No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream Recipe

If you were lucky enough to have a dessert-loving science teacher in middle school, you might've made ice cream the old-fashioned way, by shaking a bag of salt around until the cream solidified. Your first bites were life-changing: There was something about the creamy texture and perfectly sweet flavor that rivaled even the best store-bought brand — and not just because the hard work that went into it (though your arms would beg to differ). After your arm fatigue wore off, you might've even gone home and asked your parents for rock salt and Ziploc bags.

These days, it's hard to find the time and energy for plastic bag ice cream, and it's just as hard to justify owning a clunky, expensive single-use ice cream maker. That's where no-churn ice cream comes in: Instead of working to freeze the cream as it's agitated, the cream is whipped first, then frozen. This adds air to the mixture, preventing ice crystals from forming in the freezer. Have you ever had frozen Cool Whip? It's the same idea here.

Sweetened condensed milk is the other secret to achieving that sweet, creamy flavor without churning. With less moisture than milk, it solidifies into a creamy texture. In this simple recipe by Michelle McGlinn, a simple vanilla ice cream is combined with tart and juicy pomegranate for the perfect end-of-summer treat. The best part? The crackly arils, which ooze with tart sweetness with every bite.

The ingredients list is surprisingly sparse for homemade ice cream, which is probably what makes it so good. You'll first need heavy whipping cream, a can of sweetened condensed milk, a pinch of salt, and a splash of vanilla extract. Sorry, no substitutions here, or the method won't work. To flavor the ice cream with pomegranate, pick up a small bottle of pomegranate juice and a container of arils — or for a cheaper option, buy a fresh pomegranate and remove the seeds yourself.

This part might feel tedious, but remember, at least you're not shaking a bag of rock salt around. If you've ever made whipped cream, the process is the same here: Put the cream, condensed milk, salt, and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until solidified. You can do this with a regular old balloon whisk, but to make things faster, use the whisk attachment on an electric mixer. You can even use a stand mixer for this, which makes it almost completely effortless. Whisk until soft peaks form — those are, firm but curly peaks on the end of the whisk. If in doubt, whisk for slightly longer.

If you'd prefer that the ice cream be completely pink, you can add the pomegranate juice while whisking instead. But for swirls, transfer the mixture to a loaf pan first, then pour in a splash of pomegranate juice and gently swirl it around with a spatula, moving slowly so you get distinct swirls. Do the same with the arils, pushing them down until they are evenly distributed throughout the ice cream.

No shortcuts here, either. Cover the whipped cream and freeze it until completely solid, about 8 hours. Once solidified, the ice cream is ready to scoop and eat as you please. It's pretty rock-solid right out of the freezer, but let us warn you: It melts quickly. Wait a minute or 2, then scoop the ice cream and return it to the freezer. Serve it on cones or in a bowl immediately.

This ice cream is excellent on homemade waffle cones or with a fruity homemade syrup. As you might've guessed, it stores well, too. Keep this no-churn ice cream frozen for months — if it's not all gone before then.