Make Your Own Ice Cream

Summer may be gone, but ice cream is a timeless treat. Churn your own at home and incorporate fresh fruit and healthy ingredients.
By: Healthy Eats

Related To:

blueberryicecream_lead

Summer may be gone, but ice cream is a timeless treat. I like to churn my own at home so I can incorporate fresh fruit and healthy ingredients. It's easy to make a batch that's lighter but still as creamy as those store-bought brands. This last time around, I made a delicious buttermilk ice cream pepped up with some fresh blueberries. -- Julia Langer

When you tuck into a bowl of ice cream, it's not just the flavor that makes you love it; it's the ice cream’s mouthfeel -- that is, its texture and how your mouth responds. For ice cream, think creamy. The easiest way to get that creamy feel is, of course, to use cream. But when it’s made up of more than 35% fat, cream is not your healthiest option.

If you want to tweak the fat in your homemade ice cream recipe, keep the mouthfeel in mind; you don’t want it to feel too icy or foamy. You may be tempted to use low-fat milk as your main ingredient, but that will give you an icier dessert than you might prefer (it's called “ice milk”).

For my recipe, I used low-fat (1.5%) cultured buttermilk. Cultured buttermilk has been thickened in a way similar to yogurt, which creates a full, rich mouthfeel without the fat. The buttermilk also acts as a blank canvas for all your flavor add-ins. This recipe has blueberries, but you can use any seasonal fruit. Figs, bananas and puréed pumpkin are all delicious alternatives.

Extra tip: Be sure to cook the fruit down first to reduce its water content. If you don’t cook it down, all that water turns into ice as you churn the ice cream.

Ice Cream Ingredients
Blueberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

Serves: 9 (1/2 cup per serving)
4 cups 1.5% fat, cultured buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup blueberries
2 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix the water, sugar and blueberries together in a pot and boil down until they become a thicker blueberry syrup. Mix the lemon juice into the buttermilk (this makes it even thicker) and let that stand for 5 minutes. Mix all the ingredients together and pour into your ice cream maker.

When finished, you can store the ice cream in a plastic container in the freezer. Because this recipe includes fresh ingredients, only keep it for up to a week. Any longer than that and the dessert will start to take on odors from the freezer and show signs of freezer burn.

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 138
Total Fat: 1.5 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 grams
Carbohydrates: 27 grams
Protein: 5 grams
Cholesterol: 7 milligrams
Sodium: 172 milligrams
Fiber: 0 grams
Ice Cream Maker Alternative

I don't have an ice cream maker (yet!), so I made my batch by hand-rolling it in a coffee can. I mixed the ice cream until it was the consistency of a thick, frozen soft serve -- this took about 30 minutes. Then I put it in the freezer to solidify.

Julia Langer graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in food science. She currently has a column in Weight Watchers Magazine following her fitness and weight loss journey throughout the year.

Next Up

DIY Ice Cream Bar Ideas to Make Now

Get sweet satisfaction on a stick.

This Is the Answer to Mess-Free Ice Cream

You’ll eat this so moch-i this month!

Frozen Custard vs Ice Cream: What’s the Difference?

One key ingredient sets these frozen sweet treats apart.

Here’s the Scoop on Homemade Frozen Treats: DIY Ice Cream, Sorbet and Sherbet

Give homemade frozen treats a try with these recipes for ice cream, sorbet and sherbet. Stars like Ree Drummond give you recipes that come out fruity, extra-chocolatey and absolutely delicious.

Gelato vs. Ice Cream: What's the Difference?

One is American and one is Italian. The differences don't stop there.

11 Ice Creams Worth the Trip, According to Food Network Staffers

Here's the scoop on the best spots across the country.

It’s Not Just You: Your Ben & Jerry’s Pint Might Taste a Little Different

The brand is changing up the base recipe for its non-dairy ice cream flavors.

All the Freebies and Deals You’ll Want to Scoop Up This National Ice Cream Day

Every ice cream lover’s favorite holiday is coming July 16.

Klondike Is Giving Fans One Last Shot at Snagging a Choco Taco

The brand is sponsoring a digital scavenger hunt to distribute its small remaining stash of the recently discontinued treat.