How to Make Ice Cream at Home

In spite of what the weather report may say, we're ready for summer. That means it's time for ice cream. Of course you can grab a half-gallon from the freezer case at the grocery store. But we think ice cream tastes even better when you make it at home.

In fact, you can probably even make ice cream with kitchen appliances you already own. Want to learn more about how to make ice cream? Keep reading, and then start eating!

How to Make Ice Cream With a Blender

Blenders can do more than make soup and smoothies. The next time you're craving ice cream, give it a whirl in your blender. Those spinning blades easily combine milk, sugar, and fruit into a frozen dessert.

We love this recipe from Vitamix that uses frozen raspberries. You can try it with any type of frozen fruit, or freeze fresh fruit before blending. Read the comments too, for a few smart hints on straining seeds from the raspberries and blending the sugar so it will dissolve more readily in the milk. You could also substitute heavy cream for the milk, or use half-and-half for a creaming texture.

If you don't own a Vitamix, don't worry -- any powerful blender will do. Just be sure to keep an eye on the ingredients as they blend, and then serve right away.

How to Make Ice Cream With a Food Processor

A food processor is also a good candidate for making ice cream. However, you'll want to look for recipes that don't include much liquid, since blenders are better at handling liquids than food processors are.

Start with this recipe from Get Inspired Everyday! which is perfect for the food processor and a great way to use up overripe bananas too. You'll need some small chunks of frozen banana, along with nut butter and cocoa powder.

That's right -- there's no cream in this ice cream. There isn't even any milk. But the frozen bananas make it deliciously creamy. Plus, you can even freeze the leftovers and enjoy it again the next day.

How to Make Ice Cream With a Stand Mixer

Yet another kitchen appliance you probably already own is a stand mixer, and it's also a great way to make ice cream. Sure, there are some attachments you can buy to turn your stand mixer into an ice cream maker. But you can also make ice cream using your stand mixer as-is.

This recipe from Minimalist Baker caught our eye because it uses coconut cream. It also calls for pitted dates, processed with just enough hot water to create a sweet paste. You'll want to freeze it overnight to get the firm consistency of ice cream, and it will keep for up to a week.

Freeze your mixing bowl before adding ingredients to it. We'd also use the whisk attachment for our stand mixer, but keep a close watch on how thick your ice cream gets. You may want to swap out the whisk for the paddle attachment. Be sure to taste your ice cream while you mix too, and adjust the ingredients as necessary.

How to Make Ice Cream With an Ice Cream Maker

If you want real ice cream -- with a custard base and heavy cream and all the fixings -- you may want to splurge for an authentic ice cream maker.

We're partial to the Breville Smart Scoop because it's designed for ice cream lovers. It's also equipped to make gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt. The manual includes over a dozen recipes that sound absolutely delicious, like salted caramel ice cream, chocolate hazelnut gelato, and pear and vanilla sorbet.