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    A Full Living » Blog » Dessert Recipes

    Published: Jun 8, 2022 · Modified: Jun 26, 2022 by Briana · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Cranberry Ice Cream No Churn Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    no churn cranberry ice cream

    You will love this Cranberry Ice Cream Recipe! It's the perfect way to use frozen cranberries any time of the year! No ice cream maker is needed. You will love this no-churn recipe.

    ice cream scoop full of cranberry ice cream in a loaf pan.

    Disclosure: This post is a paid partnership with Cape Cod Select. We used their premium frozen cranberries to develop this recipe. Cape Cod Select is a small, family-owned business that aims to show folks how these tasty, nutritious berries are a year-round food and not just for the holidays. Their frozen cranberries are of incredible quality. Thank you for supporting brands that make A Full Living possible!

    loaf pan container full of cranberry ice cream, with a bag of of cape cod select frozen cranberries.

    No ice cream machine? No problem! This cranberry ice cream is made with fresh cranberry sauce and puree, then is combined with a vanilla bean ice cream base.

    The sweet and tart flavors compliment each other beautifully and make for a wonderfully refreshing treat. It's also the perfect dessert for a holiday dinner.

    If you're looking for more delicious cranberry recipes, be sure to check out this sweet and savory brussel sprout skillet, this cranberry salad dressing, or this cranberry old-fashioned, which are all made with our classic keto cranberry sauce.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️Why you'll love this
    • 🍨Ingredients
    • ✏️Ingredient Notes
    • 📖Instructions
    • ✨Substitutions
    • 🌟Tips & tricks
    • 💭Variations
    • 💭Frequently asked questions
    • 🥣Storage
    • 🌟Leave a review!
    • 📖 Recipe

    ❤️Why you'll love this

    • Simple ingredients: Making homemade ice cream is surprisingly easy. If you have leftover cranberry sauce, this is the perfect way to use it up the next day. Anything you don't have on hand can be found in our pantry, fridge, freezer, and most grocery stores.
    • Refined sugar free & gluten free: This ice cream just so happens to be sugar-free, as it's sweetened with a homemade sugar-free sweetened condensed milk base, and allulose sweetener in the cranberry puree and sauce. You could swap allulose for whatever your favorite sweetener is. This recipe is also totally gluten free.
    • Great year round: This recipe can be made whenever the craving strikes with Cape Cod Select's frozen cranberries. We find it to be equally satisfying on hot summer days, as it is during the holidays.

    🍨Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you will need, plus a few optional ingredients. You can find the full recipe, quantities, and nutritional information in the recipe card.

    ingredients to make cranberry ice cream with frozen cranberries, allulose sweetener, lemon, milk heavy cream, vanilla extract, xanthan gum, kosher salt, water, vodka, and vanilla bean pods.

    ✏️Ingredient Notes

    • Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries - The best quality frozen cranberries around!
    • Water - To make the cranberry sauce.
    • Allulose sweetener - We use allulose as a sugar substitute in this recipe, although any form of sugar you prefer works. Allulose is used since it doesn't crystallize when it freezes, unlike other sugar substitutes. You can of course use plain white sugar in place of allulose in this recipe.
    • Freshly squeezed lemon juice & zest - For a zing of fresh citrus. Orange juice and orange zest could be used as well.
    • Xanthan gum - Optional, used as a gluten-free thickener, and helps give the ice cream a smoother, more creamy texture.
    • Milk - We used whole milk to create our sweetened condensed milk base.
    • Vanilla extract & vanilla beans (optional) - We use both for a rich, vanilla flavor. The vanilla beans are totally optional but we love them.
    • Kosher salt - To balance the sweetness.
    • Vodka - This is also optional, and it doesn't add any flavor to the ice cream mixture. It simply helps the ice cream from freezing rock solid. We prefer ice cream that is very easy to scoop. If you like firmer ice creams, you can omit this.
    • Heavy whipping cream - Make sure it's nice and cold before whipping it. Heavy cream is what gives this ice cream the creamy, rich texture and flavor.

    📖Instructions

    🔪Prep work

    • Make sure your heavy cream is very cold and kept in the fridge up until right before using it.
    • Before mixing the heavy cream into whipped cream, store a metal bowl and metal mixers in the fridge.
    • You can make the cranberry sauce and sweetened condensed milk up to 7 days in advance, and store in the fridge, or up to 6 months in advance if stored in the freezer and then thawed.

    Make the cranberry sauce

    In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cranberries, about half a cup water, and sweetener to a boil in a stockpot. Once boiling, lower heat to a low or medium-low to allow the mixture to simmer. 

    hand pouring water into a pot with cranberries.
    sweetener in a stock pot with cranberries and water.
    rubber spatula in a pot full of water, sweetener, and cranberries.

    Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the berries have popped and the mixture has begun to thicken. You can use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture every so often to ensure it doesn't stick to the pan.

