These No-Churn Ice Cream Recipes Are Perfect for Summer

If you love ice cream but don't have an ice cream maker, we have good news for you: You can still make and enjoy homemade frozen treats. No-churn ice cream is actually super easy to make. Before we get into the specifics, we bet you're wondering what no-churn ice cream actually is. The simple answer is that it's exactly as its name implies: ice cream (or sorbet) that's made without the churning that an ice cream maker typically does. There are a few different approaches to making no-churn ice cream at home, but they all result in tasty, cooling frozen treats. Here, we've gathered our best recipes for making delicious scoopable treats without an ice cream maker.

The ultimate vegan ice cream is made from frozen fruit. This is also the easiest approach to preparing the irresistible summer dessert sans ice cream maker. Frozen banana "ice cream" is the best-known version but we also have a recipe for Tropical-Fruit Cones, pictured here, that turns ripe mangoes, kiwi, or bananas into tempting scoops. The recipe couldn't be simpler: Just purée the ripe fruit in a food processor with salt then add agave to sweeten (if you plan to make the mango version, you'll also need lime juice). Pulse until smooth and freeze until firm, which should be at least two hours. For best results, make it ahead of time and enjoy it the next day or several days later—waiting for it to ready really is the hardest part about this recipe. We serve scoops in cones dipped in melted chocolate and nuts or sprinkles, but you could also make a magic shell with melted white chocolate and coconut oil to finish these healthy but next-level treats.

Other no-churn ice cream recipes also use the food processor for creamy, scoopable treats, but they start with condensed milk and heavy cream for a more traditional consistency. Try our classic vanilla no-churn ice cream or an irresistible mint chip version. Then there's an elemental approach to making ice cream that starts with heavy cream and uses an electric mixer to whip it to stiff peaks (yes, you could do this by hand if you prefer!). The cream is gently mixed with honey that has been heated on the stovetop, then transferred to a loaf pan and frozen.

If you're willing to branch out beyond ice cream and try other no-churn frozen treats, don't miss our granita. Granita is an icy Italian treat that has become popular far and wide because it's so easy to make—no machines or special equipment ever required. Granita is most often made from fresh fruit and water but it can also be made with coffee and water, wine and water, or coconut water. Everything is blended and frozen, then flaked with a fork and frozen again, resulting in a shaved ice-like dessert.

Take your pick of these excellent no-churn ice cream recipes and enjoy frozen sweets all summer long.