How to Thicken Ice Cream

Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: February 21, 2021

Ice cream is delicious to eat, but it can be tricky to make. Some people like their ice cream rich and thick as opposed to light and airy. Other people may experience trouble with ice cream not thickening in the churn. Fortunately, with the right ingredients and techniques, it is possible to fix both of these dilemmas. If you don't feel like experimenting in the kitchen, you can try making New England style ice cream, which is known for its thick, chewy texture.

Ingredients

New England Style Ice Cream

8 large egg yolks
¾ cup (170 grams) sugar
¼ cup (60 milliliters) corn syrup
1½ cup (350 milliliters) heavy cream
1½ cup (350 milliliters) evaporated milk, divided
2 teaspoons arrowroot starch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste

Makes 1 quart (688 grams)

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Adding Stabilizers and Thickeners

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1
Use equal parts of cream and milk. Ice cream recipes use cream because you can whip it (unlike milk). This will give you a light, airy base. For thicker ice cream, however, you want a less airy base. This means that you need to reduce the amount of cream, and use the same amount as your milk.^{[1]
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- Don't use less cream than milk, however, or the ice cream will end up too icy.
2
Add extra egg yolks for a richer, thicker texture. You can use up to 8 eggs for 1 quart (688 grams) of ice cream. This may seem like a lot, but it really makes a difference. Egg yolks not only help make the ice cream thicker, but they also help reduce the amount of ice crystals that often form during freezing.^{[2]
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- Keep in mind that adding egg yolks to ice cream will change the flavor somewhat. The ice cream will taste more like custard.
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Great examples include arrowroot powder, cornflour, and tapioca flour. Unlike eggs, they do not alter the flavor too much. Plan on using between 2 and 3 teaspoons per quart (688 grams) of ice cream.^{[3]
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4
Try a gelling stabilizer if you need something more potent. These are ingredients that gel when hydrated in a liquid. Carrageenan, gelatin, locust bean gum, pectin, and sodium alginate are all examples of good gelling stabilizers. These ingredients are very potent, so you should only use 0.1 to 0.5% of the base's weight. For best results, use a kitchen scale.^{[4]
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- If you don't have a kitchen scale, measure out about ¼ teaspoon of your gelling stabilizer instead. Adjust the amount to get the thickness you desire.
5
Try some vegan thickeners. Not all vegan ice cream recipes turn out thick. While you can try some stabilizers are already vegan (i.e.: cornstarch), there are some options that work even better. The stabilizers listed below work great in vegan ice cream recipes, but not so much in traditional recipes. If you are working with a vegan recipe, try:^{[5]
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- Scoop the cream from a can of full-fat coconut milk, and use it as your base.
- Use frozen, mashed up bananas as your base.
- Add some silken tofu, but be sure to blend it up first.
- Whip up the brine from a can of chickpeas (aquafaba) until it forms peaks, then fold it into the base.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using the Right Process

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You can do this with a handheld blender or by hand with a fork or whisk. If you choose to do it by hand, mix it for about 5 minutes to ensure thorough mixing. If you don't mix the stabilizers into your ingredients well enough, they will clump and not thicken your ice cream properly.^{[6]
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2
Hydrate gelling stabilizers according to the instructions on the package. Some gelling stabilizers need to be hydrated in hot liquid while others need to by hydrated in cold liquid. This will determine when you should add the stabilizer into your recipe.^{[7]
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- For example, gelatin needs to be hydrated in cold liquid. You should add it to the cold liquid (i.e.: milk or cream) and let it bloom before proceeding.^{[8]
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3
Make sure that the ice cream base is cold before you churn it. Do not get impatient and try to churn it while it is still warm. Even if it is lukewarm, the canister won't be cold enough to thicken it and freeze it.
- Chill the ice cream base for four hours in an ice bath, or overnight in the fridge.
4
Freeze the canister the day before to ensure that it is cold enough. This should go without saying, but it is a common ice cream making mistake. If you are churning your ice cream and it is not thickening, make sure that the canister is cold. Try adding some more ice and rock salt to it.
- Next time, put the canister into the freezer the day before you start making ice cream. This will ensure that it is cold enough.
5
Stop churning early and transfer the ice cream into a flat, wide container. As soon as the ice cream is thick enough so that a spoon leaves an indent, stop churning. This will help prevent overrun and reduce the amount of air. Transfer the ice cream into a flat, wide container, such as a loaf pan. This will help it freeze faster.^{[9]
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- Work quickly; you want to get the ice cream into the freezer as quickly as possible.
6
Put the ice cream into the freezer immediately. If you wait too long, the ice cream will start to melt, which can lead to ice crystals. This can affect the texture, making it grainy and gritty. Keep the ice cream on the bottom of your freezer, towards the back, where it is the coldest.^{[10]
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- Don't open the freezer and peek at the ice cream. This will only slow down the freezing process and introduce ice crystals.
- Place some frozen stuff on top of the ice cream container; make sure that these items don't touch the actual ice cream.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making New England Style Ice Cream

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If you don't get the canister cold enough, the ice cream will not thicken properly. Plan ahead, and get that canister into the freezer before you plan to have ice cream.
2
Mix together the egg yolks, sugar, and corn syrup. Crack the egg yolks into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the sugar and corn syrup, then whisk everything together.^{[11]
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- Save the egg whites for another recipe, such as meringue.
- Corn syrup helps thicken ice cream without making it overly sweet.
Pour all of the cream into the egg yolk mixture, then add 1¼ cups (300 milliliters) of the evaporated milk. Stir everything together once more.
Pour the remaining ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of evaporated milk into a small bowl. Add the arrowroot powder, then stir until it become thick and free of lumps. Set this aside for later.^{[12]
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5
Cook the egg yolk mixture until it thickens. Set the saucepan onto the stove and turn the heat up to medium-low. Cook the mixture, stirring often with a whisk. It is ready when it reaches 170 °F (77 °C). If you don't have a thermometer, check the texture instead. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.^{[13]
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- This process will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the burner. Add the thickened evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir the mixture until everything is combined and the texture is consistent.^{[14]
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Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the custard into the bowl, then discard any solids caught in the strainer. Cover and chill the custard in an ice bath for 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge.^{[15]
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The timing for New England style ice cream is tricky. You need churn the ice cream long until it gets a firm, soft-serve consistency. If you press a spoon into the ice cream, it should leave an impression.^{[16]
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9
Transfer the ice cream into a flat container, then put it into the freezer. Pour the ice cream base into a wide, flat container, such as a baking pan. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap, then place it into the freezer.^{[17]
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- The best place for ice cream is on the bottom shelf, towards the back.
10
Freeze the ice cream for at least 6 hours before serving it. Once the ice cream is frozen solid, you can scoop it out into a serving bowl, then add mix-ins, such as chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, chocolate chips, etc.
- Do not peek into the freezer while the ice cream is freezing. This will alter the temperature inside the freezer and create ice crystals in the ice cream.^{[18]
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Tips

If your custard base is not thickening, let the mixture cool down, then reheat it. Sometimes, the act of reheating helps the base thicken.

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If one method doesn't work for you, try another!

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You can try to flavor a batch of New England style ice cream by infusing the custard base.

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