This homemade blueberry ice cream is made with fresh blueberries, sugar, and half and half to make a creamy deliciously scoopable homemade ice cream that’s incredibly flavorful.
» You have to check out these amazing 50 ice cream recipes. This creamy popcorn ice cream is super fun!
We use our ice cream maker for this recipe, so be sure to put the barrel in the freezer a day ahead so it’s good and frozen by the time you want to use it.
It’s hard to express how tasty this blueberry ice cream is. The fresher the blueberries the better, as they really give a deep color and flavor to the ice cream. So not only is it gorgeous, it’s also just bursting with flavor.
I’ve had multiple people tell me that this is their favorite of the many ice cream recipes I’ve made. It’s the perfect summer treat, and a great way to use up a container of blueberries or incorporate some of your summer bounty.
One of the best parts of this blueberry ice cream recipe is that it’s super easy to mix. It doesn’t use a custard base like many of my other recipes, so there are no eggs to temper. All you have to do is reduce the blueberries, cool the mixture, add it to half an half and churn it.
Ingredients You Need
This ice cream is not a custard base, so it has no egg yolks in it.
- Half and half or heavy cream & milk – Using half and half for this recipe results in the best results. I’ve tried it with whole milk, half and half, and heavy cream, and have found that half and half is best. If you can’t get half and half where you’re from, you can use half whole milk and half heavy cream.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar is what we use in this recipe. If you’re going to replace it with a sugar substitute, I recommend using only allulose, because it doesn’t harden like erythritol and the others do. This makes a big difference.
- Blueberries – I used two cups of fresh blueberries. You can use frozen blueberries if that is what you have on hand.
- Water – You need a small amount of water to help the blueberries incorporate with the sugar in the pan.
How to Make Blueberry Ice Cream
Step One: Reduce the Blueberries
A note I want to make before we launch into making this. Sometimes blueberries are VERY sweet on their own. If you add all the sugar we call for in this recipe, it might end up being too sweet for you. I would start out with half the sugar and test the syrup before adding the rest.
Combine the blueberries, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. You don’t want it to get too hot on the bottom and scorch, so do keep an eye on it and turn it down if necessary.
Press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Reserve the pulp to add to the ice cream during the churning stage. It’s up to you if you add the pulp back in. For me, it adds a nice texture and gives a bit more blueberry flavor. But if you don’t like the pulp or want a smoother ice cream, you can leave it out.
Allow the blueberry syrup to cool completely.
Step Two: Mix the Ice Cream Base
Once cooled, stir in half and half. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to ensure the mixture is very cold.
Step Three: Churn
When you’re ready to churn the ice cream, set up your ice cream maker and turn it on. Slowly pour the mixture into the barrel. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. This takes about 15 minutes.
Once the ice cream reaches a soft-serve consistency, add in the blueberry pulp and churn for a few more minutes to incorporate. Turn off the machine and transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 2 hours, or until firm.
Refrigerate both for at least two hours until cold.
Milk vs Cream
I’m often asked if it’s possible to use milk or cream or half and half interchangeably in an ice cream recipe. It is actually okay to do that. It will, however, change the final product. The creaminess and scoopability of the ice cream is what will be affected.
If you use only milk, I would suggest only doing so with whole milk. 2% or lower fat milks don’t have enough fat to make a creamy ice cream. It will end up being a little icy and not easy to scoop.
What I do most often is use half and half to make a creamy, yet lower fat ice cream. I find this to be the best for my preference. You could use whole milk and cream if you like a creamier, thicker ice cream.
So basically, you can use any combination of any of these products that you want. Maybe experiment with a few different combinations to find the one you like most.
Expert Tips
- Don’t forget to put the ice cream maker base in the freezer a day before you plan to churn the ice cream so it is cold enough to freeze the mixture properly.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still make this recipe by freezing the base mixture for 24 hours.
- Add the pressed blueberry pulp back into the ice cream at the end of the churn to give it some extra texture and flavor.
- Use any type of fresh ripe berries as a substitute for blueberries in this recipe. This gives you an endless list of great summer treats!
- Sometimes blueberries are extra sweet all on their own and don’t need the full amount of sugar in this recipe. Start with half and add more as you think is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this ice cream have to be made in an ice cream maker?
