How to make ice cream without heavy cream or half and half

Q: What can you use instead of heavy cream for ice cream?

Dont worry too much if you dont have whole milk or heavy cream. Nearly any milk will work, and you can substitute half-and-half for the cream. Ideally you want ingredients with a high fat content because these will create a creamy texture when cooled.

Q: What can I substitute for heavy cream?

Regardless of what youre making, the following are the best heavy cream substitutes for cooking, baking, or whipping into dessert..

Making ice cream at home is actually pretty easy to do, and you don’t need any fancy equipment if you’re just making small batches for fun. This is a great Saturday afternoon activity. You’ll be surprised at how good it tastes. Just keep in mind this is not low-fat or low-calorie. In fact, you’d be better off calling this the full-fat, high-cal, high-taste version. This recipe is enough for one person to make one dish, but you can always scale it up a bit so you can share with friends as well.

Table of Contents Show

Ingredients you need to make your own Ice Cream
Basic Directions
Advanced flavors
What does the salt do?
Ingredients
Things You'll Need
References
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
Did this article help you?
What can you use instead of heavy cream for ice cream?
How do you thicken ice cream without cream?
Can I use butter instead of heavy cream in ice cream?
What can I substitute for heavy cream?

Don’t worry too much if you don’t have whole milk or heavy cream. Nearly any milk will work, and you can substitute half-and-half for the cream. Ideally you want ingredients with a high fat content because these will create a creamy texture when cooled. Remember that we’re just experimenting here, so try what you have on hand!

Ingredients you need to make your own Ice Cream

1 part milk (Whole or 2% work best)
2 parts heavy cream (optional)
a dash of vanilla
1 part sugar
4 cups crushed ice
4 tbsp. salt
2 quart-size plastic bags
1 gallon-size plastic freezer bag
hand towel or gloves to keep fingers from freezing as well

Basic Directions

Begin by mixing the milk, vanilla and sugar together in one of the quart-size bags. If you want, you can mix this in a bowl first so that you get all the sugar dissolved. Seal the bag tightly; you want to try to get as much of the air out of the bag as you can. Too much air left inside might force the bag open during the mixing stage.

Place this bag inside the other quart size bag, again leaving as little air inside as possible and sealing well. By double-bagging, the risk of salt and ice leaking into the ice cream is minimized.

Put the two bags inside the gallon-size bag, fill the gallon-size bag with ice and then sprinkle a generous amount of salt on top. Again, squeeze out as much air as possible and then seal the bag. Wrap the bag in the towel or put your gloves on, and shake and massage the bag, making sure the ice surrounds the creamy mixture. Five to eight minutes should be enough time to allow the mixture to freeze into ice cream.

When you are all done, carefully open the bags and extract your ice cream. Enjoy!

If you’d like to experiment a bit more, you can try substituting a mixture of heavy cream and your choice of milk. Mix up a few different batches, and compare the texture of ice cream. Which do you think will have a smoother texture?

We suggest using freezer bags because they are thicker and less likely to develop small holes, allowing the bags to leak. You can get away with using regular plastic bags for the smaller quart sizes, because you are double-bagging. If you plan to do this indoors, we strongly recommend using gallon-size freezer bags.

Advanced flavors

If you are really adventurous you can try mixing in some special flavor ingredients after the plain vanilla ice cream is made. It’s generally best to add these items after all the squishing in the bag is done, so you don’t crush the flavor additions. So give some of these combinations try, and let us know what flavor combinations you come up with by posting on our Facebook page!

Chunks of chocolate bars or chocolate chips
Oreo cookie chunks
Broken pieces of peppermint candies
Mango and Kiwi (use fresh fruit with out the skin)
Pineapple and pomegranate seeds
Chocolate chips and peppermint chunks

What does the salt do?

Salt forces the ice surrounding the bag of ingredients to melt. This “brine” solution or liquid that forms in the gallon-size bag absorbs the heat from the ice cream mix and gradually lowers the temperature of the mix until it begins to freeze.

If there were no salt added to the ice, it would melt at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and eventually the ice water and mix would come to equilibrium at 32 degrees. The ice cream mix, however, does not begin to freeze until its temperature falls below 27 degrees. Therefore, in order to freeze the mix, we need to add salt to the ice to lower the freezing temperature.

With 4 tbsp. of salt mixed with our ice, the brine temperature should remain constant at around 8 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit. This will give the rapid cooling and freezing that is essential to making smooth, creamy ice cream.

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You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. You might want to scream louder if we want to make ice cream at home and don't have any heavy cream. Luckily, it is possible to make delicious ice cream at home without any heavy cream. Best of all, some of these recipes don't require an ice cream maker either. If you are vegan, don't worry, there's an option for you too!

Ingredients

1 14-ounce (397-gram) can condensed milk, chilled
2 cups (475 milliliters) half-and-half
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vanilla extract

Makes about 1 pint

1 13.5-ounce (398-milliliter) can full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
1 cup (240 milliliters) almond milk
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vanilla extract
3 tablespoons (45 grams) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

Makes about 1 pint

2 to 3 overripe bananas, frozen
2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 milliliters) milk
1 pinch salt

Makes 1 to 2 servings

1
Chill the bowl of your ice cream maker ahead of time. How far in advance you do this depends on the type of ice cream maker you are using, as each brand is a little different. In most cases, you need to freeze it the night before.
- An ice cream maker will give you the best results for this recipe. If you don't use one, then you will have to add heavy cream.[2]
2
Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. You will need a 14-ounce (397-gram) can of chilled condensed milk, 2 cups (475 milliliters) of half-and-half, and 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of vanilla extract. Stir everything together with a whisk until the color and texture are consistent.
- If you are using sweetened condensed milk, reduce the vanilla extract to 2½ teaspoons.[3]
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3
Process the mixture in an ice cream maker for 10 to 15 minutes. Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions first, then pour the mixture into the bowl. Churn the ice cream maker for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the ice cream is set.
- Add some tasty additions half-way through the churning period, such as mini chocolate chips.[4]
4
Freeze the mixture in for 6 to 8 hours. Pour the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container, such as a Tupperware container or an ice cream container. Freeze the ice cream for 6 to 8 hours.

