Martha Stewart Buttermilk Ice Cream

Martha Stewart buttermilk ice cream is an easy dessert made with buttermilk, lemon and a simple sugar syrup, ready in 1 hour 30 minutes plus freezing. It's a simple recipe for summer dinners, picnics or cookouts, and it's a no-egg ice cream that skips the custard and pairs well with a slice of pie.

Chill the sugar syrup for a full hour before it meets the buttermilk, because warm syrup would melt the base and keep it from churning thick. Skip the chilling and the ice cream comes out loose and icy instead of smooth.

Martha stirs in a tablespoon of corn syrup because buttermilk is a lower-fat dairy, and lower-fat bases tend to freeze icy. That one spoonful keeps the scoops smooth without any egg yolks, so there's no custard to cook.

Martha Stewart Buttermilk Ice Cream

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Calories

140

kcal

A tangy, not-too-sweet base of buttermilk, lemon and chilled syrup churns into a smooth, creamy scoop. Because it has no eggs, it comes together with just a quick simmer on the stove.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
  

• 1 cup water
  

• 2 cups buttermilk
  

• Juice of 1 lemon
  

• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  

• 1 pinch salt
  

• Grated zest of 1/4 lemon (about 1/2 teaspoon)
  

Directions

• Make the syrup: Bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove it from the heat. Refrigerate it for at least 1 hour until it's completely chilled.
• Mix the base: Whisk 2 cups buttermilk, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon corn syrup and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Whisk until the corn syrup dissolves and the mixture looks even.
• Add the syrup: Pour the chilled syrup into the bowl slowly while you whisk, so everything blends smoothly. Then stir in the grated zest of 1/4 lemon, about 1/2 teaspoon.
• Churn and freeze: Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze it following the manufacturer's instructions. Serve it as soft scoops right away, or freeze it longer for a firmer texture.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Zulay metal lemon squeezer. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make buttermilk ice cream without an ice cream maker?

Yes, though the texture will be a little icier. Pour the base into a shallow pan, freeze it, and whisk or beat it every 30 minutes for about 3 hours to break up the ice crystals.

How long does homemade buttermilk ice cream keep in the freezer?

Press plastic wrap against the surface and keep it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Because it has no eggs or stabilizers beyond the corn syrup, it gets icier the longer it sits.

Can I make the base ahead of time?

Yes. Mix everything the day before and keep the base covered in the fridge until you're ready to churn. A fully chilled base also freezes faster and comes out smoother.

What can I use instead of corn syrup?

Honey or light agave works in the same amount, though each adds a slight flavor of its own. The goal is to keep the ice cream from freezing hard, and any liquid sweetener does that.

What's the most common mistake with this ice cream?

Adding the syrup before it's fully chilled is the big one, since warm syrup keeps the base from setting up in the machine. Give it the full hour in the fridge, or longer if your kitchen is warm.