Salted Honey Ice Cream (Creamy Homemade Recipe)

There’s something about honey in ice cream that feels like summer at its purest: gentle floral notes, rich cream, and just enough sea salt to keep it balanced.

This salted honey ice cream is made with a classic custard base and pure honey for depth and flavour. It’s smooth, creamy, and simple—the kind of homemade ice cream that doesn’t need anything extra beyond a few flakes of sea salt.

If you love nutty textures, you might also enjoy my Vanilla Custard Ice Cream with Pecan Praline Crunch, which pairs a creamy custard base with caramelized pecans.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Made with a rich custard base for a creamy texture
• Sweetened entirely with honey, with no granulated sugar
• Balanced with fine sea salt and a flaky salt finish
• Honey helps keep the ice cream softer and easier to scoop
• A short ingredient list that lets the honey flavour shine

What Makes Honey Ice Cream Different?

Honey brings more than sweetness to an ice cream base. It adds floral notes and a distinct flavour that changes depending on the honey you choose. Its natural sugars also help the ice cream freeze softer.

Using ½ cup gives this recipe a noticeable honey flavour while leaving room for the richness of the cream.

Choose a honey you enjoy on its own. A mild honey gives a gentler flavour, while a darker, stronger honey will be more pronounced.

Salted Honey Custard Base ingredients

• 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
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional
• Flaky sea salt, for serving

Use fine sea salt in the custard so it dissolves evenly, and save the flaky salt for finishing. The vanilla is optional: add it for a little warmth, or leave it out to keep the flavour focused on the honey.

How to Make Salted Honey Ice Cream

Before starting, prepare your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If it uses a freezer bowl, allow enough time for the bowl to freeze completely.

1. Heat the Dairy

Add the heavy cream, milk, honey, and fine sea salt to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until steaming but not boiling, stirring to dissolve the honey fully.

2. Temper the Egg Yolks

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm honey cream into the yolks while whisking constantly.

Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan.

3. Cook the Custard

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and corners of the saucepan, until the custard coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

4. Chill

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the vanilla, if using.

Set the bowl in an ice-water bath, keeping water out of the custard, and stir occasionally until cooled. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly cold.

Churn & Freeze

1. Churn the chilled custard according to your ice cream maker’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, usually about 20–25 minutes.
2. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and cover.
3. Freeze for 4–6 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.

Finish each serving with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Tips for the Best Texture

• Don’t rush the chill: A thoroughly cold base helps the ice cream churn properly.
• Use honey you love: It’s the main flavour, so choose one you enjoy tasting on its own.
• Keep the honey quantity consistent: Honey affects the freezing texture as well as sweetness. Reducing it can make the ice cream freeze harder.
• Let it sit before scooping: If needed, leave the container at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften slightly.

Storage

Store tightly covered for up to 2 weeks. For the best texture, enjoy within the first week.