Homemade Ice Cream Right Now! {No Machine Required!}

Do the kids have a little extra energy to burn off today?  Do you want a quick, simple treat that the kids can make themselves (with a little help from you)?  Try this recipe for homemade ice cream that uses items you most likely have in your house right now!

I discovered this recipe somewhere either in a book or online a few years ago, and used it in my classroom as an activity for parents to do with their children at an evening meeting at the school.  It was a huge success! 

I decided to pull it out and use it with my own children today- yum yum!

I can't remember where the original recipe came from, but I've adapted it some so I think it'll be okay if I post it for you here.

You will need 4 main ingredients:

milk, vanilla, sugar, salt.

You will also need 2 ziploc bags (either a quart and a gallon, or 2 gallon sized bags), and ice cubes.

First, put 1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 4 tablespoons sugar into a ziploc bag (the smaller ziploc bag, if you are using 2 different sizes).

Press any excess air out of the bag and zip or press it closed tightly.

Fill up the gallon freezer bag with ice 1/2 of the way.

Sprinkle in 6 tablespoons of salt (regular table salt, but you can also use rock salt).

Put the first sealed bag with the milk, sugar, and vanilla inside the bag with the salt and ice, and seal the outside bag.

Shake the bag around, up & down, back & forth, for 8-10 minutes.  The milk/sugar/vanilla mixture will begin to thicken and solidify.  When it reaches your desired consistency, just open up the bags and scoop the ice cream into a bowl (or eat it right out of the bag).

We sprinkled on some rasberries on the top of ours, and I must say I'm always surprised how quick and easy this recipe is!  It may not be the creamiest ice cream you've ever had, but it sure is good, and a fantastic treat that even little ones can help with!

If you make this, let me know what you think!

♥

I haven't tried this recipe yet (no machine required either), but I'm going to!  (It requires me to make a trip to the grocery store for some ingredients, but I plan to make it sometime this week).

Have a lovely day!