Today, because it’s too hot to eat anything other than ice cream, we’re doing just that.
And, since I know not all of you have an ice cream maker, we’re taking it one step further with this no-churn recipe.
Raspberries always make me think of summer; my Grampa had a massive raspberry patch running the length of his backyard, and there was nothing better than running out on a hot day to fill a bowl with fresh raspberries, drizzle them in cream, add a sprinkle of sugar, and greedily dig in with a spoon.
Those summer bowls of raspberries + cream inspired this simple, 7-ingredient no-churn ice cream recipe. My goal was to capture the tart-yet-sweet flavor of ripe raspberries and sweet cream flavor in every bite, and I’m happy to report that my mission was a total success.
It all starts with heavy cream. I like to choose something organic and pasture raised/grass-fed, if possible, since the quality of your cream is going to directly impact the flavor of your ice cream. It’s also a healthier choice for your body and the planet, which is a total win-win situation here.
To achieve creamy, airy ice cream without an ice cream machine, the cream gets whipped until thick and fluffy, and then a healthy dose of Greek yogurt joins the mix, along with maple syrup for sweetness, vanilla for depth of flavor, and a pinch of salt, to balance everything out.
The yogurt adds both tang + structure to this ice cream, and balances out the sweetness of the maple syrup perfectly (+ a nice little boost of live cultures to help make this ice cream a little easier to digest!). The final result isn’t a tart frozen yogurt; its just a creamy, rich ice cream that has a hint of something extra, almost like a buttermilk based ice cream. And, it goes without saying that I’m completely obsessed.
The thick, fluffy, whipped-cream base gets covered in the raspberry ripple, which is just raspberries (fresh or frozen) that have been mixed with a little sugar and smashed with a fork.
Finally, all that’s left to do is wait. This ice cream is best if left to chill in the freezer for 6 hours, at which point you can scoop it and enjoy; alternately, it can be frozen overnight (or for several days, if you can possibly wait that long).
Since this ice cream isn’t churned (hello, no-churn), it doesn’t have the same dense-yet-airy texture of ice cream that has been, and won’t scoop directly from frozen like the store-bought stuff that’s full of gums and stabilizers to keep it soft. As such, if frozen for 12-24 hours, it will be a giant block of frozen whipped cream. Fear not, as a good 10-15 minute rest on the counter at room temperature will bring it right back to a scoopable texture, and since we started with whipped cream, as it melts it never quite gets as runny as regular ice cream; it essentially turns back into a soft whipped cream consistency.
Whether or not you grew up eating warm raspberries off the vine doused in cream like I did, I think you’re going to love this easy no-churn ice cream recipe. It takes about 10 minutes of active time and the result is a thick, creamy, subtly sweet, slightly tart ice cream that is absolutely perfect for dinner in the middle of a heat wave. Or, um, for dessert on any other day of your life.
If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and tag me in it on Instagram! I love seeing my recipes in your kitchen!
- 16oz (1 pint) organic heavy cream
- 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 1 cup fresh or frozen, defrosted raspberries
- 1 Tablespoon organic cane sugar
- 1. Put the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or large bowl, if using handheld electric beaters) and whisk on low, slowly increasing speed to medium-high, until cream is whipped into soft peaks (about 5 minutes).
- 2. Add all remaining ingredients, and whisk again until thick and fluffy (about 1 minute).
- 3. Put raspberries and sugar into a small bowl, and use a fork to mash into a thick jam-like consistency.
- 4. Pour ice cream mixture into a freezer safe dish (I used an 8x8 metal baking pan), and spoon on the raspberry ripple. Use a spoon to gently swirl it into the whipped cream- not too much, or you'll turn the ice cream pink.
- 5. Put ice cream into the freezer and freeze at least 6 hours before scooping and serving. If your ice cream has been frozen for more than 6 hours, plan to let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping, as it freezes solid.