My No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream is so simple to prepare and tastes fantastic! Containing just three ingredients, this easy recipe will have you enjoying tangy, creamy ice cream with minimum preparation time.
Why you'll love this recipe:
I love recipes that have connections with family or friends. I received this amazing recipe many years ago from my Godmother, and have happily enjoyed it ever since, and now I hope you will too!
There are no special techniques required - you just whiz all the ingredients together in a food processor and then freeze. It could not be simpler.
We love this Easy Lemon Ice Cream because:
- It only takes about 15 minutes of minimal effort before placing it in the freezer.
- No technical skills are necessary. If you don’t have any kitchen experience, you can still make this No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream.
- You do not require an ice cream machine to make this delicious dessert.
- It is not necessary to stir it to prevent ice crystals forming – it remains melt in the mouth, smooth and creamy.
- The texture is rich and creamy, the flavour is of bright, tangy lemon.
- It is made in advance; a great help when entertaining.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Fresh lemon – we use the zest and juice.
Caster/superfine sugar – it dissolves more readily than granulated.
Whipping cream - we have used heavy/whipping cream, which contains a minimum of 35% milk fat.
How To Make Lemon Ice Cream:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Add the lemon and sugar to the food processor:
Add the lemon zest, juice and caster/superfine sugar to the bowl of a food processor and whiz them together.
2 – Slowly add the cream:
With the motor running, gradually add the cream.
3 – The mixture:
Process just until the mixture thickens to a texture similar to whipped cream.
4 – Add to your dish or container:
Spoon the ice cream into an airtight freezer container or a dish.
5 – Cover the ice cream:
If using a dish, ensure you cover with two layers of cling film.
6 – Scoop and enjoy:
Freeze for approximately 4 hours. Remove from the fridge 15 minutes prior to serving.
Tips for success and FAQs:
For such a simple recipe, there are a few tips. One important tip is to remove the Lemon Ice Cream from the freezer about 10-15 minutes before serving to allow it to soften a little.
Without the additives found in commercial ice cream, I have found that homemade ice cream does not keep well. It is best enjoyed within 5 days for the optimal texture and flavour.
We do not recommend reducing the sugar for this recipe. Sugar plays an important part in the setting and thickness of the recipe. It helps prevent the formation of ice crystals, thus keeping it smooth and creamy.
Store the No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream in the freezer in a freezer-safe, shallow, airtight container. As an extra precaution against the formation of ice crystals, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the Ice Cream.
Variations and substitutions:
Food Processor – if you do not have a food processor, you can also prepare this recipe in a stand mixer or use electric hand beaters.
Serving suggestions:
Although delicious on its own, you can further elevate this Lemon Ice Cream by serving it with:
- Some grated white chocolate.
- Brandied Oranges.
- Shortbread Cookies.
- A drizzle of Blueberry Sauce.
I do hope that you will try this No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream. You will be pleasantly surprised that just a small amount of effort can provide such a rich, creamy, flavoursome dessert. It is so easy to make that it is suitable for weeknights. As well, it is so creamy and luxurious that it is ideal to make when entertaining. And if you're like me, ice cream is not seasonal, it can be enjoyed throughout the year.
Alex xx
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No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest - very finely zested See Note 1
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice - freshly squeezed and strained
- 1 cup (220 g) caster/superfine sugar
- 2 ½ cups (600 ml) thickened/heavy whipping cream See Note 2
Instructions
- Add the lemon zest, juice and caster/superfine sugar to the bowl of a food processor and whiz them together.
- With the motor running, gradually add the cream through the feed tube.
- Process just until the mixture thickens to a texture similar to whipped cream. Spoon the ice cream into a shallow, airtight, freezer container or dish covered with two layers of cling film.
- Freeze for approximately 4 hours. The length of time will vary, depending on the temperature of your freezer and the size of the container.
- Remove from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving to allow the ice cream to soften a little.
- To maintain the fresh flavour and creamy texture, it is best if consumed within 5 days.
Video
Notes
- I needed 2 lemons to get the required amount of juice and zest. The natural oils in the zest impart more flavour than the juice. Just remove the thin, coloured skin; do not use any of the white pith as it has a bitter flavour. I find a very fine microplane is best. The number of lemons required will vary, depending on their size and how juicy they are.
- We have used heavy/whipping cream, which contains a minimum of 35% milk fat.
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on six serves. It does not include what the ice cream is served with. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
This post was originally published in August 2018. It has been updated with new photos and more information. The recipe remains the same.
Fantajia Turner says
I tried this recipe and we enjoyed it! The different flavors I can make with a simple ice cream base is awesome. It doesn't require much. Thank you for sharing! 💞
Alexandra Cook says
Thank you so much for trying, Fantajia!
So pleased you enjoyed it 🙂 Alex xo
Sue says
Thanks for this lovely easy recipe. I wonder could you use half cream half milk to make it a bit lighter? Have you tried that?
Alexandra Cook says
Hello Sue,
This is not something I have tried, but I am not sure it would work.
The lemon reacts with the cream to thicken it, and I feel the milk would thin it down too much, and the end result could be too icy.
