Have you ever made hand-tossed ice cream? This interactive summer activity ends in a sweet treat that kids can’t resist! A few simple ingredients go into a bag, which goes into another bag filled with ice and salt. Then comes the fun: these bags get tossed and shaken until the contents freeze into delicious ice cream. (Don’t worry, they get taped up well!)
Ingredient and Equipment Notes
- Simple Ingredients – The ice cream itself requires 2% milk, cream (regular whipping cream or heavy cream will work), sugar, and vanilla. Feel free to grab your favorite toppings and mix ins, such as strawberries, blueberries, and crushed or chopped Butterfingers, Twix, peanut butter cups, or Skor bars.
- Ziploc Freezer Bags – Remember that these bags are going to be abused quite a bit! I would stick with name brand bags for this recipe. You’ll need quart sized freezer bags for the ice cream and gallon sized freezer bags for the ice.
- Ice – This recipe calls for 10 lbs of ice, which is one bag if buying from the store. You’ll need to be able to fill two gallon sized freezer bags initially, then possibly some more for refills as the ice melts during tossing. If using your own ice at home, fill several gallon bags ahead of time from your ice maker.
- Ice Cream Salt – You can find ice cream salt in the baking aisle next to the other salts. Rock salt works just as well.
- Waterproof Tape – Duct tape works well. This is to seal the bags so your ice cream and salty ice don’t leak and mix.
- Gloves – Optional, but helpful to keep little fingers from getting too cold.
How To Make Hand Tossed Ice Cream
- In a large bowl, you’ll combine some sugar, milk, whipping cream, and vanilla. You’ll then divide this mixture between a couple of quart-sized freezer bags, squeeze out all of the air, seal, and tape shut.Â
Then you’ll place one filled bag inside one gallon-sized bag and sprinkle 1 cup of ice cream salt around the smaller bag. Add as much ice as you can comfortably fit into the gallon-sized bag, squeeze to remove excess air, and zip shut. Maneuver the ice around to make sure there’s ice on all sides of the smaller bag inside. Place in freezer while you repeat the process with the second bag.Â
When the second bag has been prepared, head outside. Be sure to bring the leftover ice and rock salt because you’re probably going to need to drain some of the salty water and replenish the ice supply while you’re tossing the ice cream. Let each kid take a turn (or a couple) tossing the bags of ice cream into the air or to each other. It gets C-O-L-D, so a pair of gloves won’t hurt anybody!
- After about 10-15 minutes, remove the quart-sized bag and rinse off the saltwater. Cut a hole in one corner of the bag and squeeze the ice cream into individual dishes. Let everyone add their desired toppings and have at it! It might be a little melty, but I promise, not a single person will complain!Â
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ice cream freeze well if we have leftovers? This is a recipe that’s best enjoyed right after tossing. Because the ice cream is freezing, but not getting any air mixed into it like traditional ice cream, it’s more of a melty soft serve dessert.
How do I plan ahead/ plan this for a larger group of kids? Prep your ice cream mixture and complete the steps through taping the quart-sized bags closed. Store these in the fridge for up to a couple of days. When ready to use, help the kids add the smaller bags, ice, and salt to the larger bags and get shaking!
Serving Suggestions & Related Recipes
Air Fryer Crumble Topping or Homemade Magic Shell Topping would be fun additions here. Hot Fudge Sauce or Buttermilk Caramel Syrup would also be delicious!
Looking for more fun ideas to do with the kids? Check out these other Our Best Bites favorites:
Oven-Dried Apple Chips {Two Ways!}
Homemade Hot Pockets
Frozen Pudding Pops
Edible Playdough and Finger Paint
Did You Make This?
I’d love to hear from you! Snap a picture and tag me on Instagram, then come back and give this recipe a rating!
