It has been a favorite in my family for years.
great recipe. the second time I made it I doubled it and added half of a apple pie chopped up, it was delicious!
Maryon, I bet that was amazing. Thanks!
Absolutely delicious and so easy! I love this recipe!!!
This doesn’t say if the egg yolk and sugar should be on heat while whisking. Just whisk as is then add heated milk?
Desiree, you mix the egg yolk and sugar with no heat, then gradually add the heated milk. Hope you enjoy the ice cream.
I’ve made a bunch of ice cream in a “insert” style freezer. It usually has a texture issue, in that it’s either hard as a rock, or liquid, depending on temperature. This has a tremendous texture, all the way through the temperature range! I imagine it depends upon the beating of the eggs and sugar in the custard. Also the temperature of the custard in the cook. But this is now my go-to process. Thanks!
Thanks, Tyler. I love that this recipe works for you and the texture is the way you want your ice cream to be.