Made from a silky custard base and flavored with vanilla bean paste or extract, this is a French vanilla ice cream recipe you’ll turn to again and again. The recipe uses slightly less milk and cream than many store-bought versions to leave room for mix-ins, resulting in a smooth, creamy frozen custard that’s easy to customize and hard to beat.
I’ve made this ice cream many times: plain, loaded with mix-ins, drizzled with lightly sweetened blueberry syrup, and served atop baked goods like cherry crumble bars and cherry pie. Every time it’s incredible, and I think it’s a must-try.
“Thanks to this recipe it seems like my husband really won’t be able to live without me at this point. Lol. My whole family thinks it the best ice cream they’ve ever had.” -Paola
Ingredients for French Vanilla Ice Cream
This vanilla custard ice cream requires just a few simple ingredients. Because the ingredient list is short, choose high-quality items like real vanilla bean paste when possible—you’ll notice the difference.
- Sugar. Sugar sweetens the custard and lowers the freezing point, which helps keep the ice cream creamy rather than icy.
- Whole milk. Whole milk gives the best texture. Using lower-fat milk will result in a less creamy, more icy end product.
- Heavy cream. The fat in heavy cream is essential for the rich, scoopable texture of frozen custard.
- Salt. A pinch brightens and balances the flavors.
- Egg yolks. Egg yolks make this a true frozen custard: they contain emulsifiers that help bind the mixture and create a smooth, rich texture.
- Vanilla bean paste or extract. Vanilla bean paste delivers excellent flavor and visible specks; vanilla extract works fine, too.
Equipment for Making Ice Cream at Home
An ice cream maker is recommended for consistently smooth frozen custard. A 1.5-quart machine works well for this quantity, though a compressor model or an ice cream bowl attachment are also good options.
Store finished ice cream in long, reusable containers with tight seals to keep it fresh and easy to scoop. A sturdy ice cream scoop will make serving much easier.
Quick Tips for Making French Vanilla Ice Cream
If you’re new to custards or ice cream, don’t worry. The recipe below includes step-by-step instructions and tips so beginners can achieve great results—just follow the directions.
Making the French Vanilla Custard Base
Start by preparing a custard base for the creamiest results.
Combine whole milk, heavy cream, and half the sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Heat the mixture until it’s warm and steamy, just below a simmer. If it briefly boils, let it cool to around 150°F (65°C) before using.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar in a large bowl until the mixture becomes pale and ribbons form when the whisk is lifted. Incorporating air at this stage helps prevent the eggs from curdling when the hot cream is added.
Tempering the Egg Yolks
Temper the yolks by adding a few tablespoons of the warm cream mixture to the yolks at a time, whisking constantly. This gradual process prevents the eggs from scrambling.
Once about half the cream has been added, pour the yolk mixture back into the pot with the remaining cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170°F / 75°C).
When the custard is thickened, transfer it to a heat-safe bowl and stir in the vanilla bean paste or extract. Cover and chill the custard in the refrigerator until cold to the touch—anywhere from four hours up to a day works best.
Final Steps before Chilling
Stir in the vanilla right before chilling to preserve the extract’s delicate flavor. Some people place plastic wrap directly on the custard surface to prevent a skin from forming; I skip this step because churning will break up any skin that forms.
Chill the custard thoroughly in the fridge and churn into ice cream within a day for best texture and flavor.
Churning the French Vanilla Custard
Before churning, put the storage container in the freezer so it’s cold when you transfer the ice cream. Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn following the manufacturer’s directions until the mixture forms rounded domes above the paddle.
Transfer the churned ice cream into the cold container with a sturdy spatula, seal with a lid, and freeze at least four hours until fully set.
The Secret to Getting Scoopable Homemade Ice Cream
Many manuals say ice cream is ready after 15–20 minutes of churning, but it can still be hard and icy straight from the freezer. I find that extending churn time by 5–10 minutes creates a finer network of ice crystals and yields softer, silkier ice cream that scoops easily even when fully frozen.
Adding Mix-ins
This base leaves plenty of room for additions. For best results, chill or freeze mix-ins for at least 20 minutes before adding them and keep pieces no larger than 1/2″ (13 mm).
Try mini chocolate chips, crushed cookies, crumbled cake pieces, or fruit syrups stirred in during the last five minutes of churning.
FAQs about French Vanilla Ice Cream
This recipe yields just under 1.5 quarts, with room to add up to 1 cup of mix-ins.
Yes. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of mix-ins, such as mini chocolate chips or crushed cookies, during the final five minutes of churning.
Yes. The recipe works with more yolks—up to six has been used successfully—though the texture and flavor will be richer with additional yolks.
Yes—follow the advice about extending churn time by a few minutes to create a finer crystal structure for ice cream that scoops easily straight from the freezer.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
If you want more frozen treats for summer, try black cherry ice cream or double chocolate ice cream. For cooler weather, cookie butter or cinnamon graham ice cream are great choices. Crumbled dark chocolate chunk cookies or lavender chocolate chip cookies also make excellent mix-ins. If you prefer a no-egg version, the cherry pie ice cream uses fresh cherries and leftover pie crust for a crunchy, summery flavor.
Dish Cleanup: Gonna Take a While
I rate cleanup on a scale of 1 to 5; this recipe is a 4. Rinse bowls and utensils while the custard is still wet to avoid scrubbing dried-on custard later. Let frozen canisters warm to room temperature before washing so soap and water won’t freeze to the sides.
French Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Thanks for stopping by! If you make this French vanilla frozen custard and love it, please leave a review to let others know how it turned out.
French Vanilla Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar, divided
- 1 ½ cups (350 ml) whole milk
- 1 ½ cups (350 ml) heavy cream
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
Making the French Vanilla Custard Base
- In a medium pot over medium heat, stir together half of the sugar (½ cup or 100 g), whole milk, heavy cream, and salt. Heat until warm and steamy and just about to simmer, about 8–10 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil.
- Meanwhile, whisk the four yolks with the remaining sugar in a large heat-safe bowl until the mixture becomes pale yellow and thick enough to leave visible ribbons from the whisk.
Tempering the Egg Yolks
- Remove the warm cream from the heat and slowly add 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) to the yolks at a time, whisking vigorously until incorporated. Continue until about half the cream has been added.
- Pour the yolk mixture into the pot with the remaining cream and return to medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon or reaches about 170°F/75°C, about 5–10 minutes. Do not boil.
- Pour the custard into a heat-safe bowl. Stir in the vanilla, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours or up to one day, until cold to the touch.
Churning the French Vanilla Custard
- Place the storage container in the freezer and any mix-ins in the freezer or fridge to chill. Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually 20–30 minutes. I churn until the ice cream forms rounded domes above the paddle for a soft, scoopable texture straight from the freezer.
- If desired, add ½ to 1 cup of mix-ins during the final five minutes of churning.
- For soft-serve style, serve immediately. For firm ice cream, transfer to an airtight container and freeze at least four hours until set.
Notes
*If the custard overheats and starts to split, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to reduce graininess. The texture might be slightly thinner, but the flavor will still be excellent.
Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months.
Recommended Supplies
- 1.5-quart ice cream maker (or similar capacity)
- A cold, airtight storage container
- Sturdy spatula and an ice cream scoop
- Heat-safe mixing bowl and an instant-read thermometer (optional)
Nutrition
| Calories: 215kcal
| Carbohydrates: 19g
| Protein: 4g
| Fat: 14g
I’d love to see how your batch turns out: take a photo and tag @floralapronblog on Instagram or share your results using #floralapronbakes.