This light and refreshing Lemon Ice Cream is perfect enjoyed by itself or use it to top your favorite fruit crisp or cobbler for an amazing flavor twist.
Who else is a lemon lover! It’s my favorite and I’ll even pick it over chocolate. Some of my favorite lemon desserts include Lemon Angel Pie, Lemon Cheesecake Bars and these delicious Lemon Oatmeal Cookies.
I am a huge ice cream fan. Usually my dessert of choice.
I love to make homemade ice cream in the summer but I certainly don’t limit my ice cream making to the summer months. It’s pretty much a year round activity at our house.
As you know one of my other loves is lemon so coming up with the perfect lemon ice cream was a pretty big priority for me. I think I may have found it.
The perfect lemon ice cream needs to have just the right amount of lemon. Not too tart, not too sweet, just right, and this one is just that.
How to Make Lemon Ice Cream
- The base for this ice cream is cooked because there are eggs in the recipe so you will need to plan ahead a little bit.
- Combine the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest and one cup of milk. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. After cooking the mixture you may want to pour it through a strainer to remove the lemon rind and any pieces of egg that might not have gotten mixed in. There are times when I don’t do this though and my ice cream always turns out great.
- After straining put it in the refrigerator to chill.
- I always use fresh squeeze lemon juice for the best flavor.
- After it has chilled, just process according to the directions of your ice cream maker.
- I use a Cuisinart 2 qt. ice cream maker. I then transfer the ice cream into this insulated ice cream container to let the ice cream harden up. For photo purposes I used an old bread pan above!
I love my ice cream just about any way but I am particularly fond of it on a cone!
What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
For other yummy flavors of ice cream try these:
- Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
- Homemade Vanilla and Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
- Andes Mint Ice Cream
- Malted Milk Ball Ice Cream
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Lemon Ice Cream Recipe
Lemon Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a pan mix together zest, juice, sugar and eggs.
- Add in 1 cup whole milk and vanilla.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a simmer.
- Strain through a sieve to remove zest if desired..
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
- Add in whipping cream and freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally posted July 3, 2013
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I was skeptical because of the whole eggs but i went with it since its quarantine time and the other recipes i looked at called for 6 egg yolks and thats a lot when i cant leave. I’m glad i did. This is a beautiful recipe, an absolute keeper. Light, sweet, creamy, tart (but not too), just perfect. I’m gonna make this again in summer but maybe add some crushed shortbread cookies or lemon oreos or something. It’s totally great the way it is though. Thank you!
So glad you loved it too!! I made it again this week too!
How much ice cream does this recipe make? I have ice cream parties so I must make at least 4 to 5 quarts at a time. I use an electric White Mountain Ice Cream makes.
My ice cream maker is a 2 qt. so you would need to double it for a 4-5 qt machine.
the is the only ice cream recipe i have seen that does not require that yolks be separated from whites and whites be discarded. in my experience, the reason to strain the custard is to eliminate the embryo part of the egg as well as any curd from cooking the mixture. i would think that including the egg whites would create more curd. (personally, i like the lemon zest and i always add that after i strain the custard.) but can you please enlighten me on why you use the entire egg? thank you. sst
Suzanne, I don’t have any amazing answer for you other than that is how I have always done it and that is the way my mother always did it. If you beat your eggs well before including them you don’t have any problem. Using just the egg yolk will make your ice cream more custard like if that is what you prefer but I prefer my ice cream to be a bit more “icy” which using the whole egg allows. The recipe will also work if you remove the egg white.
Thanks so much for this recipe. I’m overwhelmed with lemons right now so made this ice cream and it is amazing!
Awesome recipe! I am tasting the delicious end result as I type this comment. I also almost doubled the amount.
My variation was to substitute sugar with honey and maple syrup, used exclusively heavy 45% cream and added 5 more egg yolks to 3 whole eggs. I also left the zest and used 1 cup of lemon juice.
This is the best lemon ice cream I ever tasted in my life!
Thanks for this super recipe.
