This 3 ingredient vanilla ice cream is great! I love that you don’t need an ice cream machine to make it as well as so few ingredients!
Vanilla Ice Cream is the most popular ice cream flavor in the United States, maybe even the world. You can enjoy it plain or with so many toppings. It goes well with root beer floats, banana splits, sundaes, on top of pies, etc. It is really fun and easy to make at home and great on a hot summer day. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients and tools
You will need just 3 ingredients to make this vanilla ice cream:
- Heavy Whipping Cream – You can’t make ice cream without cream!
- Vanilla extract – This is what gives it that yummy vanilla flavor.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – It will add sweetness to the ice cream and help with the texture.
Tools
- Mixer
- Spatula
- plastic wrap (optional)
- Bowl with lid
Step 2: How to make 3 Ingredient Vanilla Ice Cream
In a large bowl add the heavy whipping cream. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer and mix the cream until fully whipped with stiff peaks.
Step 3: Vanilla and Sweetened Condensed Milk
Add the can of sweetened condensed milk to the freshly made whipped cream also add the vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients with the mixer until just combined. This will make the ice cream base.
Step 4: Freeze that vanilla ice cream
Add the 3 ingredient vanilla ice cream mixture to a plastic bowl or something like a bread loaf pan will work. Then add a piece of plastic wrap on top.
Make sure to push it down so it touches the top of the ice cream. This will help prevent ice crystals from forming. Add a lid to the bowl and stick it in the freezer.
After about 4 hours the consistency will resemble soft serve vanilla ice cream. Leave it in for a few more hours or overnight for a more traditional ice cream consistency.
Step 5: Scoop that homemade vanilla ice cream
Once the ice cream has hardened scoop it out and serve it however you like.
Now it is time to serve up that creamy ice cream. It will taste a bit different than a traditional custard-style churn ice cream recipe that was made in an ice cream maker. But hey it still tastes great and is super duper easy to make. Give this simple sweet treat a try sometime! Enjoy.
How long does homemade 3 ingredient vanilla ice cream last?
If stored in an airtight container in the freezer the delicious homemade ice cream will last a few weeks before crystallization happens.
Can I add fresh fruit to this easy homemade ice cream recipe?
Yes! You can fold in a strawberry puree or fresh strawberries, peach puree, other fresh berries, etc. Just add them after the whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk have been mixed together.
How can I make chocolate ice cream?
If you would like to make chocolate ice cream it is pretty much identical to this. Just follow this no churn chocolate ice cream recipe. It only takes 3 ingredients as well.
Here are a few other recipes you may like:
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream In a Bag
Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
3 Ingredient No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
Equipment
- Mixer
- Spatula
- Plastic wrap (optional)
- Bowl with lid
Ingredients
- 2 cups of heavy whipping cream 500ml
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract 5ml
- 14 oz of sweetened condensed milk 397g
Instructions
- Begin by adding the heavy whipping cream to a large bowl and mixing it until stiff peaks form.
- Add the vanilla extract and sweetened condensed milk and mix until just combined.
- Pour the vanilla ice cream base into a freezer-safe bowl. Add plastic wrap so it covers and touches the top of the ice cream. Add the lid and place it in the freezer for 6 hours or more. If you like soft-serve it will be ready in about 4 hours.
- Serve the ice cream with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you like this easy recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
I’ve just made this recipe for the 4th time! This recipe is so good for experimenting with, since it’s simple, doesn’t take a lot of time, and uses so few ingredients. I’m not an experienced cook by any means, I usually mess recipes up pretty bad, but I can follow this one just fine and it turns out every time.
My two flavor tests so far:
Chai flavored batch: I warmed the heavy cream with 4-5 chai tea bags in it to steep, took it off the heat and cooled it, and then completed the recipe as normal. For some reason this one turned out a bit more… frozen yogurt like? But the taste was good.
Chocolate: I just now made this batch to take to a birthday party tomorrow. Imelted 3 oz of 48% chocolate, let it cool, and then mixed it into the sweetened condensed milk before adding it to the whipped cream. I just tasted the mixture and it tastes great. Now to wait and see how it freezes! It might get a little hard, but hopefully will still be creamy if defrosted some.
Thank you for this recipe ♥ It’s been really fun to make.
Awesome, so glad you like it and keep making it and experimenting with it. It is a great base for so many different flavors. You are very welcome!
I absolutely love ❤this recipe . I was in awe when I made it. Real delicious creamy ice cream better than store bought. I make it for friends that’s are not well and need a pep up spoil . Thank you for sharing .
Love it❤
So happy to hear that you tried it and liked it. 🙂 🙂 You are very welcome!
Can I reduce the condensed milk?
Hello Vivian, That should be fine 🙂
This came out so very good, rich, and creamy tasting! I made one batch vanilla flavor using only three quarters of the condensed milk because I don’t like things overly sweet and a second batch coffee flavored by adding about three tbs of hot water with a heaping tbs of instant coffee that I let cool down. I can’t wait to try other flavor additions!
So glad you gave it a try and liked it. 🙂 It is fun playing around with other flavors too. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe ill try it
You are welcome! 🙂
I love your website
Thank you so much, Regina! 🙂
Is there a way of making this chocolate using cocoa & icing sugar, & would I mix this in last? My husband loves this but would prefer chocolate ?
Hello, Jan, yes you could, you may want to bloom the chocolate first buy heating it up in the cream so it brings out the rich flavor but other than that it should work with 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1 can sweetened condensed milk and 2 cups heavy cream. You can also use this recipe: https://inthekitchenwithmatt.com/homemade-chocolate-ice-cream But you can certainly experiment with the three-ingredient one.
Now that the kids are homeschooled, they will enjoy this treat so much! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
You are so very welcome, Blair! 🙂
Wow! I can’t believe that your 3 Ingredient Vanilla Ice Cream recipe can be so simple yet so innovative. I’ll definitely try this at home!
Thank you, Emman!! 🙂
This looks lovely and so easy to make! It’s surprising home many chemicals you can find in store-bought ice-creams, I wish everyone would use such simple ingredients. This recipe is just perfect, thanks!!!
You are so very welcome, Ivana! 🙂
This Vanilla ice cream only has 3 ingredients!!!! Wow… I needed a little sweet stuff in my life. Thank you for the recipe, I will be making this with the kids.
You are so very welcome! 🙂 Let me know how it turns out if you wind up making it.
Simple yet lovely icecream recipe but can I add little bit crushed chocolate in it?
Hello! Yes you can add crushed chocolate in it. 🙂
This iced cream is really cool. I like the fact that it only requires 3 ingredients. Plus it looks relatively simple to realize. I’m going to have to try this recipe.
Thank you, Steven! 🙂
This is so perfect for this quarantine and hot weather here. Also, they’re written well that’s easy to follow.
Thank you!
I never thought of using condensed milk for ice cream. clever!! thanks for the tip.
You are very welcome!
Oh I love homemade made ice cream! Thanks for an easy and delicious recipe!
You are welcome, Melissa! 🙂
My family would go crazy for this. Can’t wait to try this!
Awesome, Katie! 🙂 🙂
This is by far my favorite ice cream recipe! It was delicious, easy to make and had simple ingredients. I highly recommend this recipe.
Thank you, Natasha!! 🙂
This is sooo simple and soo delicious! Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome!
I love your recipes there easy to follow and and to read.
Thank you so much, Jenny! 🙂