There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about an old-fashioned dessert made with simple ingredients and a little ingenuity.
This 1940s ice milk recipe is a perfect example.
Long before specialty ice cream shops and endless freezer aisles, families made delicious frozen treats at home using basic pantry staples.
Ice milk is lighter and less rich than traditional ice cream, but it is still wonderfully creamy, cold, and satisfying.
This vintage recipe is especially fun to make because it takes you back to a time when homemade desserts were simple, economical, and often made with whatever ingredients were available.
You may like to try some other delicious frozen confections we love like Cannoli Ice Cream, Double Chocolate Gelato, Watermelon Sorbet, and Italian Lemon Ice.
Scroll down for either one of these old-fashioned recipes and enjoy a scoop or two!
Why You Will Love This Ice Milk Recipe
- Simple ingredients: You don't need a long list of specialty ingredients to make this nostalgic frozen dessert.
- Light and creamy: Ice milk has a lighter texture than traditional ice cream, making it perfect when you want something refreshing without an overly rich dessert.
- Old-fashioned flavor: There is something special about the flavor of a dessert made with simple ingredients and an old-fashioned method.
- Budget-friendly: Recipes like this were designed to make the most of what families had available, which makes it an inexpensive homemade treat.
- Easy to customize: Keep it classic or turn it into your own favorite frozen dessert with fruit, chocolate, nuts, cookies, or other mix-ins.
- A great vintage recipe: If you enjoy recreating recipes from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, this is a wonderful addition to your collection.
A Few Flavor Variations
- Chocolate Ice Chip Milk: Add unsweetened cocoa powder to the base for an easy chocolate version. You can also fold in mini chocolate chips for extra chocolate flavor.
- Strawberry Ice Milk: Puree fresh strawberries and stir them into the chilled mixture before freezing. A little chopped strawberry folded in at the end adds even more flavor.
- Peach Ice Milk: Fresh summer peaches make a wonderful addition. Dice or puree ripe peaches and add them to the base.
- Chocolate Cherry Ice Milk: For a nostalgic twist, add chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips. This combination is especially delicious if you love old-fashioned soda fountain flavors.
- Butter Pecan Ice Milk: Toast chopped pecans before adding them to the finished ice milk. The toasted nuts add wonderful flavor and crunch.
- Banana Ice Milk: Mash very ripe bananas into the mixture for a naturally sweet banana-flavored dessert.
Serving Suggestions
- Chocolate syrup
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
- Maraschino cherries
- Chopped nuts
- Fresh berries
- Sprinkles
- Crushed cookies
Try Toppings or Some Mix-In Ideas:
- Mini chocolate chips
- Chopped chocolate
- Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
- Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
- Sliced almonds
- Chopped maraschino cherries
- Fresh strawberries
- Blueberries
- Peaches
- Bananas
- Crushed pineapple
- Coconut
- Crushed graham crackers
- Crumbled chocolate cake
- Chopped brownies
- Caramel pieces
- Peanut butter cups
- A swirl of chocolate or caramel sauce
Tips to Make Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Milk
- Start with very cold ingredients. Chilling the mixture thoroughly before freezing helps it freeze more evenly and gives you a smoother texture.
- Don't rush the freezing process. Homemade frozen desserts benefit from enough time to firm up properly.
- Stir if needed. If you are making this without an ice cream maker, stirring the mixture periodically while it freezes can help prevent large ice crystals from forming.
- Taste before freezing. Cold temperatures dull sweetness, so make sure the mixture tastes slightly sweeter than you want the finished dessert to taste.
- Let it soften before serving. Homemade ice milk can become quite firm in the freezer. Let it sit at room temperature for several minutes before scooping.
- Use good vanilla. Since this is such a simple dessert, vanilla makes a noticeable difference in the finished flavor.
- Don't overdo the mix-ins. Too many additions can make a lighter frozen dessert heavy and difficult to scoop.
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Some Questions You May Have and Answers
- Is ice milk the same as ice cream? No. Ice milk is a lighter frozen dairy dessert and traditionally contains less milk fat than ice cream.
- Can I make ice milk without an ice cream maker? Yes. The mixture can be frozen using a freezer method, although an ice cream maker generally produces a smoother texture.
- Why is my homemade ice milk hard? Homemade frozen desserts can freeze quite firmly because they don't contain the commercial stabilizers found in many store-bought products. Allow it to sit at room temperature for several minutes before scooping.
