We’re kicking off the 2022 Ice Cream Season with THREE WEEKS of ice cream recipes and a very cool ice cream maker giveaway.

I can hardly wait. There are a whole lot of ice cream recipes around here already, but can you ever have enough ice cream??

To be entered, scroll to the bottom of this post and enter your email address in the giveaway! By entering this giveaway, you’re agreeing to receive the FREE daily recipes that I send each weekday morning.

(If a daily recipe post isn’t your thing, there is an option at the bottom of every email that will allow you to switch to receiving just one weekly newsletter.)

This giveaway is for the Cuisinart ICE-100 1.5-Quart Compressor Ice Cream and Gelato Maker (list price $545, currently on sale for $299).

This type of ice cream maker uses the same compressor technology used for refrigerators and freezers for fast cooling. They do not need any pre-frozen ingredients or parts.

No bowls to freeze, no salt or ice to melt, just turn it on and start churning batch after creamy batch of homemade ice cream.

If you’ve been reading this site for long at all, you might recall that I’ve been known to call our compressor ice cream maker “my beloved” and it still holds true that if I could only have one of the two, I’d get rid of my KitchenAid mixer in order to have the compressor ice cream maker in my home forever. Yes, it’s that amazing.

As one of the pricier ice cream makers on the market, this is a machine for people who are serious about making ice cream. (Note the 70+ ice cream recipes on this website for evidence of where I fall in that category.) 

If you’re looking for the ultimate in ice cream making options at home, this is the machine you want on your wishlist.

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Fresh Mint Ice Cream is like no other mint ice cream you’ve tried in the past. As you know, I love a great mint ice cream and Peppermint Candy Cane Ice Cream is a Christmas-time proof of that.

However, this Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream is a softer, fresher mint flavor that just might blow your mind. It reminds me of a dressed-up version of the Andes mint that comes with the check at a restaurant.

Mint Ice Cream

It is well-established fact that if you give me an idea I can probably turn it into homemade ice cream.

I like to think of myself as the ice cream version of the “Will it Tea?” episodes with Jimmy Fallon. Where the host is challenged to turn an item into tea and try it.

I would rock a “Will it Ice Cream?” challenge. Cheesecake? Done. Apple Crisp? Already did it. Oatmeal Cookies? I got you – and it is AMAZING. Lemon? Yep. Andes mints – keep reading, I did it.

Fresh Mint Ice Cream

Let’s talk about mint in ice cream for a minute. I am a big user of fresh mint whenever possible. Many recipes use mint oil or mint extract.

As I’ve mentioned before, you need to use extreme caution when adding mint extract to recipes, usually starting at a mere 1/16th or 1/8th of a teaspoon. You can wind up with a dessert that simply tastes like toothpaste very quickly!

The refreshing flavor that results after steeping mint leaves doesn’t do that at all. It’s a completely different mint flavoring when used this way. Pineapple Mint Gelato was the fresh time I tried a frozen treat made with fresh mint and it was love at first bite.

Use fresh mint, my friends! Summertime is upon us and no doubt you or your neighbor have mint growing in your gardens or flower beds. Grab a handful and make some ice cream.

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The most popular question I’ve ever received on this website is whether you can make ice cream without a machine.

The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine.

Homemade Ice Cream Without A Machine

With 70+ ice cream recipes to choose from, that question comes up a few times a week, if not daily through the warmer months.

While I’ve described this method repeatedly in comments and emails through the years, it was past time to shoot some step-by-step photos and explain in detail in one post that can be easily referred back to.

Besides, who would ever turn down the chance to make some more ice cream, right?

There are a LOT of photos provided here to illustrate what the ice cream should look like at each step of the process.

If you aren’t here for the full tutorial, make use of that handy “Jump To Recipe” button at the top of the page.

How To Make Ice Cream Without An Ice Cream Maker

Stir together your ice cream mixture and chill it if it isn’t cold already. Pour it into an 8-10 inch square baking dish.

I typically use this metal pan (because it freezes so quickly) however a glass pan will also work.

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This Ice Cream Maker Review has everything you need to know to choose the perfect ice cream machine!

UPDATED 6/20/22 to reflect current pricing and additional review information for these machines.

There are so many different ice cream makers on the market, it can be hard to even know where to begin. With the information here, you can find the best ice cream maker for your needs and start making your favorite frozen treats at home.

I have personally tested all of these machines, basing my choices for testing on customer reviews, and choosing the highest-rated machines in each category.

The same homemade ice cream recipe was used for every batch tested in these machines.

From ice cream compressors to making ice cream in a bag, I’ve got your frozen treats covered so that you can make the best purchase decision to satisfy all of your ice cream cravings!

Ice Cream Maker Reviews

• Electric Ice Cream Makers – frozen bowl, no ice required
• Electric Ice Cream Makers – add ice and salt
• Hand Crank Ice Cream Makers – add ice and salt
• Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine, Instant Ice Cream Maker, Ice Cream Ball, and Ice Cream In A Bag
• Compressor Ice Cream Makers – freezer compressor unit, no ice or frozen bowl required

Best Ice Cream Maker Results

Summer Blueberry Cobbler

Warm blueberry cobbler topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is comfort food dessert at its finest! It is an easy summer dessert that is moist, sweet and always a hit!

So when I was testing (aka obsessing over making the very, very best blueberry muffin recipe), I started to play around with other blueberry recipes. I had overflowing containers of blueberries so how could I not?

I had originally planned on making a perfect blueberry crisp like our marionberry version but the whole fluffy muffin tops had me intrigued. Here’s the thing, cobblers are often have a topping that is way too heavy and sometimes gummy and I just was not a fan. After lots of testing I decided a cross between a delicious crumble and fluffy cake-like cobbler topping was the way to go.

So yes, you’ll prepare this by cutting in the butter but then a small amount of cream will be added along with baking powder to add the light and airy rise of a cake. It still gets crumbled all over those gorgeous berries and it ends up the most delicious summer blueberry dessert.

And if blueberries aren’t your jam, then any of these comfort food desserts should cure your cravings… peach cobbler, lemon blackberry cobbler, or apple crisp.

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