Nothing is kind like homemade ice cream on a hot summer day! This recipe is perfection and was passed down to me from my mother. In my childhood, my Grammy had a lake house on Ft. Gibson Lake, and throughout those early years it was a second home. 

The cabin itself was far from fancy, and had remnants of a 70’s vibe throughout – burnt orange carpet, paneling, a bit of a musty smell and perfectly cozy. It holds so many of my memories, from all different seasons of the year. In the fall and winter we would go to escape the hustle and bustle of the school year. We go on long hikes, and my sisters would let our imaginations run wild playing in the giant ravine that ran alongside the cabin. Always ending the day with board games or a movie, and a crackling fire. 

Summers at the lake were my favorite. We always drove two cars – Grammy’s station wagon and Dad’s blue truck. If you wanted to get there first you would ride with dad. If you wanted the journey to last 4 hours – due to a detour to Walmart for food – you rode with mom and Grammy. Mind you the drive from here to Ft. Gibson is 45 minutes. Grammy would buy enough food to last a month, even if we were only going for a few days, and any snack you asked for, she said yes to – I always opted to go with Mom and Grammy. 

Summer meant long days on the boat, followed by a grilled dinner watching the sunset with sun kissed cheeks. And dessert – which more often than not, was homemade ice cream. This is my mom’s recipe and it is the best! 

This old-fashioned ice cream recipe is creamy perfection and rich in that vanilla flavor we all want. It is old fashioned completely, with a custard-based recipe which is what makes it such a great recipe!

It is THE best ice cream recipe, made with whole ingredients, so add this homemade vanilla ice cream recipe to your bucket list this summer! Old fashioned vanilla ice cream recipe below for the complete guide!

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

• Simple ingredients!
• It comes together quickly!
• Can be made ahead of time and kept in the freezer!
• Versatile! Add you own mix-ins!
• It doesn’t contain sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk!
• Swap out the sugar for coconut sugar for less sugar / lower glycemic! 
• Or swap out the sugar for maple syrup for a healthy recipes! 
• Basic ingredients found at the grocery store.
• It tastes just like summer!
• SO easy and perfect for special occasions!

Ingredients Needed:

• raw eggs (whole eggs, not just the egg yolks)
• sugar
• whole milk (raw milk is a win) 
• heavy cream
• half & half
• vanilla (or vanilla bean paste if you want to get fancy)
• salt
• Ice Cream Salt or Rock Salt
• Ice
• An Old Fashioned Ice Cream Maker

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt. 
2. In a sauce pan, over medium-low heat, scald the milk so it steams and almost boils. You will want to whisk the entire time, making sure the milk doesn’t burn. Add the vanilla, whisk to combine. Remove from heat.  
3. To temper the egg and sugar mixture, SLOWLY add the milk, whisking the entire time. Tempering the egg mixture creates a custard base/ice cream base for the ice cream. It will have a beautiful creamy texture! 
4. Pour the custard into the ice cream maker. Pour in the cream and half & half, and put the lid on. 
5. Fill the cavity around the tin with ice and ice cream salt – I like to layer (ice, salt, ice, salt) and I use about half of a container of ice cream salt per ice cream batch. 
6. It takes about 30 minutes to an hour for the ice cream to set. You can always store the tin in the freezer until you are ready to serve!

Storage:

For any left overs (which we never have) you can pour the ice cream into an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. 

Serve With:

• peach cobbler
• homemade brownies
• hot fudge or caramel sauce
• fresh fruit
• blueberry buckle (check out my recipe)
• favorite toppings

Tips for Perfect Ice Cream Every Time:

• Use Fresh Ingredients: The quality of your ice cream will depend greatly on the quality of your ingredients. Fresh eggs, high-quality cream, and pure vanilla extract will make a noticeable difference.
• Chill the Mixture: Before churning, make sure your custard mixture is thoroughly chilled. This helps the ice cream freeze faster and prevents ice crystals from forming.
• Don’t Overfill the Ice Cream Maker: Overfilling can prevent proper churning and cause the ice cream to be too soft. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for the best results.
• Store Properly: To avoid freezer burn, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing it in an airtight container. This helps keep your ice cream fresh and creamy.
• Experiment with Flavors: Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, don’t hesitate to get creative. Add crushed cookies, fresh berries, chocolate chips, or even a swirl of caramel or fudge.
• Room Temperature Eggs: aids in the tempering when making the custard base. 

Making homemade ice cream is a wonderful tradition that brings back the warmth of summer days and family gatherings. Make a batch of homemade ice cream, and enjoy every spoonful of this delicious treat – it just might become one of your favorite desserts! 

Old Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Churn Time:28 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 7 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 quart half & half
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Ice Cream Salt
• Ice

Instructions

• In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt.
• In a sauce pan, over medium heat, scald the milk so it steams and almost boils. You will want to whisk the entire time, making sure the milk doesn’t burn. Add the vanilla, whisk to combine. Remove from heat.
• To temper the egg and sugar mixture, SLOWLY add the milk, whisking the entire time. Tempering the egg mixture creates a custard base for the ice cream.
• Pour the custard into the ice cream maker. Pour in the cream and half & half, and put the lid on.
• Fill the cavity around the tin with ice and ice cream salt – I like to layer (ice, salt, ice, salt) and I use about half of a container of ice cream salt per ice cream batch.
• It takes about 30 minutes to an hour for the ice cream to set. You can always store the tin in the freezer until you are ready to serve!