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Two sugar cones topped with light yellow lemon ice cream, being held up in glass drinking glasses. A bowl of lemons is in the background.

Lemon Ice Cream

Ice Cream From Scratch
Homemade Lemon Ice Cream is super creamy, yet light and refreshing. Enjoy it on its own, or top your favorite dessert with a scoop or two.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Ice Cream Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 434 kcal

Equipment

  • Set of 2 Reusable Ice Cream Tub Containers For Homemade Ice Cream 1.6 Quart
  • Cusinart ICE-70P1 2-Quart Cool Creations Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt, Gelato and Sorbet Maker, LCD Screen with Countdown Timer, Makes Frozen Treats in 20-Minutes or Less, Stainless Steel
  • KitchenAid KO117OHAQA Gourmet Ice Cream Scoop, One Size, Matte Aqua Sky

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Chill the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours or until solid. You should not hear any water sloshing around when you shake the bowl.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until smooth and pale yellow in color.
  • Add the milk, lemon zest, and salt to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the milk to a simmer and then remove it from the heat. Be sure not to boil. 
  • Add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk to the egg and sugar mixture and whisk constantly until combined. 
  • Then, add the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Heat the saucepan on low. Stirring constantly, heat until the base has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take a few minutes. 
  • Strain the mixture into a bowl to remove any pieces of egg that may have cooked. Then, add the heavy cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap making sure to have the plastic wrap touching the surface of the ice cream base. This will help keep it from forming a skin while chilling. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  • Churn the ice cream mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about 25 minutes), until it is thick and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
  • Spoon the ice cream into a shallow container or a loaf pan. Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the ice cream. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid. 
  • Let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Plan ahead by making sure that your ice cream maker bowl is in the freezer at least 24 hours before making ice cream.
  • The ingredients in this recipe are all needed and required to make creamy, delicious homemade ice cream. Avoid substituting with low fat or low sugar substitutes, as this will affect the texture and flavor.
  • You'll need 3-4 fresh lemons for this recipe. Zest the lemons first before squeezing the juice. Be sure to remove any seeds.
  • Homemade ice cream can be stored in the freezer for up to one month. Keep it in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper pressed to the surface of the ice cream to keep ice crystals from developing.
  • Homemade ice cream should be easy to scoop if you let it soften at room temperature for 5 minutes after removing it from the freezer.
Keyword Lemon Ice Cream, Lemon Ice Cream Recipe