This easy recipe for Old-Fashioned Blueberry Ice Cream is outrageous. It is almost too pretty too eat. But after one taste, it will be hard to resist finishing it off and wanting more.
Why this Homemade Ice Cream with Fresh Blueberries Recipe is To Die For: It's the best tasting blueberry ice cream thanks to a touch of vanilla & real fresh blueberries. This egg-free ice cream, no custard to cook, which makes it so simple.
I created this recipe because I have yet to find a scoop shop or grocery store that carries this fruit flavor in my area. So I bought a big flat at Costco & set out to give it a try. This experiment turned out amazing!
The beautiful purple blue dessert is one of my most unique & gourmet flavors in my collection for the Best Ice Cream Recipes for a Cuisinart Maker. If you are a blueberry fan, this will be your new favorite ice cream.
This was inspired by my recipes for Plum Ice Cream and my Best Ever Mango Ice Cream, all use the same method of pureeing real fruit for all the yummy flavor & gorgeous color. Ok, now we churn!
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Ingredients for Fresh Blueberry Ice Cream
This 5-ingredient dessert recipe is made with fresh ripe blueberries. They are at their peak in spring in early summer which is the ideal time to make this frozen treat.
This fruit ice cream is made with real quality dairy & sugar. It is simple, gluten-free, & has no fillers, artificial flavors, or stabilizers. Just 100% of the good old-fashioned stuff.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Fresh Blueberries - ripe plump sweet berries, washed & dried with any stems removed.
- Sugar - to sweeten the base.
- Vanilla - classic extract that enhances the flavor of berries.
- Heavy Cream - full fat real cream makes for the best rich flavor & texture.
- Whole Milk - do not use low-fat or fat-free, you want the ice cream to be thick.
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Make Blueberry Ice Cream
I use a 1.5quart Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker for all my homemade ice cream recipes. It is so easy to use and churns up creamy & cool in about 15-20 minutes. It is my favorite ice cream maker for home use & I couldn't recommend it more.
Begin all my ice cream recipes by ensuring the insert has been in the freezer until it is solid & ready to go. My model takes about 36 hours but follow the manufacturers instructions for yours.
Here are the easy steps for making fresh blueberry ice cream in an ice cream maker:
- Make the Blueberry Puree
- Mix & Chill the Ice Cream Base
- Churn & Freeze
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Make the Blueberry Puree
Prep the berries by washing and drying them. Make sure all stems have been removed.
In a small pot add the fresh blueberries, sugar, vanilla, and water.
Over medium-high heat bring the mixture to a boil while stirring.
Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Once the skins have softened and the mixture looks like this it is ready.
Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
Blend the cool blueberry puree until smooth. The skins should be broken down into a stunning deep purple blue color like seen here.
2 - Mix & Chill the Ice Cream Base
Once the berries are cool, time to make the vanilla ice cream base.
In a medium mixing bowl add the cream and milk; whisk to combine.
Whisk in the blueberry puree. Place the mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes to get it very cold.
3 - Churn and Freeze
Assemble your ice cream make according to the manufacturer's instructions. This makes about 1.5 quarts of ice cream once it churns and becomes fluffy.
Give the ice cream base one last whisk so any bits that may have settled get combined again. Start the ice cream maker and slowly pour it into the machine.
Let it churn for about 15 minutes. It will look like soft serve as seen here when it is ready.
Scoop into a freezer-safe container with a tight fitting lid. Place in the freezer to set and be more solid; 4-6 hours.
Serving & Storing
Scoop it into a bowl or on a cone. It will be rich, creamy, sweet, slightly tart, & tangy. Everything wonderful about berry desserts. No wonder it is one of the best Easy Spring Dessert Recipes.
Store in reusable ice cream containers with tight-fitting lids that can hold at least 1.5 quarts.
Fun ways to Serve Blueberry Ice Cream : Make it a double scoop of summer with my Peaches & Cream Ice Cream. Both are great on warm nights or hot days.
Make it into a sundae topped with strawberry sauce, whipped cream & sprinkles. Go blueberry crazy and top Blueberry Cobbler or Berry Crisp with a scoop.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - make sure the freezer insert is solid & ready.
- #2 Tip - the ice cream will churn faster if all the ingredients are very cold so don't skip that step.
- Defrosted frozen blueberries can be used instead of fresh.
- Taste test the puree before adding to the ice cream, add more sugar if too sour.
- DO NOT substitute whole milk and heavy cream with any low-fat, non-fat, or non-dairy milks.
- For a more solid scoopable ice cream, freeze overnight. For soft serve consistency 4-6 hours works.
- This is a great make-ahead summer dessert when hosting friends and family, the pretty aesthetics will be the talk of the party.
- This ice cream is so good, my mom made a special trip and drove over to have some after I texted her a pretty picture of the results. Blueberries are her favorite but she was even impressed with the natural flavor & coloring.
FAQ
I have not tried either but pie filling would NOT work in this recipe. It is too sweet & the syrup in it would come out "icy" compromising the creamy richness. Frozen blueberries that have thawed would work as a good replacement. Use ones without any added sugar or ingredients.
Yes, if you have an ice cream maker with a large capacity, this easily feeds a crowd. Great for summer birthdays, pool parties, & ice cream socials.
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Blueberry Ice Cream
Equipment
- ice cream maker
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Ensure your ice cream maker will be ready to freeze the mixture in about an hour. This usually means the insert should be in the freezer the night before.
- Wash, dry, and remove the stems from the blueberries.
- To a medium saucepan, add the berries, sugar, water, and vanilla. Over medium-high heat bring to a boil.2 cups fresh blueberries, 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer while stirring occasionally. After about 15 minutes the skins will be broken down and the berries will be very soft. Turn off the heat. Set aside and let it cool for 30 minutes.
- Place the cooled berry mix into a blender. Blend until pureed smooth and no chunks or large bits of skin.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the cream and milk. Whisk in the berry puree until combined. Place the ice cream mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes to get it nice and cold.1 ½ cups whole milk, 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- Whisk the chilled blueberry ice cream mixture to ensure no berry bits have settled to the bottom. Assemble your ice cream making. While the ice cream machine is running, slowly pour in the ice cream base.
- Let it churn for 15 minutes or until it reaches the soft serve stage.
- Scoop it into a freezer-safe container with a tight fitting lid. Place in the freezer for 4-6 hours.
- Once it reaches your desired consistency scoop into bowls or on a cone. ENJOY!
Notes
- Use thawed frozen blueberries instead of fresh.
- DO NOT substitute the cream or whole milk for any other dairy, use only these full-fat ingredients for best taste & texture.
Nutrition
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