Something about September triggers my I’m-totally-obsessed-with-autumn side. I started getting out my fall decorations this past week and put some of my favorite fall-ish meals on the menu with plans to share them with you. Then Saturday rolled around and as I sat in 97 (yes, ninety-flipping-seven) degree weather, sweating my rear off while watching my son’s football game I decided there was absolutely no way I was going home to cook soup. So we stopped at the store for ice cream ingredients instead. Oh autumn, I guess you’ll just have to wait a little bit longer.
You might remember our one ingredient ice cream which is a pretty good fake out. The difference here is that this is real ice cream. And it only requires this:
Okay so technically this too:
But I’m not counting that, because this is even great if you forget the vanilla. The best part about this ice cream is that you can make it with our without an ice cream maker! And, you can add any flavors or add-ins you like. (Check out our friend Amanda’s to-die-for flavor combos for this same recipe) I’m making good ol’ fashioned vanilla, and I’m going to show you the freezer method.
Just dump out your sweetened condensed milk into a mixing bowl
and add some vanilla
Now if you’re using an ice cream machine, all you do is stir in the cream or half and half and pop in the machine. If you aren’t using an ice cream maker, then you just need to whip the cream first.
Does this sound familiar? We’re basically doing the same thing as my Creamy Fruit Freeze.
Then just fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture. You don’t want to just dump it in and stir. To fold means to take a little bit at a time, and gently move your rubber spatula from the bottom of the bowl, around up to the top. This keeps the fluffy air in the cream as opposed to deflating it while stirring.
At this point you can add in anything you like: fresh fruit, crushed cookies, spices, extracts, etc. Or leave it plain jane like me. Not that I’m plain. My ice cream is. If we’re talking about me, then I’m more like marshmallow fudge ripple with peanut butter cups and sprinkles. With a side of bacon.
Just place your container in the freezer until the ice cream is firm; at least 6 hours. Then scoop ‘er up.
Experiment with different flavors- we love crushed oreos, mashed banana, fresh strawberry, cinnamon-graham cracker with apple pie filling, peanutbutter banana with chocolate chips, nutella, you can’t really go wrong here, folks!
Good ol’ fashioned caramel from a jar works just fine too 🙂
Two Ingredient Ice Cream {No Machine Required!}
- Total Time: 1-6 hours, depending on method
Description
This easy ice cream has only three ingredients and doesn’t require an ice cream maker. If you happen to have one, though, there are instructions included for that as well.
Ingredients
4 cups half and half or cream (*only 2 cups needed for non-machine version)
14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Ice Cream Machine: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions and place in freezer after to set up if needed.
Freezer Method: Omit half and half. Combine sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl. In a separate bowl, pour 2 cups heavy cream into bowl and whip until soft-medium peaks form. Slowly fold whipped cream into sweetened condensed milk mixture in 3 additions. Fold until well combined. Pour into container and freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm.
Add-ins may be added before freezing for both methods. Try fresh fruit, crushed cookies or candies, and different flavored extracts and spices.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Freeze Time: 1-6 hours
Questions & Reviews
This recipe is delightful. Our condensed milk comes in 300 ml cans which is about 10 oz. Will the 10 oz work with 2 cups of whipping cream.
Yes that should be just fine!
I love that this recipe is so easy. Have you tried it with the tins of caramelised condensed milk? Also my favourite is rum and raisin but alcohol reduces the freezing point of the ice cream. How much can I add before it stops it from freezing in my home freezer?
I’ve never tried it, but I’ve heard the rule of thumb is no more than one and a half tablespoons of 80-proof alcohol for every quart of ice cream base, so I’d start there!
Oh My Goodness Gracious Sakes Alive!!! This is the bomb — made 2 batches gone in 24 hours. Added a drizzle of butterscotch and chocolate syrups between layers an swirled it in with a knife…. My hubby ate it for breakfast.
I’m a little late to the party here, and I’m not sure I’ll even get a response but I hope I do… I made this yesterday. I followed the recipe exactly, even double and triple checking the recipe. It tasted awful!! Is the amount of vanilla correct? It says 2 tablespoons. Did you mean 2 teaspoons? The aftertaste left by the vanilla was almost mediciney… (not a word I know) I’m going to try this again and cut the vanilla down…a lot…
Hey Shannon, I’m sorry it wasn’t a hit! It might be your vanilla. 2 tablespoons always works great for me, but if you’re vanilla tastes medicine-y, you might want to try a new bottle, or decrease it to your liking. Make sure you’re using 100% and not imitation as well. Good luck next time!
This looks amazing!! I read up in the post that it would be ok to omit the vanilla! Because I don’t have any on hand, will the tasted be affected greatly? Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!!
You could leave out the vanilla. I think it helps add flavor since there are so few ingredients, but it will still work just fine 🙂
As soon as I discovered this recipe, I keep it on hand at all times in the freezer. I serve it to my one-year-old on a daily basis as part of my program to “fatten her up” a bit; she is extremely lean. But Mama takes little tastes, too- this stuff is heavenly! I am intrigued about adding fruit, but I want to go beyond just adding fruit chunks as I’d like the flavor to completely permeate the ice cream. I’m dreaming of peach puree in addition to peach chunks, but I’m unsure how much to add…I don’t want it to change the consistency. I toyed with the idea of the creamy fruit freeze, but I love the taste and texture of the ice cream so much and I’m worried I won’t get the same taste. Any suggestions for how much puree to add? I am using the no ice cream maker version. Thanks in advance- adore your blog!!