    At this point, add in the remaining water to thin if desired, followed by lemon zest and juice, followed by the xanthan gum. Whisk constantly to incorporate the xanthan gum completely.

    cranberry sauce in a saucepan with a rubber spatula, beginning to turn into a sauce.
    hand zesting a lemon against a zester into a pot of cranberry sauce.
    squeezing a lemon with a citrus squeezer into a pot of cranberry sauce.
    hand sprinkling xanthan gum into a saucepan of cranberry sauce.

    Puree the cranberry sauce (optional)

    After the sauce has simmered and thickened for another 5-10 minutes, puree some of it if desired. We use a food processor, blender, or immersion blender to puree the mixture.

    We like to leave some of the sauce unblended so you can see the berries in the ice cream. The other half of the sauce we puree, then strain thru a fine mesh sieve.

    Once the sauce is complete, refrigerate to cool completely before adding it to the ice cream mixture.

    cranberry mixture in a food processor after being turned into a puree
    pureed cranberry sauce strained into a bowl.

    Make a sweetened condensed milk mixture

    Heat milk in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add sweetener and kosher salt. Stir constantly, not allowing the mixture to simmer until the sweetener is totally dissolved.

    pouring milk into a sauce pan.
    adding sweetener to a sauce pan with milk.
    hand sprinkling kosher salt into a mixture of milk and sweetener in a sauce pan.
    mixture of milk and sweetener in a saucepan.

    Allow the mixture to simmer very gently over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir often to scrap the sides of the pan and prevent any scorching of the milk.

    Allow the mixture to thicken, it should reduce by about half, and coat the back of a spoon before it's ready. The color will also deepen to a very light caramel-like color.

    sweetened condensed milk coating the back of a spoon and a very light caramel like color.

    At this point, pour in the vanilla extract and vodka. Stir to combine, then strain through a fine mesh sieve if desired to remove any milk solids.

    Allow the mixture to sit covered in the fridge until completely cooled before combining the components.

    hand pouring in vanilla extract into the mixture off the heat.
    straining sweetened condensed milk mixture through a metal sieve.

    Whip the heavy cream

    After the components have cooled completely, add the cold heavy cream and vanilla bean pods to a cold mixing metal bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, mix on high speed until stiff peaks form.

    cold heavy cream and vanilla bean in a mixing bowl
    heavy cream whipped with a mixer in a metal bowl until stiff peaks form.

    Make the ice cream mixture

    Add the cooled sweetened condensed milk mixture to the whipped cream, and fold gently with a rubber spatula to combine to make a smooth mixture.

    sweetened condensed milk added to the whipped cream in a bowl.
    mixing sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream in a bowl.

    Now, fold in some of the cranberry mixture, reserving some for topping the ice cream once it's ready to go into the freezer.

    cranberry puree and cooked berries in a mixture of whipped cream.
    using a rubber spatula to gently fold in cranberry sauce into ice cream mixture.

    Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container, then swirl in the remaining cranberry sauce and purees to create a ripple effect throughout the ice cream.

    Now, cover with plastic wrap, and allow the mixture to freeze for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

    swirled cranberry sauce into ice cream in a loaf pan getting ready for the freezer.

    After freezing, scoop, and enjoy in a dish, on top of some pie or cake, or in an ice cream cone!

    black man and a white woman holding two ice cream cones with cranberry ice cream inside.

    ✨Substitutions

    If you follow a different diet type, don't worry! We have a few suggestions.

    • Traditional diet - You can skip making your own sweetened condensed milk, and just replace with one 14-ounce can of store bought. You can also use regular sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey to sweeten the cranberry sauce and ice cream.
    • Dairy free and vegan - Instead of whole milk and heavy cream, use full fat canned coconut milk for a rich, creamy texture in place of both heavy cream and whole milk.

    *Please note, that allulose has been known to cause some GI distress in some people if consumed in large quantities. We recommend starting out by not consuming more than 1 serving at one time before enjoying more to ensure you're not sensitive to it.

    🌟Tips & tricks

    • For best results, be sure to chill the heavy cream in the fridge, as well as place a mixing bowl and mixing beaters in the freezer before whipping the cream. The colder the better for whipping the cream.
    • This is great to prep ahead of time. You can make the cranberry sauce and sweetened condensed milk up to 7 days in advance.
    close up shot of cranberry ice cream in a loaf pan rolled into scoops.

    💭Variations

    Here are a few ways to add more flavors to the ice cream.

    • Add chocolate chips - Love chocolate? Why not mix in some of your favorite chocolate chips, or chunks into the batter? This would go great with white chocolate or dark chocolate!
    • Add more citrus - Mix in some orange extract or lemon extract, or add in more fresh lemon juice, orange juice, lemon zest or orange zest to add more zing.
    • Spiced - Cranberry goes well with spices like ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Add some into the mixture if you like!
    • Add extracts - Add in a dash of almond or maple extract for even more delightful flavor.
    loaf pan full of cranberry ice cream with an ice cream scooper inside and a bag of cape cod select frozen cranberries.

