Blue Moon Ice Cream (Printable Version)

Vibrant, creamy Blue Moon Ice Cream with a fruity-citrus twist — a Midwestern classic made from scratch.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dairy Base

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk
03 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Egg Mixture

05 - 4 large egg yolks

→ Flavoring & Color

06 - 1½ teaspoons raspberry extract
07 - ¾ teaspoon lemon extract
08 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1–2 drops blue food coloring (adjust for desired shade)

# How to Make:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt. Heat over medium, stirring continuously until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture begins to steam. Do not allow it to boil.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks thoroughly. Slowly drizzle about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. Gradually whisk the warmed yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
03 - Cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the raspberry extract, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and blue food coloring until fully blended and the desired shade of blue is achieved.
05 - Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
06 - Churn the chilled base in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a thick, creamy consistency.
07 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded freezer-safe container. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving to achieve a firmer texture.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The flavor is that mysterious Midwest ice cream shop taste you thought nobody could replicate at home.
  • It whips up with a custard base that puts any store brand to shame.
  • The color alone gets kids and adults equally excited at the dinner table.
02 -
  • If the custard boils at any point, the eggs will scramble and you will need to start over. Low and slow is the only way.
  • The color always looks lighter in liquid form. It deepens significantly after freezing, so go easy on the food coloring.
03 -
  • Chill your custard overnight rather than the minimum four hours. The flavor matures and the ice cream churns up noticeably creamier.
  • Taste the chilled base before churning and adjust extracts if needed. Once it is frozen, the flavor dulls slightly.

Go Back