No Churn Graham Cracker Ice Cream

This no churn graham cracker ice cream is made by soaking graham crackers in heavy cream, whipping it up, and swirling in sweetened condensed milk. It's infused with all the warm, honey cinnamon graham cracker flavor we know and love and couldn't be easier to make.

This graham cracker ice cream is just as creamy and delicious as any store-bought ice cream out there with no churning or cooking involved.

Store-bought ice cream is typically churned. Churning ice cream does many things. It speeds up the freezing process (resulting in less ice crystals), breaks up the ice crystals into smaller ones for a smooth texture, and incorporates air into the mixture.

A good no churn ice cream recipe will have steps to do all the same things. In this recipe, adding condensed milk to limit ice crystals and whipping cream for aeration creates a smooth, creamy ice cream with no ice cream maker required!

How are we getting that delicious, cinnamon-y graham cracker flavor? We're soaking a whole sleeve of them in heavy cream! The flavor infuses with the cream, kind of like cereal milk.

Once the cream is whipped, sweetened condensed milk and leftover soaked graham crackers are folded in for the best flavor ever.

If you love frozen desserts, try Black Forest ice cream, Oreo ice cream cake, strawberry cream cheese icebox cake, or frozen Greek yogurt bars next!

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes about the ingredients used. For quantities and the full instructions, see the recipe card below.

• Graham crackers- Any brand of graham crackers works for this recipe. My favorite is Honey Maid cinnamon grahams, but choose whichever tastes best to you!
• Heavy whipping cream- Whipping heavy cream creates that soft, scoop-able, indulgent texture that the best ice creams have. Make sure to use cold heavy cream, not half and half, milk, or anything else! The high fat content of heavy cream creates the best texture.
• Vanilla extract- Use high quality, real vanilla extract instead of intimidation vanilla for the best flavor. It makes all the difference!
• Salt- Salt keeps the ice cream from tasting too overly sweet. Make sure to use finely ground salt so it mixes in well and doesn't add extra texture.
• Sweetened condensed milk- Like my peaches and cream ice cream, condensed milk is folded into the whipped cream to add sweetness and keep the ice cream smooth and creamy.

Substitutions

• Graham crackers: You can substitute a different cookie to mix up the flavor, like Nilla wafers, Biscoff cookies, or even cereal like Lucky Charms!

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Pour the heavy cream on top of graham crackers in a large bowl. Then place the bowl in the refrigerator, letting the crackers soak for at least 20 minutes.

Step 2: Place your strainer over the bowl you're going to whip the cream in. Pour the cream and soaked crackers through the strainer. Set the strainer containing the soaked crackers aside.

Step 3: Next, place the bowl of cream into the base of a stand mixer and pour in the vanilla and salt. Then, whip the cream on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. This'll only take a couple minutes, so don't get distracted or your whipped cream will get clumpy!

Step 4: Fold the sweetened condensed milk and soaked graham crackers into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.

Step 5: Pour the ice cream mixture into a pan (lined with plastic wrap or unlined). Swirl in more crushed graham crackers and any other toppings you like. Freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm.

Step 6: When you're ready to enjoy, let the ice cream sit on the counter to soften for about 5 minutes before serving in a cone or dish.

Top Tips for Success

1. Don't overwhip the heavy cream. If you overwhip the cream, it'll get clumpy and won't freeze into a soft ice cream. If you do overwhip it, try adding a little more heavy cream to fix it as the mixer runs on low.
2. Fold gently. Folding your ingredients in gently is crucial because it helps preserve the air we've added to the heavy cream. When you fold something in, take your spatula and gently move it along the side of the bowl, along the bottom, and over top of the mixture. This gentle motion keeps all the air in!
3. Add graham crackers on top AFTER the ice cream is frozen. If you add graham crackers on top before freezing the ice cream, they'll get soggy. Add them right before serving for the crunchiest results.

Ingredient Additions

• Chocolate- Swirl in some chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. You can use white, dark, or milk chocolate.
• Marshmallows- Add chocolate and mini marshmallows or marshmallow fluff to make s'mores ice cream!
• Brownies- I love how chewy brownies get when they're frozen! You can whip up a small batch of brownies or buy them at the store, chop them up, and swirl them into the ice cream before freezing.
• Honey- Swirl in a little honey before freezing to complement the graham flavor or drizzle a some on top when you're ready to serve.

How to Store Homemade Ice Cream

Freeze the ice cream in an airtight container or in a loaf pan wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It lasts in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes before scooping so it's nice and soft.

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