Why the Churn Method is the Best Way to Make Ice Cream

Why I prefer the churn method for making ice cream

I love making ice cream. Ever since I got my ice cream machine years ago (7 years ago?), making ice cream has been a little bit of a speciality of mine. From close family members to friends new and old, they all love it when I come around with pints of my homemade ice cream.

One of the beauties of ice cream is there are actually 2 ways to make it - the churn and no churn methods. The churn method which is what I mentioned above involves using an ice cream machine with a creme anglaise (egg based cream) vs the no-churn method involves whipping heavy cream and combining it with condensed milk. I’ve used both plenty of times throughout the years, and while both have pros and cons, I have come to the conclusion that the churn method is indeed better.

I came to this conclusion last week while photographing my no-churn strawberry cookies and cream recipe. It is pretty challenging photographing ice cream to begin with because ice cream just melts so fast! And no-churn ice cream melts especially fast. It was in those moments of stress that I said to myself “the churn method is 100% better”.

The reason no-churn ice cream melts so fast is because it has less fat content, larger ice crystals, and higher air content compared to churned ice cream. Churned ice cream has more fat which raises the freezing point of the ice cream, making it melt slower and last longer at room temperature. In addition to holding its shape better, the flavor and texture of churned ice cream is far superior imho. The extra fat in churned ice cream creates a creamier, smoother texture which is what most people enjoy about good ice cream!

I think there will always be a place for no-churn ice cream because it is indeed easier, takes less time, and requires fewer ingredients, which coincidentally also makes it less expensive to make. I myself turn to the no-churn method when I’m in a pinch and need ice cream ASAP. But going forward, I am definitely prioritizing the churn method in my life and on the blog.

» For those wondering, the ice cream pictured above is my Dubai Chocolate Ice Cream recipe using the churn method!

These are all my favorite ice cream recipes using the churn method! For all my ice cream recipes, check out my ice cream page!

Ube Ice Cream

Pretty, purple, so good. This is the perfect ice cream recipe if you’re also a fan of the trendy ube flavor.

Durian Ice Cream

This might be one of my favorite ice cream flavors. In my opinion, ice cream is the best way to use durian in a dish.

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

Probably my mom’s favorite ice cream flavor. I added some ribbons of chocolate while churning this ice cream because chocolate and coffee are a match made in heaven.

Thai Tea Ice Cream

This ice cream includes cream steeped in Thai tea mix then combined with condensed milk. It’s like drinking a Thai tea but in ice cream form!

1. Strawberry Jasmine Cookies - A tender sugar cookie coated in strawberry jasmine sugar. Super easy to make and comes together in 30 minutes.

2. Garlic Turmeric Rice - My favorite alternative to plain white rice. Rice is sautéed in aromatics and turmeric and then cooked til tender. I included instructions to make this on the stove and in a rice cooker! I personally prefer the rice cooker.

3. My Dad’s Method for Vietnamese Coffee - Wrote about my dad’s method for making Vietnamese coffee. This definitely takes a bit longer, but it’s well worth it. I am also in love with these photos.

4. No-Churn Strawberry Cookies and Cream - I made this for a game night, and I loved the flavor combo so much I had to write it for the blog.

July is the month I’m getting married, so I don’t know if I’ll get to all the recipes I want, but here’s what I’m thinking!

1. Matcha Ice Cream Sandwiches - Taking my love for ice cream to a whole new level with this simple matcha ice cream sandwich recipe.

2. Strawberry Matcha Shortbread Cookies - Still tweaking this recipe, but I’m thinking a matcha play on a traditional neapolitan cookie recipe.

3. Beef Spring Rolls - Summer isn’t summer without spring rolls. I love this variation made with beef!

✍️ Thank you so much for reading! I love reading all your messages, DMs, and emails. If you have any feedback, comments, or just want to say hi, message me on Instagram, email me at becca@cooking-therapy.com, or just comment below!

❤️ If you enjoy this newsletter, please give it a heart below. It helps increase my visibility with the Substack algorithm and gets my newsletter in front of more people!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything through a link on this post, I may receive a small commission from the purchase at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I would personally use. Thank you so much for the support!