This No-Churn Salted Cinnamon Ice Cream recipe is easy to make and ready for freezing in 15 minutes—delicious with homemade caramel sauce!
I own an ice cream maker and use it from time to time, but it takes some planning. The insert needs to be frozen, the custard needs to chill down for a really long time, and frankly, I’m not that organized—or patient. I want ice cream when I want it.
The answer? No-churn ice cream.
Cinnamon ice cream is one of my all-time favorite flavors. I developed a taste for it when we lived in Europe—it’s a popular pick in the gelato shops. In the US? Not so much. If you’re lucky, you’ll find cinnamon ice cream around in the fall, but even then, it’s rare. So, I decided to make my own.
Much like my no-churn coffee ice cream, this recipe requires a simple whip of cream, sweetened condensed milk, and some flavoring. Speaking of flavor, salted cinnamon ice cream offers plenty, though it’s pleasantly subtle. The sweetly scented cinnamon adds a fall-inspired taste and perfectly accents the vanilla bean paste. You may use vanilla extract instead, but I think the paste gives you a deeper vanilla flavor reminiscent of what I enjoyed in Europe.
No-churn salted cinnamon ice cream is a simple yet elegant dessert perfect for the holidays. But if you’re like me, you’ll make this year-round. Because why not?
Why vodka?
Since I want to skip the ice cream maker, I need something to help with the whole scooping process. Vodka may seem like an odd ingredient, but it does wonders. The alcohol lowers the freezing point, keeping the ice cream soft and scoopable. And no, you won’t taste the vodka. However, you’ll definitely notice how it effortlessly softens the texture so that each spoonful is perfectly creamy.
You may omit the vodka, but you may need a substitute. Adding a little sugar, corn syrup, or honey also helps soften your ice cream to a scoop-friendly texture. I’d say a tablespoon or two of corn syrup is probably the most suitable option here—it prevents iciness and has a pretty neutral flavor (in small amounts). One tablespoon of honey is your next best bet, and if you’d like a more honey-forward flavor, add two tablespoons. Otherwise, one to two tablespoons of granulated sugar works. Stir it with the sweetened condensed milk until dissolved, then fold it in.
How do I store leftovers?
Store the ice cream in a freezer-safe container. Press plastic wrap or parchment paper onto the surface before covering with a lid. This should help reduce the chances of ice crystals from forming, a notorious problem for homemade ice cream. Since this is homemade, I wouldn’t store it longer than 1 month. You could go longer (up to 3 months), but I’ve found that the taste and texture aren’t as good.
Serving suggestions
Salted cinnamon ice cream is perfect on Apple Pie, with Salted Spice Caramel Sauce, or this particularly decadent Bourbon Caramel Sauce (With Maple Syrup). And for the kiddos, you can just go for this simple Homemade Caramel Sauce.
I also enjoy serving it alongside chocolatey desserts like Ghirardelli Brownies, and this recipe for Salted Brown Butter Pecan Blondies was practically made for cinnamon ice cream.
No-Churn Salted Cinnamon Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons vodka
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
Instructions
- Add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl of your stand mixer. Set your mixer to medium-high speed and use the whisk attachment to whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
- Add the vanilla and vodka, whisking until just combined.
- Add the cinnamon and kosher salt, then whisk again until everything looks evenly mixed.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a spatula to gently fold the sweetened condensed milk. Be careful not to deflate the whipped cream.
- Gently spoon the mixture into a 9×5-inch loaf pan or individual paper containers. Smooth the top, then cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
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