Grandma’s Old Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

With summer on its way, Grandma’s Homemade Ice Cream is a custard-style vanilla frozen treat the entire family will enjoy.  This old fashioned ice cream recipe is sure to take you right back to your childhood.

Old Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe:

Written in her beautiful cursive script on a simple white lined note card, Barbara keeps a copy of this old fashioned ice cream recipe in our grandma’s wooden recipe box. Some families have jewelry, old portraits, vases, or crystal, but our family heirlooms include all of Grandma’s favorite recipes.

The flavor of this homemade vanilla ice cream is amazing and unique with a thick, rich custard texture that is unlike the ice cream you buy in the stores.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Ingredients:

Eggs

Flour

Sugar

Milk

Vanilla

Half and Half

Grandma’s Homemade Ice Cream

This vanilla ice cream recipe is the only one you will ever need. Our grandma called it Cooked Ice Cream as it is an egg-based mixture that you need to cook on the stovetop.

On thing to note is to be sure to temper the egg mixture before adding it to the hot milk mixture to prevent cooking the beaten eggs.

When it comes to what ice cream maker should you use, oh, there are so, so many options! Barbara uses one of the small countertop models but growing up we had one of those great electric wooden bucket ice cream makers that dad packed full of ice and salt as it cranked away.

How to Make Old Fashioned Homemade Ice Cream with Raw Eggs:

For the full recipe for old fashioned ice cream, scroll to the bottom of this post. 

Instructions:

1. Combine flour and sugar.
2. Warm whole milk slowly in a saucepan on the stove.
3. Once hot, add flour and sugar mixture, while stirring constantly until it begins to thicken.
4. Beat the eggs; temper with a small amount of the warm milk mixture.
5. Once tempered, add all the eggs to the warm milk mixture.
6. Cook, stirring constantly until it thickens.
7. Remove from heat until completely cooled.
8. Once cooled, stir in vanilla.
9. Pour the cooled mixture into a ice cream freezer; add half and half until approximately 1 inch from the top of the ice cream freezer.
10. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
11. Eat immediately or freeze if a firmer texture is desired.
12. We recommend topping this old fashioned homemade vanilla ice cream with Grandma’s famous Old-Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce.

Print Recipe

Grandma's Vanilla Ice Cream

With summer on its way, Grandma's Homemade Ice Cream is a custard-style vanilla frozen treat the entire family will enjoy.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Cooling time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vanilla ice cream

Servings: 1 gallon

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons flour
• 3 ½ cups sugar
• 1 gallon milk
• 8 to 10 eggs beaten
• Vanilla to taste up to one Tablespoon
• 1 pint half and half or heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• Mix flour and sugar.
• Put 1 quart of whole milk in saucepan on stove to warm.
• When hot, add sugar mixture, stirring constantly until it starts to thicken.
• Add beaten eggs to hot milk mixture, tempering the egg mixture first to prevent cooking the beaten eggs.
• Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens like a custard.
• Remove from heat and cool completely.
• Once cooled, add vanilla to taste - up to 1 Tablespoon.
• Add to ice cream freezer insert.
• Add pint of cream or whole milk to about an inch from the top.
• Freeze per the instructions for your ice cream freezer.
• Eat right away or freeze to get a firmer texture.

Referral links are used in this post.

Linking up to Weekend Potluck! Go check out other great recipes!