Nearly every 4th of July throughout my childhood, Mom slid our paperback copy of the Ben & Jerry’s cookbook off of its spot on the bookshelf, flipped through the pages, and pulled out the ingredients for their egg-free vanilla ice cream recipe. While she beat the sugar and heavy cream with our hand-held mixer, Dad drove over to the grocery store to brave the crowds and pick up a box of rock salt and big bag of ice.
When Dad returned, he finagled our antique ice cream maker out of its cabinet in the garage, maneuvering it Tetris-style past the parked cars, rod of Mom’s fancy dresses, and two bicycles hanging upside down from the ceiling. He carried it out to the backyard, setting it down near one of the grated drains, before pouring Mom’s ice cream base into the metal container and placing that in the center.
After nestling alternating layers of ice and rock salt around the edges in between the metal container and the wooden bucket’s sides, we gathered around the machine, perched on little plastic step stools, and quickly planned out our turns. Dad took his place at the hand crank first, easily turning it round and round, to ensure a smooth start. My younger brother grabbed it next, placing his hand directly over Dad’s and continuing to push the handle at the same speed in the same direction. Dad taught us very early on that seamless transitions were the key to perfectly smooth and creamy ice cream!
I took over after my brother, hunkering down on the little step stool and turning the crank around and around in a circle. By the end of my turn, the ice cream had begun to thicken, and pushing that handle required a lot more effort! With their bigger muscles, Mom and Dad took the last two turns, and about 20 minutes after we started, Dad hoisted the metal container out of the wooden bucket and carried it into the kitchen on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch the salty water droplets from the melted ice!).
After removing the lid and scraping off the plastic paddle in the center, Dad served us each a big bowl of that fresh, homemade ice cream. As smooth and creamy as soft-serve and with its classic vanilla flavor, that ice cream tasted a hundred times better than anything we bought from the grocery store!
This year, the county fair ended on the 4th of July, and since the fairgrounds sit directly across from the grocery store, we decided to avoid the massive crowds of cars and people and skip buying ice for our antique ice cream maker. However, my brand new electric ice cream maker arrived in the mail the day before, so we still whipped up homemade ice cream! Instead of Ben & Jerry’s indulgent version full of heavy cream and sugar, we made my healthier recipe…
This Ultimate Healthy Vanilla Ice Cream! Mom and Dad were completely surprised by how perfectly it turned out. Even with no heavy cream or sugar, they agreed it was still just as smooth and creamy as their favorite cookbook recipe (or anything you’d order from an ice cream parlor!), and it had the same sweet, rich vanilla flavor. And because it’s surprisingly full of protein, nobody felt guilty serving themselves a second scoop!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY VANILLA ICE CREAM
To make this healthier ice cream, you’ll start with Greek yogurt and 2% milk. If you’ve been around Amy’s Healthy Baking for a while, you already know how much I love Greek yogurt! Its thick texture is perfect for this ice cream base, and with around 21g of protein per cup, it gives your frozen treat a big protein boost too!
As for the milk, I highly recommend using 2% instead of trying to substitute something else. Ice cream requires some fat to give it that smooth, creamy texture.
{Nerd alert—here’s why!}
Traditional ice cream is a combination of sugar molecules, fat molecules, air molecules, and frozen water molecules. Think of them as tiny spheres of various sizes. If too many frozen water spheres are touching, the ice cream has ice chunks form, which makes the ice cream taste hard or grainy. Adding the other types of spheres—sugar, fat, and air—reduces the chances of those frozen water spheres touching, which makes your ice cream smooth and creamy!
Since you aren’t sweetening this ice cream with sugar (more on that in a minute!), it’s very important to make sure you include fat in the ice cream base. You can use higher percentages of milk (i.e. whole milk) if you prefer, but do not substitute nonfat or 1% milk. I also recommend against substituting almond or cashew milk because both of these have a very high water content, which will increase the chances of your ice cream having those ice chunks and grainy texture.
Instead of refined sugar, you’ll sweeten this ice cream with one of my favorite ingredients instead: liquid stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and it’s very concentrated. A little goes a long way—you just need 1 teaspoon! This is the kind I buy because I love its sweet flavor and don’t notice any bitter or strange aftertastes like some stevia products can have. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as online. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
{Another nerd alert!}
Finally, there’s one more important ingredient in this ice cream base. Eggs act as a natural “glue” that helps hold together the different spheres and therefore create that perfect smooth, creamy texture. Because we’re skipping the eggs (I’m impatient and don’t want to heat my ice cream base—I just want to eat my frozen dessert as soon as possible!), you’ll use a different “glue” called xanthan gum. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as online. Do not skip the xanthan gum. Your ice cream will taste icy and hard without it.
Remember how I explained that air spheres are a crucial part of ice cream? Because they keep the frozen water spheres separate for that smooth, creamy texture? That’s why it’s important to use an ice cream maker for the best result! This is the one that I have, and it’s really affordable and so easy to use. I bought it online, and I can already tell I’m going to use it just about every week this summer! (I have another new recipe coming for you in the next few weeks!)
