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Grab some friends and some empty coffee cans and start rolling. Here's how to make fresh ice cream with a homemade ice cream maker.
Kids, you don’t realize how good we have it now, what with our fancy freezers that just magically solidify all the cool, dreamy desserts we put inside. Back in your great-grandparents’ day, turning liquid into something frozen took some creative brainpower and, sometimes, a bit of manual labor. My family found out when we decided to see how to make ice cream in a coffee can using only ice and rock salt. Think of it like a homemade ice cream maker.
Let’s start with the basics. Should you desire to give Ben & Jerry’s the day off and transport yourself back to a time when you had to roll up your sleeves for your dessert, then this activity is for you. Recruit other friends or family members—your arms may get tired.
You Will Need:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
Rock salt or ice cream salt
Ice cubes
Two empty coffee cans—one big and one small
Duct tape
Directions:
1. Empty the coffee cans of their coffee and then wash the small one at least 18 times if you don’t want your ice cream to have a coffee scent. Though parents are likely to disagree, most kids, including mine, believe that coffee smells like feet.
2. Next, combine in a bowl the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, sugar and salt. This is for your run-of-the-mill vanilla ice cream. If you want to get fancy, you can add some pureed strawberries, mint extract, chocolate chips or whatever flavoring you’d like. (Want to get really fancy? Try this Cheesecake Strawberry Ice Cream.)
3. Pour this mixture into the small coffee can. I secured the lid with duct tape because I didn’t trust the thin plastic top to really hold on for 15-20 minutes of vigorous rolling.
4. Place the small coffee can inside the big one and surround it with layers of ice and scoops of rock salt or ice cream salt. These big chunks of salt lower the freezing temperature of your ice and help solidify the ice cream mixture more quickly … in theory. You’re probably going to want to duct tape the lid on the big coffee can as well, for obvious reasons.
5. Next, find a comfy spot on the ground—outside might be best in case of spillage, or inside and not on a favorite or expensive rug. Begin rolling the can back and forth between you and other hungry members of your family or neighborhood kids with nothing to do. All the instructions online will make you believe this liquid will turn to soft-serve in 15-20 minutes. But kids, sometimes the Internet lies.
My children got bored rolling the can after about four minutes, but I kept at it for a good 30 because I’m not a quitter. At one point, I opened the big can and poured out some of the now-melted ice and added more ice and salt, beginning the rolling again.
The Results:
After about 30, I opened the big can and the small can and found that there was some semblance of solidified ice cream around the top edges, which we eagerly taste-tested. To say it was delicious is a massive understatement. It was magnificent. How could only four ingredients produce some of the yummiest ice cream I’ve ever tried? My 4-year-old dipped her entire hand inside the can. Rules went out the window. It was that good. You’ll want to try this 4-ingredient ice cream, too.
We decided to put the can in the freezer while we had dinner and, wouldn’t you know it, the freezer did a far better job of freezing than rolling around on the floor did. I highly recommend this for the impatient crowd. While you wait, maybe you want to try and tackle one of these other 75+ fun recipes for summer vacation?
Overall, though, this was a great way to eat up part of a summer afternoon and the payoff was well worth it. Ready to give it a try?