1
Open the coconut milk and separate the fat from the water. Take the coconut milk out of the fridge and open it without shaking it up. Use a spoon to scoop the thick, fatty layer from the top of the can, and transfer it into a mixing bowl. Discard the coconut water or save it for another recipe.
- You must use full-fat coconut milk.
- You must chill the coconut milk overnight in the fridge.
2
Stir in the almond milk, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt. Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl with the coconut cream in it. Use a whisk to mix everything together for about 2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.
3
Transfer the mixture into a freezer-safe container. Pour the mixture into a shallow container that's safe to go into the freezer. Great examples include metal loaf pans and Tupperware containers. The ice cream will be frozen in this container, so make sure that it is convenient to use and store.
4
Freeze the mixture, stirring it every 30 minutes. Place the entire container into the freezer. Every 30 minutes, give the mixture a stir with a whisk. After about 3 to 4 hours of doing this, the ice cream should be ready.
- You can try freezing the ice cream in an ice cream maker instead. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
- The ice cream may be very hard when you take it out of the freezer. Let it sit on the counter for about 5 minutes before scooping it.

1
Peel, cut, and freeze the bananas ahead of time. Get 2 to 3 overripe bananas that are starting to turn brown. Peel them, cut them into bite-sized pieces, then freeze them in a plastic freezer bag or container.
- The size of the banana pieces does not matter. This is simply to make it easier on your blender or food processor.
2
Place the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Once the bananas have frozen, transfer them into a blender or food processor. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 milliliters) of your choice of milk and a pinch of salt.
- The more milk to add, the smoother the ice cream will be.
- Whole milk is a great choice, but you can also use non-dairy milk, such as almond or coconut.
3
Add some extras, if desired. This recipe is only a base, and it will yield somewhat-banana-flavored ice cream. It is still very delicious, but you can give it more flavor with some tasty extras. For example:
- For chocolate ice cream, add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons (22.5 grams) of cocoa powder.[5]
- For peanut butter ice cream, add 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 grams) of peanut butter. [6]
- For cookies'n cream, add 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of coconut butter. Crush up some chocolate sandwich cookies and have them ready for later.[7]
4
Blend the ingredients. Keep blending until the mixture takes on the texture of soft-serve ice cream. From time-to-time, you may want to open up the blender or food processor, and push down any unmixed ice cream towards the bottom with a rubber spatula.
- If you are making cookies'n cream ice cream, fold in the crushed chocolate sandwich cookies after you blend everything together.[8]
5
Freeze the ice cream for 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture into a freezer-safe container, such as a Tupperware container or an ice cream container. Place it into the freezer, and leave it there for 30 minutes, or until it becomes scoop-able.

Add New Question

Question
Can I use condensed milk or evaporated milk instead of whole milk?

Condensed milk would be your best option if you do not have whole milk.
Question
How long do I have to freeze the bananas?

Anna Peterson
Community Answer
It doesn't matter as long as they're cold and somewhat compact, especially if you're making ice cream.
Question
Is it compulsory to add the vanilla extract and cocoa powder?

Both the vanilla extract and cocoa powder add flavor to the ice cream, so it's highly recommend to add them. If you cannot add them, try replacing them with another sweet substitute.

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Stir in liquid and powdered flavorings, such as cocoa powder or vanilla extract before blending the ice cream.
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Add in solid extras, such as chocolate chips, cookie chunks, or pieces of fruit after you have finished blending.
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Covering the ice cream mixture with a sheet of plastic wrap before you freeze it will help reduce ice crystals.
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Things You'll Need

Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Ice cream maker
Freezer-safe container
Freezer

Mixing bowl
Spoon
Whisk
Freezer-safe container
Freezer

Blender or food processor
Rubber spatula
Freezer-safe container
Freezer

References

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To make ice cream without heavy cream, use coconut milk instead. First, chill a can of full fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Then, transfer the fatty layer of coconut milk into a bowl and discard the water underneath. Mix in almond milk, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt, then transfer the mixture into a freezer-safe container. Put it in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours. Stir the ingredients every 30 minutes with a whisk. Once your ice cream is frozen, spoon it into a bowl and enjoy! To learn how to make ice cream with bananas, keep reading!

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 128,267 times.

Reader Success Stories

Divine Kamau
Apr 19, 2020
"The homemade ice cream was delicious when I made with condensed milk but the recipe didn't include sugar."

Did this article help you?

What can you use instead of heavy cream for ice cream?

Don't worry too much if you don't have whole milk or heavy cream. Nearly any milk will work, and you can substitute half-and-half for the cream. Ideally you want ingredients with a high fat content because these will create a creamy texture when cooled.

How do you thicken ice cream without cream?

Try a dry stabilizer for something quick and simple. Great examples include arrowroot powder, cornflour, and tapioca flour. Unlike eggs, they do not alter the flavor too much. Plan on using between 2 and 3 teaspoons per quart (688 grams) of ice cream.

Can I use butter instead of heavy cream in ice cream?

The more I thought about it, the better an idea I decided it was. So using the same method I used for the Craftsy writeup, I whipped up a batch of vanilla ice cream. But instead of heavy cream, I substituted an equal amount of butter. From there, I basically followed the same steps.