This 4 ingredient lavender ice cream is fragrant, smooth, and super creamy. It’s the perfect easy to make, no ice cream machine required, floral summer treat. Steeping the cream with lavender buds and whole vanilla bean gives it a delightful warm and floral flavor - the perfect treat for a hot summer day! The ice cream is perfectly scoopable, creamy, and melty.
For more refreshing floral summer treats, try this color changing lilac lemonade.
Jump to:
- 🍨 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- 📝 Key ingredients
- 👩🍳 How to make lavender ice cream
- ✔️ Expert no churn ice cream tips
- 🥄 Make ahead and storage
- 💐 How to choose lavender for desserts
- 🥫 Importance of sweetened condensed milk
- 🙌 Why this flavor combo just works
- 📖 Recipe FAQs
- 🍦 More related recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
🍨 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Easy: It's so easy to make and you don't need an ice cream maker!
- Lavender & vanilla: The lavender flavor isn't too strong and pairs perfectly with vanilla which helps prevent it tasting like soap.
- Creamy: The ultra smooth and creamy texture is so satisfying and perfect in a summer dessert.
If you love easy, no churn ice cream recipes, you should also try my raspberry cheesecake ice cream and funfetti ice cream recipes!
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- Dried lavender buds: It’s important that you use only the buds, or else it could end up bitter. Make sure to source good quality, culinary grade lavender - it will make all the difference!
- Whole vanilla bean: Balances out the floral from the lavender and gives the ice cream a more custard-like flavor. If you can’t find whole vanilla bean, you can substitute it with 1 tablespoon of vanilla paste.
- Cream: Choose a cream that is at least 35% fat content. This will ensure that it will whip to firm stiff peaks, incorporating the air needed to make the ice cream fluffy.
- Full fat sweetened condensed milk: To sweeten the ice cream and prevent it forming ice crystals when freezing. Don’t choose a skim version.
👩🍳 How to make lavender ice cream
Step 1: Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with the flat edge.
Step 2: Combine the vanilla seeds, vanilla bean pod, lavender, and cream in a small saucepan. Let the cream come to a simmer. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Strain the cream to remove the vanilla bean pod and lavender buds. Squeeze as much cream from the lavender buds as possible. Refrigerate for 3 hours or freeze for 45 minutes to chill the cream completely.
Step 4: Whip the infused cream until firm peaks form with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Do not over whip. If it doesn't get stiff then place in the freezer for 10-20 minutes to chill even more.
Step 5: Gently fold in the sweetened condensed milk with the whipped cream until even. Pour into a loaf pan, or other shallow container, cover, and freeze until solid - about 6 hours.
Step 6: Scoop and serve! Store it wrapped tightly in the freezer.
✔️ Expert no churn ice cream tips
- Use whole vanilla bean for the most flavor and texture. If you can't find it, substitute with 1 tablespoon vanilla paste.
- Use good quality, culinary grade lavender buds: You don't want any bits of stems or leaves or it will be bitter.
- Don't substitute the sweetened condensed milk: You need it to add sweetness and create a smooth, creamy ice cream.
- Freeze fully: It'll have to freeze for around 6 hours. Or you can let it freeze overnight.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
This lavender ice cream needs to be stored in the freezer. Wrap it tightly or store in an airtight container to prevent it from getting freezer burn and becoming gritty with ice crystals.
It's best eaten within the first few weeks. It's the perfect no bake summer treat that's easy to pull out when you need it!
💐 How to choose lavender for desserts
Here's why it's important to chose your lavender wisely for desserts:
- You want the lavender to be grown in a way that makes it safe for consumption. Lavender can also be used in beauty products and other non-edible products so be sure that you choose wisely.
- You don’t want any bits of stems or leaves because those will make your ice cream bitter.
🥫 Importance of sweetened condensed milk
You can’t replace the sweetened condensed milk. It acts like the custard in a churned ice cream. The milk proteins and high sugar content help the no churn lavender vanilla ice cream to set to a super creamy, crystal free consistency. The sugars help to lower the freezing point, keeping the ice cream still soft even when frozen. Otherwise, it would freeze into an icy, gritty consistency.
Make sure you are using full fat sweetened condensed milk for a smoother, creamier consistency.
I’ve tried many ratios of whipping cream to condensed milk but 2 cups of cream to 1 can of condensed milk is still the best. That way you don’t have an opened can left over, and you still get the perfect scoopable and smooth consistency. It becomes risky to reduce the amount of sweetened condensed milk because then you risk getting a gritty texture.
🙌 Why this flavor combo just works
Steeping the heavy cream with dried lavender buds and whole vanilla bean is what this treat its beautiful warm floral flavor. The flavor combination just works so well! The vanilla balances the floral notes with its warm custard-like flavor.
📖 Recipe FAQs
No I don't recommend doing this. Evaporated milk doesn't have any sugar and tastes different from sweetened condensed milk. It would turn out very gritty with ice crystals and not sweet at all.
The best part about this ice cream is that if you accidentally melt the ice cream and put it back into the freezer, it won’t crystallize and get that gritty texture like regular ice cream. This is because it's a no churn ice cream and holds up well when refreezing.
Yes you can! Any tea flavored with lavender will work great. My personal favorite is lavender Earl Grey tea. You would need 2 tablespoons of loose-leaf tea or two tea bags to flavor the ice cream.
🍦 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe
Lavender Ice Cream
Equipment
- loaf pan or alternative shallow freezer safe container
Ingredients
- 1 whole vanilla bean
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds use ½ tablespoon for a more subtle lavender flavor
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream at least 35%
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 300 mL, 390 g, or 14 oz by weight, full fat
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with the flat edge.1 whole vanilla bean
- Combine the vanilla seeds, vanilla bean pod, lavender, and cream in a small saucepan. Let the cream come to a simmer. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.1 whole vanilla bean, 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds, 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Strain the cream to remove the vanilla bean pod and lavender buds. Squeeze as much cream from the lavender buds as possible. Refrigerate for 3 hours or freeze for 45 minutes to chill the cream completely.
- Whip the infused cream until firm peaks form with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Do not over whip. If it doesn't get stiff then place in the freezer for 10-20 minutes to chill even more.
- Gently fold in the sweetened condensed milk with the whipped cream until even. Pour into a loaf pan, or other shallow container, cover, and freeze until solid - about 6 hours.1 can sweetened condensed milk
- Scoop and serve!
Notes
- Use whole vanilla bean for the most flavor and texture
- Use good quality, culinary grade lavender buds
- Don't substitute the sweetened condensed milk
- Freeze fully
madi
could you make this work with coconut cream?!
Mary
Hi, I think if you made a coconut "whipped cream" and used it in the same way as whipped cream it could work! I haven't tried it myself though. If you try it please let me know if it works! 😀