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A brown container with three scoops of blueberry ice cream, in the back a stack of containers
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5 / 2 votes

Blueberry Ice Cream

This homemade blueberry ice cream, made with antioxidant-rich blueberries, cream, milk, and sugar, is a great spring and summer dessert. Lemon juice and zest, plus optional honey liqueur, balance the flavor.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time5 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 248

Equipment

  • Ice cream maker

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons honey liqueur or framboise, (optional)

Instructions

  • Rinse the berries and pick out any squished or moldy ones. Place the blueberries in a small saucepan with the water and cook over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly and then purée in a blender or food processor.
  • In a small bowl, mash the zest with 1 teaspoon sugar to release the essential oils in the zest.
  • In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the half-and-half with the remaining sugar, stirring until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
  • Stir in the blueberry purée, cream, sugared zest, juice, and vanilla. Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 3 hours.
  • Freeze the ice cream mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream is almost frozen, spoon in the liqueur, if desired, and churn until blended, about 1 minute more.
  • Transfer to a container, cover, and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 37mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g