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Did you know you can make creamy, gourmet, lavender ice cream without an ice cream machine and a few ingredients? This homemade ice cream recipe is a light, with a floral taste that combines a bright lavender syrup with the rich creaminess found in heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. This is one of my favorite ice cream recipes because it’s the perfect elegant dessert derived from culinary lavender, and it can be served at spring or summer gatherings. Follow my easy step-by-step guide to create your own creamy batch of homemade lavender ice cream that is sure to please.
Jump to Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 ¼ cups of Lavender Syrup
- 1 Vanilla Bean
Freeze Time:
- At least 6 hours or overnight
Tips for Making the Perfect Lavender Ice Cream:
Don’t get me wrong, when ice cream season is here, I love to whip out my favorite ice cream maker or stand mixer attachment to make homemade ice cream. But since this recipe calls for homemade lavender simple syrup, I figured it would be best to save a little bit of time by removing the churning process in this recipe. The best tasting home-made ice cream can be achieved by following a few simple tips and tricks:
- Use Quality Ingredients: If possible, try to use fresh simple ingredients for this recipe. Instead of vanilla extract use, scrape the inside of a real vanilla bean. If you don’t have a vanilla bean, you can substitute with 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract in this recipe. For a rich, infused lavender flavor, make homemade lavender simple syrup. You can do so by taking a small saucepan over medium-low heat and combining lavender buds, water, and sugar. You can find my full syrup recipe here to achieve the ultimate lavender ice cream taste.
- Do Not Over Mix: You can use heavy whipping cream or heavy cream for this recipe. Heavy cream has a slightly higher fat content. As you mix the heavy cream in a large bowl to create soft peaks, take care to not over mix the heavy cream or it will turn into butter. I used a stand mixer one time, walked off and came back to butter. So I prefer to use a hand mixer so I can control the speed.
- Avoid Deflating: When you combine the whipped cream with the lavender condensed milk mixture, take care to fold these ingredients gently to avoid deflating the whipped cream.
Freezing & Serving Tips:
- Cold Equipment – Try to use cold equipment whenever possible in this lavender ice cream recipe. Pre-freeze your loaf pan, use chilled mixing bowls, and use a cold or wooden spoon.
- Proper Freezing – To freeze, be sure to use an airtight ice cream container, or loaf pan that’s tightly covered with a piece of plastic wrap. For extra precaution to avoid freezer burn, I will sometimes cover with foil as well.
- Freeze Long Enough – For the best results, be sure to allow the ice cream mixture time to freeze. Removing and serving too early will result in a soft-serve custard texture.
- To Serve – Run a spoon under water, and scoop your new favorite ice cream into a glass bowl or metal bowl, and garnish with lavender flowers to serve! Take care to not allow this mixture to sit out too long at room temperature.
Homemade Lavender Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1 1/4 cup Lavender Simple Syrup
- 1 Vanilla Bean
Instructions
- Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and place it in the freezer.
- In a large bowl, whip heavy cream on low-medium speed with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Take care to not over-mix the heavy cream or your mixture could turn into butter.
- Once stiff peaks have formed, fold in 14 oz of sweetened condensed milk and the extract of 1 vanilla bean into a bowl. Mix together. Then slowly add 1.25 cups of lavender simple syrup. Pour a little bit at a time and mix in between. Fully combine.
- Remove 9×5 loaf pan from the freezer. Pour lavender ice cream mixture into cold loaf pan. Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours. Scoop and enjoy!
Nutrition
Making homemade lavender ice cream is an easy rewarding way to enjoy dessert, especially during the summer months. You can make your own ice cream at home without the need of an ice cream maker, or fancy equipment.
WOW, this looks like a flavor ice cream I would love to try out. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anyone creating lavender ice cream.
This lavender ice cream is so delicious. Just the right amount of lavender, creamy and easy to make!
This recipe looks delicious. I’ll add it to my recipe book to try when I get a chance.
This sounds amazing. I love the rich creaminess combined with that sweet, aromatic flavor. I have to make it!
This sounds amazing! I love lavender, but I’ve never seen it as an ice cream flavor. Your recipe sounds easy enough to make as well.
I LOVE lavender flavor (when it’s done right). And this was most definitely done right. It did not taste like perfume. It was delicious and I will be making more soon!
This is a must try. I have been taken with making ice cream lately so this might be my next make
This is the perfect summer treat! I always pick lavender in mid-July, so I know what I’ll use mine for this year.
This sounds like it is not too difficult to make. I like anything having to do with lavender, and I am sure that I would enjoy this.