No Churn Lemon Ice Cream

This no churn lemon ice cream is creamy, bright, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor, and you don't need an ice cream maker to make it. Made with just heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon extract, it whips up into a soft, scoopable treat that tastes like sunshine in a bowl. There are no eggs to temper and no machine to churn, just a few simple ingredients folded together and frozen until creamy. It's the perfect make ahead dessert for hot summer days, backyard cookouts, or anytime you're craving something cool and tangy.

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Why this is the best No Churn Lemon Ice Cream recipe

It's a simple recipe. This no churn lemon ice cream uses common ingredients that are easy to find at most grocery stores. It does use lemon extract which may not be as common as the rest, but it is optional and also easy to find on Amazon.

No churn lemon ice cream is quick and easy to prepare. The ice cream mixture comes together in just a few minutes, and then the freezer does the rest of the work. There is no cooking, custard making, or churning involved.

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No churn lemon ice cream tastes amazing. The sweet, creamy, ice cream base pairs beautifully with the bright, tangy flavor of fresh lemon. It has plenty of lemon flavor without being overly tart.

This is a great recipe for summer parties, cookouts, family dinners, or an easy homemade dessert. You can serve it in bowls or cones or pair it with cake, cookies, fresh berries, or other desserts.

What you'll need to make the best No Churn Lemon Ice Cream recipe

Equipment

• Citrus juicer - This is one of my favorite kitchen tools (behind my garlic press). You cut the lemon in half, drop it cut side down into the well, squeeze the handles, and all the juice comes right out. You can also use the fork method to squeeze your lemons. I have never tried that method but I'm sure you will find YouTube videos on it.
• Electric mixer - I suppose you could maybe make this recipe with a whisk, but an electric mixer is going to make it much quicker and easier. You will end up beating the ice cream mixture for at least 5 minutes, so if you're doing it by hand, you will be beating for much longer.
• Ice cream pan or loaf pan with plastic wrap - I like the ice cream pan, but a standard size loaf pan will work if you cover it tightly with plastic wrap.

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

• Heavy Cream: Keep this cold until you are ready to use.
• Milk: Whole milk and vanilla-flavored almond milk were both tested with good results.
• Sugar: Only granulated sugar was tested, but any granulated or powdered sweetener should work. You may need a little less if you use a powdered sweetener. This ice cream is a bit tart, taste it and feel free to add up to ½ cup more sugar if desired.
• Lemon Juice: Do not omit or reduce. We always highly recommend freshly squeezed lemon juice, but you can also use store-bought lemon juice with good results.
• Lemon Extract: This helps bring out even more lemon flavor. If you do not have lemon extract or want a more mild flavor, this can be omitted.

How to make our easy No Churn Lemon Ice Cream recipe

1. Start by pouring the heavy cream, milk, sugar, lemon juice, and extract into a large bowl.
2. Beat with a hand mixer for at least 5 minutes; it should start to thicken and form small peaks. Thick peaks will not form.
3. Pour the ice cream mixture into your ice cream pan and place in the freezer to set for at least 6 hours to overnight.
4. Once frozen, thaw slightly for 5-10 minutes before scooping.

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Substitutions & variations

For a stronger lemon flavor, add extra fresh lemon zest. Lemon zest adds lots of citrus flavor without adding too much additional liquid to the ice cream mixture.

For lemon blueberry ice cream, gently fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the mixture before freezing. You can also swirl blueberry preserves through the ice cream.

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For lemon raspberry ice cream, fold in fresh raspberries or swirl cooled raspberry sauce into the mixture before freezing.

For strawberry lemon ice cream, fold in chopped fresh strawberries or a swirl of cooled strawberry sauce into the mixture before freezing.

You can also add crushed shortbread cookies, vanilla wafers, or graham crackers for a little crunch. White chocolate chips are another delicious addition that pairs well with lemon. Make sure you chop them small so that no one has a big bite of frozen chocolate chip. (They get really hard!)

Serve the finished ice cream with fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, whipped cream, crushed cookies, or additional lemon zest.

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Storing leftover No Churn Lemon Ice Cream

Store lemon ice cream in an airtight freezer-safe container and keep it in the freezer. Keeping the container tightly covered will help prevent ice crystals and freezer burn. You can leave it in a loaf pan if it is tightly covered.

If you put your ice cream in the freezer without an air-tight lid, it will be freezer burned and inedible overnight.

For the best flavor and texture, eat homemade no churn lemon ice cream within about 10 days.

The ice cream may become very firm after sitting in the freezer. Let it sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop.

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Cook's Tips

For best results, place the bowl that you'll be using to make the ice cream in the freezer for at least 30-60 minutes before starting the recipe.

The ice cream mixture will not form thick peaks, simply beat for a minimum of 5 minutes.

FAQ

Can you really beat together lemon juice and heavy cream and have it not curdle?

Yes, you can beat together all of the ingredients listed in this recipe for 5 minutes and the dairy not curdle. However, the heavy cream will not whip into thick peaks like it would without the lemon juice. Luckily, not forming thick peaks does not affect it turning into a delicious and creamy ice cream.

Is this more of a soft & melty ice cream, or a hard ice cream?

This is more of a hard, scoopable ice cream.

Check out more delicious Lemon recipes

• Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Lemon Garlic Aioli
• Lemon Syrup for Pancakes and Desserts
• Lemon Zucchini Noodles with Garlic & Parmesan
• Buttered Lemon Shrimp with Old Bay

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