How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag or Jar

There are several ways to make ice cream at home, but these two recipes below are the simplest for making a great ice cream with kids. Now gather up all your supplies, so that next time everyone is screaming for ice cream, you’ll be able to whip up a fresh batch in no time. 

Use these recipes as a base to add other flavors and ingredients. Experiment with mint, chocolate chips, or fresh-cut fruit like strawberries.

Want to know how to make ice cream? Even kids can conquer this recipe!

How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag

Ingredients for Ice Cream in a Bag

1 cup of half-and-half
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
3 cups of ice
1/3 cup of kosher salt
Toppings of your choice

Step 1

Mix the half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla in a resealable bag. Push as much air as you can out of the bag before you seal it. 

Step 2

Place the ice and the kosher salt in another resealable bag.

RELATED: Homemade Popsicle Recipes to Make with Kids

Ice and half-and-half are the two main ingredients, then you can go wild with add-ins.

Step 3

Place the sealed half-and-half mixture into the bag with the ice. Now seal up that outer bag. 

The fun part: Shake your ice cream in a bag! Those bags of ice feel great in the summer.

Step 4

Vigorously shake the bags for 5 to 10 minutes. When finished, the half-and-half mixture will harden to form ice cream. 

Step 5

Add toppings and enjoy.

No special equipment is needed to make ice cream, just grab a mason jar, fill it, and shake! Photo by Sara M.

How To Make Ice Cream in a Mason Jar 

Another option for making homemade ice cream is using a mason jar. The recipe is similar to the one above but offers maybe a prettier presentation for your ice cream––giftable even!

Ingredients for Mason Jar Ice Cream

1 cup of heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Step 1

Place all the ingredients into a mason jar and tightly seal it. 

Step 2

Shake the mason jar vigorously for around 5 minutes. You will notice the cream mixture double in size. 

Step 3

Place the mason jar in the freezer for around 3 hours. 

Step 4

Remove hardened ice cream from the freezer and add toppings.