The Homemade Ice Cream Maker—How to Make Ice Cream in a Coffee Can
Updated: Feb. 19, 2023
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. They didn’t have ice cream makers to rely on. 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.
You remember ice cream trucks, but do you know these surprising facts?
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.
How to Make Ice Cream in a Coffee Can, Step by Step
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- Rock salt or ice cream salt
- Ice cubes
- Two empty coffee cans—one big and one small
- Duct tape
Directions
Step 1: Rinse the coffee cans
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.
Step 2: Make the ice cream base
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.)
Step 3: Pour into the coffee can
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.
Step 4: Add rock salt and ice
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.
Salt does more than make great ice cream. Make every dish gourmet with this salty guide.
Step 5: Roll the coffee can
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.
Coffee Can Ice Cream 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 homemade 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. The next family experiment will be learning how to make ice cream in a bag.
Start with These Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
Easy Chocolate Ice CreamTotal Time: 30 minutes + freezing
Main Ingredients: Half-and-half, cocoa, whipping cream, sugar, vanilla extract
Level: Beginner
There's no reason not to make your own chocolate ice cream when it's as easy as this. Whip ingredients together in a blender, then process them in an ice cream maker. Serve the ice cream very soft right after processing or pop it in the freezer to firm up. Use up what you don't serve in chocolate ice cream desserts.
This super simple chocolate ice cream recipe is the perfect treat at a moment's notice. It's also a bonus that most of the ingredients are kitchen staples. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Disney's Dole WhipTotal Time: 10 minutes
Main Ingredients: Frozen pineapple, pineapple juice, vanilla ice cream
Level: Beginner
This treat is so refreshing on a hot day and takes no time to whip up—pun intended. If you can't wait for your next vacation, it's definitely one of the Disney copycat recipes worth making at home.
Your kitchen will be the happiest place on Earth when you serve this sweet-sour treat. The recipe comes directly from the Disneyland app and tastes just like the real deal you'd order at the park. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Contest-Winning Butter Pecan Ice CreamTotal Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes + chilling and freezing
Main Ingredients: Chopped pecans, brown sugar, half-and-half, eggs, whipping cream, butter
Level: Intermediate
A creamy, brown sugar and vanilla base holds crunchy pecans that are toasted in butter. Whisk a bit of the hot cream into the eggs to temper them, bringing their temperature up without scrambling them. It's an important step, so don't skip it!
This rich buttery ice cream sure beats store-bought versions. And with its pretty color and plentiful pecan crunch, it's nice enough to serve guests at a summer party. —Recipe contributor Jenny White, Glen, Mississippi
London Fog Ice CreamTotal Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes + chilling and freezing
Main Ingredients: Earl Grey tea bags, half-and-half, whole milk, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla bean
Level: Intermediate
The classic London fog latte inspired this ice cream, with the irresistible bergamot orange flavor of Earl Grey tea. It's an unexpected and sophisticated ice cream that's perfect for special occasions like Mother's Day, showers or dinner parties.
I took one of my favorite coffee shop beverages and turned it into this elegant London fog ice cream. For a star dessert, serve it with lemon sandwich cookies or in a simple glass rimmed with sugar, lavender and lemon zest. —Recipe contributor Noelle Myers, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Best Banana Ice CreamTotal Time: 35 minutes + chilling and freezing
Main Ingredients: Ripe bananas, half-and-half, whipping cream, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract
Level: Intermediate
Here's a truly indulgent banana ice cream, made with an egg and cream custard base and churned up in your ice cream maker. It's a brilliant way to use up brown bananas, which are wonderfully sweet in this dessert and blend smoothly into the mixture.
My son-in-law says this is the best banana ice cream he's ever had. It's always requested at family gatherings. —Recipe contributor Donna Robbins, Skiatook, Oklahoma
Rhubarb Crumble Ice CreamTotal Time: 35 minutes + cooling and freezing
Main Ingredients: Fresh or frozen rhubarb, oats, sugar, whipping cream, half-and-half, cinnamon, vanilla extract
Level: Intermediate
Instead of topping a fruit crumble with ice cream, this brilliant recipe folds the crumble right into the ice cream mixture! It's a perfect summertime dessert for picnics and cookouts.
This rhubarb crumble ice cream combines two of my favorite desserts into one fantastic creation! If you close your eyes, it actually tastes like you're taking a bite of fresh rhubarb crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Throw this into a waffle cone and enjoy a classic summertime treat! —Recipe contributor Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta
Triple Chocolate Ricotta Ice CreamTotal Time: 40 minutes + freezing
Main Ingredients: Whole milk ricotta cheese, whole milk, whipping cream, cream cheese, sugar, milk and dark chocolate, cocoa
Level: Beginner
Ricotta cheese recipes are creamy and milky—and ice cream is no different. Chocolate lovers, this one's for you: The ricotta base is blended with cocoa and melted chocolate, with dark chocolate chunks added near the end of the mixing time.
You're going to fall in love with this thick, luxuriously rich ice cream made with ricotta cheese. It has a creamy texture that can't be beat. —Recipe contributor Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Ice CreamTotal Time: 40 minutes + freezing
Main Ingredients: Fresh strawberries, cream cheese, whipping cream, half-and-half, lemon juice and zest, sugar
Level: Beginner
An easy-to-make ice cream recipe that tastes exactly like a piece of strawberry cheesecake. Enjoy it scooped into dishes or cones, or try something really unique—like turning it into an ice cream pie with a graham cracker crust. When you're serving it for guests, add scoops to shortcakes with sliced strawberries and whipped cream!
When I got my ice cream maker, a friend shared her dreamy freezy cheesecake recipe. For guests, I scoop this into tart shells. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Homemade Ice Cream FAQ
What ingredients do you need to make homemade ice cream?
To make homemade ice cream, you often need heavy cream, whipping cream and half-and-half (or a combination). Their high levels of milk fat, along with the air incorporated during churning, give ice cream a smooth and creamy texture. Sugar is another important ingredient, so you'll need granulated sugar, corn syrup, brown sugar or sweetened condensed milk, depending on the recipe. Sugar adds sweetness and keeps the ice cream softer once it's frozen. To create a really rich ice cream, recipes call for eggs or egg yolks, which are used to create a cooked custard base.
Once you have these essentials you can choose other ingredients to flavor your ice cream like extracts, spices, cocoa, cookies and fruit.
How long does a home ice cream maker need to run?
A home ice cream maker's churning cycle is typically around 20 minutes; check the manufacturer's instructions for your model. Be sure all the ingredients you add to the machine are very cold to help the process go more quickly. Depending on the size of your machine, you may need to process your ice cream mixture in batches—the cylinder should only be filled two-thirds of the way since the ice cream will expand as it freezes.
Can you make ice cream without an ice cream maker?
Yes! Some recipes call for the liquid mixture to simply be frozen until solid—ice creams made this way will have an icy texture. To achieve a creamy texture without an ice cream maker, pour the ice cream mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish and freeze it for 30 minutes. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer, and freeze for another 30 minutes. Repeat these steps four or five times until the ice cream is firm.
How long does homemade ice cream last in the freezer?
Transfer your homemade ice cream into freezer-safe containers. Ice cream fanatics can even invest in special ice cream storage tubs. Press a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap to the surface of the ice cream to prevent crystals from forming, then cover the container tightly. Store your homemade ice cream in the freezer for two to three months.
Originally Published: September 03, 2019
