Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Cold dulls flavor, so ice cream needs more vanilla than you'd think, and a bean you'd happily eat on its own.

Which vanilla to use

• Whole beans give the classic flecked vanilla bean ice cream. Steep the split pod in the warm base, then scrape the seeds in.
• Madagascar Bourbon: rich and creamy, the classic scoop.
• Tahitian vanilla: floral, with cherry and anise notes, lovely with fruit swirls.
• Ugandan vanilla: bold and cocoa-forward, for chocolate and coffee flavors.

Recipes to start with

Butterscotch Ice Cream4 hr 45 min · Medium Peach Gelato2 hr 35 min · Medium Blueberry Popsicles5 hr 15 min · Easy Gluten-Free Cardamom Vanilla Ice Cream8 hr 35 min · Medium Mascarpone Gelato2 hr 35 min · Medium Watermelon Popsicles5 hr 15 min · Easy Dairy-Free Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream8 hr 35 min · Medium Hazelnut Gelato3 hr 35 min · Medium Orange Creamsicle Pops5 hr 10 min · Easy Dairy-Free Maple Vanilla Ice Cream8 hr 35 min · Medium Raspberry Gelato3 hr 15 min · Medium Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles5 hr 15 min · Easy Carrot Cake Ice Cream7 hr 40 min · Medium Vanilla Bean Gelato3 hr 25 min · Medium Mango Popsicles5 hr 10 min · Easy White Chocolate Ice Cream3 hr 20 min · Medium Tiramisu Gelato3 hr 15 min · Medium Key Lime Pie Popsicles5 hr 10 min · Easy Coconut Ice Cream5 hr 40 min · Medium Coffee Gelato6 hr 35 min · Medium Chocolate Peanut Butter Pops5 hr 10 min · Easy Gluten-Free Salted Caramel Vanilla Ice Cream8 hr 35 min · Medium Almond Gelato3 hr 35 min · Medium Banana Cream Popsicles5 hr 10 min · Easy

All ice cream recipes

Tips

• Chill the base overnight before churning; it churns smoother and the vanilla deepens.
• Make sure your freezer bowl is fully frozen, at least 24 hours for most machines.
• Store in a shallow container with parchment pressed on the surface to limit ice crystals.

Questions

Beans or extract for ice cream?

Beans for the classic look and deepest flavor. Extract works too; stir it into the cooled base.

Why is my homemade ice cream icy?

Usually the base wasn't cold enough or the bowl wasn't frozen, so it churned slowly. Chill the base overnight and churn right away.

How long does homemade ice cream keep?

It's best within about two weeks; after that it slowly picks up ice crystals and freezer flavors.

The vanilla we'd use

Madagascar Vanilla Beans, Grade A, 5 Beans Tahitian Vanilla Beans, Grade B, 5 Beans Madagascar Vanilla Extract, 2 oz Bottle Tahitian Vanilla Extract, 2 oz Bottle

Explore more

Recipe collections: Dairy-Free & Vegan Vanilla Baking · Gluten-Free Vanilla Baking · Vanilla Custards, Puddings & Crème Brûlée · Vanilla Cookies & Bars · Vanilla Cakes & Cheesecakes · Holiday & Fall Vanilla Baking

Vanilla guides: Make Your Own Vanilla Extract · Find Your Vanilla Origin · Vanilla for Baking · Make Your Own Vanilla Extract · Oak-Aged Vanilla Extract

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