This homemade lemon curd ice cream is the easiest no-churn ice cream recipe to make! The ice cream is thick and creamy with lots of lemon curd swirled in. It takes this ice cream to a whole new level of creaminess!
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This is the ice cream that everyone is going to hold up their bowls and ask you for seconds. It is creamy with a rich sweet lemon flavor.
It is finally summer, and our family is going into relaxation mode. It is time to hang out outside and cool off with homemade lemon curd ice cream. If you love easy ice cream recipes as much as I do, you will want to see these amazing no-churn Gluten Free Ice Cream Recipes!
You won't believe how easy this no-churn lemon ice cream recipe is to make. Lemon curd works beautifully between cake layers, like in this gluten free lemon layer cake.
Why This Recipe Is The Best:
- This lemon custard ice cream recipe's beauty is the simple base ingredients (heavy cream, condensed milk, and your favorite fillings.)
- You can make this ice cream in any flavor and use any mix-in. It can be chocolate chip, cookie dough, or M&M ice cream. Look in your cabinet and see what you have to mix in.
- The ingredients mix up in seconds. Then it is just a few hours in the freezer.
- No ice cream machine is needed to make this lemon ice cream recipe!
If you love lemon curd as we do, you may like these gluten free dessert recipes. We love these gluten free lemon curd-filled cupcakes, and they are one of our favorite cupcakes.
Ingredient Notes:
- Lemon Curd - Lemon curd is creamy and full of delicious lemon flavor. You can use store-bought lemon curd, available in most grocery stores. You can also make your own lemon curd from scratch if you prefer
- Condensed Milk - You can use regular dairy condensed milk or coconut condensed milk.
- Heavy Cream- Use heavy whipping cream, NOT half and half. This is what adds the magic, so you have ice cream!
- Vanilla Extract - Use pure vanilla extract in this recipe.
- Lemon Zest- This is optional. Lemon zest adds a lot of nice flavors that cut into some of the sweetness of the ice cream, but some don't like the texture of lemon zest.
Allergen Notes:
- Make it dairy-free - Use coconut condensed milk, So Delicious Dairy-Free Heavy Cream, and this dairy-free lemon curd to make this recipe.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free.
This Vitamix is one of my favorite kitchen appliances of all time. I use it to make soup, ice cream, sorbet, smoothies, cream sauces, and more. It is quick and powerful. Clean up is also really easy!
How To Make Lemon Curd Ice Cream:
Here are the step-by-step directions and photos to walk you through making this easy no-churn ice cream recipe.
Step 1: Add condensed milk to your Vitamix or blender. (Sorry, the picture is a little blurry; I did a screenshot from the video so you could see the steps even if you don't have time to watch the video.)
Step 2: Add the lemon curd, zest, and heavy cream to the Vitamix. Put the cover on and blend the ingredients high until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.
🔑 Sandi says: If you love lemons, feel free to add an additional 2-3 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Step 3: You can freeze the ice cream in several different types of containers. My favorite is listed below. I love it has a fitted lid to prevent the ice cream from getting freezer burnt.
Tools For Making Lemon Bars:
I also like to use loaf pans to freeze my homemade ice cream. Pour the ice cream mixture into a bread pan. Use a large spoon to spread the mixture to be evenly disbursed. If you use a loaf pan, it is important to seal the top with plastic wrap. I use a rubber band to secure it extra tightly.
Step 4: Use a small spoon to drop dollops of lemon curd on the ice cream. Use the spoon to swirl the lemon curd into the ice cream.
Step 5: Cover the top of the container with plastic wrap (or lid if you have ice cream containers.) Use a large rubber band to fasten the plastic wrap to the sides of the container. Place the tub in the freezer for 3 hours until frozen.
Step 6: Use a large ice cream scoop to scoop out ice cream into a bowl or gluten free cone.
Enjoy!! This gluten-free lemon curd ice cream is thick, creamy, and perfect for any time! Top with gluten free sprinkles. Make sure you use gluten free sprinkles, as some brands are made on shared equipment with wheat.
If you need an easy homemade gluten free cone for your ice cream? Here is an easy tutorial to make your own Gluten Free Waffle Cones. My son came up with this genius idea, and it is an easy ice cream cone recipe that anyone can make.
You can also serve this ice cream in these Gluten Free Dessert Tacos.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container or wrapped loaf tin in the freezer.
Recipe FAQ:
Lemon curd is a thick lemon custard made with eggs. You can make it from scratch or buy it in a jar.
No-churn ice cream uses a shortcut to making homemade ice cream. It means you do not have to use an ice cream maker to make your ice cream. The Vitamix or a high-speed blender does some of this for you, making no-churn ice cream a much faster way to make ice cream.
If you keep the ice cream covered, this no-churn ice cream should keep fresh (no freezer burn) for up to a month in the freezer.
More Delicious Ice Cream Recipes:
- Caramel Chip No-Churn Ice Cream
- Earl Grey Ice Cream
- White Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream
- Use the lemon curd ice cream to make these delicious Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches!
📖 Recipe
No-Churn Lemon Curd Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 pints heavy cream
- ½ cup lemon curd
- 11.25 ounces coconut condensed milk * see note
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon curd to swirl on top
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a Vitamix or blender.
- Blend on high for 30 seconds until it is thick.
- Pour into a freezer safe container and swirl the remaining lemon curd over the top. Freeze for 2+ hours.
Video
Notes
- Optional: Add lemon zest to the Vitamix or blender to add more lemon flavor.
- You can use regular or coconut condensed milk.
- This ice cream will keep up to a month in the freezer. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn.
- If you top with sprinkles, make sure to use gluten free sprinkles.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an older May 2017 post with more recipe details.
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Kortney
I LOVE how simple this looks to make. I never make ice cream because I don't have a maker, and just don't have the space for one. I will need to give the a go asap!
Sandi Gaertner
Those ice cream makers can be huge! I totally get the space thing.
Noelle
It is so simple! What a great dessert for all summer long, kids are going to love this!
Sandi Gaertner
Have a great summer Noelle 🙂