Ice Cream In A Bag Recipe is homemade, quick, and funโno machine needed! Just a few ingredients, ice, and rock salt for a creamy treat in minutes.
No Ice Cream Maker Needed!
No fancy machine or long waitโthis ice cream is quick, fun, and doubles as a tasty experiment.
Growing up, I made it in science class, and I remember it being so fun! I just had to share it with my kids. Itโs smooth, creamy, and easy to change up. Itโs smooth, creamy, and easy to customizeโI love vanilla or chocolate, or mix in cookies, caramel, or berries.
And donโt forget the toppings! Once itโs thick and creamy, pile on sprinkles, whipped cream, or hot fudgeโwhatever you love!
How Does This Ice Cream In A Bag Recipe Work?
Ice Cream in a Bag is a fun little science activity! This method works by lowering the freezing point and tranferring heat:
- Freezing point lowering: Rock salt makes ice colder by lowering the iceโs melting temp.
- Heat transfer: The warm ice cream mix touches the cold salt-ice and starts to freeze.
Shaking helps the mix freeze evenly into soft ice cream in 5โ10 mins. For firmer ice cream, freeze for 30 minsโbut not longer, or itโll get too hard.
chelseaโs recipe tip
Supplies Needed
- Gallon-sized bag: Holds ice and rock salt. Must not leak and should close tightly.
- Ziploc bag: Holds the ice cream mix. Needs to be leak-proof and seal well.
- Rock salt: Table salt wonโt work the same. Find it in the spice aisle.
- Ice: Helps freeze the mix. Crushed ice works best; it cools faster than big cubes.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|
| Half-and-half or heavy cream | Heavy cream is richer, half-and-half is lighter |
| Sugar | Adjust to taste; flavors are more mild when frozen |
| Vanilla extract | Adds vanilla flavor; pure vanilla works best |
| Salt | A small pinch of fine sea salt helps flavors pop |
Variations
Ice Cream In A Bag Recipe Flavor Ideas
- Chocolate: Mix in 2 tbsp hot fudge. Or swap it for caramel sauce!
- Mint Chip: Stir in a few drops of peppermint extract and mini chocolate chips.
- Fun Mix-Ins: Stir in crushed Oreos, peanut butter cups, or strawberries.
How To Make This Ice Cream In A Bag Recipe (Tips)
- Close both bags tightly and squeeze out air to keep water out and ice cream in.
- Shake well and constantly move the ice around.
- Wear oven mitts or wrap in a towel to keep hands from getting too cold.
More Easy Dessert Recipes:
Ice Cream In A Bag Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 1 Sandwich-sized bag
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup rock salt also called ice cream salt; see note 1
- Ice crushed or cubed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half; see note 2
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup optional, for chocolate ice cream
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructionsย
- Prepare any toppings youโll be using. Youโll want to eat the ice cream quickly once itโs ready! Also, consider chilling the ice cream bowl(s) in the freezer to get them nice and cold.
- Carefully add heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt to the smaller plastic bag. Add chocolate syrup if making a chocolate version. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and smoosh around to combine ingredients. Set aside for now.
- Fill the gallon bag halfway with crushed ice. Add the rock salt to the ice and smoosh together to integrate.
- Place the small ice cream bag into the larger bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. Wrap the bag in a towel (or use oven mitts) and shake or toss the bag for 5โ10 minutes or until the ice cream reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Remove the smaller bag from the larger bag and squeeze the ice cream into a bowl. Add toppings and enjoy! Remember to eat quickly, as the ice cream melts fast!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
