This homemade vanilla bean ice cream is sweet, creamy and bursting with specks of vanilla bean. It’ll forever be a favorite!

This isn’t your grandma’s hard and icy vanilla ice cream!! It’s simple, super smooth and creamy, with an intense vanilla flavor. It goes perfectly with all the treats—give Texas Sheet Cake Skillet, Triple Chocolate Brownies, or Classic Apple Pie a try!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream being scooped with an ice cream scoop

Not Your Grandma’s Vanilla Ice Cream!

I’m not ashamed to admit that I LOVE vanilla ice cream. Don’t get me wrong, I really like chocolate, but good vanilla ice cream is kind of amazing on so many levels.

I mean, it’s pretty much impossible to eat pie, crisp or cobbler without it. And everyone knows that nothing can top vanilla ice cream smothered in hot fudge and caramel sauce.

I’ve used vanilla ice cream as a base to several of my “loaded” ice cream recipes, and it’s always been hard to tell if it’d be awesome all on its own, or if everything else crammed into it was helping. So I set out to come up with a recipe that could & would be made solely for the purpose of eating vanilla ice cream. Guys. This is it. And it’s perfect.

What’s the difference between vanilla and vanilla bean? Vanilla bean ice cream uses real vanilla beans sometime during the process, whereas plain old vanilla ice cream uses extract or more processed vanilla flavorings. Vanilla bean has a more intense vanilla flavor than regular vanilla ice cream. It is more flavorful and worth the extra effort in this recipe!

Liquid mixture for vanilla bean ice cream recipe

How To Make Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

MILK MIXTURE. Combine half and half, 1 c. of heavy cream, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Heat in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, until warm (if using vanilla beans, add the scraped seeds, whisk in, cover and steep/sit for 30 minutes, re-warm the mixture and continue as follows).

COMBINE & COOK. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the eggs. SLOWLY pour the warm mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly (Go really slow so you don’t scramble them!). Gradually pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Constantly whisk over medium heat until the mixture thickens and reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.

STRAIN & CHILL. Pour mixture through a mesh sieve set over a medium size mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining heavy cream and the vanilla bean paste. Set bowl over an ice bath to cool the base down as quickly as possible. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight)

ICE CREAM TIME! Remove the ice cream base from the refrigerator. Pour into a prepared ice cream machine or attachment bowl. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions (about 25 minutes). When the ice cream is firm, place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 2-4 hours before serving.

Recipe tips:

Use a high quality ice cream maker.
Whisk in the eggs slowly so you don’t scramble them.
Add in more delicious toppings or mix-ins for extra flavor (see suggestions below)!

Three scoops of vanilla bean ice cream in a waffle cone

Ingredient Tips & Toppings

Is it safe to eat with the eggs in it? As long as the ice cream mixture reaches 160 degrees, it kills any bacteria that causes salmonella, which is what makes raw eggs dangerous. I recommend using pasteurized eggs that have already been processed in a way that kills the bacteria.

You can always add some mix-ins or extra toppings! Here are some suggestions:

Fresh fruit & berries, or purees
Candied nuts
Granola
Waffle cone or graham cracker pieces
Crushed candies or cereal
Cracker jack and pretzels
Bacon and nutella

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with butterscotch topping

How to Store

Ice cream has a large window in terms of how long it will keep. The colder the freezer, and the more secure the container, the longer the ice cream will last. Here are some tips for storing your homemade vanilla bean ice cream:

Keep the ice cream towards the back of the freezer where it is coldest.
Store it in a shallow, air-tight container
Cover the ice cream in plastic wrap within the container
Don’t store the ice cream in the freezer door—it’s too warm there and won’t provide a steady cold air source

For more Ice Cream Recipes, check out:

Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

A metal ice cream scooper lifting a perfectly rounded scoop of creamy homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe

Cool off with a homemade batch of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream! Sweet, creamy, and filled with real vanilla specks, it's a scoop of happiness you can't resist.

5 from 12 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 10

Refrigerate/Freeze Time: 4

Total Time: 4 55

Servings: 8

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Andrea

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Ingredients

▢ 1 cup half and half
▢ 2 cup heavy cream - divided
▢ 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
▢ 2 tbsp light corn syrup
▢ 1/2 tsp kosher sea salt
▢ 1 whole egg
▢ 5 egg yolks
▢ 1 1/2 tbsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste OR 2 vanilla beans, scraped OR 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the half and half, 1 cup of heavy cream, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
Heat until warm (if using vanilla beans, you'll want to add the scraped seeds, whisk in, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Re-warm the mixture and continue as follows).
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Go really slow so you don't scramble them! Gradually pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Constantly whisk over medium heat until the mixture thickens and reaches a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
Pour the cream mixture through a mesh sieve or fine mesh strainer set over a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining heavy cream and the vanilla bean paste. Once this is done, set the bowl over an ice bath to cool the base down as quickly as possible.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Remove the ice cream base from the refrigerator and pour it into a prepared ice cream machine or attachment bowl. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions (about 25 minutes).
When the ice cream is firm, place it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 2–4 hours before serving.

NOTES

The longer you let the ice cream base chill in the fridge, the more flavorful and intense the vanilla flavor will be.
You don't have to add the corn syrup, but it helps keep it extra creamy without turning icy after a few days in the freezer.
I have both the KitchenAid attachment bowl and a Cuisinart ice cream maker. I've found that the Cuisinart produces a thicker, creamier ice cream.

STORE the ice cream in a shallow, airtight container to maintain its freshness. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing it to prevent ice crystals from forming.

Place the container towards the back of the freezer, where it is coldest, for optimal storage conditions. Avoid storing the ice cream in the freezer door, as it experiences frequent temperature fluctuations.

Homemade ice cream will stay at its best quality for up to 2 weeks. If it hardens over time, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping. Avoid refreezing melted ice cream, as it can impact the texture.

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the half and half, 1 cup of heavy cream, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt.