How to Make Homemade Kefir Ice Cream

Turn the probiotic health drink into a delicious dessert with our recipe for kefir ice cream.

Since discovering kefir’s health benefits, it has become a staple part of our diet. Not only do we drink it regularly, but we also use it in most dishes that need a creamy sauce. Early in our never-ending quest to reduce unnecessary additives and extra sugar in our diet, we looked for ways to make our own desserts. One of the favorites we landed on was kefir ice cream. It may sound odd at first to use something other than plain milk and cream, but we found that kefir makes a delicious and tangy ice cream that can be flavored almost any way you see fit.

Why use kefir to make ice cream?

If you’ve read our other article on kefir, “Kefir: The Superfood You Need and How to Use It,” you’ll know that it’s basically a probiotic super drink. For those of you who haven’t had the chance to read that article yet, here’s a short rundown: Kefir is said to help you live longer by aiding with a ton of different bodily processes. It has antibacterial properties and more probiotics per serving than yogurt. It can also improve gut health, help defend against certain disorders like cancer and heart disease, and help with bone health. Along with this, kefir is incredibly easy to make. With a tablespoon of kefir grains and some milk, you can ferment fresh kefir every day. With the ease of making kefir and all of its health benefits in mind, why not use kefir to make ice cream?

What does kefir ice cream taste like?

Kefir ice cream tastes like, well, kefir! It’s tangy, savory, and sweet and can be compared to frozen yogurt. Plus, just like with other kinds of ice cream, you can flavor it pretty much however you like. The most consistent part about this ice cream is that, no matter the mix-ins, it will maintain a tasty tangy profile.

How to make kefir ice cream

Making kefir ice cream is incredibly simple. There are multiple ways to make ice cream depending on the texture and consistency you want your ice cream to have. We use an ice cream machine that has its own mixer and bowl. The instructions in this article are based on using an ice cream machine. However, there are tons of instructions on the internet about making ice cream by hand. Let us know if you have experience making ice cream by hand, especially if you notice any differences between using a mixer and mixing the ice cream by hand.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups kefir
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup (or to taste)
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Toppings and mix-ins of your choice

Instructions:

1. Place the mixing bowl in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
2. Once the bowl has frozen, place it onto the mixer. Let your mixer run empty for 10–15 minutes.
3. Mix the eggs and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until the eggs and cream start thickening into a custard.
4. Remove the custard from the heat and add in your kefir, vanilla, and honey. Let the mixture cool completely before adding it to your ice cream maker bowl.
5. Pour the cooled mixture into your ice cream maker. Let the mixer run until the liquid starts to thicken, then add desired mix-ins.
6. Continue to let the mixer run for 15–20 minutes or until the ingredients thicken into ice cream.
7. Remove from the ice cream maker bowl and put it into a freezer-safe container.
8. Place your kefir ice cream into the freezer to let it finish hardening.
9. Once the ice cream has reached the desired consistency, serve and enjoy!

Notes:

Since we are using an ice cream machine, our setup comes with a mixing bowl specifically meant to become cold enough to freeze the ice cream even after sitting out for some time. If you are using a standard mixing bowl, you may need to look up ways to supercool your bowl, such as placing your ice cream bowl in another bowl full of salted ice water.

We have noticed that kefir ice cream will melt faster in the open air than store-bought ice cream will. Unless you eat the first bowl right after it finishes mixing (But why would you wait to try such delicious and tangy ice cream after all the hard work it took to make it?), you’ll want to put the ice cream directly into the freezer.

We would also suggest putting the kefir ice cream into another container before storing it in the fridge. We suggest this because the metal mixing bowl can become so cold that it freezes the ice cream to the point where it loses its creamy texture and becomes more like shaved ice that is difficult to scoop. That being said, if you like the shaved ice texture, feel free to store the ice cream in the metal mixing bowl.

Once the kefir starts to thicken during mixing, you may have to push it down from the edges to make sure it stirs all the way through. And be careful not to overfill your mixing bowl or the ice cream can get pushed up over the sides once it starts solidifying.

Popular kefir ice cream flavors

You can mix practically any topping into your kefir ice cream, so let your imagination run wild! Our favorites include:

• Dark chocolate chips
• Any kind of berry
• Jams
• Homemade caramel
• Chopped nuts
• Freshly squeezed lemon, lime, or orange juice
• Crushed cookies
• Flavored extracts (pistachio and almond are always a fan favorite!)

Lemon Triple Berry Kefir Ice Cream

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Learn how to make a delightfully tangy and sweet lemon berry kefir ice cream that is perfect for those hot summer days.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups kefir
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup (or to taste)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of chopped blueberries
• 1 Tbsp triple berry jam

Instructions

1. Place the mixing bowl in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
2. Once the bowl has frozen, place it onto the mixer. Let your mixer run empty for 10–15 minutes.
3. Mix the eggs and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until the eggs and cream start thickening into a custard.
4. Remove the custard from the heat and add in your kefir, vanilla, honey, and lemon juice. Let the mixture cool completely before adding it to your ice cream maker bowl.
5. Pour the cooled mixture into your ice cream maker. Let the mixer run until the liquid starts to thicken, then add the blueberries and jam.
6. Continue to let the mixer run for 15–20 minutes or until the ingredients thicken into ice cream.
7. Remove from the ice cream maker bowl and put it into a freezer-safe container.
8. Place your kefir ice cream into the freezer to let it finish hardening.
9. Once the ice cream has reached the desired consistency, serve and enjoy!