This sugar cookie ice cream recipe is made with sugar cookie pieces and frosting in a creamy vanilla ice cream made without an ice cream maker. Cream cheese is added to the no churn ice cream to balance the sweetness. Perfect for ice cream cones, birthdays and holidays!
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Summer, birthday parties, Christmas, Friday nights, you name it, they call for ice cream! And with decades of homemade ice cream making under my belt, I am here to make it easy for you to be a pro too.
Cinnamon ice cream is a staple on my Thanksgiving dessert menu, but we also love white chocolate ice cream, brownie batter ice cream,and lemon white chocolate cookie ice cream. And I think you know how much I adore sugar cookies, so now it's time to add that flavor to our homemade ice cream recipes.
As a busy mama and dessert maker, I appreciate a quick and easy no churn ice cream and I know you will love it too.
💗 why you will love this sugar cookie ice cream
- Packed with sugar cookie pieces and buttercream for a frosted sugar cookie flavor.
- No churn method ~ meaning quick and easy to prepare and no special equipment or machines needed.
- Customize-able ~ use colored buttercream to match your party theme or maybe adding sprinkles is more your style.
- Sweet and creamy ~ no-churn ice cream has the best soft texture; much like soft serve ice cream.
💭 what does no churn ice cream mean?
No churn ice cream is made without an ice cream maker. Sweetened condensed milk and heavy whipping cream get mixed together to create a simple ice cream that is soft and creamy.
It is made without eggs, so no cooking of a custard and worrying about scrambling the eggs. It also means not having to remember to freeze the ice cream maker insert!
🍦 ingredients and substitutions
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
- Heavy cream ~ sold as both heavy cream and heavy whipping cream. You want a minimum of 36% fat for the best results.
- Sweetened condensed milk ~ I haven't tested this with anything but the full fat version.
- Cream cheese ~ use full fat block cream cheese. This helps to keep the sugar cookie ice cream from being too sweet, but there isn't enough to make it taste like cheese cake.
- Vanilla extract ~ I prefer a pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Sugar cookie pieces ~ I include instructions for baking your own, but you can also substitute crumbled sugar cookies. If you prefer sugar cookie dough to baked cookies, make edible sugar cookie dough pieces.
- Buttercream frosting ~ I used ⅙ of my favorite American buttercream recipe and colored it pink. But use any leftover frosting you might have or feel free to leave it out. One of my test batches had red buttercream, which would be perfect for Christmas ice cream!
🧰 equipment needed
Hand mixer: for the sugar cookie pieces and to whip the ice cream base together.
Sheet pan: for baking the sugar cookie pieces.
Spatula: for folding the whipped cream, cookies and icing into the no churn ice cream.
Freezer safe container: for freezing the sugar cookie ice cream. I often use a metal loaf pan or cake pan, but I have a 2 quart airtight container that I also use.
🥣 how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker
Using a hand-held mixer, beat the heavy cream on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
Next, in a medium bowl, whip the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. No need to wash the beaters in between!
Then add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract.
Next, with a spatula, fold in the sweetened condensed milk mixture in two additions. Be gentle as you don’t want to completely deflate the whipped cream.
Then gently fold in the sugar cookie pieces {save a small bit to sprinkle over the top of the finished ice cream} and small spoon size pieces of buttercream into the ice cream.
Spoon the ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer safe bowl and sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbles. Then cover and freeze until firm, about 4-6 hours.
Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.
💬 frequently asked questions
what is the difference between no churn ice cream and regular ice cream?
No churn ice cream is made without an ice cream maker and without eggs. Regular ice cream typically uses granulated sugar instead of sweetened condensed milk and is churned in a machine.
why add cream cheese to ice cream?
No churn ice cream can be quite sweet. In this sugar cookie version both sugar cookie pieces and buttercream frosting are used, adding to the sweetness. Cream cheese helps to balance the flavors and cut down on the sweet flavors.
👩🏻🍳 expert tips for making homemade ice cream
- Don't try to substitute lower fat options. Full fat cream cheese and heavy whipping cream {a minimum of 36% fat} are needed for the best results.
- Let the cream cheese come to room temperature so it combines smoothly with the sweetened condensed milk.
- Use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk. They are very different ingredients!
- Chill the bowl and beaters before whipping the cream, which helps the cream stay cold and whip to be light and fluffy.
- If using a metal pan to store your ice cream, pop it in the freezer when you start the recipe. That way it's nice and cold when the finished ice cream goes into it.
- If possible, chill the sugar cookie ice cream overnight.
💡 serving ideas
Make a double scoop in a sugar cone or cake ice cream cone.
Serve a scoop on top of sugar cookie cake.
Add sprinkles for an extra layer of fun! If you love sprinkles, you can also try my funfetti ice cream recipe.
🫙 how to store
Keep the sugar cookie ice cream covered tightly in the freezer for 2-3 weeks. I use an airtight container and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream and then snap the lid on.
I also have my eye on this insulated ice cream container or these smaller tubs.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make this No Churn Sugar Cookie Ice Cream. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more sugar cookie flavors
- Buttercream Sugar Cookies
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies
- Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
No Churn Sugar Cookie Ice Cream
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
Sugar cookie pieces*
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 83g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature (56g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Ice Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 pint/480mL
- 3 ounces full-fat cream cheese room temperature (85g)
- 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk 397g
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup vanilla buttercream frosting
Instructions
sugar cookie pieces
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Mix all the cookie ingredients together with a hand-mixer until small clumps form. Then use your clean hands to gather the dough into larger clumps and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, slightly breaking up the clumps. Bake for 10 minutes, then toss the crumbles and break up any large pieces and bake another 3-5 minutes more, until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before adding to the ice cream.
no churn ice cream
- Using a hand-held mixer (or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment), beat the heavy cream (2 cups/1 pint/480mL) on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Next, in a medium bowl, whip the cream cheese (3 ounces/85g) on medium speed until smooth. No need to wash the beaters in between!Then add the sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces/397g) and vanilla extract (2 teaspoons) to the cream cheese, beating until smooth.
- Next, with a spatula, fold in the sweetened condensed milk mixture in two additions. Be gentle as you don’t want to completely deflate the whipped cream. Then gently fold in the sugar cookie pieces (save a small bit to sprinkle over the top of the finished ice cream) and small spoon size pieces of buttercream into the ice cream. Spoon the ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer safe bowl and sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbles. Then cover and freeze until firm, about 4-6 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Michelle says
Such a fun ice cream! Love that cream cheese is added too! This would go so well on a funfetti cake... mmm!
Tasia says
Thank you Michelle! The cream cheese helps to balance it so well.
Jody says
since I have an ice cream maker, couldn't I just add the liquid ice cream base to it and churn it? then fold in sugar cookies ?
Tasia says
Hi Jody, I have not tested a no churn ice cream in my ice cream maker. The beauty of this recipe is that you don't have to use an ice cream maker. If you try it, I would love to know your results. If you want a more traditional ice cream recipe, try my cool britannia ice cream, it has a vanilla base that you can add any flavors to.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen says
I love the combination of ice cream and cookies. Sometimes I even simply crumble a few shortbread cookies over my vanilla ice cream. That's why this ice cream flavour is perfect for me!
Tasia says
It's a pretty delish combo! You should try my cool britannia ice cream; it has dark chocolate covered shortbread in it! 😉
jennie says
delish! The sugar cookie pieces were easy to make and I added sprinkles instead of the frosting. My kids loved it!