There’s something about honey in ice cream that feels like summer at its purest: soft sweetness, gentle floral notes, and just enough sea salt to keep it balanced.
This Salted Honey Ice Cream is made with a classic custard base and real honey for depth and richness. It’s smooth, scoopable, and simple — the kind of homemade ice cream that doesn’t need anything extra.
If you love nutty textures, you might also enjoy my Vanilla Custard Ice Cream with Pecan Praline Crunch, which uses the same custard base with caramelized pecans folded in.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with a rich custard base for ultra-creamy texture
- Sweetened with real honey, not sugar
- Perfectly balanced with flaky sea salt
- Smooth and scoopable — never icy
- Minimal ingredients, maximum flavour
What Makes Honey Ice Cream Different?
Unlike granulated sugar, honey adds:
- Natural floral complexity
- A softer sweetness
- A smoother freeze (thanks to its natural invert sugars)
Using ½ cup keeps the honey flavour present without overpowering the cream.
Ingredients
Salted Honey Custard Base
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream (35%)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (170 g) pure honey
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make Salted Honey Ice Cream
1. Heat the Dairy
Add heavy cream, milk, honey, and salt to a saucepan. Heat over medium until steaming but not boiling. Stir gently to dissolve the honey fully.
2. Temper the Egg Yolks
In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour the warm honey cream into the yolks while whisking to temper.
3. Cook the Custard
Return mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C).
4. Chill
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla if using. Let cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Churn & Freeze
- Churn chilled custard until soft-serve consistency (about 20–25 minutes).
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze 4–6 hours until firm and scoopable.
Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt before serving.
Tips for the Best Texture
- Don’t rush the chill: A fully chilled base churns smoother and freezes creamier.
- Use good-quality honey: It’s the main flavour — choose one you love.
- Taste before freezing: Honey sweetness varies slightly by floral source.
- Let sit before scooping: 5 minutes at room temperature makes for perfect scoops.
Storage
Store tightly covered for up to 2 weeks. For the best texture, enjoy within the first week.
Salted Honey Ice Cream
Equipment
- Sauce Pan
- silicon Spatula
Ingredients
Vanilla Custard Ice Cream Base
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 2 cups Heavy Cream (35%)
- ½ cup Honey
- ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 4 Large Egg Yolks
- ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- Flaked Salt to top
Instructions
Making the Custard
- Add the milk, cream, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is steaming but not boiling.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour the warm cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to gently temper.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C).
- Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Churn and Assemble
- Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it reaches a soft-serve texture. About 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- Freeze for 4–6 hours, or until firm and scoopable.
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