This Lemon Ice Cream recipe has the perfect combination of sweet and tart flavor with a super creamy texture. Light and refreshing this homemade ice cream is made with fresh lemon juice and zest in an ice cream maker.
We love lemon desserts around here! Try our easy Lemon Poke Cake recipe or the creamiest Lemon cheesecake ever!
Welcome to #LemonWeek 2022 hosted by Lynn from Fresh April Flours and Rebecca from Devour Dinner. Come join me and my fellow Lemon Week bloggers as we bring you recipes – from appetizers to drinks to entrées and desserts!
Lemon Ice Cream
We are all familiar with the popular lemon sorbet and lemon granita however, we don’t usually hear about lemon ice cream.
Lemon ice cream is sweet, creamy, rich and decadent yet, it has a light and refreshing taste plus the mouth puckering citrusy tang of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
This homemade lemon ice cream recipe is similar in taste to my Creamy Lemon Pie which is truly one of my absolute favorite desserts (what can I say, I love lemon!). Made with a few simple ingredients and with about 20 minutes of hands on work, this frozen dessert recipe is the perfect treat for summer!
Why This Recipe Works?
- Fresh Lemons: Instead of using lemon extract, we use fresh lemon zest and lemon juice which really improves the flavor of any lemon dessert.
- Lots of Flavor: Adding the lemon zest to the custard base at the beginning, allows for the flavors to develop while adding fresh lemon juice at the end adds brightness and that puckering tartness we all love from citrusy lemons.
- Never Curdles: The richness of heavy cream and the protein in the eggs keep the custard from getting curdle when the lemon juice is added.No curdled dairy here!!
- Easy: Not tempering required!
Ingredients in Lemon Ice Cream
Be sure to check the printable recipe card below for the ingredient’s list and their exact quantities.
- Egg yolks
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh lemon zest
- Fresh lemon juice
- Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream)
- Half and half or whole milk
- Kosher salt or sea salt
How to Make Lemon Ice Cream
This is just a quick review of how to make this recipe. For detailed instructions please read the printable recipe card below.
- Making the Ice cream Base or Custard: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Slowly, add the cream and the half and half (or milk). Cook stirring frequently for about 5 to 6 minutes or until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Chill: Remove from heat and transfer to a container. Cover and chill overnight.
- Add Fresh Lemon Juice: Just before churning, stir in the lemon juice.
- Churn: Strain the custard base into an ice cream maker to remove the zest. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
- Freeze: Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for about 4 hours.
What is Lemon Ice Cream Made Of?
This sweet and tart frozen dessert is made with a few simple ingredients like fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, heavy cream, half and half or whole milk and sugar.
How Much Ice Cream Does This Recipe Make
This lemon ice cream recipe makes 1.5 Qt. of ice cream. Most homemade ice cream machines can only make small batches of ice cream at once so feel free to double or triple the recipe if you have a professional ice cream maker or a larger machine at home.
The Easiest Way To Make Homemade Ice Cream
Making homemade ice cream is incredibly easy although most people believe that it is a difficult task that requires a million steps and knowledge of unusual culinary terms like ribboning, scalding and tempering. Trust me, I was one of those people I am referring to!!
I am going to try to outline all the things you don’t need to worry about or think of when making ice cream at home whether is this lemon ice cream, vanilla or any other flavor:
Don’t Worry About Tempering Eggs – You don’t need to!
In this ice cream recipe, the eggs, sugar, heavy cream and milk are combined when all the ingredients are cold, so tempering is NOT necessary.
Tempering eggs is necessary when combining eggs with a hot liquid (like milk or cream). Tempering prevents the eggs from cooking and looking like scrambled eggs when you make a custard.
When making the lemon ice cream base, you cook the eggs and the rest of the ingredients slowly so all you need to do is whisk the mixture. That said, constant and mad whisking skills and the upper body strength of Hercules is not required!
Don’t Worry About Scalding Milk (unless you have milking cows at home)
Store bought dairy such as whipped cream, half and half and milk are pasteurized and homogenized so there is no need to scold the dairy to a specific temperature to kill bacteria or modify the properties of dairy proteins (that is unless you have milking cows on your backyard of course!)
Don’t Worry About Curdled Milk
I know you may be thinking that combining dairy and lemon juice may not be such a good idea but, you don’t have to worry about curdled ice cream or ending up with chunks in your creamy frozen dessert! The high fat content of heavy cream plus the protein in the eggs keep the custard from curdling. The lemon and the cream create magic and and brings forth amazing flavor that reminds me of a creamsicle or a yummy creamy lemon pie!