{One last nerd alert!}
The ice cream maker plays two key roles. Firstly, by rotating and churning the liquid ice cream base, it incorporates more air spheres into the ice cream. Secondly, it rapidly chills the liquid ice cream base, much faster than a no-churn ice cream preparation method. That’s why your ice cream will be ready to eat just 25 minutes after you start mixing together the ingredients! (If you don’t have an ice cream maker, I included instructions for that no-churn method in the Notes section, but remember your ice cream will turn out a little grainier and harder!)
So to recap…
Special “glue” = smoother, creamier ice cream
More air molecules/spheres = smoother, creamier ice cream
Faster chilling = less time for those water molecules/spheres to stick together and form ice chunks = smoother, creamier ice cream
Now that we’ve covered all of those nerdy ice cream chemistry things… (I was an organic chemist before a baking blogger!)
Who’s ready for dessert?? 😉 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees that I’ll see the notification from you! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy vanilla ice cream!
The Ultimate Healthy Vanilla Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup (240mL) 2% milk (see Notes!)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp liquid stevia
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- The night before you plan on making your ice cream, place the bowl of an electric ice cream maker in the freezer. Freeze for at least 12-16 hours.
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute or until very frothy.
- Working quickly, remove the ice cream maker bowl from the freezer. Place it on the ice cream maker, attach the paddle and the lid, and turn it on. With the ice cream maker turning, pour in the milk mixture. Let the ice cream maker churn for 15-20 minutes or until the ice cream is frozen and has reached your desired consistency. For the best texture and taste, serve immediately.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Chocolate Ice Cream
♡ Healthier Cookies ‘n Cream Ice Cream
♡ Healthy Chai Spice Ice Cream
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream
♡ Lightened Up Mini Hula Pies
♡ Healthier Brownie Bark Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches
♡ Ligthened Up Blueberry & Cherry Ice Cream Sandwiches
♡ Skinny Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches
♡ Mango Almond Popsicles
Is guar gum a good substitute for the xanthan gum? In researching these 2 products, it seems that the guar gum is recommended for cold foods and the xanthan for baked goods. If so, how much do you use per quart of ice cream? Thank you!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Carol! I haven’t used guar gum to make this ice cream, so I’m not sure and don’t want to lead you astray. If you decide to try making it, I’d love to hear what you think of this vanilla ice cream! 🙂
Just a little note on an inexpensive way to have an extra freezer bowl or two. .The bowl that you freeze is nice to have as an extra, in case you want to make several kinds. One has to freeze the bowl before using, so having two ready to go makes for more kinds of ice cream to serve, like one with berries or just more vanilla.. I once tried to buy an extra freezer bowl. About $35 at the time. Buying the at a resale shop, anywhere from $5 – $12 for the whole machine and bowl. If someone made so much ice cream they wore out the motor, you still have an extra bowl.
Thanks for sharing your tip, Maggie! That’s very true; it’s always nice to have a second (or third!) bowl if you’d like to make multiple flavors but don’t want to wait overnight for the bowl to refreeze. 🙂 If you end up making this vanilla ice cream, I’d love to hear what you think of it!
can this be made vegan wih the same results?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Alice! I haven’t tried making this vegan, so I don’t personally know and don’t want to lead you astray.
If you decide to try making it, I’d love to hear what you think of this ice cream!
Hi Amy! Would I be able to use standard liquid stevia instead of creme?
If the standard liquid stevia that you have is the same brand as the vanilla stevia that I used (or if it’s the other brand that I use a lot, NOW Foods!), then yes! That will work as a 1-for-1 substitute. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of this ice cream if you try making it, Elle!
Hi Amy! The stevia I’d be using would be ‘ NKD Living Pure Stevia Liquid Drops’ – would that work the same. Also would you recommend buying vanilla or plain liquid stevia, ie. which do you think I’d use more?😊
Thanks for sharing the exact product name, Elle! That’s helpful to know. 🙂
Since it’s a UK-based brand, I don’t have any experience with it. I tried searching the brand’s website to find a conversion chart that listed the amount of their pure stevia liquid drops equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar, but I didn’t see one. Such a bummer! Therefore, I’m not 100% sure whether it’s a 1-for-1 substitute for the kind that I use, but since the ingredients, dropper bottles’ appearance, and suggested number of drops per serving seem similar, I think it’s at least worth a try! From what I’ve found with the brands I use, either original or vanilla will work equally well in my recipes that call for vanilla/liquid stevia, so it’s mostly a matter of your preference. 🙂
Could you use a different sweetener than stevia? I have an issue with all artificial sweeteners. I know stevia is plant based but it also affects me.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Dorothea! If you’re fine with using regular sugar, that would probably be the best alternative. I’ve actually covered how much you’d need in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions!). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of this ice cream if you try making it!
Can I use this recipe in my Ninja Creami?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Rhonda! I don’t own a Ninja Creami, so I’m not personally sure and don’t want to lead you astray.
