Common Ice Cream Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them (2024)

We're big fans of the ice cream truck, but you know what's better than waiting for that maddeningly cheery tune to roll down your street? Making ice cream yourself! Ice cream machines are easily found and affordable, so procuring the goods is the simple part. Making a creamy, sweet batch that would rival [insert your favorite ice cream here] is another story. So we spoke with Bon Appétit senior food editor Dawn Perry about the most common ice-cream-making mistakes—and how to avoid them. Here's how to make the best ice cream you'll eat all summer.

1. <del>A 'Lightly Chilled' Machine Is Totally Fine</del>

For an ice cream machine to work properly, it has to be cold. Ice cold. Like, rock-hard, frozen-solid cold. A 30-minute dip in the freezer won't do the trick, so plan ahead and chill it properly before starting a batch. Otherwise, you'll end up with a slightly agitated soupy mess—not the frozen treat of our dreams. Also, says executive editor Christine Muhlke, be sure that your machine is completely dry before filling it. A little water around the sides will freeze and halt the motion of the machine. No motion means no churning, and no churning means, well, you guessed it: no ice cream.

2. <del>Scrambled Egg Ice Cream Is Delicious</del>

A good ice cream starts with an expertly made custard base. To achieve this, the milk and cream are combined with sugar and cooked over the stovetop. Egg yolk is whisked in and the mixture is cooked slowly until it thickens. But cooking the custard too hot or too quickly will cause the egg to scramble, rather than transform the dairy into a velvety sauce. To avoid scrambled-egg ice cream, keep the heat below medium, and stir it constantly with a rubber spatula, being sure to scrape the sides of the pan as you stir. Test the mixture often by coating the back of a spoon with the sauce. Run your finger across the custard, and if the line is thick enough that it stays put without dripping or running, it's done—remove it from the heat.

3. <del>Mo' Ice Cream, Fewer Problems</del>

A little ice cream is good, so a lot of ice cream is great. We're all for as much of the stuff as possible, but Muhlke warns against being overzealous: Filling your machine with too much custard will cause the mixture to slop out the sides as it freezes and expands. (The same rule applies, by the way, to food processors and blenders: Never overfill!) Buy a bigger unit or make it in batches, but definitely don't pack your machine more than two-thirds full.

4. <del>Ice Cream Makes You Fat</del>

Think you can cut calories by using milk with a lower fat content? Think again. Perry says that the best combination of dairy for a creamy, dreamy ice cream is whole milk mixed with cream. Would half-and-half work? Perry steers clear as a result of the chemical stabilizers often found in it. Consider this: Ice cream is an opportunity to indulge, so don't skimp on the good stuff.

5. <del>Dump It All In and Hope for the Best</del>

Mix-ins are of extreme importance. Both Perry and Muhlke are fans of the post-machine addition—meaning, those chunks of cookie dough, chocolate chips, and nuts should be folded in once the machine has been turned off. And unless you like sinking your teeth into a rock-hard frozen strawberry, make sure your chunks are small enough to eat without chewing. If it's a swirl you're after, says Perry, be sure to cook it, lest it gets icy and frozen solid. Cooking fruit into a jam is a fine idea, and if you're looking for a peanut buttery streak, cook it with a little cream—the addition will keep the nut butter from becoming too hard. Once you've cooked your swirl-in (fudge, jam, caramel, whatever), wait until the machine's stopped. Transferring it from the base of the machine to its storage container will be just enough to mix it in properly.

6. <del>There's No Time to Wait</del>

Congratulations! You made ice cream! We're sure you can't wait to dig in, but a little patience and prudence is a must here. Many people over mix the ice cream, attempting to freeze it and get it super-chilled right in the machine. This is a big "don't," as overmixing will cause the ice cream to turn, well, icy. "Ice cream's optimal texture doesn't happen in the machine—it happens in the freezer," says Perry. So if it's a smooth, rich, cold, firm—yet pleasantly scoopable—treat you're after and not a lukewarm, soupy one, process it until just-done, and give it a couple of hours to firm up in the freezer.

7. <del>Hot Spoons Are Cool</del>

Once ice cream is properly chilled, it should be firm but not a solid, concrete-like mass. Let it sit at room temperature for about five minutes (yes, we know: So much waiting!), and then use a wet—not hot—scoop to dole it out. A wet spoon will slide in easily; a hot one will just melt it into a mess.