Make the best old fashioned homemade ice cream recipe with raw eggs, using an old-fashioned ice cream maker. My family's old school vanilla ice cream recipe has the most amazing flavor! It's perfect for backyard bbq's, church potlucks, and family gatherings.
Much like my dad's homemade banana ice cream, my family’s homemade vanilla ice cream recipe has been a part of every summer for as far back as I can remember. While it’s morphed from person to person, it’s pretty much the same old fashioned ice cream I remember enjoying with family on special summer occasions gone by.
I love using homemade vanilla ice cream with condensed milk to sandwich together chocolate chip cookies, and we love using it to make a delicious homemade vanilla milkshake. It has amazing flavor and makes the best vanilla ice cream ever.
TIPS FOR HOW TO MAKE VANILLA ICE CREAM
First of all, make sure your ice cream freezer, especially the canister, is washed out good. We store ours in the garage, so we always have to wash it before we use it.
I recommend using a mixer to mix up homemade vanilla ice cream with eggs; this will ensure that the ingredients are mixed really well, especially the eggs*.
- Start by creaming (or mixing) the eggs* and the sugar together. Then add in the vanilla extract. Did you know you can even make your own vanilla?
- Next, mix in the sweetened condensed milk, scraping all the ooey gooey liquid out of the can with a spatula.
- Then add both cans of evaporated milk, and add in a good-sized dash of salt, which equals out to about a teaspoon. Mix everything together well.
- Pour the mixture into the metal canister of your ice cream maker. Then finish topping off the canister with whole milk, making sure to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, leaving room for expansion as it freezes. Your metal canister should have a fill line.
HOW TO FREEZE HOMEMADE ICE CREAM WITH AN OLD FASHIONED ICE CREAM MAKER
Freezing the mixture to make homemade vanilla ice cream is fairly easy, especially once you get it going. You will need to stay with it so you can monitor if it needs more ice, rock salt, or needs unplugged when done.
While I always advise you to follow manufacturer instructions for your specific ice cream maker, here are a few tips. You can also read our complete guide to the old-fashioned ice cream maker for more tips and suggestions.
- Put the lid on, and place the metal canister down into the bucket of your ice cream maker.
- Crush a big bag of ice, gradually pouring ice around the canister. Tip: You can add up to a gallon of water if needed, as well. We sometimes do this because our motor will seize up. Adding a bit of water will help it keep turning.
- Add 2-3 cups of rock salt as you add the ice, making sure to top it off with rock salt.
- Let the motor run until it stops. Once the ice cream is frozen, the motor on your ice cream maker will stop churning. Unplug it immediately. This should signal that the ice cream is completely frozen.
Wipe any excess ice or rock salt off the lid and out from around the top of the canister. Then remove the lid.
Carefully remove the churning paddle, and serve the ice cream immediately.
If you’re not ready to serve it up just yet, you can always leave the lid on, remove the motor, top the canister off with ice, and place a towel or two over it to insulate it and keep it cold.
WHERE TO FIND ROCK SALT
While you can find smaller bags or boxes of rock salt online and at the grocery store, sometimes you can get a bigger and less expensive bag at a hardware store or feed store.
WHAT TO PAIR WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM
Homemade vanilla ice cream pairs really well with desserts like gluten-free apple crisp, fresh strawberry pie, peach cobbler, gluten-free peach crisp, peach cobbler made with Bisquick, blueberry cobbler, cherry pineapple dump cake, peach cobbler dump cake, sliced baked apples, and apple crumb pie.
FAVORITE MIX-INS FOR HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM
There are so many things you can mix into or serve with your ice cream to make it even more fun, especially with kids.
- Fruit or Fruit Jam or Berry Fruit Salad – We especially love mixing strawberry jam, peach freezer jam, or blackberry jam into our ice cream.
- Chocolate Syrup, Butterscotch Topping, Caramel Topping, etc. – With whipped cream and a cherry on top.
- Oreo Cookies – I especially love crushing up Oreo Minis.
- Chocolate candies – Like M&M’s, Snickers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and more.
- Brownies or Cookies
- Vanilla ice cream is delicious served over a bowl of warm microwave apples.
- There's nothing more refreshing than a slice of my favorite lemon Jello poke cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day!
MORE HOMEMADE ICE CREAM RECIPES:
SHOP KITCHEN TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE:
Mixer – A mixer will ensure you mix everything together really well.
Ice Cream Freezer – This is an ice cream maker recipe, so you’ll need a maker/freezer.
Food Storage Containers – We use dishes similar to these to store our ice cream in the freezer, especially when we have a big batch.
Ice Cream Scoop – Can’t have ice cream without a scooper.
GET THE PRINTABLE RECIPE
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Find my original recipe for vanilla ice cream over on Adventures of Mel!