Leigh, this recipe is the boom!!!!!! It was delicious. This was my first time making homemade ice cream with my new Cuisinart 2-quart Pure Indulgence ice cream maker. Also, it was my first time eating lemon ice cream. I made it at the request of my husband who had not had it since his childhood. It goes very well with 7-up pound cake. Thank you for sharing. I plan to make it on a regular basis in the summer.
So glad you loved it too! It would be perfect with cake. Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it.
Will this work just putting into a container in the freezer and stirring every thirty minutes? Also do you think it would work with lime juice? If not I totally understand 🙂
Rosemary, I think it would totally work with lime juice and be delicious. As far as stirring every thirty minutes. It might work but you would get a different consistency.
We made it last night in our old hand crank ice cream freezer. Yum! It was a big hit, we should have doubled the batch! 5 people all gone…
I will make this again. But hand cranking is hard work, everyone had a turn We used one regular lemon and one Meyer, tasted great!
Nancy, I love making ice cream in an old fashioned hand crank. I think it tastes better!! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I made this for fourth of July and it was awesome.! Everyone loved it especially the children when they crumbled up waffle cones on top of it. I will keep this recipe and use it often. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for letting me know – so glad your family loved it too!
I know this post is older, but I have a quick question. Do you use just egg yolks or whole eggs? All the cooked ice cream recipes I’ve made before use just the yolks. Really want to try this for the 4th in my new ice cream freezer. Thanks in advance for the help!
Beth
I use the whole egg.
I made this with some Meyer lemons and it was superb! I had bought a bunch of Meyers to try out in new dessert recipes, but I’m going to have to use them all for more of this ice cream! Thanks for the awesome recipe! (Also my mom said this is the best ice cream she’s ever had.)
I’m a little late. 🙂 I found this recipe on pinterest and couldn’t wait to try it. It’s amazing! I will definitely be making again and again! Thanks for sharing!
This is Wonderful! Thank you so much!
Tried this today with my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker (used for the first time) and it came out PERFECT and delicious. A definite keeper. Thank you!
It’s one of my favorites – so glad you enjoyed it!
My wife has been itching for lemon ice cream for a long time… kept complaining that you can’t get it in the store… I found this page and she’s making it right now; she’s up to the last two steps, and it’s cooling in the fridge before going to the ice cream machine, but we tried a taste… FANTASTIC! I’ll leave another post when we try the finished product…
Hope you enjoyed it as much as we do!
Looks yummy!! Do you have to use fresh lemon juice or can I use the stuff from a bottle?
I always use the real stuff when possible. Definitely makes a difference.
I just made this with Meyer lemons! My eyes roll into the back of my head everytime I taste it! It’s just perfect, I’ve been searching for the right recipe and this one is it!
I haven’t tried it with meyer lemons – just regular old lemons – I am so glad it was amazing. Can’t wait to try it myself!
Hi,
This is maybe a dumb question but I’ll ask it anyways:
The last step in the instructions says the following: “Add in whipping cream and freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.”.
When you add the wipping cream, is it out of the box or do you whipp it first? If you whip it, to what consistency?
Btw, I’m a beginner ice cream home maker and just found your ice cream recipes, will be sure to try them out!
Sincerely,
Mattias Eriksson, from Sweden
The whipping cream is in the liquid state, do not whip it. Have fun!
Hi again,
Thanks for the answer, I will try out the recipe today!
Another question if you could please answer it. How come it’s salt in the ice cream mix? To reduce the sweetness? I’m not so knowledgeable in the chemistry of cooking, just started to learn.
Sincerely,
Mattias Eriksson
Is there any way you could post nutritional information for this recipe and maybe any of your other ice creams? They all look so delicious, but i’m trying to watch what I eat! Thanks so much!!
Kate, At this time I don’t have ability to do so but maybe in the future.
I just love lemon and this look so delicious! What a beautiful presentation too- very pretty:)
I made this for my family and we are eating it as I write this…..DELICIOSO!!!!! Soooo GOOD!!!!
