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Celebrate National Ice Cream Day with homemade ice cream made without churning — no ice cream maker needed!

Smooth and creamy like custard and with just three ingredients in the ice cream base, my easy Blueberry Ice Cream gets rave reviews every time I make it!

no churn blueberry ice cream in a white bowl garnished with mint sprig on a table with a blue napkin and blueberries scattered around.

Don’t own an ice cream machine and have a craving for the homemade stuff? No problem!

You can make small batches of no-churn ice cream in your kitchen freezer and enjoy some of the creamiest ice cream ever without even turning one crank of the ice cream maker!

Bursting with fresh blueberry flavor, this no churn blueberry ice cream recipe is both egg free and gluten free. Sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream make it rich and decadent, and fresh blueberries give it a beautiful color that appeals to both kids and adults alike.

Prepare a quick blueberry compote by cooking the berries with a little sugar and lemon juice, let it cool, then add it to the 3-ingredient ice cream base. Pour the ice cream into a loaf pan and freeze until firm. Just like that, yummy homemade ice cream without an ice cream freezer!

Why you’re going to love it!

  • Easy to make
  • No special equipment required
  • Simple ingredients
  • Fresh and delicious blueberry flavor!
ingredients for blueberry ice cream on a counter: sweetened condensed milk, whipping cream, sugar, blueberries, and a lemon.

Key ingredients and substitutions

  • Blueberries — Fresh is best, but you may use frozen blueberries as well. If using frozen, let them thaw first and drain off any liquid before making the compote for the ice cream.
  • Sweetened condensed milk — If you didn’t know, sweetened condensed milk is cow’s milk that has been heated until all the water evaporates and the milk reduces by half. Sugar is added so it has a sweet, caramelized flavor. Thick and rich, it eliminates the need for eggs in this recipe.
  • Heavy whipping cream — Use the real stuff and don’t be tempted to substitute whipped topping as you will not get the same results!
  • Sugar — Use granulated sugar to sweeten the ice cream base or you may use another natural sweetener, like Stevia or honey.

How to make homemade blueberry ice cream

process steps for preparing no churn blueberry ice cream: 1) cook blueberries 2) whip cream 3) combine ingredients 4) empty into container.

STEP 1 | Prepare blueberry compote

  • In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring the blueberries, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice to a boil. Let this mixture gently boil for about ten minutes so that the berries break down and release their juices.
  • Use the back of a spoon to gently smash the berries against the side of the pan, then remove the blueberry mixture from the heat and cool completely.

STEP 2 | Whip heavy cream

  • Using an electric mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. For best results, place your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 30 minutes before you whip the heavy cream.

STEP 3 | Combine ingredients

  • In a large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Add the cooled blueberry mixture and stir just until combined.

STEP 4 | Freeze

  • Pour the mixture into a loaf pan and cover the top with a piece of wax or parchment paper. Freeze for at least six hours or overnight before serving.

“My 5-year-old nephew wanted blueberry ice cream. I never realized they don’t sell it in stores. Found this recipe and made it. PERFECT!! He was very happy. I was happier!!” — Rose

labels for ice cream container, a pen, and ice cream scoop on a table.

tips

  • I bought this set of reusable ice cream tub containers (with labels!) and love them! They are sturdy and fit perfectly in the door of a refrigerator freezer. They come in a set of 2 and each holds 1.6 quarts — it’s the perfect size for today’s recipe!
  • Use this same basic recipe to make classic vanilla ice cream — just omit the blueberry compote! Then if you like, stir in chopped nuts or other flavorings before freezing.

a container of blueberry ice cream with an old fashioned ice cream scoop.

Frequently asked questions

How long will blueberry ice cream keep?

When stored properly covered in the freezer, homemade blueberry ice cream will stay fresh for about 2 weeks. To avoid icing on top, press a piece of wax paper firmly on top of the ice cream and cover with a lid every time you return the container to the freezer.

Can I substitute other berries in this ice cream recipe?

