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Dulce de Leche Ice Cream is so rich and flavorful you’d think it takes hours to make, but it doesn’t! This easy no-churn ice cream recipe is so easy to make. You only need a few ingredients, and you don’t need an ice cream maker!
Easy Dulce de Leche Ice Cream without a machine
Have you made no-churn ice cream? This method is the easiest way to make homemade ice cream because you don’t need to make a custard ice cream base or use a machine to churn it.
Simple no-churn ice cream is made with sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream. All you do is fold whipped cream into the milk and then add any mix-ins. Freeze it, and the next day, you have delicious homemade ice cream.
I first made this ice cream flavor after realizing dulce de leche IS sweetened condensed milk. Well, it’s sweetened condensed milk that has been cooked until it turns into a thick caramel sauce. It’s the perfect swap to make no churn dulce de leche ice cream!
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted, this is to help toast the pecans.
- Brown sugar: To sweeten the toasted pecans, make sure you pack it.
- Chopped pecans: Adds a nice crunch to the ice cream.
- Dulce de Leche: Use canned dulce de leche or make my homemade dulce de leche.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: We’ll beat this into whipped cream to make the ice cream. You an also use cool whip – see below.
How to make dulce de leche ice cream
- Melt the butter and brown sugar in a skillet over low heat.
- Add the pecans, stir, and cook them for about a minute. Take them off the heat to cool.
- Place the dulce de leche in a large bowl and stir to smooth it out. Add the vanilla and whipped cream. Fold the whipped cream into the caramel until almost combined. It’s okay if there are some streaks of caramel.
- Fold in the pecans and then transfer the mixture to an airtight container. Freeze the ice cream for at least four hours or, ideally, overnight.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- For this recipe, you can use store-bought dulce de leche or make my easy slow cooker dulce de leche.
- The nuts are totally optional, but they do add a nice crunchy texture to the ice cream.
- Substitute 2 containers whipped topping: I like whipped topping because it’s easier, but also fat-free topping makes a little less guilty.
- When making whipped cream: whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks. Then fold it into the dulce de leche carefully so it doesn’t break.
- No churn ice is not as firm as regular ice cream. It’s closer to soft-serve in texture, so let it freeze long enough to firm up. Also, store it in the coldest part of the freezer, which is usually in the back.
- For bonus ice cream points, sprinkle some sea salt over the topping before serving.
FAQs
It’s a caramel flavor, rich and thick.
Dulce de leche is sweetened condensed milk that’s been slow cooked for hours so it becomes a rich and thick caramel.
Easy Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
- 2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 cups (474ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 13.4 ounce can dulce de leche (I used Nestle la Lechera brand)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Melt butter and brown sugar together in a small pan over low heat. Cook until butter is melted, then add the pecans. Cook over low heat for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to cool.
- Beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Place dulce de leche in a large bowl. Stir to break it up a little. Add vanilla and whipped cream and fold gently until almost combined (there will still be a few swirls of dulce de leche showing). You don’t want to over-stir or it won’t set up in the freezer. Fold in pecans.
- Place in a airtight container and freeze until semi-firm (it won’t be as firm as regular ice cream), at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Try sprinkling it with a little sea or kosher salt before serving. It’s amazing!
Recipe Notes
- For this recipe, you can use store-bought dulce de leche or make my easy slow cooker dulce de leche.
- The nuts are totally optional, but they do add a nice crunchy texture to the ice cream.
- Substitute 2 containers whipped topping: I like whipped topping because it’s easier, but also fat-free topping makes a little less guilty.
- When making whipped cream: whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks. Then fold it into the dulce de leche carefully so it doesn’t break.
- No churn ice is not as firm as regular ice cream. It’s closer to soft-serve in texture, so let it freeze long enough to firm up. Also, store it in the coldest part of the freezer, which is usually in the back.
- For bonus ice cream points, sprinkle some sea salt over the topping before serving. I love some salted caramel dulce de leche ice cream!
Should the cool whip be used straight from the freezer or defrosted in the fridge first?
Defrosted and thawed – so you can stir it in
These look delicious! I really prefer the texture of churned ice cream – can you give me any hints to change a “no-churn” recipe into one I can use in the ice cream maker? Thanks so much.
Just put mine in the freezer. I was so excited by your recipe because it looks like the right color of Argentine dulce de leche ice cream…. But mine looks really white – did you use more dulce de leche? Or did the bits add color? I skipped the nuts. Thanks!
Did you use dulce de leche or sweetened condensed milk? I used the La Lechera, I believe, that you get in the baking aisle. It should be a nice amber color!
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