8 Easy-Breezy Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

We have a soft spot for ice cream: there's nothing better than a cup, cone, or sundae on a sweltering summer day (or in any season). If it's homemade, even better: you can skip the line at the store or ice cream parlor, plus you have complete control over the quality and quantity of ingredients and mix-ins. Oh, and did we mention you get to eat delicious ice cream desserts without having to leave the house?

Here are eight incredibly easy recipes to make ice cream at home.

Ice-Cream-Maker-Free Chocolate

This elemental ice cream—a riff on an Indian dish known as kulfi—requires only three ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, cream, and chocolate. The result is a delicious confection that tastes like a cross between chocolate ice cream and frozen chocolate mousse. And, since it's so easy to make, it's a great last-minute dinner party dessert.

Get the recipe: Ice-Cream-Maker-Free Chocolate

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip

It's okay if you still have a soft spot for that bright green mint chocolate chip ice cream you grew up eating. But take our word for it: this grown-up version, made with fresh mint leaves steeped in the milk and cream, takes the flavor to a whole new level.

Get the recipe: Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip

Salted Caramel

Striking an utterly irresistible balance between salty and sweet, this caramel ice cream is one of those flavors that everyone loves. Though it's made from only a few simple ingredients, the custard base has an incredibly rich and silky texture—perfect for scooping.

Get the recipe: Salted Caramel

Coffee With Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Plain coffee ice cream is a crowd-pleasing classic, but everyone gets a craving for something a little different sometimes. The addition of chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans gives this recipe a playful, creative (and, of course, delicious) twist. But do be warned: it has a definite caffeine kick!

Get the recipe: Coffee With Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Coconut Caramel

Coconut milk is the only dairy-free liquid that incorporates enough fat to make the texture of the finished ice cream as luscious as if it were made with cream. Happily, lots of great flavors marry beautifully with it: chocolate, nuts, citrus, cherry, and, of course, caramel.

Get the recipe: Coconut Caramel

Blueberry Muffin

This genius ice cream combines the charm of tender, sweet baked goods with the temptation of a frozen treat. Brown butter, vanilla, and brown sugar give it a "fresh from the oven" flavor, while a swirl of sweet-tart blueberry compote and cinnamon streusel crumbled throughout lends texture and that muffin-top taste.

Get the recipe: Blueberry Muffin

Easy Cookies ‘n’ Cream

Packed with rich, sweet cream, a fragrant splash of vanilla, and strewn with ribbons of crunchy chocolate cookies, this classic is not just a huge crowd pleaser, it's also one of the easiest homemade flavors to make. It's just vanilla ice cream with crushed up cookies in it.

Get the recipe: Easy Cookies 'n' Cream

Simple Strawberry

In the summer when strawberries are in season, a pale pink, creamy ice cream is the perfect way to show them off. For really concentrated flavor, try roasting the fruit before adding it—but if you'd rather keep things easy, simple sliced berries will do the trick.

Get the recipe: Simple Strawberry