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Old Fashioned Homemade Ice Cream Recipe with Raw Eggs
Ingredients
Ice Cream:
- 6 large eggs*
- 1 1/4 cups pure cane sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 24 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups whole milk**
Freezing Ingredients:
- 16 pounds ice
- 3 cups rock salt
Instructions
- Start by creaming (or mixing) the eggs and the sugar together using a mixer.
- Then add in the vanilla extract.
- Next, mix in the sweetened condensed milk, scraping all the ooey gooey liquid out of the can with a spatula.
- Add both cans of evaporated milk.
- Add in a good-sized dash of salt, which equals out to about a teaspoon.
- Mix everything together well.
- Make sure your ice cream freezer, especially the canister, is washed out and ready.
- Pour the mixture into the metal canister of your ice cream maker.
- Finish topping off the canister with whole milk, making sure to fill it about 3/4 of the way full, leaving room for expansion as it freezes. Your metal canister should have a fill line.
- Put the lid on, and place the metal canister down into the bucket of your ice cream maker.
- Crush a big bag of ice, gradually pouring ice around the canister. Tip: You can add up to a gallon of water if needed, as well. We sometimes do this because our motor will seize up. Adding a bit of water will help it keep turning.
- Add 2-3 cups of rock salt as you add the ice, making sure to top it off with rock salt.
- Let the motor run until it stops. Once the ice cream is frozen, the motor on your ice cream maker will stop churning. This should signal that the ice cream is completely frozen.
- Unplug it immediately.
- Wipe any excess ice or rock salt off the lid and out from around the top of the canister. Then remove the lid.
- Carefully remove the churning paddle.
- Serve the ice cream immediately. If you’re not ready to serve it up just yet, you can always leave the lid on, remove the motor, top the canister off with ice, and place a towel or two over it to insulate it and keep it cold.
Thank you so much for the recipe. I love Old fashion homemade ice cream. I use to make this along time ago but lost my recipe. Can’t wait to try this for my family and friends.
Linda, it’s one of our favorite recipes. Thanks so much!
Question about whole milk – what you mean by “Half & Half in place of the whole milk “
You can substitute it 1:1, and it can make for a creamier result, if that’s what you desire.
You will find “Half & Half” in the same cooler area as the milk. It is thicker and creamier that whole milk.
Wow its great tips to make the ice cream i love it
.
Thank you, Jaiman!
Is there a “chemistry “ purpose for the salt or for taste? Our family has used a very similar recipe for 5 generations but have never seen similar ones with salt.
It’s more for taste.
Can I use this recipe in an electric ice-cream maker? Looks so good!
Rachelle, I am not sure since I’ve never tried this. I would think as long as it churns, it might?
It’s not a new idea to make and eat homemade icecream with raw eggs. It’s been done for hundreds of years. So it’s not going to kill you. Some tips that I use to make four quarts of the best ice cream you’ve ever eaten following Mel’s recipe with some variations ; 1. I only use 3 eggs. The more eggs you use the more custard like your ice cream will be. 2. When you crack your eggs, there’s a little white tail coming off the yoke. Remove the white tail with a spoon. This is a tip handed down by my grandmother and could possibly be why You Can eat raw eggs in ice cream without getting sick. 3. Use the vanilla extract to taste. I only use three teaspoons in mine. And lastly, 4. I will store my empty ice cream canister in the freezer for at least two hours before I pour my mix into it. My icecream is ready in 35-40 minutes.
All really great tips, Michael. Thank you so much! I’m very intrigued by your grandmother removing the white tails.
I love this recipe, however have concerns about the raw eggs…any comment?
Laura, you can use pasteurized eggs or cook the eggs with the canned milk to the proper temperature before adding them to your ice cream mixture.
It was just okay, I wish I had my mom’s recipe. I did use egg beaters instead of raw eggs and half and half as suggested to make it creamer. I have had better homemade ice cream. So I’ll keep searching and only make a quart next time until I find the right one.
Sorry it didn’t work out for you, Mike. I wonder if the Egg Beaters took away from the flavor and richness of the ice cream.
I used to make homemade ice cream a lot but got away from it when the kids left home and we didn’t have as many family gatherings. This recipe is as close to what I use to make as any. My daughter asked me to make some homemade ice cream for my granddaughters birthday coming up. I had to purchase a new freezer. It came with recipes. The old fashioned vanilla recipe called for adding 1/4 cup of flour. Has anyone heard of this and if so, can you tell me what is the reasoning behind it. Thanks!
Mary, that’s really interesting. I’ve never heard of adding flour to ice cream.
It is used as a thinker for the custard.
Hi Dear
Thanks for reminding me of the old fashioned to make homemade vanilla ice cream. I love to do to as grandma doing…
Thanks, again.
Michel.J
Thank you, Michel! I hope you enjoy.