Salted Honey Ice Cream combines mellow sweetness with a subtle twang of salt. It can be scooped straight from the freezer and it is exceptionally creamy. This uniquely flavoured ice cream with honey & sea salt is chilly bliss.
Don't miss my dark chocolate honey ice cream - it's magical.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Taste: The honey lends a mellow sweetness to the ice cream and duets perfectly with the subtle twang of salt.
- Texture: This ice cream is incredibly soft & velvety. It's also scoopable straight from the freezer.
- Unique: I bet you cannot find honey ice cream, let alone salted honey ice cream in the freezer aisle at your supermarket.
- Ice cream churner not essential: we provide step-by-step instructions to make this salted honey ice cream recipe either by hand or in a machine.
Jump to:
Salted Honey ice cream is a spin-off idea of mine from my Cinnamon Chocolate Cake with Salted Honey Buttercream as it was so well received by readers.
This honey sweetened ice cream is made using just 6 ingredients and the result is one of the creamiest, most sublime flavour combinations I've ever come across in ice cream form.
Ingredients notes
Honey: This is a magical ingredient in ice cream and, in this recipe, it takes the place of regular sugar completely. Honey does not fully freeze so the ice cream it creates is softer than typical ice cream.
Egg yolks: These help create a rich and thick custard base.
Milk & Cream: I use equal measures whole milk (full fat milk) and double cream (heavy cream) in this recipe for honey ice cream to ensure it is luxuriously creamy.
Sea salt (optional): Use sea salt flakes rather than salt grains.
Step by step instructions
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Make the ice cream base
- Put the milk and vanilla bean paste into a medium-sized pan (heavy based) over a medium heat. Heat until warm then add the honey and stir through until dissolved. Take the pan off the heat.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl for 2-3 minutes until thicker and paler.
- Pour the warm milk onto the yolks, whisking continuously. Pour the custard mix back into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat. Grind the salt in a pestle and mortar until fine. Tip into the custard and mix well
- Pour the custard into a bowl or jug, cover with clingfilm (to stop a skin forming) and cool. Once cold, transfer to the fridge to chill overnight (or for at least 4 hours)
- When ready to churn remove the clingfilm, pour in the cream and stir until thoroughly combined. Follow the instructions below to churn your ice cream either a machine (go to step 7) or doing it by hand (go to step 9).
Churning the ice cream using a machine
- Pour the custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Serve immediately or transfer the ice cream into a freezer-proof container, cover the surface directly with greaseproof paper or foil and store in the freezer. (It should be scoopable straight from the freezer - unless your freezer is exceptionally cold).
Churning the ice cream by hand
- Pour the ice cream into a suitable freezer-proof bowl, cover and put it in the freezer for 1-1 ½ hours. The sides should be beginning to freeze, but the centre will be soft and slushy.
- Remove from the freezer and, working quickly, use electric beaters to beat the ice cream until the ice crystals are uniform. Cover and place back in the freezer.
- Repeat this process 5-7 more times at 1 hour intervals - the better the texture will be the more the process is repeated.
- Cover the ice cream with greaseproof paper or foil and freeze for a further 3 hours or overnight.
- Serve straight from the freezer.
Expert tips
Top Tip: When making any homemade ice cream always ensure both the churning bowl of your ice cream maker and the custard base are sufficiently frozen/ chilled before churning begins.
- If churning your honey ice cream by hand make the custard base and let it chill overnight before starting the churning process the next morning. This leaves plenty of time to fit in 6-8 churns with electric beaters.
- And if churning by hand, set a timer between each churn to ensure it is not left too long between each churn otherwise, ice crystals will form.
- Putting the ice cream into a chilled container rather than one at room temperature means the ice cream will melt less at the point of transfer.
- Eat within 2 weeks to enjoy this ice cream with honey and salt at its prime. It's still safe to eat after this time but the flavour and texture may begin to deteriorate.
Frequently asked questions
Any! I like to use runny honey, but set honey can also be used. Popular choices include clover honey, acacia honey, lavender honey and orange blossom honey. They all have their own distinctive flavour, so whatever honey you use will impart that flavour into your ice cream.
Honey - classified as liquid sugar - does several things to ice cream:
1. It gives a little extra body and creaminess to the ice cream.
2. It also lowers the freezing point of ice cream, so the mix doesn't freeze rock solid. That's why it is scoopable straight from the freezer.
Yes, you can. To do this reduce the honey (try 125g). As honey helps create that magical soft & scoopable consistency, be mindful that using less honey will result in a firmer ice cream.
Yes, you can. It will be a delicious honey ice cream, still as soft & scoopable as the salted version and just as sweetly mellow.
Yes, provided your ice cream maker can handle the extra volume (find out firstas if you add too much liquid to it then it will not freeze properly).
Serving suggestions
Although this ice cream is a delight to eat on its own, I can recommend the following:
- Serve it alongside fresh strawberries - the honey-salt-strawberry combination is magical
- Go a step further and pile those strawberries and the ice cream on top of Muscovado Meringues or onto English-style pancakes.
- Pair it with a warm chocolate brownie.
- Use it as a float on rich honey hot chocolate.
