SEARCH

5 Ingredients or Fewer

Dori Sanders’ No-Churn Fresh Lemon Ice Cream

by:
July  1, 2021
4
100 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 3 hours
  • Makes 3 cups (710ml)
Author Notes

When it’s too hot to make a custard or do much at all, it’s nice to know that you can still have sweet-tart, bracing lemon ice cream all the same. This recipe—from Dori Sanders, a peach farmer, novelist, and cookbook author—only asks you to juice, zest, and stir. Recipe from Genius Desserts: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Bake (Ten Speed Press, September 2018) To read the whole story, go here, and to get the recipe for Estela's Candied Sesame Seeds, go here.

This recipe was featured on our new cook-along podcast Play Me a Recipe. Listen as Kristen zests, juices, and no-churns her way through this recipe, offering insider tips and backstory along the way. —Genius Recipes

Continue After Advertisement
Watch This Recipe
Dori Sanders’ No-Churn Fresh Lemon Ice Cream
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup (60g) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (235g) heavy cream
  • 1 cup (245g) whole milk
Directions
  1. Whisk together the lemon zest and juice, the sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk together the cream and milk in a measuring cup and gradually pour into the lemon and sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk until the sugar dissolves—you won’t hear or feel it scraping against the bottom of the bowl anymore, about 2 minutes.
  3. Pour the mixture into an 8-inch (20cm) square metal baking pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze until the mixture is solid around the edges and mushy in the middle, 2 to 3 hours. Stir well, cover again with foil, and continue to freeze until completely firm, about an hour more. Once firm, scoop into chilled bowls to serve.
Tags:
This Recipe is Featured In:

No-Cook, No-Sweat, No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream From a Southern Cooking Legend

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: Genius Recipes

More Great Recipes

White Chocolate and Yuzu Mousse with Vanilla Olive Oil Ice Cream

2-Ingredient Toasted Marzipan Ice Cream From Alice Hart

No-Churn Scotch Ice Cream

Lime Curd and Poppy Seed No Churn Ice Cream

Popular on Food52

The Best Vanilla Extract Substitute Is Probably Hiding in Your Kitchen

11 Easy Dinner Recipes for When It's Been a Loooong Week

The 15 Best Pasta Salad Recipes to Make All Summer Long
Continue After Advertisement

