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Creamy Lemon Ice Cream

Creamy lemon ice cream made with a bright lemon custard base, thickened to 175°F for a smooth scoop. Chilled for at least 4 hours, then churned and frozen until firm for a pure citrus punch balanced by rich creaminess.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 414
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Creamy Lemon Ice Cream base
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the lemon custard
  1. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream and whole milk until steaming. Stop when you see small steam bubbles at the edges.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar until smooth and lighter in color. Whisk steadily so the sugar dissolves.
  3. Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks to temper. Pour in a thin stream while whisking to prevent scrambling.
  4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard reaches 175°F. It should coat the back of a spoon and look slightly thicker.
  5. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve. Press gently to remove any bits so the texture stays silky.
Flavor, chill, and freeze
  1. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until fully combined and evenly bright.
  2. Cool the custard completely over an ice bath. Continue stirring occasionally until it feels fully cool.
  3. Refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours. Chill until cold throughout before churning.
  4. Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. The mixture should thicken and look like soft-serve.
  5. Transfer to a container and freeze until firm. Freeze until scoopable with a dense, creamy texture.

Notes

For the silkiest lemon custard, keep the heat at medium-low and stir constantly so you hit 175°F without curdling. Store in the freezer in a sealed container for up to 2 months, though texture is best within 1 month; there’s no need to freeze after the initial firm freeze. For a lighter version, replace half the heavy cream with additional whole milk for a softer, less rich mouthfeel.