Being a no-churn ice cream that doesn't use condensed milk, I feel the cream here is quite essential for that delicious, creamy texture.
I hope that helps, and please let me know if you give the recipe a try! Alex xo
Peta says
Can you use coconut cream?
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Peta,
I am sorry, I have not tried this when making ice cream before.
If you give it a go, I'd love to hear how you get on!
Alex xo
Thomas says
Found your recipe for lemon Ice cream. It was a big hit at Father's Day party.
The whole family loved it. I am going to make more this weekend.
Alexandra Cook says
Hello Thomas,
Thank you so much for sharing! I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe and will be making it again 🙂
Alex xo
Tracy says
can you use splenda for this
Alexandra Cook says
I have never used Splenda before in my recipes, sorry!
If you give it a try, let me know how you get on 🙂
Paula Larkin says
It’s Not Complicated Recipes I made this and added swirls of lemon curd….damn delicious. We, the two of us, ate it in one sitting! 🍋🍨
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Paula,
Love the addition of the lemon curd - delicious!
So happy you enjoyed this recipe! Alex xo
Nad says
Thank you for the recipe. It’s easy and tasty. 😋
It’s just that my ice cream turned out ‘too creamy’ like it felt ‘heavy’ on the palate. I’m thinking maybe the texture is not right but i’m not sure either it was overly processed or it wasn’t enough.
Alexandra Cook says
Hello Nad 🙂
Thank you for making this recipe, and I am so happy you enjoyed it.
If I had to take a guess, I would think perhaps it was overly processed - it doesn't require a lot of mixing.
We do have a video for this recipe in the recipe card - have you had a look at that to see how the texture should be?
Let me know if you have any more questions, and thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂 Alex xo
Nad says
Thank you for your reply!
Yup i watched the video and I will try again and hope can make it better.
😃
Pam Venter says
Fabulously easy, tasty and delicious . Cannot recommend it highly enough.
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Pam,
Thank you so much for the lovely review! I am so thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe. Alex xo
Hat Hughes says
wow! I'm so happy! I can't believe it's possible to make this gorgeous ice cream at home! it's so easy! it's DELICIOUS..THANKYOU!
Alexandra Cook says
I am so happy you enjoyed it, Hat! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Alex xo
Jason Gardner says
beautiful, very rich and creamy..
could not get enough.!
definitely not seasonal 😀
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your fantastic comment! 🙂
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
Margaret says
Can I substitute the double cream with clotted cream
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Margaret,
We have not tested this, so I cannot say for sure. My guess would be this isn't suitable, as clotted cream is much thicker and has a higher fat content than double cream and this could certainly alter the result.
The Spruce Eats mentions that clotted cream cannot be whipped, which would seem to confirm that this is not an ideal swap for this recipe.
If you prefer to use clotted cream, it may be worth seeking a specific recipe that uses it.
Hope that helps! Kind regards, Alex
Kate.irving says
Hi Alexandra,
About to make the lemon jam and lemon ice cream.
Thankyou so much for including metric measurements. Cups are always a bit of a struggle for English cooks( well, me !)
Kate
Alexandra says
Hello Kate,
Thanks so much for your comment - I hope you enjoyed the recipes.
Really appreciate your comment re: metric measurements. We do have some recipes missing them, but are working through updating them all. If you run into one that doesn't have them yet, feel free to reach out, and I'll make sure they're updated asap!
Kind regards, Alex
Victoria F says
This was our new year's eve treat served with meringues and raspberries. It was fabulous! So creamy and not at all icy. A really lovely recipe, thank you.
Alexandra says
Hi Victoria, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Lemon Ice Cream. What a great idea to serve it with meringues and raspberries - so delicious! Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Gina says
Have you ever swapped the sugar for Swerve or another sugar substitute? Can you use a blender if you don't have a food processor?
Alexandra says
Hi Gina, I have not used a sugar substitute in this recipe so unfortunately, I can't make a suggestion. You could use a blender at a low speed, or a bowl with hand-held electric beaters also on low speed. You don't want to over-whip the cream. I hope this helps. 🙂
Jeanne says
To answer your question I made Roasted Strawberry No Churn Ice Cream today. It called for Sugar and I only use Granulated Monk Fruit so I used that and it turned out great!
Kaitlin says
This recipe was delicious! The whole family loved it. Very sweet and refreshing!
Next time, I would like to do a dairy free version. Any tips ?
Alexandra says
Hi Kaitlin, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Lemon Ice Cream. I have not tried a dairy-free version. Dairy-free may react differently with the lemon than cream. It may be best to search online for a specific dairy-free version. 🙂
Maur says
This ice cream is the best thing ever! Love your photo skills as well
Alexandra says
Hello Maur, thank you for your lovely comments on the Lemon Ice Cream. I do appreciate them. 🙂
Betty Heyward says
I don’t have a food processor. Can you make it with out one please
Alexandra says
Hi Betty, you could try hand beaters instead 🙂
Kind regards, Alex
Erica says
A blender worked well for me. I put all ingredients in at once.
Alexandra Cook says
Thanks for sharing, Erica 🙂