Kids Week: Hand-Tossed Ice Cream
Ingredients
- ICE CREAM
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
- Desired ice cream toppings and mix-ins we used sugared strawberries, blueberries, and crushed or chopped Butterfingers, Twix Bars, York Peppermint Patties, Reese's PB Cups, and Skor Bars
- SUPPLIES
- 2 1- quart Ziploc freezer bags I used Walmart brand and wished I'd sprung for the big guns
- 2 1- gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bags ditto on the name brand
- 10 pounds ice one bag
- 2 cups ice cream salt
- waterproof tape like duct tape
- gloves optional, but keeps little fingers from freezing
Instructions
- 1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, milk, whipping cream, and vanilla. Have one of your larger little helpers hold open one quart-sized bag and pour half of the mixture into the bag and zip shut, squeezing out all the air. Use duct tape to tape the opening shut (we actually, in a pinch, used electrical tape and it was fine!). Repeat with second bag.
- 2. Place one filled bag inside one gallon-sized bag and sprinkle 1 cup of ice cream salt around the smaller bag. Add as much ice as you can comfortably fit into the gallon-sized bag, squeeze to remove excess air, and zip shut. Maneuver the ice around to make sure there's ice on all sides of the smaller bag inside. Place in freezer while you repeat the process with the second bag.
- 3. When the second bag has been prepared, head outside. Be sure to bring the leftover ice and rock salt because you're probably going to need to drain some of the salty water and replenish the ice supply while you're tossing the ice cream. Let each kid take a turn (or a couple) tossing the bags of ice cream into the air or to each other. It gets C-O-L-D, so a pair of gloves won't hurt anybody!
- 4. After about 10-15 minutes, remove the quart-sized bag and rinse off the saltwater. Cut a hole in one corner of the bag and squeeze the ice cream into individual dishes. Let everyone add their desired toppings and have at it! It might be a little melty, but I promise, not a single person will complain!
Questions & Reviews
did this with the neighbor kids, too fun! thanks guys
Fun! My son would love doing this.
So fun! We've done this before, but I never thought to put in all of the add-in ideas. Great idea! We will have to try this this weekend.
When I read this post out loud late Wednesday night my husband was kind of skeptical about the idea. I think I'm going to make it and prove him wrong!!
michelle
mnhub-junk at yahoo dot com
Yummy!
I just may do that for our Friday Ice cream tonight! Sounds so yummy!!
We did this once as a young womens activity and they loved it. Need to try it with my kids now!
What a fun way to make dessert. This one will have to wait until the 24th of July as an activity for all the kids to try.
This looks like as much fun to make as it is to eat. My only concern is that I will be doing all the work and my 3 year old will be doing all the eating. 🙂
I forgot about making this when I was little! Thanks for the recipe.
I totally remember doing this as a kid!
I love this idea. I think we are going to make this tomorrow afternoon.
great idea! this would be perfect for a birthday party or something…and hopefully it will tucker the kiddos right out!
I think this will be a great FHE activity/treat next week. Thanks!
That sounds fun and easy and of course looks delicious. Just the other day I was lamenting the fact that we don't have an ice cream maker, so this is perfect! 🙂
I've been seeing these pop up a lot lately! I'm going to have to try them!
I've done this before, but be careful! Your hands can get really cold really fast! (But I guess the ice cream makes up for it! 🙂 )
tari.mcdonald @ gmail . com
Our extended family did this at a family reunion one year. Except we did them in cans. It was really fun to watch people rolling their can all over, waiting for their yummy ice cream.
Oh we will have to try this!
I haven't done this since my preschool cohort at BYU! I forgot how fun this is to do with the kids! Great ideas guys!
Yum!
We will have to do this over the weekend!
Delicious and entertaining! Love it! The kids will love it too! Maybe we could do this at a primary activity!
Looks like a great activity to do with my boys age 5 and 3!! Thanks for sharing!
How fun and yummy (=fummy?).
One word: Yum.
What a great idea! I can't wait to try it out!
Yummy, I have always wanted to try this with my kids.
Ok – So I had a babysitter for my kids a few years ago that did this with them. She brought the ingredients (except the milk and ice) and they had a ball doing this in the backyard. What FUN!!!
My favorite part is the duct tape sealed bags . . . I don't know it still could cause an accident, then they could lick it off each other.