Absolutely! This is a great basic recipe that would work great with either blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries, too!

no churn blueberry ice cream in a white bowl garnished with mint sprig on a table with a blue napkin and blueberries scattered around and a container of ice cream.

Blueberry Ice Cream: behind the recipe

It’s National Ice Cream Day — YAY! — and I’m partnering with an amazing group of food bloggers to celebrate!

Hosted by my friend, Radha the creator of Magical Ingredients, today’s ice cream extravaganza features more than a dozen refreshing ice cream recipes to cool you down in the Summer heat. Keep scrolling for the complete list!

I’ve been making blueberry ice cream for years — thanks to my father-in-law and his row of very healthy and productive blueberry bushes! He generously shares his bounty with us every July, so I go crazy making all kinds of blueberry goodies like blueberry jam, blueberry tea, blueberry pie bars, and of course, a batch or two of fresh blueberry ice cream.

It’s so easy, I think you’ll love this ice cream recipe for its simplicity, versatility, and delicious results!

More delicious ice cream recipes!

no churn blueberry ice cream in a white bowl garnished with mint sprig on a table with a blue napkin and blueberries scattered around.

No Churn Blueberry Ice Cream

Smooth and creamy like custard and with just three ingredients in the ice cream base, my easy Blueberry Ice Cream gets rave reviews every time I make it!
4.48 from 59 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Freeze 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Course Sweets
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 304 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil. Reduce heat and gently boil for 5-10 minutes. Use the back of a spoon to gently smash the berries against the side of the pan.
  • Remove the blueberry mixture from the heat and cool completely.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
  • To a large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Add the cooled blueberry mixture and stir just until combined.
  • Pour the mixture into a loaf pan and cover the top with a piece of wax or parchment paper. Freeze for at least six hours or overnight before serving.

Notes

To use frozen blueberries, thaw first and drain before cooking.
Keeps well for two weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 5gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 68mgSugar: 31g

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword blueberry, no churn ice cream
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was.
Sheila Thigpen, blogger

About Sheila Thigpen

Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer

Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.

24 Comments

  1. 3 stars
    This recipe makes the ice cream grossly sweet and lacking the overall blueberry flavour which should be the highlight of the taste, the main ingredient.

  2. I guess I’m in the minority here but this was too sweet and creamy, not like what I was expecting of ice cream. There’s not too many ice creams I don’t like but this was one. And unfortunately I used so many fresh blueberries to make it

  3. 5 stars
    I made this recipe today and it was easy and delicious! The only thing I would change is that I would boil all of the blueberries. I didn’t like biting into the frozen whole blueberries. I will definitely make it again!

  4. We have been enjoying the fresh blueberries this season and always love ice cream. So this week I tried this recipe and it is DELICIOUS!

  5. These photos are gorgeous! If I didn’t already love everything blueberry, they’d have won me over. Love the tubs and labels too–I can see a diet battle coming on 😉

  6. This is the prettiest ice cream flavor I have ever seen! I love making homemade ice cream because you can get flavors like this that you just don’t normally see elsewhere. Next time I might try adding a marshmallow swirl or graham cracker crust pieces!

  7. I just realized our heavy whipping cream is bad
    Can I use cool whip instead?
    I need something different like this blueberry ice cream for a change to help with our abundance of blueberries!!!
    Thanks!

    1. Jennifer, I would not recommend using Cool Whip as the ice cream will not be as creamy and i’m not sure it will set properly.

  8. Just made ice cream and added to freezer. Can’t wait to pull it out for dessert tonight- 4th of July. Adding some fresh strawberries and whip cream to the top for a red, white and blue theme. Oh, I also swirled chunks of graham cracker crust into the icee cream. It crumbled before I got to use it as a pie crust… May be similar to the store bought Hudsonville blueberry cobbler ice cream (a MI favorite).

    1. Hi, Jenny. I’ve been in the process of updating my recipe cards, so I’ve just now added the nutrition info for this recipe. Thanks!

  9. 5 stars
    My 5 year old nephew wanted blueberry ice cream. I never realized they don’t sell it in stores. Found this recipe and made it. PERFECT!! He was very happy. I was happier!!

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