Salted Caramel Ice Cream
This Salted Caramel Ice Cream features a sweet and creamy caramel ice cream base with homemade caramel sauce swirled throughout. It’s an easy no-churn ice cream recipe that’s the perfect combination of salty and sweet!
Easy No Churn Caramel Ice Cream
This Salted Caramel Ice Cream combines two of our youngest daughter’s favorite things – ice cream and salted caramel. Whenever we’re out & about for an ice cream treat, you can bet that any flavor that includes salted caramel will always be a top contender. And now we can make a batch at home with this easy no-churn ice cream recipe!
While we do have an ice cream maker, and use it to make many of our favorite ice cream recipes, I decided to opt for a no-churn ice cream this round. You only need a mixer to whip some cream!
If you love ice cream and the flavor of salted caramel, this recipe promises to be a favorite. The caramel sauce is heavenly, incorporated into the ultra creamy ice cream base and then layered in the pan. And there’s enough sauce left over to drizzle it over the top of your bowl, should you want to go all-in on the salted caramel!
Today’s Tessa’s first day of her high school sophomore year – here’s two scoops of salted caramel ice cream to send her off!
What You’ll Need
This caramel ice cream has a short ingredients list. Scroll down to the recipe box for the measurements.
- Granulated sugar – Granulated sugar gives sweetness and depth of flavor to the caramel sauce. Browning the sugar is what gives caramel its signature rich color and flavor.
- Water – Water thins the caramel sauce and helps prevent the sugar from burning.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream adds richness and creamy texture to the caramel sauce. It also thins the sauce to our desired consistency. In the ice cream base, the heavy cream is whipped to give it body.
- Butter – Butter adds a bit of extra richness and delicious flavor to the caramel.
- Sea salt – Sea salt adds the saltiness that all salted caramel fans adore, and contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the caramel. Kosher salt could also be used but I do not recommend substituting iodized salt.
- Sweetened condensed milk -Sweetened condensed milk sweetens the ice cream base and adds even more creaminess.
- Vanilla – Vanilla enhances the flavor of the caramel in the ice cream.
How to Make Salted Caramel Ice Cream
All you need to make this homemade caramel ice cream is a loaf pan and mixer – no ice cream maker required!
Make the Salted Caramel Sauce
- Cook the caramel. Heat the sugar and water over medium to medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue cooking at a rapid simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, until it turns a deep amber color (photo above, on the far right).
- Add the other ingredients. Remove the caramel from the heat and drizzle in the warm cream. Gently stir in the butter and salt, until the butter is melted.
- Chill. Transfer to a container and place in the fridge to chill.
Make the Ice Cream
- Beat the heavy cream. Beat the heavy cream with a mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Fold in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and 1/4 cup of the chilled salted caramel sauce until well combined.
- Transfer to a loaf pan. Pour half of the ice cream mixture into a loaf pan. Top with some caramel sauce. Add the remaining ice cream mixture and top with more caramel sauce. Swirl the caramel then wrap pan tightly in plastic.
- Freeze. Freeze the ice cream overnight (or at least for 8 hours).
- Serve. Serve with the remaining caramel sauce and enjoy!
Tips for Success
Here are a few helpful hints for making this no churn ice cream – in particular the caramel sauce, which can sometimes be tricky!
- Use a light-colored sauce pan. I highly recommend a light colored saucepan when making the caramel because it allows you to watch the color changing from clear to deep amber.
- Do not stir after the sugar dissolves. After the sugar dissolves, make sure to only swirl the pot occasionally. Do not stir it.
- Use warm cream. It’s important to warm the cream before adding it to the hot caramel mixture. Otherwise, the cream can curdle when it touches the hot caramel.
- Freeze overnight. No-churn ice cream is a dessert you want to plan ahead, as it needs to chill for at least 8 hours – but making it an entire day in advance is best.
Serving Suggestions
Since this recipe makes more caramel sauce than needed for the ice cream, I like to offer it for people to drizzle over their own individual bowls. If you love the caramel and chocolate flavor combo, you could also add some easy hot fudge sauce!
How Long Does Homemade Ice Cream Last?
This salted caramel ice cream will keep well for up to 1 month in the freezer. It’s best to transfer it to an airtight container – old ice cream cartons work great! If you keep it in the loaf pan without a lid, wrap it very tightly with plastic wrap pushed down to touch the ice cream to avoid freezer burn.
More Ice Cream Recipes:
- Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- Fresh Raspberry and Brownie Chunk Ice Cream
- Cookie Monster Ice Cream
- Roasted Blueberry Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
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Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup heavy cream warmed for 15 seconds in the microwave
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt use more if you like a more pronounced flavor
For the Ice Cream
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Caramel sauce above
Instructions
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- Add the sugar and water to a light-colored saucepan set over medium to medium-high heat. Stir just until the sugar is dissolved.
- Then cook the caramel at a rapid simmer for an additional 5-6 minutes. If not at a rapid simmer, turn the heat up just a bit. Only swirl the pan occasionally, no more stirring. The color will change from clear to deep amber – watch the caramel closely as the color will change quickly during the last couple minutes.
- Immediately when the caramel reaches a deep amber color (similar to the color of a dark honey…see my photos), remove it from the heat. Then slowly drizzle in the warm cream. Be careful as it can splatter.
- Next add the butter and salt. Stir gently until the butter has melted.
- Transfer the finished caramel sauce to a heat-safe container and store it in the fridge until chilled. This can be made up to a few days in advance of making the ice cream.
For the Ice Cream
- Add the heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
- Next add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and ¼ cup of the salted caramel sauce. Fold the mixture together until it is well combined.
- Pour half of the ice cream base into a 9×5 loaf pan. Add 3 tablespoons of caramel sauce on top. Next add the remaining ice cream base and finally top with another 3 tablespoons of caramel sauce.
- Quickly swirl the caramel into the ice cream and then wrap the loaf pan tightly in plastic.
- Freeze the ice cream until fully set – at least 8 hours, although I highly recommend overnight.
- Serve with the remaining salted caramel sauce if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
5 STARS