Skip To Main ContentMasterClass logo
|Articles
At Work
Log In
Sign Up
Food

Blueberry Ice Cream Recipe: 4 Tips for Making Ice Cream

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Oct 26, 2024 • 3 min read

Homemade blueberry ice cream is one of the most satisfying ways to use up a bucket of wild blueberries or salvage an out-of-season pint.

Learn From the Best

Sign Up

What Is Blueberry Ice Cream?

Blueberry ice cream is a sweet frozen dessert made from milk, cream, sugar, and blueberries. You can make blueberry ice cream using an ice cream machine or food processor or mix it by hand in stages over a few hours.

4 Tips for Making Blueberry Ice Cream

Freshly churned blueberry ice cream is a summer treat like none other: cooling and mellow, but with a tart sweetness that suits its vibrant violet color. Here are a few tips to make the process easier:

  1. 1. Use fresh or frozen blueberries. You can make blueberry ice cream with fresh blueberries or a bag of frozen ones. The purée texture may differ slightly, but the flavor profiles will remain the same. Gently muddle one cup of fresh raspberries into the blueberry pulp for a tie-dye effect before folding into the churned cream. For a vanilla ice cream with swirls of blueberry flavor, fold in a jar of blueberry jam once the ice cream is firm enough to hold its shape but still soft.
  2. 2. Make it dairy-free. For a vegan blueberry ice cream, use plant-based milk or coconut milk instead of milk and heavy whipping cream. (This may impart a mild coconut flavor.) Learn more about customizing your vegan ice cream recipe.
  3. 3. Incorporate mix-ins. As a flavor, blueberry plays well with several contrasting ingredients. Thyme is a perennial favorite, as is green cardamom. Depending on where you live, young spruce tips can highlight the tart side of the fruit with a sour tang akin to citrus. To infuse the ice cream with your seasonings of choice, add them to the base and allow them to steep before removing. Add crunchy mix-ins like waffle cone pieces or oatmeal cookie bites just before the ice cream hard-sets.
  4. 4. Use plastic wrap to store. To prevent ice crystals from forming on the surface of your homemade ice cream, lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface before storing it in your freezer.

Basic Blueberry Ice Cream Recipe

email recipe
3 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

1 pint

prep time

10 min

total time

50 min

cook time

40 min

Ingredients

Note: The total time does not include up to 3 hours of inactive time.

  1. 1

    In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, ¾ cup of the sugar, and lemon juice.

  2. 2

    Bring the blueberry mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then lower the heat to a simmer.

  3. 3

    Taste the blueberry mixture and adjust with more sugar or lemon juice as desired.

  4. 4

    Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool slightly.

  5. 5

    Pass the blueberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, catching the juice in a large measuring cup. Reserve the pulp.

  6. 6

    In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup sugar together and set aside.

  7. 7

    In a clean saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.

  8. 8

    Warm the milk mixture, stirring often to prevent scorching, until steam appears around the edges. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

  9. 9

    Working in batches, add ¼ cup of the milk-cream mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

  10. 10

    Repeat until you have added all of the milk mixture to the egg mixture.

  11. 11

    Pour the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan and briefly warm, stirring constantly, once more. Remove the saucepan from heat and let cool.

  12. 12

    Add the blueberry juice to the cooled base and season with the salt. Whisk to combine.

  13. 13

    Refrigerate the blueberry ice cream base for 1 hour.

  14. 14

    Transfer the base to an ice cream maker.

  15. 15

    Churn the mixture according to the manufacturer’s directions until the ice cream has the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.

  16. 16

    Add the reserved pulp, and churn a few more times to distribute.

  17. 17

    Seal the mixture with the provided lid and keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to serve it.

  18. 18

    If you’re not using an ice cream maker, pour the liquid into a shallow baking dish and place it in the freezer.

  19. 19

    Stir the mixture vigorously every hour or so, using an electric mixer or a whisk to break up ice crystal formations, then return it to the freezer.

  20. 20

    Repeat the whisking process until the texture is soft, thick, and holds its shape. Add the pulp, and fold to distribute.

  21. 21

    Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until set.

Become a better baker with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Joanne Chang, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Chef Thomas Keller, Mashama Bailey, and more.