If you do end up making it, I’d love to hear what you think of this ice cream! 🙂
Tried the ice cream used whole milk Greek plain zero fat and the exact other ingredients and save ice cream maker- never got cold and thick- didn’t work for me:(
It means a lot that you tried making my recipe, Kathy! That sounds disappointing and not at all how this ice cream is supposed to turn out, so I’d love to work with you to figure out what happened. In order to do so, I have some questions for you! 🙂
How was the flavor? Was that okay, or was that off as well?
It sounds you used the same ice cream maker that I did (I linked to it in Step 1 and in the Notes section!), but I just wanted to double check! Is that true?
If so, have you used this ice cream maker before? Or was this your first time?
How long did you freeze the bowl of the ice cream maker before using it to make this ice cream?
After turning it on and adding the milk mixture in Step 3, how long did you let the ice cream maker run?
Did the milk mixture thicken at all? Or was it the same consistency at the end of Step 3 as when you mixed it together in Step 2?
What brand of plain nonfat Greek yogurt did you use?
Did you use the same exact brands and products that I did for the stevia and xanthan gum? (I linked to them in the Ingredients list! My links are the pink-colored text. I know that can be easy to miss that detail though!)
If you used a different sweetener, what did you use instead? (Brand and product name!)
If you used the same exact vanilla stevia that I did, have you used it before? Or was this your first time?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit (and how to fix it!) once I know your answers to all of them! 🙂
Hi
Thank you for returning my email!
I so wanted the ice cream to work!
I used Stonyfield Greek 0% fat yogurt and whole grass fed milk. Same brand sweetner, vanilla, xanthan gum, salt. It was my first time using ice cream maker, same as yours and I did put the canister in the freezer over night. I did churn it for at least 30-40 minutes, never got really cold and did not “freeze” up however it thickened up a little bit, but not nearly enough to have ice cream:)
Taste a little too much like yogurt- perhaps a different brand?
It’s my pleasure, Kathy! I’m happy to help. 🙂 Was this your first time using the vanilla stevia? I don’t seem to see your answer to that question, but I could be overlooking it!
How many hours was the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer? (I know you said overnight, but “overnight” means around 8 hours for some people and 24 hours for others… So I just want to clarify! 😉 )
When you removed the bowl from the freezer and put it on the base, did it start to fog up the plastic covering almost immediately? Or did a thin layer of what almost looks like melting ice develop on the bowl’s surface?
After 40 minutes, was the consistency close to soft-serve, where it would still hold its shape when scooped out of the bowl with a spoon? Or was its consistency thinner, more like regular yogurt or sour cream?
I generally prefer FAGE’s Greek yogurt because it’s thicker and has less of a yogurt “tang” to it, so if you can find that brand, it might be worth trying! However, you could also try adding more of the stevia to increase the sweetness level of your ice cream, if you’d prefer to use the Greek yogurt you currently have. 🙂
Hi Amy!
Good news!
I tried the ice recipe again! It got much thicker and colder! This time I left the canister in the freezer longer- I think that was my problem:) I’m going to try your recommended yogurt next time! Thank you again!
That’s fantastic, Kathy!! I’m thrilled to hear that! 🙂 That was my first guess, so I’m really glad your next batch turned out much better. Thank you for taking the time to report back too!
Thank you! I was specifically looking for a nerdy explanation! 😊👍🏻
My pleasure, Jessica! I’m so glad you found it useful! 🙂
I was so excited to try this recipe…..everything went great with the process. The ice cream has such a sour bitter taste I can not eat it. I don’t know if it is the yogurt or the sweetener but it’s really bad. Is there preferred type of yogurt? I used plain fat free Greek yogurt. I really want to like this recipe….
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Jill! That sounds disappointing and not like how this ice cream is supposed to taste, so I’m happy to work with you to figure out what happened. In order to do so, I have some questions for you!
Did you make any modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section?
What brand of Greek yogurt did you use?
Did you use the same exact stevia product that I did? If not, what did you use instead? (Brand + product name!)
Could you taste the vanilla at all? Or was it entirely overwhelmed by the sour biter taste?
How was the consistency of your ice cream? Was that okay, and it’s just the flavor that was off?
I know I just asked a lot of questions, but I’ll have a better idea of the culprit (and how to fix it!) once I know your answers to all of them. 🙂
Also, if you’re willing to do a quick experiment, there’s a pretty easy way to tell whether that sour bitter taste is the Greek yogurt or sweetener! Just take a small taste of the Greek yogurt, straight from the container. If you notice the sour bitter taste, it’s the yogurt! If not…
Do the same with the sweetener (or, if you’d prefer, stir a tiny amount into a spoonful of the yogurt!), and see if you notice the sour bitter taste then. If you do, then it’s the sweetener.
Does that make sense?
Can I use a vitamix instead of the ice cream machine?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Wendy! I haven’t tried using a Vitamix, so I’m not personally sure and don’t want to lead you astray. If you do end up making this ice cream, I’d love to hear what you think of it!
Interesting receipe the only thing is stevia is a derivative of the ragweed plant so some people who are allergic to ragweed (like myself) could have a reaction. For me it’s stuffy nose and itchy eyes.