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Easy No-Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream

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This no-churn salted caramel ice cream is incredibly creamy and requires no special equipment. With just 5 minutes of prep, you can create a velvety dessert with ribbons of homemade salted caramel in every scoop.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream, cold
  • 1 can (14 ounces / 397g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Make the Salted Caramel Sauce: Place the sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a dry whisk or spatula as the sugar begins to melt. It will clump at first—that’s normal. Keep stirring until the sugar melts completely and turns a deep amber color, about 6 to 8 minutes. Watch it carefully; caramel can go from perfect to burnt in seconds.
  2. Once the sugar is fully melted and amber-colored, remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter pieces one at a time, whisking constantly. The mixture will bubble up vigorously—don’t panic. Keep whisking until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
  3. Slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking continuously. Again, it will bubble up. Keep whisking until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
  4. Stir in the flaky sea salt and vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature, then transfer it to a heat-safe jar or bowl. Let it cool completely before using. You can make this a day ahead and store it in the fridge.
  5. Whip the Cream: In a large mixing bowl, pour the cold heavy cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes with a mixer. You’ll know it’s ready when you lift the beaters and the cream holds its shape without drooping.
  6. Be careful not to over-whip. If the cream starts to look grainy or separates into butter, you’ve gone too far. Stop at stiff peaks—the cream should be smooth and billowy.
  7. Combine the Base: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
  8. Pour the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together. Fold from the bottom up, turning the bowl as you go, until no white streaks remain. Be gentle—you don’t want to deflate all that air you just whipped in.
  9. Swirl in the Caramel: Pour about one-third of the ice cream base into your loaf pan. Drizzle about one-third of the cooled salted caramel sauce over the top. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the caramel into the base—don’t overmix; you want distinct ribbons of caramel.
  10. Repeat with another layer of base, another layer of caramel, and swirl again. Finish with the remaining base and caramel.
  11. If you prefer a more even distribution of caramel, you can fold the caramel directly into the entire base before freezing. But I prefer the swirled method—it creates those beautiful pockets of caramel that are so satisfying to find.
  12. Freeze: Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid. Place it in the freezer for at least 6 hours, but overnight is best. The ice cream needs time to freeze solid and develop its creamy texture.
  13. Once frozen, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping. This softens it just enough for easy scooping.

Notes

Don’t skip the caramel cooling step. If you add warm caramel to the whipped cream base, it will melt the cream and deflate all that air. Use very cold cream for best results. Watch the caramel like a hawk—sugar goes from melted to burnt in about 30 seconds. Fold, don’t stir, when combining the whipped cream and condensed milk. Let the ice cream sit before scooping for easier serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: no-churn ice cream, salted caramel, homemade ice cream, easy dessert, summer dessert, no machine ice cream

Find it online: https://gleefulfork.com/easy-no-churn-salted-caramel-ice-cream-best-homemade-5-min-prep/