Ice cream is one of those special treats that’s perfect for a warm day…or any day. Our orange ice cream recipe is delightfully delicious and made from simple, citrusy ingredients you likely have on hand. If you’ve never made ice cream before, no worries. This recipe doesn’t even require an ice cream maker. Ice-cream making just may become a new passion once you find out how simple it really is!
Ingredients for Orange Ice Cream
-  Whole milk: Use whole milk for this recipe, as whole milk contains more milk fat, which makes for a richer, creamier ice cream.
- Sugar: Sugar provides sweetness and makes the ice cream softer and more scoopable. It also helps the ice cream stay smooth and creamy.
- Orange juice: Orange juice provides much of the orange flavor and bright color of the ice cream.
- Orange zest: 3 tablespoons grated orange zest adds a wonderful citrus aroma.
- Vanilla extract (optional): This adds a slight vanilla note to the treat, making it a bit of an orange cream flavor, which is wonderfully delicious.
- Heavy whipping cream: This high milk fat type of cream not only contributes to the richness of the ice cream, but it holds air in when you whip it, resulting in a creaminess that remains light and wonderful in the ice cream.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the milk, sugar and juice
In a small saucepan, heat the milk to 175°F; stir in the sugar until it dissolves completely. Remove the pan from the heat, then add the orange juice and orange zest. If desired, add vanilla extract. Let the liquid cool completely.
Step 2: Beat the cream, and freeze
In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then fold in the milk mixture. Pour the liquid into a 9×5-inch loaf pan and freeze it for four hours or until it’s firm. Remove it from the freezer 15 minutes before serving; this gives it time to soften for scooping.
Recipe Variations
- Use an orange juice blend: Instead sticking with pure orange juice, choose a mix such as orange-peach-mango or orange-pineapple for a delicious summery treat. Follow the recipe as directed with the juice of your choice.
- Add chocolate chips: Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks add little bursts of chocolate flavor that taste delicious paired with the orange.
- Add lemon zest: Add lemon zest to the orange zest for even more citrusy notes that make the ice cream heavenly.
How to Store Orange Ice Cream
To keep your ice cream free of freezer burn without changing containers, cover the surface with a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap, then seal it with a lid for your loaf pan, or wrap it in more plastic. Another option is to transfer the ice cream to portion-sized freezer containers to take out only what you wish to enjoy in one sitting. (Is it even possible to just stop at one serving, though?)
How long does orange ice cream last?
When kept in an airtight freezer container, orange ice cream keeps for three to six weeks in the freezer.   
Orange Ice Cream Tips
Can I use more milk instead of heavy whipping cream?
No, regular milk doesn’t have enough milk fat to work well for ice cream. Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are actually the same thing, so look for either one at the store. Both of these contain at least 36% milk fat. “Heavy” is the keyword you’re looking for with either cream here. Regular whipping cream contains 30% to 36% milk fat; if you can’t find any version of heavy cream, whipping cream will work, but the end result won’t be quite as creamy.
Could I use cream in place of milk?
Cream may be used in place of milk because it’s the fat content that makes the ice cream creamier. Half-and-half cream works well as a milk replacement, as noted in this chocolate ice cream recipe; as it’s made from half milk, half cream. Don’t use low-fat or reduced-fat creams.
Do I need to use sugar?
Yes, because the sugar plays an important role in ice-cream making. Besides adding sweetness, the sugar helps prevent ice crystals and freezer burn from happening, and it keeps the ice cream soft. An ice cream with no sugar added would likely be too hard to scoop. Here are some more tips on making pro-quality ice cream.
