Truly the best recipe for Cream Cheese Ice Cream, made with cream cheese, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. No ice cream machine required — this no-churn method yields a rich, silky, scoopable ice cream that’s gluten-free and simple to prepare with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer.
This easy no-churn Cream Cheese Ice Cream is creamy, refreshing, and perfect for hot summer days. It skips cooking, egg yolks, and ice cream machines, so it’s approachable for bakers and home cooks of all levels.
Traditional homemade ice cream often requires tempering, careful cooking, or an ice cream maker and pre-chilling, which can be inconvenient. The no-churn approach combines sweetened condensed milk with whipped cream and freezes to create an exceptionally smooth texture — but on its own it can be overly sweet.
To add balance and depth, this recipe uses softened cream cheese. The cream cheese cuts through the sweetness, lending tang, body, and a luxurious mouthfeel. When I first tried a small amount, the improvement was immediate — with the full eight-ounce block folded in, the ice cream became richer, more complex, and wonderfully scoopable.
The finished ice cream is indulgent, tangy, and full of vanilla flavor. It scoops into large, milky portions and pairs well with classic toppings or creative swirls and mix-ins.
The beauty of no-churn ice cream is its simplicity: no cooking, no eggs, and no churning equipment. The one practical requirement is time in the freezer — plan to make this at least 6 hours ahead, or preferably overnight, for the best texture.
How to make cream cheese ice cream
Start by beating the cream cheese until it is light and smooth — this creates a creamy base that blends seamlessly with the other ingredients. Add vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, and a pinch of salt, and beat until combined. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl.
Next, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Folding the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two batches preserves the airy structure that makes no-churn ice cream light rather than icy. Once fully combined, scrape the mixture into a freezer-safe container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals, and freeze until firm.
Because there’s no cooking involved, this recipe is quick to assemble — about 10 minutes of hands-on time — and it yields about 1 quart of ice cream. Chilling time brings it to scoopable perfection.
Variations
This vanilla base is extremely versatile. Keep it simple and serve with chocolate sauce, caramel, or sprinkles, or get creative with swirls and mix-ins. A boozy blueberry-mezcal swirl or a Mexican hot chocolate ribbon with crispy churro bites both make exciting variations. For a tangier twist, substitute goat cheese for the cream cheese.
Mix-ins range from childhood favorites like crushed cookies or chocolate chips to more sophisticated additions such as brandied cherries, chopped truffles, or toasted nuts. Combine flavors to create layered, interesting results — the base takes additions well.
More summer dessert recipes to try
- Easy 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Fruit Dip
- Ricotta Flan
- Coconut Tres Leches Cake
- Strawberry Tamales with Horchata Sauce
- 12 S’mores Combinations That Will Blow Your Mind
- Key Lime Pie with Sour Cream Topping
- Salted Cookies and Cream Paletas
Because who doesn’t love ice cream?
This creamy cream cheese ice cream is simple, indulgent, and hard to resist. Try the recipe and enjoy — it’s a fast, reliable way to make a rich homemade ice cream without special equipment.
No-Churn Vanilla Cream Cheese Ice Cream
1 quart
10 minutes
10 minutes
Truly the best recipe for Cream Cheese Ice Cream made with cream cheese, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. No ice cream machine needed — rich, creamy, and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 (13.4 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
Instructions
Beat the cream cheese. Place softened cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use an electric hand mixer). Beat on medium for about 1 minute until smooth and airy.
Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fully combined and smooth. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Whip the cream. In the same mixer bowl (no need to wash), switch to the whisk attachment and whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks, about 2–4 minutes depending on your mixer.
Fold and freeze. Gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining cream until integrated and airy. Scrape into a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, cover, and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight for best results.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition varies by portion size and specific brands used.
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All photos courtesy of This Mess Is Ours.
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