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Creamy No-Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream

no-churn salted caramel ice cream - featured image
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This easy no-churn salted caramel ice cream is incredibly creamy and rich, made without an ice cream maker. Homemade salted caramel is swirled into a simple whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk base for a perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups heavy cream (480 ml)
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (397 grams)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 grams), cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Make the salted caramel sauce first (about 15 minutes). Place the 1 cup of granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir it with a clean, dry spatula or wooden spoon as it starts to melt. The sugar will clump up at first—don’t panic, that’s normal. Keep stirring gently until it all melts into a deep amber liquid. This takes about 8-10 minutes. Watch it carefully; it goes from perfect to burnt very quickly. You’re looking for a color like a new penny or slightly darker.
  2. Add the butter once the sugar is fully melted and amber-colored. Carefully whisk in the 6 tablespoons of butter, one piece at a time. The mixture will bubble up vigorously—that’s why you need a deep saucepan. Keep whisking until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. It should smell nutty and rich at this point.
  3. Slowly pour in the 1/2 cup of heavy cream while whisking constantly. Again, it will bubble up and steam a lot. Keep whisking until everything is smooth and well combined. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the 1 1/2 teaspoons of flaky sea salt and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool completely to room temperature. I usually pour it into a glass jar and set it on the counter while I work on the ice cream base.
  4. Whip the heavy cream (about 3-4 minutes). Pour the 2 cups of cold heavy cream into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. You know it’s ready when you lift the beaters and the cream holds its shape without drooping. Be careful not to over-whip, or you’ll end up with butter.
  5. Fold in the sweetened condensed milk. Pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the whipped cream. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold it in until just combined. You want to see a uniform mixture with no streaks of white or yellow. Don’t overmix, or you’ll deflate all that air you just whipped into the cream.
  6. Create the caramel swirl. Pour about half of the cream mixture into your loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Drizzle about a third of the cooled salted caramel sauce over the top. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl it through the cream. Don’t overdo it—you want distinct ribbons of caramel, not a homogeneous brown mixture. Add the remaining cream mixture on top, then drizzle another third of the caramel and swirl again.
  7. Reserve some caramel for serving. Save the remaining caramel sauce in the fridge. You’ll use it for drizzling over the top when you serve the ice cream.
  8. Cover and freeze. Press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream. This prevents ice crystals from forming on top. Cover the container with its lid or another layer of plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 6 hours, but overnight is best. The longer it freezes, the firmer and more scoopable it becomes.
  9. Let it soften before serving. When you’re ready to eat, take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes. This makes it much easier to scoop. Drizzle with the reserved caramel sauce and a final pinch of flaky sea salt right before serving.

Notes

Make sure the caramel is completely cool before adding to the cream mixture to avoid melting the whipped cream. For best texture, freeze overnight. The caramel flavor deepens after a day or two in the freezer.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://cravemila.com/creamy-no-churn-salted-caramel-ice-cream-easy-homemade-recipe/