Ice Cream Recipe

Make the base

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 cups canned full-fat coconut milk, 1 cup oat milk, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (or 3 tablespoons maple syrup for fully vegan brown-sweet option), 1 tablespoon light corn syrup or agave, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Whisk to dissolve sugar.

Warm the mixture, stirring frequently, until it reaches a gentle simmer (small bubbles at edges), about 5–7 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired, adding up to 1 additional tablespoon sugar or maple syrup.

Cool the base to room temperature, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator until very cold, at least 2 hours or preferably overnight. For faster chilling, place the saucepan in an ice bath and stir until cool, then refrigerate.

Churn

Once the base is fully chilled, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions (typically 20–30 minutes) until it reaches soft-serve consistency.

If adding mix-ins like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or fruit, add them in the last 3–5 minutes of churning so they are evenly distributed. For strawberry swirl, macerate 1 cup sliced strawberries with 1 tablespoon sugar for 15 minutes, then fold the softened berries and juices into churned ice cream by hand for a swirl rather than mixing completely.

Transfer churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, smooth the top, press a piece of parchment directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals, and freeze at least 4 hours (or until firm) before serving.

Prepare custard base

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Warm over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, whisk 4 large egg yolks with ¾ cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened.

Temper the yolks by slowly adding about 1/3 cup of the hot milk/cream to the yolks while whisking constantly. Then slowly pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk/cream, whisking.

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula and reaches about 170–175°F (77–80°C). Do not let it boil or curdle.

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any coagulated bits. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Cool to room temperature, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator (2 hours or overnight).

Churn and freeze

Churn the chilled custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (20–30 minutes). Add mix-ins during the last minutes of churning if desired. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, press parchment on the surface, and freeze for at least 4 hours until firm.

To serve, remove the ice cream from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes for easier scooping. Use a hot ice cream scoop (dip in hot water and dry) to make clean scoops.

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks for best texture. To refresh partially frozen ice cream, let sit at room temperature 10–15 minutes and then whip briefly with a hand mixer if needed to restore creaminess.