This fabulous no-churn coffee ice cream is so creamy and full of rich coffee flavour, you won't believe you don't need an ice cream churner to make it!
With its sweetened condensed milk and rich coffee flavour its reminiscent of Vietnamese iced coffee cà phê sữa đá. Unlike Vietnamese iced coffee, this no-churn coffee ice cream is made with cold brew coffee, giving it a richer, less bitter coffee flavour and includes a secret ingredient to keep it scoopable straight from the freezer. No leaving it out on the bench to soften up is needed! You can also make this coffee ice cream without a machine.
I've been keen to make a coffee ice cream recipe for a while. Coffee is one of my great love in life, second only to ice cream, and you know, my kids and all :D.
A number of years ago I spent three months travelling around South East Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia (you can read about my travels). Vietnamese ice coffee was a regular morning fix, especially in the absence of my regular latte or coffee maker of my own, and a damn sight better than cheap instant coffee, yuck!
Looking for more fabulous coffee desserts? Why not try making my creamy no bake coffee cheesecake which pairs perfectly drizzled with my easy coffee sauce. Delicious!
🥘 Ingredients
Coffee: I use ground, medium roast, Crema coffee mix made with Arabica beans. The medium roast is rich and smooth. If you prefer a bold coffee flavour you could use an espresso blend and experiment with different coffees. You could also try a robusta blend, however, this will have harsher, more bitter notes. It's also an excuse to support your local roasting house, many of which offer home delivery.
Sweetened condensed milk: this is not the same as evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk has lots of things in it that help keep the ice cream smooth and delicious.
Thickened cream: it needs to be about 35% fat, otherwise you risk your ice cream being icy.
Milk: needs to be full cream or around 4% fat. If you use skim or no-fat milk you risk your ice cream being icy
The optional secret ingredient.
The secret ingredient is Vodka! The vodka reduces the freezing point of the ice cream, making it scoopable straight from the freezer. It's not enough to taste it or really have any effect on you. Don't overdo it or your ice cream won't freeze. You can substitute the vodka with any other neutral 40% alcohol or with a flavour that will complement the coffee.
🔪 How to make the no-churn coffee ice cream
Make the cold brew coffee first, then assemble the ice cream.
To make the milk cold brew coffee
Add the coffee and milk into a jug and stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight for at least twelve hours and up to eighteen hours.
Line a strainer with a doubled-over piece of cheesecloth. If you don't have cheesecloth you can use another other suitable material. A new clean chux wipe works well. Put the lined strainer over a bowl and strain the coffee milk mix. Gently press down on the coffee with a spatular, then gather up and squeeze the material to get the coffee milk out.
You should have about ½ a cup (125 ml) of darkly coloured, very strong coffee-flavoured milk.
Hot tip: If you don't have time to make cold brew coffee milk you can gently heat the milk and coffee in a saucepan, then let it cool completely before straining OR you can heat up half cup half a cup of milk and dissolve in about four teaspoons of good quality instant coffee. Either way it won't have the same wonderful smooth full bodied flavour as the cold brew and will have more bitter notes. Allow to cool in the fridge completely before moving onto the next step
To make the ice cream
Add the cream and sweetened condensed milk to a bowl. Using electric hand beaters or a stand mixer, beat until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the coffee milk mix, about one-third at a time, beating well in between until peaks just start to form. Try not to add the last couple of sludgy slips at the bottom.
Once all the coffee milk is mixed in add the vodka or neutral spirit if using. This is entirely optional. The alcohol helps to reduce the freezing point of the ice cream and it is scoopable straight from the freezer. Blend until soft peaks start to form again.
Transfer to a container, cover and freeze overnight or until firm.
💭 Storage
This ice cream is best eaten within a couple of days of making it. It will keep in the freezer for several weeks after this but may develop an icy texture over time.
💭 To serve
Remove from freezer, scoop and enjoy! This ice cream is scoopable straight from the freezer. If you have omitted the alcohol you may need to leave it in the fridge for five to fifteen minutes to make it soft enough to scoop.
Fabulous on its own, or with whipped cream and some chocolate-coated coffee beans. Delicious!