How much is an ice cream serving?
A traditional ice cream serving is 1/2 cup. I know this is a small serving size if you are a true ice cream lover however, you will get twelve (1/2 cup) servings out of this recipe which yields 1.5 quarts of ice cream.
How long does ice cream last?
According to the FDA, store bought ice cream will last 2-4 months in the freezer if stored properly (in an airtight seal container). When it comes to homemade ice cream however, ice cream’s shelf life is a lot shorter. Homemade ice cream will last in the freezer up to 2 weeks if stored covered with plastic wrap, in an airtight sealed container.
Lemon Ice Cream Mix-Ins and Additions
Although this frozen dessert is perfect as is, if you are feeling adventurous here are some mix ins that will work perfectly :
- Graham cracker pieces: Add about 1 – 1.5 cups of small graham cracker pieces in the last minute of churning.
- White chocolate chunks: Add about 1 cup of white chocolate chunks in the last minute of churning.
- Blueberry Ribbons: Add a ripple of blueberry sauce for an absolutely irresistible treat!
- Candied Ginger: Lemon and ginger are a perfect match! Small pieces of candied ginger add an adult feel to this dessert.
- M&Ms: Kids love this addition, not just on lemon ice cream but on any ice cream flavor.
- Poppy Seeds: Yes! Poppy seeds are not just for baked goods. Add 4 teaspoons of poppy seeds in the last minute of churning.
Storing Ice Cream
Unlike store-bought ice cream which lasts 2-4 months in the freezer when stored properly, homemade ice cream will only keep for 1-2 weeks in the freezer.
Homemade lemon ice cream can be kept covered with a few layers of plastic wrapped, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. After this time, the creamy texture of the icecream starts changing due to the formation and growth of ice crystals
So if you are wondering how to store ice cream properly, ice cream is best stored below -0º F in a wide and flat (or short) container in the back of the freezer. Ice cream stays creamier when there are fewer changes in temperature, that’s why keeping it in the very back of the freezer (and never in the freezer’s door) is best.
Lemon Ice Cream Tips For Success
- Don’t forget to freeze your ice cream maker canister or bowl before making this recipe. Most manufacturers recommend freezing the bowl for 24 hours before churning ice cream.
- Chill the ice cream base or custard throughly. Chilling the base not only allows the flavors to meld but also improves the consistency of the ice cream. A chilled custard forms stable air bubbles when churned making the ice cream super creamy!
- Don’t be tempted to use just milk or low fat milk to make ice cream. The fat content in heavy cream makes ice cream smooth, creamy and dreamy!
- When making the ice cream base, mix the eggs, sugar, zest and salt until well combined. The ingredients should be well incorporated and homogeneous like a perfect goo! (not a technical term!)
- Stir the custard while is cooking making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent the custard from sticking.
- Strain the ice cream base before churning to remove the lemon zest and any clump of tiny egg bits that often sneak into the base.
Lemon Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup half and half or whole milk
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice about 6-8 lemons
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt and lemon zest until well combined.
- Slowly, add the cream and the half and half (or milk), whisking constantly until well incorporated. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for about 5 to 6 minutes or until the mixture reaches 170-175 degrees Fahrenheit and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a container. Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight. You can speed up the process, by placing the custard in a resealable bag and submerging it in an ice water bath.
- Just before churning, stir in the lemon juice. Strain the custard base into an ice cream maker to remove the zest. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for about 4 hours before serving. At this time the flavors will
Recipe Notes
- Don’t forget to freeze your ice cream maker canister or bowl before making ice cream. Most manufacturers recommend freezing the bowl for 24 hours before churning ice cream.
- Don’t be tempted to use “just” milk or low fat milk to make ice cream. The fat content in heavy cream makes ice cream smooth, creamy and dreamy!
- When making the ice cream base, mix the eggs, sugar, zest and salt until well combined. The ingredients should be well incorporated and homogeneous like a perfect goo! (not a technical term!)
- Stir the custard while is cooking making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent the custard from sticking.
- Chill the ice cream base or custard throughly. Chilling the base not only allows the flavors to meld but also improves the consistency of the ice cream. A chilled custard forms stable air bubbles when churned, making the ice cream super creamy!
- You know that the custard is cooked when you swipe your finger across the back of the custard coated spoon and it leaves a clean line.
- You can add mix-ins during the last minute of churning if desired.
- A traditional serving of ice cream is 1/2 cup per person. I know this is very little if you are an ice cream lover however, with that calculation in mind, you will get twelve (12) servings out of 1.5 quart of ice cream which is how much this recipe makes.
Nutrition
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