Salted Caramel Ice Cream
A no-churn salted caramel ice cream that is almost embarrassingly easy — just dulce de leche, cream, sea salt and a splash of bourbon, whisked and frozen. No ice-cream maker, no custard, no fuss, yet the result is soft-scoop, deeply caramelly and grown-up. Sweet, salty and a little boozy, it is the kind of freezer stand-by you will make on repeat.
Why this works
- Whipping dulce de leche with cream to soft peaks traps air, so it freezes light and scoopable without churning.
- A pinch of sea salt cuts the sweetness and makes the caramel taste deeper and more complex.
- A splash of bourbon lowers the freezing point, keeping the texture soft-serve and easy to scoop straight from the freezer.
- With so few ingredients, the quality of the caramel and the salt is what makes it sing.
Ingredient notes and swaps
- Dulce de leche gives the richest caramel; boiled condensed milk (caramel) works just as well.
- Bourbon keeps it soft and adds warmth; leave it out for a firmer, alcohol-free version.
- Use good flaky sea salt and taste before freezing — cold mutes saltiness.
- Fold through chopped pecans, honeycomb or a caramel ripple for texture.
Salted Caramel Ice Cream
FavouriteIngredients
Method
- Scrape the caramel condensed milk or dulce de leche into the bowl of a freestanding mixer or, if you're using an electric hand whisk, just into a large bowl
- Then add the cream and 1 teaspoon of the salt and whisk until it thickens.
- Taste to see if it's salty enough for you, remembering that the saltiness will be much more muted once it's frozen
- If you want more salt add more to taste and begin whisking slowly while gradually adding half the Bourbon.
- Taste again to see if you want to add the rest of the Bourbon.
- If so, pour in, whisking gently.
- Give a good fold by hand, using a silicone spatula, then decant into your tubs and put into the freezer for 8 hours or overnight.
- This ice cream is fairly soft-serve, and will be softer the more Bourbon you use, so there's no need to let it stand out of the freezer before serving, either as it is, or sprinkled with chopped pecans.
Nutrition
Notes
Remember that the coldness dulls flavour, so be generous with the salt testing. What tastes perfectly salty at room temperature may be too bland once frozen, so aim for it to be slightly saltier than you'd initially think necessary.
The more Bourbon you add, the softer your ice cream will be due to alcohol's anti-freezing properties. While this creates a lovely, scoopable texture, too much can prevent it from freezing completely, so adjust to your desired consistency.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Tips for success
- Do not over-whisk; stop at soft peaks, or the mixture can turn grainy or split.
- Season a little more boldly than seems right — freezing dulls the salt.
- The more bourbon you add, the softer it stays; adjust to the scoopability you like.
Make ahead, storage and reheating
- This is a make-ahead dream: freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight, and it keeps for weeks in a sealed tub. Being soft-scoop, it needs no standing time — serve straight from the freezer.
What to serve it with
- Lovely on its own, or scattered with toasted pecans. It is also the perfect partner to a warm pudding — sticky toffee, crumble or brownies.
FAQ
Do I need an ice-cream maker? No — this is a no-churn recipe; you just whisk and freeze.
Can I leave out the bourbon? Yes — it will simply freeze a little firmer; let it stand briefly before scooping.
Why is mine grainy? The cream was likely over-whisked; stop at soft peaks next time.
How long does it keep? Several weeks in a sealed tub in the freezer.
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