This ice cream recipe is made in the ice cream maker. It’s an easy way to churn the ice cream mixture to make it freeze faster and make it super creamy, so we prefer it.
However you can still make it without an ice cream maker. Once the mixture is made, freeze it until it’s firm. You will then be able to scoop it with an ice cream scoop. It won’t be quite as airy as it will be if you churn it. But it’s still quite good.
Can I add flavoring to the ice cream besides blueberry?
You can use any fresh, ripe fruit you like in this recipe. Maybe try fresh ripe peaches, strawberries, or mango. Blueberry is not the only option. Any type of fruit that is very ripe will work in this recipe.
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes. You can use frozen blueberries if that is what you have on hand.
What Ice Cream Maker to Use?
If you’re really wanting to make great ice cream at home, you have to invest in an ice cream maker. I’ve had the same one for many years and it’s never made a bad ice cream.
The one I recommend is the Cuisinart 1.5 quart ice cream maker. It comes in a few different colors and it looks neat and tidy. You just have to keep to recipes that are small enough to fit, which shouldn’t be a problem.
The Cuisinart ICE-70 Electronic Ice Cream Maker is a slightly more professional model that’s 2 quarts and has an LCD screen and 3 settings plus an improved paddle with faster processing time.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Like it, Love it, Want Some More of It? Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. We really love it when you save our recipes to Pinterest 😊
Homemade Blueberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups (296 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar (*see notes about sweetness level)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
- 2 cups (473 ml) half-and-half or 1 cup whole milk/1 cup cream
Instructions
- Combine the blueberries, sugar (read notes), and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Press mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Reserve the pulp to add to the ice cream while churning, if desired. Set aside the blueberry syrup to cool completely.
- Once cooled, stir in half and half. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to ensure the mixture is very cold.
- When you’re ready to churn the ice cream, set up your ice cream maker and turn it on. Slowly pour the mixture into the barrel. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. This takes about 15 minutes.
- Once the ice cream reaches a soft-serve consistency, add in the blueberry pulp and churn for a few more minutes to incorporate. Turn off the machine and transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 2 hours, or until firm.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- * Sometimes blueberries are extra sweet all on their own and don’t need the full amount of sugar in this recipe. Start with half and add more as you think is needed.
- Don’t forget to put the ice cream maker base in the freezer a day before you plan to churn the ice cream so it is cold enough to freeze the mixture properly.
- If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still make this recipe by freezing the base mixture for 24 hours.
- Add the pressed blueberry pulp back into the ice cream at the end of the churn to give it some extra texture and flavor.
- Use any type of fresh ripe berries as a substitute for blueberries in this recipe. This gives you an endless list of great summer treats!
Nutrition
Like it? Pin it on Pinterest!
Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes and currently has a cookbook in development.
Have I missed something? Under the Ingredients/Blueberries headings there’s an entire paragraph about adding oranges!
“ Blueberries – I used two large oranges for this recipe. You need the zest from one of the oranges, and the juice from both. If you want an even more concentrated orange flavor, I’d suggest using orange juice concentrate instead of the orange juice. It adds a lot more flavor.”
Sorry but is this a typo?
Oh boy, thanks for pointing that out Andy. It is an oversight on our part as there are no oranges in this recipe. It has been updated with the correct information. Thanks again!
Can I use honey instead of sugar?
Hi Suzanne. I wouldn’t use honey as it would pretty drastically change the flavor of the ice cream.
It took 40 minutes to churn this to a solid ice cream consistency. But once it sat in the freezer overnight it was the BEST ice cream I ever tasted. I’ll make it over and over and experiment with other fresh and frozen fruits.
It really is a delicious ice cream. We feel the same way Peggy! Glad you loved it!
it states its a custard base at the beginning with eggs but yet doesn’t mention eggs in the ingredients or the instructions which is rather confusing!
This one is unlike most of our others which use a custard base, so there are no eggs in this ice cream.
what is the point of cooking the berries? can’t you just blend them and make the ice cream just like making Strawberry ice cream?
Cooking the blueberries down intensifies the flavor and helps the sugar dissolve.