7 Ways to Churn Out Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker

Want homemade ice cream but don’t have an ice cream machine and no plans to purchase one anytime soon? Your stifled screams for ice cream were heard. There are several ways to make ice cream without any special equipment.


Before some of us bought our machines devoted to this dreamy frozen dairy dessert (or non-dairy dessert!), we suffered years, years (oh, the agony!) of drooling over ice cream recipes, only to have our hearts sink at the end of the instructions, which say “add to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions.” So unfair.

That's RichWhat Is the Difference Between Ice Cream and Custard?Chin up. If you don’t want to buy more stuff—or if you simply don’t have room on your kitchen counter amid the KitchenAid stand mixer, toaster, blender, scale, Instant Pot, air fryer, and coffee maker—you don’t have to. No available areas in the cupboards? No problem. No budget for buying yet another single-purpose kitchen gadget-machine? Yeah, we feel you. Though it is tempting…

Read More: The Best Ice Cream Makers & Snow Cone Machines to Turn Your Kitchen Into a Scoop Shop

But you can resist without missing out. Join the cause for easier, cheaper ice cream and stick it to The Man (In this case, The Man = those gadget manufacturers/merchants and recipe developer/writer types who expect you to have all these tools…oh, wait…) Um, let us redeem ourselves after years of enticing you, inciting envy and self-pity with our more complicated ice cream ideas—which are wonderful if you happen to have an ice cream maker! (Just saying.)

But if you don’t have an ice cream machine, here are seven ways you can make homemade ice cream without one.
1. Go Bananas
Chowhound

The first no-machine method is so simple it’s ridiculous: Blending frozen bananas with add-ins. No planning required. Eat it immediately, if you want. Mixing the bananas in a food processor is ideal, but you can still make perfectly wonderful banana ice cream in a blender if you don’t have a processor—or even just mash them by hand, though the end result won’t be quite as smooth or creamy. Technically, there is no ice or cream here. But try telling yourself you care after you make this in 10 minutes and experience the sensation of it gliding across your tongue. Our Two-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream (call it nice cream if you like) could really be a 1-ingredient recipe if you want to be as basic as possible. Bananas are a wunderfruit for lazy ice cream makers and are also a dream for vegans and people with lactose intolerance. Add some caramel, Nutella, cinnamon, ginger, peanut butter, cocoa, or whatever else might float your banana boat. Get our Two-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream recipe.

Read more: The Best Dairy-Free Ice Creams You Can Buy | How to Make Non-Dairy Ice Cream at Home
2. Freeze-and-Stir Method
Chowhound

This takes a bit more patience and vigilance, but ice cream guru David Lebovitz says the freeze-and-stir technique does make good ice cream possible, and he wrote the book, “The Perfect Scoop.” You make an ice cream base and then freeze it in any old container for 30 to 45 minutes, then give it a stir, freeze some more, stir again, freeze…until you create your desired (almost) ice-crystal-free consistency. Go with a custard ice cream mix to get the creamiest texture, Lebovitz says, and you’ll do the freeze-stir-freeze-stir method for two to three hours total. Not a bad use of your time among other activities on a chill-at-home weekend day. Since there’s less air churned in, it’s best to eat this type of ice cream ASAP, but that shouldn’t be a problem. Get David Lebovitz’s Freeze-and-Stir Ice Cream recipe.
The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, $17.02 on Amazon A go-to resource for everything ice cream, sorbet, gelato, and more, recently revised and updated with new recipes and gorgeous photos. Buy Now 3. Make Creamy Ice Pops
Chowhound

Some of us don’t want to wait that long or be accountable for all those freeze-and-stir intervals. That’s what creamy popsicles and fro-yo pops are for. Just mix yogurt, fruit, sweetener, and you’re done. We have many tips and recipes for this method, some of which do require a blender for a super-smooth fruit puree—like these peachy babies, reminiscent of those Creamsicles from your days of chasing the ice cream truck. But rather than pumped full of air and artificial ingredients, these are just blended fresh peaches, heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, sugar, and a touch of salt. So easy. And not too bad for you, as these things go. (If you’re a chocoholic, our Chocolate Pudding Pops recipe only requires bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, half-and-half, butter, sugar, and gelatin powder.) Get our Peaches ‘n’ Cream Ice Pops recipe.