I make this all the time its great I add oreos 🙂
I’ve been making this ice cream for several months now, and I have really enjoyed experimenting with different flavors. I have one question, though: I tried mixing in some cocoa powder to make chocolate ice cream. It tasted just like what I buy at the store! Only problem was, it never got the texture/hardness of normal ice cream. I had made a vanilla the same day (as a back up in case that experiment went horribly wrong) and it came out perfect as usual, so I know the issue was not the temperature of freezer. Do you have any suggestions for how to turn this into a chocolate ice cream?
I’ve made this several times with different add-ins and each time it is SOOOO good! I’m pregnant right now and the only kind of ice cream I want is the creamy kind, like from ColdStone or Marble Slab…store bought won’t do! (I know, weird.) But this recipe definitely satisfies my cravings. It’s so yummy! I love that it’s so easy to make, and the fact that I don’t need an ice cream machine. I just put some vanilla flavored in the freezer to go with the homemade apple pie (from this site as well) that we’ll be having for dessert tonight. I can’t wait! You guys are amazing! I love your site!
made this today with my family, and added choc. chip cookie dough and peanut butter cups. very tasty! will definitely be making again sometime!
I love this website all my kids love making food whit me now
Super excited about this! I’ve been looking for an easy and delicious ice cream that I can make in the freezer, since we live in a TINY apartment and have no extra room. Added some vanilla bean and going to suprise my husband with this and fresh blackberries tonight! Thanks!
Will try this tomorrow! 🙂
I made this for a women’s ice cream social along with your strawberry syrup, and caramel sauce. All was a hit!!! Thanks so much!
love the recipe, love the website. thank you for inspiring a ‘detest the kitchen’ teenager 🙂
I love you. I love you. I love you! This ice cream almost brings me to tears! I have soy allergies (among other things) and up until about 6 mos ago, I only could eat Breyers Ice Cream or the ever expensive Haagen Daas. Breyers recently began adding “natural flavors” to their ice creams (all flavors), which are soy derived and I began getting sick. When I discovered what Breyers had done, I stopped eating ice cream. I love ice cream. Have all of my life. Thank you so very much for bringing back some joy to my life! I got an ice cream attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer and won’t even have to use it now, with this recipe. Thank you oh so very much! This ice cream is rich, delicious, and oh-so-creamy!
I have what I need at home. Will be making this tonight. Then will top the apple pie in a jar. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
ooohhh emmm geeeee! i am running to the grocery store to buy these 2, or er…3 ingredients.
i just read your post about the SMUCKERS thingy you guys were at this past week. so glad you got to try farenheit. seriously is my fav restaurant….i live in cleveland!! xo
I am so amazed that this comes out looking just like ice cream out of a carton! I can’t believe how perfect the texture is. It is really good, too. But REEEEEAAAAALLLY rich. My husband loves ice cream and can usually down half a carton in one sitting. He had a few scoops of this and it kinda made him sick. He has such a tough stomach to sweetness so that surprised me. I could only have a few bites too before it was too much. Are we weird?
I just tried the boil-a-can-of-condensed milk caramel. It is going to be soooo good over this ice cream!!
I made this for everyone who came to my house to watch conference today and everyone loved it! and when I told them how simple it is to make they loved it even more!!! Thanks so much!
Loved this! We made it for FHE and I divided it into lots of little containers so the kids could do their own flavor serving–we had nutella peanut butter, pumpkin, pina colada, almond with butterscotch chips, mint chocolate–what an easy yummy treat!
Fabulous idea!! I love make your own adventures!
How am I 36 years old and just now hearing about this “no machine necessary” method?!? I bought a quart of Whipping Cream and my four year-old and I made two batches. One vanilla with mini chocolate chips the other (which turned out a little soft) I added cherry flavoring, pineapple flavoring and about 2/3 cup peach mango jam from Costco. I was skeptical, as was the rest of the fam, but lo and behold, it was indeed ice cream! And it was delicious.
Update, I checked on the one we made with jam the following day and it did end up totally solid, but still a little too sweet. (Sugar in the jam was smallkine overkill–not inedible, mind you, it IS ice cream after all.)
That’s so clever! I will have to try it very soon. My husband is an ice cream lover, and I can’t wait to try many different flavors. Thanks so much for sharing!
This is just ridiculous. Insanely easy and ubergood. I had a hard time *not* eating all the mixture before I froze it. I figured if the spatula tasted that good, I can’t wait for the frozen version.
I put some on top of some hot homemade applesauce (also insanely easy) and it’s almost a crime how good it is.
BTW, the mixture can be frozen, then left to thaw on the counter over night, then refrozen the next day. Just ask my teenager. He’s lucky it refroze successfully.
I tried this yesterday and oh-my-yum I’m never buying store bought vanilla ice cream again!