Looking for more no-churn ice cream recipes? Why not try my easy no churn vanilla ice cream or no churn Nutella ice cream. Or when you're feeling more adventurous check out my traditional ice cream recipes.
Have you made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below and tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can see your delicious creations! #KCAEIC @KCAEIC
📋 Recipe
No churn coffee ice cream
Equipment
- electric hand beaters
- cheese cloth or other clean material for straining
Ingredients
- â…“ cup plus 2 flat tablespoons (40gms) medium roast ground coffee,
- 1 can (14ox or 395 gms) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
- ¾ cup (185mls) full fat milk
- 1 shot (30mls) vodka or other neutral 40% alcohol *optional
Instructions
- Add the coffee to the milk in a jug, still well and cover
- Leave in the fridge overnight to cold brew, at least 12 and up to 18 hours.
- To strain the coffee line a strainer with a place a piece of cheese cloth or other suitable clean material. Place the strainer over a bowl and strain the coffee milk mix. pressing the coffee and then squeezing the cloth to get out as much coffee milk as possible
- You should have about ½ of very strong cold brew coffee milk.
- Add cream and condensed milk to a bowl. Beat with electric hand beaters until soft peaks start to form.
- Slowly add coffee milk mix, about a third of it at a time, beating well in between additions
- Try to ovoid the last few sips in the bottom which will be full of sediment.
- If using, add the alcohol and beat in well until soft peaks start to form again.
- Tip into a container and freezer until set or overnight.
- Remove from freezer, scoop and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online database. The nutritional content of ingredients may vary by brand. If you require accurate nutritional information, you should calculate this based on the specific brands and products you are using.
Jaimie says
Well, If you're gonna go and put two of my favourite things together and smush them into something delicious, I am going to have no choice but to try it!
Sarah Brooks says
Thanks Jaimie. My second choice for a blog niche was coffee but I decided to stick with my first love 😀 Its worth doing the cold brew overnight if you have time, really gives it a wonderful smooth rich flavour.
Rachi says
It looks sooo creamy and delicious. I love coffee ice cream
Sue says
There's nothing better than a great cup of coffee ice cream! Love that this is so easy.
Alison says
Coffee ice cream is one of my favorite flavors! I added some chocolate chips to make this a mocha ice cream. SO GOOD!
Kathryn Donangelo says
This is my new favorite!! LOVE coffee ice cream, especially this one! Can't wait to make again!
Andrea Metlika says
Oh yes! Coffee ice cream is my favorite. This sounds marvelous.
Jacque Hastert says
It contains coffee, so it's perfectly fine to enjoy this in the morning. Nothing beats starting the day with a big bowl of ice cream. I love how simple this is to make and I can't wait to dive into it.
Scarlet says
Coffee ice cream is my favorite. It is nice to know I can make it myself at home!
Sarah Brooks says
That's what I like to hear 🙂 And this one is so such an easy ice cream to make without an ice cream machine.
Nathalia says
Oh my! Your second photo made my mouth water. Love how easy this recipe is. May try my had at some healthy and vegetarian substitutions for the dairy and condensed milk. Perhaps full fat coconut milk.
Nathalia | NathaliaFit - Fitness & Wellness Blog
Miz Helen says
I love Coffee ice cream, this looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday,499 and hope you have a great week!
Miz Helen
noorull says
can i use nescafe instead of coffee..with the milk..thank you.
love yur recipies😊
Sarah Brooks says
Thanks Noorull! You could absolutely try making this recipe with nescafe instead. It won't have the same depth of flavor as the cold brew coffee and may have more bitter notes, but if that's what you have then give it a go. If using nescafe I would gently head up just half a cup of milk and add the nescafe to that, then proceed with the rest of the recipe. Good luck!
Joanne says
May I know if Kahlua is used to replace the neutral alcohol, would it have the same effect and enhance the coffee flavour?
Sarah Brooks says
Hi Joanne, great question. Yes it would enhance the coffee flavor. Kahlua has half the alcohol by volume (ABV) at only 20%, compared the neutral alcohol I suggested which has a ABV of 40%. I would start with one and a half times volume, so 45mls of Kahlua. If the ice cream still freezes to firm you could increase it to the full 60mls next time.