Make 3 Ingredient Ice Cream with Evaporated Milk

Recipe Overview: No-Churn, Mixer-Only Vanilla Ice Cream

This easy, no-churn recipe depends on cold ingredients and high-speed aeration to produce a soft, scoopable ice cream without an ice cream maker.

Base at a glance: One 13-ounce can of chilled evaporated milk, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, and 2 teaspoons real vanilla. Chill the unopened can overnight (8+ hours) so it whips to soft, frothy peaks quickly. Add the powdered sugar in three additions, then the vanilla, and keep mixing until the volume and texture look light and fluffy.

Ingredients at a Glance

• One chilled 13-ounce can of evaporated milk, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional fruit variant: use a 12-ounce can of chilled evaporated milk and fold in about 12–14 ounces slightly thawed fruit pulp plus granulated sugar to taste

Tools You’ll Need

Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to aerate the base; both work (a stand mixer is faster). A large, cold bowl gives room for expansion and lets you reach fluffy volume with less splatter. Finish in a chilled, freezer-safe container with a tight lid for best storage.

Time, Yield, and Course

Plan short active bursts: a few minutes to whip initially, then cycles of 1-hour chills with brief re-whips. Total time depends on your freezer and how many freeze/re-whip cycles you do; expect about 4–6 hours to set fully (overnight recommended). The vanilla recipe yields roughly six servings and makes a great dessert course the same day you start.

Want a tested how-to or timing reference? See this evaporated milk ice cream guide for additional context: evaporated milk ice cream. Ready to start? Jump to the step-by-step method below and follow the chill → whip → freeze cycles.

3 Ingredient Ice Cream Evaporated Milk: Step-by-Step Method

Follow precise cold time and short mixing bursts to build a soft, airy ice cream without a custard base or an ice cream maker.

Step 1 — Chill the Can

Start by chilling an unopened 13-ounce can of evaporated milk for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. Keep it at the back of the fridge so it becomes thoroughly cold but not frozen solid. Cold milk whips faster, holds more air during whipping, and helps form smaller ice crystals for a smoother texture.

Step 2 — Pour and Whip to Soft, Frothy Peaks

Pour the chilled can into a large, cold bowl and whip on high speed. A stand mixer will typically reach fluffy volume faster (about 45–60 seconds); a hand mixer takes a little longer and requires short bursts to avoid warming the mixture. Watch for soft, frothy peaks — this is the stage when the base holds air and will freeze to a scoopable cream rather than a block of ice.

Step 3 — Sweeten and Flavor

Add 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar in three additions, whisking briefly between each so the sugar dissolves. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla and continue whipping just until soft peaks form (roughly another 15–30 seconds). Using powdered sugar helps stabilize the whipped milk and improves the finished texture compared with straight granulated sugar.

Step 4 — Freeze, Re-Whip, Repeat

Transfer the whipped base to the bowl or a chilled container and place it in the freezer for 1 hour. After an hour, remove and briefly re-whip (about 1 minute) to reincorporate air and break up forming ice crystals. Repeat this 1-hour freeze and short re-whip cycle 3–5 times depending on your freezer and how firm the texture is. Short active mixing keeps the air you built without deflating the cream.

Quick troubleshooting: if your mixture is still soft after four cycles, add another 1-hour freeze and a 1-minute whip. If it looks grainy or icy, more short freeze/re-whip cycles will help smooth the texture.

Step 5 — Transfer, Store, and Scoop

When the mixture is thick and airy, move it to a chilled, airtight freezer-safe container. Smooth the top, press a piece of parchment directly onto the surface to reduce air contact, and seal the lid. Let it firm in the freezer for 4–6 hours (overnight for best scoopability). Before serving, let the container sit at room temperature for 3–5 minutes to make scooping easier.

• Keep tools (bowl, beaters, container) cold between cycles to maintain whipping performance.
• In warm kitchens, work in shorter bursts and pre-chill the bowl in the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
• Do not freeze the unopened can solid — refrigeration is best for whipping performance.

Notes on equipment and texture: a stand mixer reduces hands-on time and usually achieves fluffier volume more consistently, while a hand mixer is fine if you don’t mind the extra minutes. This method builds a light, aerated cream without a cream maker; the repeated freeze/whip cycles are the key to soft, scoopable homemade ice cream rather than hard, icy blocks.

