20 Absolutely Delicious Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

By Kelly Vaughan
Updated April 01, 2020
Johnny Miller
Sweet, crowd-pleasing, and easy to master—what's not to love about these homemade ice cream recipes?
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Johnny Miller

I scream, you scream, we all scream for these delicious homemade ice cream recipes. From classic flavors like vanilla and strawberry to more inspired combinations such as Rose-Geranium-and-Cardamom Ice Cream, these sweet ideas will inspire you to whip up something fun when you have a bit of extra time on your hands.

Most of our recipes require an ice cream maker, but you don't need to spend a ton of money to get an efficient and effective maker. We're big fans the affordable-yet-mighty Cuisinart Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt Maker ($49.99, bedbathandbeyond). However, if you're strapped for kitchen space or can't wait to start making scoop after flavorful scoop, we do have a few no-churn ice cream recipes, such as No-Churn Mint-Chip Ice Cream, which has a smooth, minty flavor and the requisite chocolate chips.

If you or your family is vegan, lactose-intolerant, or just looking to cut back on dairy, try our recipe for Vegan Avocado Ice Cream. Instead of the usual combination of milk, heavy cream, and egg yolks, this recipe gets its body from fatty avocados and coconut milk.

We also have seasonal flavors that will inspire your palette. In the middle of summer, when ice cream is the most appealing dessert, make our peach flavor using fresh fruit, which creates naturally sweet flavor and bright orange color. In fall, keep the orange hue but swap out the flavor for some spice with our Pumpkin Ice Cream recipe. It calls for canned pumpkin purée, which makes the final product creamier than ever.

If you're looking for a fun kitchen project that offers a new challenge, try your hand at these homemade ice cream recipes. Once you've mastered the basics, take your newfound skills one step further and start making our tasty ice cream sandwich recipes, too.

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Martha's Strawberry Ice Cream

Marcus Nilsson
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Two ingredients make each scoop of this homemade ice cream extra special: whole fresh strawberries and a little bit of booze (choose between vodka or tequila). Puréed strawberries give the ice cream a pink hue and halved berries add a little bit of texture.

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Banana-Caramel Ice Cream

Jonathan Lovekin
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This ice cream is the ultimate in caramelly-sweet-creamy-deliciousness. Be sure to use overripe to very overripe bananas for the deepest flavor.

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Pumpkin Ice Cream

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Ice cream isn't just for summer. Take a break from pie during fall and make this ultra-creamy homemade ice cream with pumpkin purée. It's not complete without a drizzle of our super easy recipe for Milk Caramel Sauce.

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Vegan Avocado Ice Cream

Martyna Szczesna
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Making homemade dairy-free ice cream follows a similar process to regular ice cream—and it's just as delicious. Combine mashed avocados, coconut milk, lemon zest and juice, sugar, and xanthan gum in a blender, chill in the refrigerator, churn in an ice cream maker, and freeze.

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No-Churn Mint-Chip Ice Cream

Bryan Gardner
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No ice cream maker? No problem! Make a super easy base for homemade ice cream using sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, peppermint extract, and crème de menthe. Feel free to add a drop or two of green food coloring for a hint of mint color.

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Rose-Geranium-and-Cardamom Ice Cream

Jake Stangel
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Here's a bright and light recipe for summer. Rose-geranium leaves create a floral, fresh flavor and cardamom adds just a subtle hint of spice. Top a scoop or two of homemade ice cream with roasted peaches for the perfect summer spoonful.

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Peach Ice Cream

Bryan Gardner
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In the middle of summer, there's no sweeter scoop that this seasonal ice cream recipe, which uses peach purée made from fresh fruit for flavor and color.

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Chai Ice Cream

Con Poulos
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There's a whole lot of ingredients in this ice cream recipe inspired by the popular black tea, but that's what makes it so great. Whole coriander seeds, black peppercorns, allspice berries, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger build the spiced flavor in this inspired frozen treat.

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No-Churn Coconut Ice Cream

Mike Krautter
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There's so much coconut flavor in this sweet recipe—and that's all thanks to unfiltered coconut oil, Malibu original rum, and coconut flakes.

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Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Mike Krautter
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Oreo lovers unite for this black and white ice cream. The base is super simple—all you need is skim milk, heavy cream, sugar, and egg yolks, which create a rich, decadent scoop. Fold in chocolate sandwich cookie pieces and dig right in (or rather, wait until it fully freezes).

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Coconut Ice Cream

Mike Krautter
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It may look like ordinary vanilla but toasted coconut flakes really take this treat to the next level. They're heated along with milk, heavy cream, sugar, and egg yolks to infuse the dairy with sweet flavor, but are removed from the mixture with a fine-mesh sieve just before it's time to churn.

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Black Plum, Port, and Cinnamon Ice Cream

Naho Kubota
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Rich and syrupy port wine pairs so well with juicy plums in this ice cream flavor that's just as delicious as it is on a hot summer day as it is in the middle of winter. Honey and fresh orange zest add a little sweetness and brightness to the vanilla custard base.

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Chocolate Ice Cream

John Kernick
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Share this silky, rich delight made with bittersweet and milk chocolate with your favorite chocoholic. It's the ultimate flavor that everyone will love.

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Strawberry Ice Cream

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This frosty treat is made with plenty of fresh strawberries for a true fruity, creamy taste.

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Coffee Ice Cream

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Made with crushed espresso beans, this creamy treat has true java flavor. Whip it up into a milkshake for an at-home version of your favorite sweet coffeeshop beverage.

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Rhubarb and Strawberry Ice Cream

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Super-fruity and a true taste of spring, this ice cream is also rich and creamy but made without any eggs.

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Fresh Spearmint Ice Cream

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A short list of ingredients including fresh-from-the-garden mint and not a drop of food coloring in sight mean you can feel good about serving this all-natural ice cream.

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Orange Ice Cream

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Enjoy a surprisingly simple scoop that combines the refreshing flavor of orange zest with heavy cream.

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No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream

Petrina Tinslay
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No ice cream maker? No problem. Get out the mixer, as this ice cream is made with whipped cream, condensed milk, bourbon (optional!), and vanilla.

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Vanilla Ice Cream

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Rich, creamy, and custardy, this is the real deal, made with vanilla beans and heavy cream.

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