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#1 Vitamix Ice Cream Recipe

Chris L.
Last updated: Sep 10, 2020

With the Vitamix A3500 or E310, you can make perfect ice cream from the comfort of your home within minutes! The A3500's frozen dessert setting is perfect for those who like a hands-off cooking experience, while the E310 is an excellent, budget-friendly choice for smaller ice cream batches.

Which Vitamix blender is best for making ice cream?

Making ice cream in a Vitamix is an incredibly simple alternative to an ice-cream maker, and the consistency is velvety-smooth if done right. While just about any Vitamix can handle an ice cream recipe, some models are better suited to this task than others. The top-of-the-line blender from Vitamix's newest Ascent Series, the A3500, comes with a frozen dessert setting. Vitamix's programmed settings are great if you're just becoming familiar with different blended recipes, or simply don't want to adjust the speed yourself to perfect the consistency. While you don't need a programmed setting to make ice cream in a Vitamix, it does make it incredibly easy. On the other hand, if you're looking for a blender with a smaller container size without all of the newest bells and whistles, the Vitamix E310 is a great choice. It's 10 variable speeds and pulse control allows you to blend the ingredients into a thick, creamy mixture in just 45 seconds!

Vitamix A3500

The Vitamix A3500 is a top choice for making ice cream for a variety of reasons:

  • Its frozen dessert setting: With the A3500's frozen dessert setting, making ice cream is as easy as pressing a button. This setting is engineered specifically to create thick, creamy blends from frozen ingredients. No more fiddling with dials!
  • Its programmable timer: To make the best ice cream consistency in a blender, the ingredients need to be blended quickly in a short period of time (no more than a minute is optimal). With the A3500's programmable timer, it's hard to over blend time-specific recipes.
  • Its variable speed control and pulse function: While the frozen dessert setting is convenient, the A3500's 10 variable speeds and pulse function allow you to choose your ice cream consistency. if you prefer to have fine-tuned control over your blends, this function is great for ensuring that your ice cream consistency is to your liking.

Vitamix E310

The Vitamix E310 is an excellent choice for ice cream because of its:

  • 2HP Motor: The E310's powerful 2HP motor can handle virtually any ingredient, including the 6 cups of ice required to make ice cream in your Vitamix. The motor brings the ice cream blend up to the required speed quickly for a smooth, even blend without over-processing.
  • Variable speed control and pulse function: Like the A3500's, the E310's variable speed control and pulse function are key elements to perfecting your ice cream consistency. If ice gets stuck, the pulse function allows the E310's blades to grab the ice and pull it back into the blend, while the high speed function brings your mixture to optimal speed in under a minute.

How to make ice cream in your Vitamix blender

The best part about making ice cream in your Vitamix is the wide variety of flavors you can create with minimal hassle. While this recipe is as easy as throwing all of your ingredients in your blender, you should make sure that you have all ingredients on-hand before starting this recipe. Ice cream doesn't lend itself well to "winging it." If you're planning on adding additional toppings like nuts or chocolate bar chunks, we recommend using the pulse function on your Vitamix to prep these ingredients before making your ice cream.

If you're using the frozen dessert setting on an a model like the A3500's, you won't have to worry much about your ice cream consistency. If you're using the speed dial on the E310 or A3500, we recommend blending your ingredients on speed 10 for approximately 45 seconds.

Additional tips when cooking in your Vitamix blender

  • Make sure your ingredient measurements are suited to your Vitamix container size. When blending in a 48oz compared to a typical 64oz container, you'll only need 3/4 of the listed ingredients. Always make sure your ingredients are suited to your container size to avoid potential overflow and spillage!
  • Don't freehand your measurements. Like any other recipe, Vitamix blender recipes require correct measurements and quantities in order to turn out correctly. Pay attention to measurements and add ingredients accordingly.
  • After your blended recipe, use Vitamix's quick clean method for added convenience. Whether your Vitamix has a self-cleaning setting or not, most Vitamix models can be cleaned after use by adding some water, dish soap and blending. Save yourself time in the kitchen by using this method!

Try this Vitamix ice cream recipe!

Cook Time: 11 minutes (total)

Difficulty: Intermediate

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (240 ml) milk
  • 1/2 cup (35 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (35 g) non-fat dry milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 cups (780 g) ice cubes

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.
  1. Start the machine and increase to its highest speed. Blend for 45 seconds or until four mounds have formed, using the tamper to push ingredients into the blades.
  1. Customize by adding chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or other toppings to your blend in the last 10 seconds.
  1. Serve immediately.

Want to try more delicious recipes? Get a Vitamix, today!

With a Vitamix blender, you'll be able to make delicious ice cream in just minutes, and so much more! We found the best prices for the Vitamix A3500 and E310 on Amazon. Get cooking in style with a Vitamix—check the best prices on Amazon, here!