Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer
Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream is the perfect summer treat. After making it dozens of times, I’ve perfected the balance of floral and sweet flavors. The trick I discovered is using culinary lavender to avoid a soapy taste. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Italian Grinder Salad Sandwich Recipe for Quick Lunch and Easy Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry Recipe.
Why This Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer Is Pure Comfort
- The perfect balance of floral and sweet
- Easy to make with just a few ingredients
- Impress your guests with this unique flavor
- Better than store-bought, homemade ice cream
What You'll Need for Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Honey
- Eggs
- Dried culinary lavender
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Optional: Fresh berries
- Optional: Chocolate sauce
- Optional: Whipped cream
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Heavy cream: Use heavy cream for the richest ice cream. You can substitute with half-and-half for a lighter version.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Ice Cream Maker — Ensures smooth, creamy ice cream every time. Pays for itself vs buying store-bought. → See on Amazon
- Immersion Blender — Easily blend ingredients directly in the saucepan. No need to transfer to a blender. → See on Amazon
How to Make Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer
- Infuse the cream: Heat heavy cream, milk, and lavender in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes.
- Make the custard: Whisk eggs, honey, and salt in a bowl. Slowly pour in the infused cream mixture, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat until thickened.
- Chill and churn: Strain the custard into a bowl, stir in vanilla, and chill. Once cold, churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Freeze: Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcook the custard. It should thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Overcooking can cause the ice cream to be grainy.
- Pro tip: For a stronger lavender flavor, steep the cream for longer or use more lavender. Just be careful not to make it taste soapy.
- Pro tip: For a smooth ice cream, make sure to chill the custard completely before churning. This helps prevent ice crystals from forming.
- Pro tip: For easy scooping, freeze the ice cream in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, lift it out and slice into scoopable portions.
Storing & Reheating Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week. Make-ahead tip: This ice cream can be made up to 1 week ahead and frozen.
Freezing Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer
No need to freeze before serving.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Not applicable. Microwave: Not applicable.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a dairy-free version, substitute the heavy cream and milk with full-fat canned coconut milk and use cornstarch to thicken the custard.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the honey with an equal amount of granulated sugar, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Make-ahead: This ice cream can be made up to 1 week ahead and frozen.
- Scaling: This recipe can be doubled or halved depending on your ice cream maker's capacity.
- Troubleshooting: If your ice cream is not churning properly, it may be too cold. Try letting it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before churning.
Want to level up this recipe?
Culinary Lavender — Ensures a floral, not soapy, taste. A little goes a long way. → Check price on Amazon
Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Honey
- Eggs
- Dried culinary lavender
Seasonings
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
- Fresh berries
- Chocolate sauce
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Infuse the cream: Heat heavy cream, milk, and lavender in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes.
- Make the custard: Whisk eggs, honey, and salt in a bowl. Slowly pour in the infused cream mixture, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat until thickened.
- Chill and churn: Strain the custard into a bowl, stir in vanilla, and chill. Once cold, churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Freeze: Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a dairy-free version, substitute the heavy cream and milk with full-fat canned coconut milk and use cornstarch to thicken the custard.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the honey with an equal amount of granulated sugar, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Make-ahead: This ice cream can be made up to 1 week ahead and frozen.
- Scaling: This recipe can be doubled or halved depending on your ice cream maker's capacity.
- Troubleshooting: If your ice cream is not churning properly, it may be too cold. Try letting it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before churning.
Storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: No need to freeze before serving.
- Oven reheat: Not applicable.
- Microwave reheat: Not applicable.
- Make ahead: This ice cream can be made up to 1 week ahead and frozen.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 250
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 22g
- Carbs: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 25mg
- Cholesterol: 100mg
- Sat. Fat: 14g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer FAQs
Yes, this ice cream can be made up to 1 week ahead and frozen. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container.
Your ice cream may have grainy texture if the custard was overcooked or not chilled enough before churning. Make sure to cook the custard just until it thickens and chill it completely before churning.
No, an air fryer is not designed to make ice cream. You will need an ice cream maker for this recipe.
You can substitute the honey with an equal amount of granulated sugar, but the flavor will be slightly different.
While it's safe to freeze this ice cream for up to a month, the quality may start to degrade after a week. For the best flavor and texture, I recommend eating it within 1 week.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Summer and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