3 Ingredient Ice Cream Evaporated Milk Flavor Variations, Pro Tips, and Easy Substitutions

A few simple swaps transform the base into tangy fruit, speckled vanilla, or crunchy chocolate versions — all in one bowl. These tweaks use common pantry ingredients so you can match seasonality or what’s on hand without adding complicated steps.

Fruit Version (Strawberry Ripple)

Quick card: 1 chilled 12-ounce can evaporated milk, 12–14 ounces slightly thawed frozen strawberry pulp, 150 g granulated sugar → yields ~4 pints.

Whip the chilled 12-ounce can to soft, frothy peaks (a mixer will take about 8–10 minutes here because fruit adds weight). Fold in the thawed fruit pulp and sugar, mix gently 2–3 minutes until combined, then freeze at least two hours or overnight for best texture. Taste before final freeze and add a little more sugar or a splash of lemon juice to brighten the fruit.

Chocolate Chip (Quick Favorite)

Quick card: Base from main recipe + 3/4 to 1 cup chocolate chips (about 120–140 g) folded in before the final freeze → yields ~6 servings.

For chocolate lovers, fold in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate during the last fold so pieces stay suspended. To make a richer chocolate ice cream, swirl in 3 tablespoons cocoa mixed with a tablespoon of hot water (dissolved) into part of the base, then fold through for a ripple effect.

Vanilla Choices & Paste vs. Extract

Use pure vanilla extract for a clean flavor, or choose vanilla bean paste if you want visible specks and a deeper aroma. Paste behaves slightly syrupy, so use a little less if your base seems loose. Read labels — some pastes vary in intensity — and adjust to taste.

Pro tip: fold inclusions (chips, cookie pieces, swirls) just before the final freeze to keep them evenly suspended rather than sinking.

Mix-Ins, Cookies & Caramel

• Cookie swirl: add 3/4 to 1 cup crushed cookies (about 100–120 g) folded in at the last stage for texture and flavor.
• Peanut butter ribbons: warm 1/3 cup peanut butter with 1–2 tbsp honey and ripple into the base in ribbons before final freeze.
• Salted caramel: swirl 1/3–1/2 cup caramel sauce in the final fold for a rich finish.

Using Sweetened Condensed Milk or a Richer Base

If you want a denser, creamier chocolate ice cream or richer base, you can experiment with sweetened condensed milk instead of some of the evaporated milk — but proportions and sweetness change. Sweetened condensed milk adds sugar and fat; reduce added sugar accordingly and test small batches first. See the linked guide on no-churn options for technique variations.

Texture Fixes & Freezer Care

• If the finished ice cream is icy, run additional short freeze/re-whip cycles and make sure the can and bowl were very cold before starting.
• Store in a tight-lid, freezer-safe container at the back of the freezer and press parchment directly onto the surface to limit air exposure and ice crystal formation.
• Before the final set, taste and adjust sugar because frozen desserts often taste less sweet than the base.

Save these variations: chocolate chips or cookie swirls are low-effort ways to make chocolate ice cream or cookies-and-cream styles from the same three-ingredient base. Pin or save your favorite combo and try doubling the recipe for larger batches.

For full technique context and alternative no-churn variants, see this tested guide: no-churn ingredient ice cream.

Conclusion

3 Ingredient Ice Cream Evaporated Milk is an easy, no-churn recipe: plan a few hours, chill a can overnight, then follow the whip → brief freeze → re-whip cycles to get a silky ice cream that scoops cleanly.

Use a reliable mixer and cold tools (chilled bowl and beaters) to build air into the mixture without a cream maker. Transfer the finished batch to a chilled, airtight freezer-safe container and tuck it deep in the freezer for the best texture and shelf life.

This method is flexible: double the recipe for a crowd, switch vanilla types for a signature look (vanilla bean paste adds specks), or fold in chocolate chips or cookie swirls for instant chocolate ice cream or cookies-and-cream variations.

Final tip: let the ice cream sit 3–5 minutes at room temperature before scooping. Try the simple vanilla starter below, then pick a flavor variation to make it your own — and don’t forget to save or pin your favorite combo.

Can I use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer?

Do I need to re-whip the mixture after partial freezing?

What type of sugar gives the smoothest result?

How long does the finished dessert need to set in the freezer?

Can I make fruit-flavored versions with this method?

What causes icy texture and how do I fix it?

Is it okay to use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste?

How should I store leftovers to retain best texture and flavor?

Can I substitute dairy with non-dairy alternatives?