Believe it or not, you don’t need an ice cream maker to make delicious, creamy homemade ice cream. Make this simple, but delightful, recipe with common kitchen tools, real ingredients, and some patience. We make this ice cream with raw goat’s milk, but you can any kind of milk you prefer.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Making homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker is easier than you think. You don’t need a lot of equipment, and you don’t even need dry ice!
All you need is some patience.
Why Homemade Ice Cream
I make homemade ice cream because I have extra milk from my Nubian dairy goats. Their milk is high in butterfat and makes the sweetest, creamiest ice cream you’ve ever had. You can make this recipe with any kind of milk you have on hand though, just know whole milk works best!
Making homemade ice cream is a fun activity that the whole family can participate in. You can feel good about making something from scratch with just a few real ingredients too!
Materials for Making Goat’s Milk Ice Cream without an Ice Cream Maker
To make homemade ice cream, without an ice cream maker, you have two options. You can churn the ice cream by hand with a whisk or use a stand mixer. The choice is yours. Using the KitchenAid makes a very fluffy ice cream, while the low-tech, hand-churned ice cream is more dense.
Here is what you need to make ice cream with a pan and whisk:
You can use a 8×8 or 9×9 inch square pan if you want. You can also double the recipe and use a 9×13 inch pan. The corners of a square or rectangular pan are harder to get the whisk in to, that’s why I recommend using a round pan if you have one. Also, the ice cream freezes more quickly in a metal pan.
A metal whisk is fine to use, I chose a silicone-coated one though so it wouldn’t scratch my nonstick pan.
Make sure you have enough space in your freezer for the pan of your choosing.
Here is what you need to make ice cream using a stand mixer:
- Stand mixer
- 4.5-5 quart mixing bowl that attaches to your stand mixer
- Wire whip or ice cream maker attachment for stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Freezer
- Timer
I have a basic 4.5 quart KitchenAid mixer and just the mixing bowl and three attachments that came with it. They do make an ice cream making attachment, but I don’t have one and found that the wire whip attachment works just fine.
Make sure you have enough room in your freezer for the mixing bowl to sit undisturbed.
Ingredients for Making Goat’s Milk Ice Cream without an Ice Cream Maker
- 1 ½ cups goat’s milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 tablespoon almond extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
This recipe is for a basic, but delicious, vanilla flavored ice cream. It goes great with chocolate sauce, caramel, or fresh berries. Every summer when I make black raspberry/ mulberry crisp, I have to make this homemade ice cream too. Click here for the Wild Double Berry Crisp recipe.
You can get creative to change the flavor and color of this ice cream. Craving Cookies and Cream? Crush up Oreos and add them to the mix. Want Mint Chocolate Chip? Add peppermint extract and mini chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless!
Directions for Making Goat’s Milk Ice Cream without an Ice Cream Maker
- Measure out all ingredients into the pan or mixing bowl
- Using a whisk, stir the mixture for about 2 minutes to help dissolve the sugar. If you are using a stand mixer, use the slowest setting for 2 minutes.
- Put the pan or bowl in the freezer and set a timer for 1.5 hours
- Once the freezing time has elapsed, remove the pan or bowl from the freezer and churn thoroughly. Make sure to break up frozen chunks on the sides of the pan or bowl and in the corners (if applicable). If using a stand mixer, continue to use the slowest setting.
- Place the pan or bowl back in the freezer for 45 minutes
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the ice cream has reached a thick, scoop-able consistency. This is usually achieved between three and four hours after starting
- Enjoy!
Additional Notes on Making Goat’s Milk Ice Cream without an Ice Cream Maker
In my opinion, this ice cream is best served when freshly made. If the ice cream is in the freezer longer, it will freeze solid, crystalize, and will be hard to scoop. Allowing it to sit out on a counter, partially melt, and churning it before serving again is advised.
Mother, farmer, author, and teacher by trade… She loves tending to things and watching them grow!