Yield: 8
Old Fashioned Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Milk
This is an old fashioned frozen dessert called ice milk made often in the 1940s. Simple pantry ingredients are turned into a frozen confection very similar to vanilla ice cream or chocolate with both recipes. The texture is lighter compared to heavy cream ice cream versions.
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 5 M
Ingredients
- Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Milk
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Note: Add a 1/2 cup of heavy cream. This is optional but recommended for a creamier texture (We had milk delivered, and Mom would skim off the top of the milk, which was thick, heavy cream)
- Old-Fashioned Chocolate Ice Milk
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Note: for creamier ice milk, add 1/2 cup heavy cream, which is optional
Instructions
- Vanilla Ice Milk Directions:
- Combine milk, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir this mixture until the sugar is dissolved.
- Ice Cream Maker Method:
- Prepare your ice maker to insert according to the instructions manual.
- Pour the milk mixture into the ice cream container and run it for 25 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
- Pour this thickened mixture into a freezer container and freeze for 6 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally until fully frozen before serving.
- For the non-ice cream maker method:
- Pour into a freezer container and stir the mixture by hand every hour, keeping the mixture smooth until ice crystals form.
- Continue to freeze up to 8 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
- Chocolate Ice Milk Directions:
- Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking until the cocoa and sugar are completely dissolved.
- Stir in the vanilla, salt, and heavy cream if using.
- Cover and refrigerate until very cold, preferably 2–4 hours.
- Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm.
- Allow the chocolate ice milk to sit out for several minutes before serving.
- A Few Tips for Both
- For a more authentic vintage-style ice milk, leave out the heavy cream. It will be lighter and closer to the simple frozen milk desserts of the era.
- For smoother ice milk: make sure the mixture is very cold before churning.
- For extra chocolate flavor: add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips during the last few minutes of churning.
- For vanilla: add a little extra vanilla or scrape in the seeds from a vanilla bean for a richer flavor.
- Without an ice cream maker: pour the chilled mixture into a shallow freezer-safe pan. Freeze until partially frozen, then beat well. Return to the freezer and repeat once or twice for a smoother texture.
Notes
A Few Flavor Variations
- Chocolate Ice Chip Milk: Add unsweetened cocoa powder to the base for an easy chocolate version. You can also fold in mini chocolate chips for extra chocolate flavor.
- Strawberry Ice Milk: Puree fresh strawberries and stir them into the chilled mixture before freezing. A little chopped strawberry folded in at the end adds even more flavor.
- Peach Ice Milk: Fresh summer peaches make a wonderful addition. Dice or puree ripe peaches and add them to the base.
- Chocolate Cherry Ice Milk: For a nostalgic twist, add chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips. This combination is especially delicious if you love old-fashioned soda fountain flavors.
- Butter Pecan Ice Milk: Toast chopped pecans before adding them to the finished ice milk. The toasted nuts add wonderful flavor and crunch.
- Banana Ice Milk: Mash very ripe bananas into the mixture for a naturally sweet banana-flavored dessert.
Try Toppings or Some Mix-In Ideas:
- Mini chocolate chips
- Chopped chocolate
- Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
- Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
- Sliced almonds
- Chopped maraschino cherries
- Fresh strawberries
- Blueberries
- Peaches
- Bananas
- Crushed pineapple
- Coconut
- Crushed graham crackers
- Crumbled chocolate cake
- Chopped brownies
- Caramel pieces
- Peanut butter cups
- A swirl of chocolate or caramel sauce
Tips to Make Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Milk
- Start with very cold ingredients. Chilling the mixture thoroughly before freezing helps it freeze more evenly and gives you a smoother texture.
- Don't rush the freezing process. Homemade frozen desserts benefit from enough time to firm up properly.
- Stir if needed. If you are making this without an ice cream maker, stirring the mixture periodically while it freezes can help prevent large ice crystals from forming.
- Taste before freezing. Cold temperatures dull sweetness, so make sure the mixture tastes slightly sweeter than you want the finished dessert to taste.
- Let it soften before serving. Homemade ice milk can become quite firm in the freezer. Let it sit at room temperature for several minutes before scooping.
- Use good vanilla. Since this is such a simple dessert, vanilla makes a noticeable difference in the finished flavor.
- Don't overdo the mix-ins. Too many additions can make a lighter frozen dessert heavy and difficult to scoop.
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Try Some Other Favorite Desserts We Love
Double Chocolate Chip Gelato Canoli Ice Cream Italian Lemon Ice