Pumpkin pie is the perfect southern comfort food that everyone has on their table at the holidays, but truthfully, I want those cozy flavors any time of year. This ice cream has just the right balance of spices and no matter when you make it, you'll find yourself surrounded in the warmth and love that pumpkin pie has to offer. —Angie Forester, Memphis, Tennessee
This creamy, luscious ice cream will remind you of the signature treat served at church ice cream socials. What dessert could be better? —Esther Johnson, Merrill, Wisconsin—Esther Johnson, Merrill, Wisconsin
After sampling this flavor at an ice cream stand, I kept trying to duplicate it until it was just right. This blueberry cheesecake ice cream is a hit! —Melissa Symington, Neche, North Dakota
Making homemade ice cream is fun for the whole family, and the fresh raspberry flavor of this treat makes it a perfect summer activity. Kids can shake the bags until the liquid changes to ice cream and then enjoy the reward! —Erin Hoffman, Canby, Minnesota
Warm weather days require ice cream! However, dealing with dairy intolerances can be tricky. This dairy-free recipe is a favorite at our house, especially with kids! —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
The flavors in this ice cream take me back to European vacations I've enjoyed in the past. I am a big hazelnut fan, and who doesn't like chocolate? I've been caught red-handed eating Nutella out of the jar with a spoon! —Laura Majchrzak, Hunt Valley, Maryland
We don't want to brag, but as far as vanilla ice cream recipes go, this one is the best. And with only four ingredients, it just might be the easiest, too. No ice cream maker? No problem. Just follow the directions below to learn how to make homemade ice cream by hand. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
On a recent trip to Italy, I became addicted to gelato. My favorite choice was lemon because Italian lemons have an intense flavor. This recipe brings back memories of our vacation. —Gail Wang, Troy, Michigan
My state is well known for growing good peaches. This delicious recipe has been a family favorite for more than 50 years. —Marguerite Ethridge, Americus, Georgia
No matter where my military family is stationed, this ice cream always makes me think of my parents’ backyard rhubarb patch in Rochester, New York. —Rachel Garcia, Honolulu, Hawaii
The wild blueberries on our property spark recipe ideas. When my daughter and I made this ice cream at a Girl Guide meeting, it was well received. Even today, our 10 children, 19 grandkids and 4 great-grandchildren think it tastes great. —Alma Mosher, Mohannes, New Brunswick
I think my most memorable summertime dessert for get-togethers has always been homemade ice cream. This recipe is so rich and creamy and the perfect indulgence on a hot summer afternoon. —Martha Self, Montgomery, Texas
This sweet and creamy no-churn ice cream features a fresh blueberry jam swirl and graham cracker pieces. You can use raspberries in place of the blueberries for a different berry flavor. —Heather King, Frostburg, Maryland
You don't need an ice cream freezer to make this rich refreshing treat. Years ago, we had a big rhubarb patch. A neighbor who knew I loved ice cream shared this recipe with me. —Jan Douglas, Dent, Minnesota
There's plenty of sake flavor in this rich ice cream studded with peppercorns. You'll get an interesting pop of heat with every bite. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I made this for my daughter's birthday, and everyone at the party declared it the best ice cream they had ever tasted. I certainly appreciated their high praise. —Mary Ann Hansen, St. Cloud, Minnesota
This sophisticated herbal gelato can be served as an appetizer, a palate-pleaser between courses or a dessert that tastes like heaven on a spoon. —Christine Wendland, Browns Mills, New Jersey
My mother's family owned peach orchards in Missouri. I live in Tennessee, a top consumer of buttermilk. This summery ice cream combines my past and present. —Kim Higginbotham, Knoxville, Tennessee
Everyone loves a pumpkin-flavored cheesecake, so we decided to make a cool and creamy ice-cream version. We're thrilled with the result. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
You have to give this novel ice cream a try. It’s actually made with corn, sweetly flavored by vanilla extract and maple syrup. I plan to make this surprising treat every summer.—Diana Burrink, Crete, Illinois
The curry and coconut flavors are subtle, allowing the flavor of pandan leaves to shine. Pandan is a tropical plant that grows in Southeast Asia with a naturally sweet, bright flavor. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Making ice cream goes smoothly when you do prep work in advance. I make the custard ahead and refrigerate it overnight. Plus, I toast the almonds beforehand and separate my add-ins into labeled containers. —Rosalie Peters, Caldwell, Texas
There's even more to love in this fruity ice cream, thanks to a few tweaks. With the original’s creaminess and 30 percent fewer calories, this makeover is a stone-cold success! —Jean L. Ecos, Hartland, Wisconsin
The third U.S. president is credited with jotting down the first American recipe for this treat. No vanilla bean on hand? Substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla extract for the vanilla bean. Just stir the extract into the cream mixture after the ice-water bath. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Light and refreshing, this dreamy, creamy dessert is perfect for steamy afternoons. Great for scooping into cones, the frozen fluff won't melt as fast as regular ice cream. Change up the recipe with a variety of frozen berries or fruits. —Debra Goforth, Newport, Tennessee
Amanda Kippert has been an award-winning freelance journalist for nearly two decades. She is based in Tucson, Arizona and specializes in food, health, fitness, parenting and humor, as well as social issues. She is the content editor of the domestic violence nonprofit DomesticShelters.org.