    💭Frequently asked questions

    Do I have to make or use sweetened condensed milk? Why can't I just use regular sugar?


    Since ice cream is a frozen treat, it is necessary to convert the sweetener to a liquid form in order for it to freeze properly and give the ice cream a silky smooth texture.

    Unfortunately, using regular sugar leads to a gritty, frozen solid texture so that is something to avoid.

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    3 ice cream cones full of cranberry ice cream on a plate full of ice.

    🥣Storage

    Store in the freezer in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.

    🌟Leave a review!

    Make sure to leave a 5-star review below! This helps other readers find our recipes via Google, and encourages them to try them. Also be sure to leave a comment with your experience!

    Take a photo and share with us by tagging us on Instagram or follow along on Pinterest for more ideas!

    📖 Recipe

    cranberry ice cream being scooped with a silver metal ice cream scoop.

    Cranberry Ice Cream Recipe

    You will love this Cranberry Ice Cream Recipe! It's the perfect way to use frozen cranberries any time of the year! No ice cream maker is needed. You will love this no-churn recipe.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Freezing time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Author: Briana

    Ingredients

    For the cranberry sauce:

    • 12 ounces Cape Cod Select whole frozen cranberries
    • 6 ounces water
    • 192 grams allulose sweetener (could substitute with sugar or other sweetener of choice)
    • 1 whole lemon, juice and zest
    • ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)

    For the ice cream mixture:

    • 16 ounces whole milk
    • 192 grams allulose sweetener (could substitute with sugar or other sweetener of choice)
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ½ whole vanilla bean pod (optional)
    • ½ tablespoon vodka (optional, to keep the mixture from freezing)
    • 16 ounces heavy whipping cream (very cold!)
    • ½ whole vanilla bean pod (optional)

    Instructions

    Make the cranberry sauce:

    • In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cranberries, about 4 ounces of water, and sweetener to a boil in a stockpot. Once boiling, lower heat to a low or medium-low to allow the mixture to simmer. 
      Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the berries have popped and the mixture has begun to thicken. You can use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture every so often to ensure it doesn't stick to the pan.
    • Add in the remaining water to thin if desired, followed by lemon zest and juice, followed by the xanthan gum. Whisk constantly to incorporate the xanthan gum completely. After the sauce has simmered and thickened for another 5-10 minutes, puree some of it if desired.
      You can leave the sauce unblended so you can see the berries in the ice cream. The other half of the sauce we puree, then strain thru a fine mesh sieve.
      Once the sauce is complete, refrigerate to cool completely before adding it to the ice cream mixture.

    Make the ice cream base:

    • Heat milk in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add sweetener and kosher salt. Stir constantly, not allowing the mixture to simmer until the sweetener is totally dissolved. Allow the mixture to simmer very gently over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir often to scrap the sides of the pan and prevent any scorching of the milk.
    • Allow the mixture to thicken, it should reduce by about half, and coat the back of a spoon before it's ready. The color will also deepen to a very light caramel-like color. Pour in the vanilla extract and vodka. Stir to combine, then strain through a fine mesh sieve if desired to remove any milk solids. Allow the mixture to sit covered in the fridge until completely cooled before combining the components.

    Whip the heavy cream:

    • After the components have cooled completely, add the cold heavy cream and vanilla bean pods to a cold mixing metal bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, mix on high speed until stiff peaks form.

    Combine all ingredients:

    • Add the cooled sweetened condensed milk mixture to the whipped cream, and fold gently with a rubber spatula to combine to make a smooth mixture. Now, fold in some of the cranberry mixture, reserving some for topping the ice cream once it's ready to go into the freezer.
    • Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container, then swirl in the remaining cranberry sauce and purees to create a ripple effect throughout the ice cream.
      Cover with plastic wrap, and allow the mixture to freeze for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight. After fully frozen, freeze, and enjoy!
    • Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Soften at room temperature for a few minutes before eating.

    Notes

    • Please note, that allulose can be substituted for any sweetener of choice. It should be mentioned that allulose can cause gastrointestinal distress in some people when large amounts are consumed. 
    • Sweeten to taste. 
    • To use store bought sweetened condensed milk, swap one 14 ounce can for the 2 cups of milk + 192 grams of allulose found in the ice cream mixture. 
    • Please note that if you plan to use regular sweetened condensed milk & sugar, the nutritional information will change pretty drastically. 
    • The vodka doesn't add any flavor to the ice cream, it just helps it from freezing too solid. If you prefer a firmer ice cream, feel free to omit the vodka. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 634IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg

    These nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are only estimates. We cannot guarantee the accuracy.

    Did you love it?If you made this recipe, make sure to show us on Instagram at @AFullLiving or tag #AFullLiving! We love to see what you guys are making!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
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