More ice cream recipes
Should salted honey not be your bag, then take a look at the rest of my ice cream recipes for alternative inspiration. Here are a few options:
Have you made this recipe for ice cream with honey & sea salt? Please take a moment to leave a review to let me know how you got along with the recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Salted Honey Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 150 g Honey
- 250 ml Whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 5 Egg yolks large, free-range
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Sea salt flakes
- 250 ml Double cream heavy cream
Instructions
- Put the milk and vanilla bean paste into a medium-sized pan (heavy-based) over a medium heat. Heat until warm.
- Add the honey a stir through until dissolved. Take off the heat.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl for 2-3 minutes until thicker and paler.
- Pour the warm milk onto the yolks, whisking continuously.
- Pour the custard mix back into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Take off the heat.
- Grind the salt in a pestle and mortar until fine. Tip into the custard and mix well.
- Pour the custard into a bowl or jug, cover directly with clingfilm (to stop a skin forming) and cool. Once cold, transfer to the fridge to chill overnight (or for at least 4 hours).
- When ready to churn remove the clingfilm, pour in the cream and stir until thoroughly combined.
Making the ice cream using an ice cream maker
- Pour the custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Serve immediately or transfer the ice cream into a freezer-proof container, cover the surface directly with greaseproof paper or foil and store in the freezer. (It should be scoopable straight from the freezer - unless your freezer is exceptionally cold).
Making the ice cream by hand
- .Pour the ice cream into a suitable freezer-proof bowl, cover and put it in the freezer for 1-1 ½ hours. The sides should be beginning to freeze, but the centre will be soft and slushy.
- Remove from the freezer and, working quickly, use electric beaters to beat the ice cream until the ice crystals are uniform. Cover and place back in the freezer.
- Repeat this process 4-8 more times at 1 hour intervals - the better the texture will be the more the process is repeated.
- Cover the ice cream with greaseproof paper or foil and freeze for a further 3 hours or overnight.
- Serve straight from the freezer.
Notes
- Ensure both the churning bowl of your ice cream maker and the custard base are sufficiently frozen/ chilled before churning begins.
- If churning your honey ice cream by hand it's best to make the custard base and let it chill overnight before starting the churning process the next morning. This leaves plenty of time to fit in 6-8 churns with electric beaters.
- And if churning by hand, set a timer between each churn to ensure it is not left too long between each churn otherwise ice crystals will form.
- Putting the ice cream into a chilled container rather than one at room temperature means the ice cream will melt less at the point of transfer.
- Cover the top of the ice cream with parchment to help stop ice crystals from forming in the freezer.
- Eat within 2 weeks to enjoy this ice cream with honey and salt at its prime. It's still safe to eat after this time but the flavour and texture may begin to deteriorate.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
That sounds like one wonderful ice cream to try this summer!
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Rebecca. It is genuinely my new favourite 🙂
Jowell says
If I make this recipe by hand , when do I add the heavy cream ?
Jane Saunders says
Hi Jowell - sorry for the confusion - add the cream once your custard has chilled sufficiently and you want to start the churning process (step nine in the main part of the instructions (before moving onto the specific 'by hand' or by 'machine parts')). Hope that helps.
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry says
Now I've tried salted chocolate but not salted honey and in ice-cream too. Bet the sweetness works well with the saltiness
Jane Saunders says
Then you need to try it asap - it's a treat.
Chef Mireille says
OMG - that ice cream looks awesome!
Jane Saunders says
Thankyou! I'm looking forward to having some later on today 😉
Pamela (BrooklynFarmGirl) says
This ice cream looks amazing! I love that you replaced the sugar with honey it sounds delicious 🙂
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Pamela - I can't claim I made the sugar switch on health grounds - it was purely for the taste. And it was only after I'd made it I discovered how good an ingredient honey is for ice cream - accidental bonus!
Jagruti says
I need this ice cream right now, looks so tempting and yummy! Lovely pictures.
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Jagruti - I have some in my freezer ready waiting for Saturday... which is only 1 day away now - yay!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
I'm smellin' the danger too, Jane ~ this sounds irresistible! I think the whole reason to go to the trouble to make your own ice cream is to experiment and come up with flavors you can't get anywhere else, and this certainly qualifies, fabulous recipe, I can't wait to try it.
Jane Saunders says
You are so right Sue. I'm picky about ice cream - it has to be a great texture with bags of flavour for me. Thanks for stopping by.
Sarah says
I've wanted an ice cream maker for so long...and..well..this Salted Honey Ice Cream is making it happen. Oh my word I need this ice cream ASAP!
Jane Saunders says
Indulge your kitchen Sarah - you won't look back. ice cream consumption will be at a record high though 😉
Kristina says
that scoop in the first photo is a PERFECT ice cream scoop! 🙂 I love adding salt to ice cream - especially vanilla - it really brightens the flavor!
Jane Saunders says
Doesn't it just - magical. I struggle to scoop neat ice cream balls usually but with this ice cream it was a dream.
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
You are preaching to the choir here! I make homemade ice cream all the time, and love anything that has a salty finish to it... Butter almond is one of my faves. But salted honey... I want to try this! Is it ok if I toss in some almonds or pecans, gotta have some crunch!
Jane Saunders says
Oh I think I could give you permission - let me know how you get on. I've turned into a homemade addict this year - too many frozen recipes I want to share!
Melissa Griffiths says
Oooh this flavor combo sounds delicious! And dangerous. 🙂
Jane Saunders says
Thanks Melissa - definitely the latter 😉