161 Reviews

Write a Review
Therese July 19, 2024
Made this a second time and doubled the recipe. Put in two large rectangular Tupperware containers and did not stir a few hours after freezing as per the recipe. The ice cream was absolutely delicious and my guests really enjoyed it. I made this the night before as per suggestions in other reviews to ensure the ice cream would set. I also made the candied sesame seeds as recommended in the recipe but I wouldn’t do that again. The ice cream is so tangy and sweet and I didn’t think the candied sesame seeds complemented it.
mdalyj June 5, 2023
Amazing, like a magic trick, HOWEVER -- I had to freeze my batch for 4 hours before stirring, and then overnight for the right frozen consistency. And the pan was at the very bottom of my very cold chest freezer. Worth the wait; just don't start this in the afternoon with the thought you will serve it for dessert the same evening.
Amanda H. October 23, 2021
I have an ice cream maker, but I hate to drag it out, so I thought I'd give this a try. It was absolutely delicious! We ate the whole batch in one day. It took less than 10 minutes to measure everything and put it together. I wasn't sure lemon ice cream would be great (I think of lemon as more of a sorbet flavor), but it was fantastic. I would never have known it wasn't churned if I hadn't made it. I definitely recommend trying this recipe if you like lemon.
Elizabeth D. July 11, 2022
the addition of cream with lemon was so delicious, it reminds me of an orange dreamsickle or lemon cream pie.
soo August 22, 2021
could we add a liquor or alcohol like vodka or rum? that would help it not freeze into ice better, yes? and it would be like frozen limoncello? could we also call this a gelato? or is that a different texture? what's the difference with gelato?
thanks!
cookbabycook November 13, 2022
Great suggestion! I'm making this tonight and will pull some Limoncello out of the freezer to pour a little over this.
soo August 22, 2021
quick question- so we are whisking by hand? to what consistency? usually I make ice cream and whip the cream with a hand mixer until just before soft peaks form, but it seems like that's not the case here- we're just whisking until the sugar dissolves? so it's not a "whipped cream" consistency? thanks!
adobeblue July 22, 2022
I think is the usual way to make no churn ice cream. I make many flavors using your method and numerous recipes exist online for no-churn ice cream.
Jacqueline B. July 21, 2021
Thank you for a simple, quick dessert that satisfies and is beautiful to share. I froze our desert bowls as some comments stated it doesn’t stay frozen for long. We served with fresh raspberries. Nice and light and tasty. I will keep this recipe in hand all summer.
Ariana May 20, 2020
What are the measurements for the sesame seed topping from the video? For the water, sugar, and sesame seeds?
Deborah J. May 20, 2020
Search for this recipe on Food52 & you’ll see how it is made: Estela's Candied Sesame Seeds
David D. October 10, 2019
I make it just like the recipe.
My 89 year old aunt loves it I make it freeze it and take it to her
Thank you so very much
Dee August 21, 2019
I make this recipe substituting 1/3 cup of xylitol for my sugarfree and/or Keto friends. We find 1/3 cup adds the right amount of sweetness. Xylitol, rather than using erythritol, produces a better texture. This is delicious served with an almond flour lemon shortbread keto cookie.
This recipe serves 6 adequately.
brandyk May 6, 2021
Allulose as well. It doesn't harden ice creams like a rock. Only 70% as sweet as sugar so adjust according to your taste.
weshook August 15, 2019
Made this with canned coconut milk for the cream and a mixture of coconut milk (the thinner kind that is more like milk?) and soy milk (because I ran out of the thin coconut milk). Delicious! Easy! Even my husband that shies away from anything not cow milk tried it and asked for his own serving.
Toddie August 5, 2019
I made this and, after I stirred it at the 2-3 hour mark, I dumped it into a ginger snap pie crust and covered it with cling film to finish the freezing process. Just before it was time to serve, I topped it with meringue and hit it with my kitchen torch to tan the tips. It looked and tasted divine. I got rave reviews for not very much effort at all.
scoot87501 August 5, 2020
Great idea Toddie, plan to do it.
Deborah J. July 29, 2019
Oh my gosh....this is sooooooo delectable!! I made this yesterday (followed the directions exactly), including the sesame seed topping, ate some today and I am in heaven!! I would not change anything at all! The sesame seed topping just was the most perfect thing for this luscious desert. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!
Smaug July 17, 2019
In the interests of science, I decided to try this with a churn. I made some changes- for flavor, I used more juice (about 6 Tb., including one lime) and less sugar (3/4c.). I also added 1/2 c. half and half because I wasn't sure it was enough for the churn to operate properly (this proved unnecessary) and I added an egg white, largely because I had one left from something else I was doing, but it does help the ice cream to hold more air. The result was probably the best ice cream I've ever made.
Susan G. July 9, 2019
I’ve made this a couple of times and it is so delicious and refreshing. Guests are impressed. I topped it with raspberries for color or a little chocolate sauce. Holds up well in the freezer. I cut the sugar a little and it was sweet enough.
Patrick July 5, 2019
How many servings does this make?
OldGrayMare July 5, 2019
You should be able to serve 6 ice cream lovers
Patrick July 5, 2019
Great news. Thank you.
Julia H. July 5, 2019
Can I make it one day ahead?
OldGrayMare July 5, 2019
Yes! Done it ahead many times...just be sure to put a piece of cling wrap directly on top to prevent any ice crystals from forming. Oh, and definitely make the candied sesame seeds for topping!!
Barbara July 5, 2019
Yes, I usually make it the day before serving it.
posh July 4, 2019
This sounds great! I am looking to try it with vanilla beans...is that going to conflict with the lemon. How could we do this without the lemon juice? :)
Deborah J. July 29, 2019
posh, you can easily find a no-churn vanilla ice cream recipe to use instead.
Jen July 2, 2019
This was such a treat to make (because who doesn't love a simple no fuss recipe) and delicious to eat! I am not a big fan of tweaking a recipe to death until it becomes something entirely else, but I do have to state that I cut the sugar by half. We are trying to be more mindful of our sugar intake. Anyway, I can't obviously compare it to the full sugar recipe, but I can say it was absolutely delicious and my 3 & 5 year girls were asking for seconds. I was on the fence about the extra step to make the sesame seeds, but I'm so glad I did! You will not regret this one!
calikeli June 29, 2019
Don't get me wrong -- I love rich desserts, but this just tastes fatty. I made the recipe as stated. The flavor is wonderful, with a perfect balance of tart to sweet. The texture is nice too, but the finish is greasy. There is a "fat film" left on your spoon and palate. I would be embarrassed to serve this to guests. I will make it again but reduce cream and increase whole milk (hoping it won't be too icy), or try a mixture of sorts with half-and-half. The suggested accompaniment of the candied sesame seeds are delicious. I made it with black sesame seeds, and they were beautiful and delicious -- tasted a bit like halvah.
Beelewberry July 9, 2019
I agree. FATTY. Yuck. I wanted to like this, but agree with you. I made the mistake of serving this for true gourmands. They ate it, but I could tell that they were almost repulsed by the full-fat texture that lingers. Next time I will stick with a true ice cream recipe that calls for a cooked custard/creme anglaise. Children, or those lacking refined tastebuds might enjoy this.
Amy July 10, 2022
I have found all three no churn ice creams I've tried to be too rich also. I wonder if subbing half and half could work. Lmk if you try it!
Peggy F. April 12, 2023
Whoa. Your disparaging remark at the end was quite out of line. I have enjoyed this wonderful recipe for years and have served it to many an experienced ‘foodie’ with brilliant success. Perhaps the ‘yuck’ factor comes from the ingredients you are using. Try organic heavy cream- without gums, emulsifiers, ‘ultra
pasteurization,’ or any other fillers or processes next time, and you might have a happier outcome.
carswell June 21, 2019
I made the lime posset on the site the other day (it relies on the same acid thickening of the cream principle) and it turned out well - I still have heavy cream on hand an an abundance of lemons so I am going to give this a whirl next.