You always see recipes for lemon sorbet but hardly ever for lemon ice cream! 🙂 This looks absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for linking up with me this week at Tasty Tuesdays! I’ve pinned this & shared it with my followers! Please be sure to stop back by the party and check out some of the other links!
Oh your lemon ice-cream sounds AMAZING!!! I absolutely love lemon ice-cream because it tastes so refreshing and is just perfect for the summer!
This looks amazing!!! We would love it if you would link up at our We Scream For Ice Cream linky party/giveaway:
http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com/we-scream-for-ice-cream-linky-party-week-2/
Live the whole month of July.
Hosted by:
http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com/ Parrish @ Life with the Crust Cut Off
http://thissillygirlslife.com/ Dana @ This Silly Girl’s Life
We hope to see you there!
Thanks so much – just came over and linked up. So many yummy ice cream recipes being shared.
Where do you come up with this terrific recipes. Thanks for sharing on my Friday Flash Blog Party!
Jennifer @ The Jenny Evolution
Thanks Jennifer for hosting the party! Glad I could join in.
I’m a chocolate girl myself, but I sure wouldn’t turn down one of those beautiful cones! Thanks for linking up to Raising Imperfection this week while I’m a co-hostess! Please come back to Mommynificent on Friday to see if you were featured.
Have a magnificent day!
Tina
Looks amazing. Lemon, mmm…
thanks girls – love me my lemon!
I love anything lemon and this ice cream looks delicious! I would love for you to share it at “I Gotta Try That”
Hugs,
Marcie
http://bit.ly/184slvV
Hi! I’m visiting from the Dream to Reality party. So far I use my ice-cream maker for vanilla only (which is delicious) but have been wanting to try something new. Thanks for the recipes!
Nicole
HoldtheOffice.com
Love me a good vanilla ice cream but there is a whole world of flavors beyond that! Hope you give the recipe a try.
This looks fantastic! Found you at Tasty Tuesdays!
I can imagine this ice cream tasting so fresh and delicious. I came across your recipe on Sugar and Slice Sunday.
It is so yummy! Hope you’ll give it a try!!
I love lemon, but I have never had lemon ice cream before! I feel so deprived right now. I will definitely have to give this a try 🙂
Such gorgeous pictures! Ice cream is my dessert of choice, too – and this lemon version sounds amazing!
Yum!!!! Pinning this yummy recipe Leigh Anne, thank you so much for linking up to Inspiration Monday 🙂
xo, Tanya
twelveOeight
I love lemon so I am sure I would love lemon ice cream. Usually I make it as a cake.
Thank you for linking to Raising Imperfection.
Please come back Friday to see if you were featured. 🙂
¤´¨)
¸.•*´
(¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
Raising-Reagan.com
Oh,my goodness! Homemade ice cream> lemon ice cream. Never heard of that. Usually it’s lemon sherbert. Best wishes, keep cool. Linda
I love lemon anything! I need to make this. Well, first I need an ice cream maker. 🙂 Pinning!
Leigh Ann – you don’t know what a major big-time lemon lover I am…and lemon ice cream? Ok, I am seriously in heaven! 🙂 Thank you so much for joining us and sharing at Best of the Weekend! Pinning to our party board and sharing on FB today. Have a wonderful weekend and hope you will join us next week!
Oh, Leigh Anne, this looks delicious; like summer in a cone. I’ll have to make this for my mom next time I see her as she LOVES lemon.
This looks delish and refreshing. I’m sending you a link to one of my families favorite ice creams. We use fresh picked blackberries in this cheesecake ice cream. Hope you try it!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/blueberry-cheesecake-ice-cream-2/
Thanks for the link – yum!!!
I love lemon ice cream and I can’t wait to try your variation 🙂
My husband loves ice cream….I love anything lemon….This is a keeper. Can’t wait to try it this weekend. Happy Fourth.
Match made in heaven – lemon and ice cream!
Two of my favorite things too.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did -so yummy!
So, it’s essentially lemon curd with added cream, right? Looks awesome!:)
Pretty much! So delicious.