Read more: 7 Easy Ice Pop Recipes That Break the Mold
Zoku Fish Ice Pop Molds, $11.96 at Sur la Table These sea-themed ice pop molds are extra fun, even if you don't have kids. Buy Now 4. Break Out the Food Processor
If you’re into the ease of the above method but don’t have any ice pop molds—and you do happen to have a food processor gathering dust in your cupboard—you can use the gadget more commonly called upon for nut butter and pesto to blitz your ice cream base to creamy perfection. Here’s how to make ice cream in your food processor; basically, it’s the plastic bag method below without any of the manual massaging required. Instead, you just freeze your base in the bag and then use your food processor to fluff it up.
5. Pick the Plastic Bag Method View this post on Instagram


We are all screaming for ice cream over here! Ice cream in a bag for that matter! This is a total winner and the best part is the kids make it themselves. . . Recipe is up on the blog (link in profile) . . #funfoods #foodforkids #kidscancook #summertreats #icecreaminabag #thekitchn #thefeedfeed #f52grams #mywilliamssonoma #todayfood #moremomma #mommyandme #momlife #kidscook

A post shared by Easy Meals For Busy Families (@moremomma) on Jul 28, 2018 at 7:50am PDT



This method requires some muscle, but is a great low-tech option. Simply place the ice cream mixture in two quart-sized bags, squeezing out all the air and sealing securely. Then put that in a gallon-sized bag filled with about 4 cups of crushed ice and 4 tablespoons coarse salt. The salt lowers the freezing point of the ice and creates an extra cold environment that absorbs heat, causing the ice cream base to freeze. Protecting your hands while you massage the bag, you then shake it for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the ice cream is frozen, says Tessa Arias, a professional cook, author, and blogger of Handle the Heat. “The more vigorously you shake, the smoother your ice cream will be,” she says. Get her Plastic Bag Ice Cream recipe. (Pro-tip: This is a great one to do with kids who need to work out some energy and also want a snack.)

Read more: Beat Summer Boredom with Edible Crafts & Experiments for Kids
6. Add Alcohol
Chowhound

Not willing to put in that amount of physical effort? Try adding booze (obviously this one is not for kids). How this works is: Hard liquor doesn’t freeze, so adding it to your frozen treat can be a good way to reduce or eliminate ice crystals without needing to manipulate so much (either manually or in a machine). A few tablespoons of vodka will disappear into the flavor profile of any ice cream, while kirsch can enhance the taste of peaches, berries, plums, and nectarines. Play around with different flavor combos, and even other types of alcohol. A bit of Champagne or rosé can make a sorbet even better. Speaking of, most sorbets also require an ice cream maker, but not this one. Yay! All you do is toss the ingredients in the blender, and then freeze the mixture for about eight hours. Get our Pineapple Rum Sorbet recipe.
7. Sweetened Condensed Milk Method View this post on Instagram


One of my favorite ways to beat the heat—no churn coffee & oreo ice cream. Click the link in profile for the recipe

A post shared by Kristan Raines (@thebrokenbread) on Jul 14, 2019 at 4:22pm PDT



Fat doesn’t freeze either. “Heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk are key, as they have very little water, which means there won’t be any crystallization, so the ice cream won’t be icy,” says Diane Kometa of Dishin with Di. She offers a decadent Oreo ice cream recipe, which you can also consider it the classic cookies ‘n’ cream flavor.  The ice cream will be super rich and creamy, she promises. She does use a mixer with a whisk attachment, but you can use a handheld electric mixer or just whisk it by hand and give your arms a pre-indulgence workout. Get her No-Churn Oreo Ice Cream recipe. (And if you’re a coffee fan, try this No-Churn Coffee Oreo Ice Cream recipe that also uses condensed milk and airy whipped cream.)
#FoodAndKitchenHacks #PuddingPops #YogurtPops #IceCream #HowTo