Homemade Coffee Ice Cream is a rich, creamy frozen treat made with simple ingredients and full of delicious coffee flavor! Anyone can do it!
If you’re a coffee lover and a homemade Ice Cream fan, you will love this Coffee Ice Cream recipe! Similar to my Banana Ice Cream and Eggnog Ice Cream, it requires minimal work with maximum flavor payoff!
Why You’ll Love This Ice Cream?
- A fuss-free recipe that makes homemade ice cream feel effortless.
- The rich coffee flavor makes every bite creamy and indulgent.
Sabrina’s Coffee Ice Cream Recipe
This Coffee Ice Cream is a rich, creamy treat with just the right amount of bold coffee flavor. It’s a delicious homemade dessert for coffee lovers that feels special without being overly complicated. This sweet Coffee Ice Cream is packed with rich coffee flavor and is sure to be a hit with coffee lovers!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks , lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons coffee , ground
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk eggs well.
- In a medium saucepan add the rest of the sugar, heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla extract, salt and coffee on medium heat.
- Whisk non-stop and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.
- Add ½ cup coffee cream mixture in a very slow thin stream to the egg yolks while whisking quickly (do not stop whisking).
- Pour the egg/coffee mixture back into the pot slowly while whisking constantly.
- Cook until mixture is thickened, about 8-10 minutes (do not let boil or milk will taste scalded).
- Turn off heat and pour into a metal bowl or other heat proof bowl.
- Let cool completely, then refrigerate (covered) for 2 hours.
- Add custard to your ice cream maker (per machine instructions) then freeze for at least 3 hours to harden before serving.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tips
Making ice cream base extra smooth and creamy takes a little patience, so make sure you have dedicated you give it your full attention. Watch the temperature and remember to keep whisking the whole time. Enjoy crafting a creamy ice cream dessert from scratch. For the creamiest texture, let the ice cream soften for a few minutes before scooping
Table of contents
About this Recipe
You’ll be surprised how simple ingredients can make the most indulgent, flavorful ice cream. Quality, full-fat ingredients make all the difference and are definitely worth it for ice cream that’s better than any store brand. You can make this with or without an ice cream maker. While the ice cream maker does eliminate some of the hands-on time, making it with my alternate methods is just as easy. With 5 tablespoons of ground coffee, you are sure to get a caffeinated kick, or, for less of an energy buzz, you can use decaffeinated coffee granules. Just like cooking recipes that use liqueur or beer, you want to use coffee that you enjoy drinking because the full flavor is going to shine through. A safe bet that everyone will love is a breakfast blend or medium roast.
Ingredients
- Egg Yolks: These add richness and a velvety texture to the ice cream. They also act as a stabilizer. It’s crucial to temper them correctly to avoid getting scrambled eggs in your custard.
- Heavy Cream & Whole Milk: These ingredients make the ice cream luxuriously creamy. You could use substitutes like half-and-half, but this would alter the ice cream’s rich texture.
- Ground Coffee: This provides the main flavor. For the best taste, use freshly ground beans. If using instant coffee, the flavor might be milder. Adjust to your liking.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla takes this recipe to new heights. You don’t want to skip it. Real vanilla extract does cost more than imitation flavoring, but the quality is a world apart! Go for the real ingredients.
How to Store
- Serve: Allow Coffee Ice Cream to harden fully, about 4 hours in the freezer, before serving. If you allow ice cream to get too melted or soft while serving and then re-freeze it will affect the texture.
- Freeze: Store Coffee Ice Cream in an airtight container with plastic wrap between the ice cream and the lid. The plastic wrap keeps moisture from collecting and ice from forming. Freeze Coffee Ice Cream for up to 6 months in the back of the freezer.
Alternative Cooking Techniques
Shaken Method
- You need a large container with a secure lid. The container should be big enough to easily hold a gallon size bag with ice cream in it, plus ice cubes. The ice needs to be able to move around the bag.
- Prepare the Coffee Ice Cream mixture per the recipe instructions and add to the freezer bag. Allow to cool.
- Fill the container halfway with ice and ¼ cup rock salt and add the bag of ice cream mix.
- Secure the lid and shake the container for at least 10 minutes until the ice cream becomes firm.
- Remove the ice cream bag from the container and freeze for at least 4 hours before transferring to the storage container.
Electric Mixer Method
- The night before you make your ice cream, place a large mixing bowl in the freezer and freeze for at least 12 hours.
- Make the Coffee Ice Cream mixture as usual and pour into a frozen bowl.
- Freeze ice cream for 30 minutes in the back of the freezer where it is coldest.
- Beat the ice cream mixture with an electric mixer on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
- Return Coffee Ice Cream to the freezer for another 30 minutes, then repeat mixing and freezing every 30 minutes until firm throughout.
- Freeze Coffee Ice Cream for at least 4 hours.
Frequent Questions
Yes, you can use instant coffee or instant espresso powder. However, the flavor might be less intense compared to using freshly ground coffee beans. We’re using ground coffee ourselves.
Properly stored in an airtight container, it can last up to 2 months, but it’s best consumed within a month for optimal flavor and texture.
Yes, you can substitute the heavy cream and whole milk with coconut milk or almond milk, though the texture and taste will vary.
You can still make this recipe! After the custard cools, place it in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, stir it vigorously with a fork to break any ice crystals until the ice cream is creamy and set.
The caffeine content is relatively low, but it might vary depending on the type and amount of coffee used. We don’t recommend eating it before trying to sleep!
Variations
- Cookies: Baked desserts and coffee are a tasty combination, so add your favorite cookie pieces, brownies, or other treats once your ice cream is mixed. Chocolate Brownies or Chocolate Chip Cookies are a great mix-in!
- Cardamom: Add 1 teaspoon ground cardamom to your ice cream custard mixture with the coffee granules. You can also add whole cardamom pods to the milk mixture as it cooks and then remove them before adding the coffee.
- Irish Coffee: Make an Irish Coffee Ice Cream with 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey or Bailey’s Irish Cream added to the base after you add the yolk mixture.
- Chocolate: Coffee and chocolate are a natural pair, each enhancing the flavor of the other. Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, or chocolate chunks before adding to the ice cream machine. You can also add a Chocolate Ganache swirl halfway through the freezing time when the ice cream is semi-firm but not solid.
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Photos used in previous version of this post
Is the cooking and cooling and either or choice between that and the ice cream making machine? Do I need a machine?
Hi Martha,
There are ways to make Ice Cream without a machine. I haven’t created this recipe yet but perhaps I will! I use a machine! Let us know how your ice cream turned out!
do you regular ground coffee or do you use instant ground coffee? thank you very much. I have tried a lot of your recipes and they are very good. thank you again
Regular ground coffee. Enjoy!