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

Crunchy pretzels and a creamy filling are topped with piles of strawberries and blueberries making this Strawberry and Blueberry Pretzel Salad our favorite dessert for summer!

Several years ago, my aunt introduced me to the ever-popular Strawberry Pretzel Salad. I’d never even heard of it before and I fell in love with it from the very first bite.

I think I may have eaten 3 servings that day, including choosing it over pie for dessert!

Strawberry Pretzel “Salad” isn’t a salad at all. It’s a layered dessert that starts with a pretzel crust, then a sweet cream cheese and cool whip layer, and it’s topped with a strawberry jello layer.

Strawberry and Blueberry Pretzel Salad

Aunt Judy’s Strawberry Pretzel Salad is absolutely delicious and no one can ever resist a slice of it. This Berry Pretzel Dessert is my twist on that recipe.

Made without cool whip or jello, this dessert is a much less sweet, but still completely irresistible cousin to the original.

It starts with a pretzel crust that is layered with a lightly sweetened creamy filling. Topped with an abundance of fresh berries, I found myself going back for sliver after sliver all night long.

No Bake Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Kitchen Tip: I use this spatula and this dish to make this recipe.

1. Finely crush the pretzels in a food processor, blender, or with a rolling pin in a heavy zip-close bag. Place the crumbs in a medium-size mixing bowl.
2. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and stir to combine. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of an 8×8 pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt.
4. Beat until smooth and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Pour over the crust and smooth with a spatula.
5. Top generously with berries. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. 

I loved the crumbling crust with bits of crunchy pretzels throughout, but if you prefer a more traditional crumb crust (that will also be more easily sliced) be sure to grind every bit of the pretzels into fine crumbs.

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Chocolate and peanut butter are mixed with crunchy cereal to make these super easy No Bake Chocolate Crunch Bars. 

When I was very young, I went camping with the Girl Scouts and our counselor taught us to make what she called “Babe Ruth Bars.” (More on that name in a minute.)

These are so easy to make. Our counselor helped me make these bars by stirring the ingredients together over the campfire, rolling them into a log, chilling and slicing them.

I wasn’t a girl scout for very long so I couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 years old. We ate these gathered around the fire and I absolutely loved them.

My counselor wrote out the recipe for me and I took it home.

Chocolate Cereal Bars

My grandmother was sweet enough to save that recipe for me and over the following years, we would make those bars on special occasions. I remembered the recipe a while back and I dug it out of my old cookbook.

I read it several times and then made a trip to the store, just to look at the ingredients in an actual Babe Ruth bar. Uhm, there is no similarity at all.

I have no idea why these were called Babe Ruth Bars and the name now makes me laugh.

I’ve since swapped out half the ingredients, so they are likely to be even farther from the original. Corn flakes, chocolate chips, honey, and peanut butter get melted together and then chilled to create a perfect no-bake dessert bar.

Whatever you decide to call them–I typically go with Chocolate Cereal Bars or Chocolate Crunch Bars–these treats are sure to be loved!

Chocolate Crunch Bars

I

The Best Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches start with the best ever perfectly chewy cookies. Over the years, I’ve made ice cream sandwiches using many different cookies.

In the end, I simply love the way the flavor in these oatmeal peanut butter cookies adds to the overall awesomeness of this frozen treat.

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

I’m happy to tell you that I’ve found the cookie recipe that works perfectly every single time. This cookie recipe is adapted from my grandmother’s recipe for Monster Cookies and I suspect that it may have been YOUR grandmother’s recipe as well.

When I discovered that the Monster Cookie recipe in my best friend’s cookbook from her mom was almost the exact same recipe that my grandmother used, it became even more fun every time I made those cookies.

I love that we all have so much sentimental attachment to our family recipes.

In the past, I’ve made Monster Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches using the original recipe, but I found that with a few tweaks, it was even better.

By adapting that recipe to make it a little bit chewier and less crunchy, it freezes and softens beautifully when it is layered with ice cream.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

I love making ice cream sandwiches with homemade ice cream. This recipe for Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream is hands down the easiest and best one you’ll ever make.

For these sandwiches, I churned a batch of ice cream while I started making the cookies. Then I stashed the ice cream in the freezer while the cookies were baking and cooling. The ice cream was