Sweetened condensed milk ice cream Recipes

This ice cream reads a bit like a 1980s infomercial, doesn’t it? “No ice cream maker? No problem! Just try our fancy-shmancy gimmicky gadget!” Cue jazz hands. To be honest, if I hadn’t tried this one for myself – and sampled the result – I’m not sure I would believe it either.

This ice cream really is made with only two ingredients, requires no stovetop cooking, and can be made with just a hand mixer — or even, if you're very industrious, a whisk and some upper-arm strength. No ice cream machine needed. And it tastes just as decadent and silky-smooth as any ice cream I’ve ever tried, homemade or otherwise. This step-by-step recipe is simply your fastest, easiest-ever ticket to amazing ice cream at home.

Two Ingredients: Whipped Cream and Sweetened Condensed Milk

All you need to make this ice cream is a few cups of heavy cream and a can of sweetened condensed milk (not to be confused with evaporated milk). Whip the cream, fold it into the sweetened condensed milk, freeze for a few hours, and sweet ice cream bliss is yours. Sure, you can argue that sweetened condensed milk is itself two ingredients — milk and sugar — but if I only have to pour one thing in my bowl, then it counts as one ingredient in my kitchen.

Why This Ice Cream Works

Think of no-churn ice cream like taking a shortcut. With traditional ice cream, first you have to make a sweetened base – usually a cooked mixture of heavy cream and sugar with eggs or cornstarch to help thicken it into a rich custard – which needs to be cooled, then churned in an ice cream maker before freezing. Churning incorporates air and breaks up ice crystals as they form, making the finished ice cream creamy and smooth rather than one icy block.

With no-churn ice cream, a can of sweetened condensed milk takes the place of the base and the whipped cream brings the airy, creamy texture. Fold the two together until they’re just barely combined and you get the exact flavor and texture of vanilla ice cream after freezing. It’s creamy, it’s scoopable, it melts on your tongue, and it’s fantastic in a sundae with a cherry on top.

Making Other Flavors with No-Churn Ice Cream

Plain vanilla is fine and dandy, but by all means, let's not stop there. This no-churn method can really be adapted to just about any ice cream flavor or recipe that you’ve fallen in love with over the years.