Made with just a few easy ingredients, this lavender honey recipe comes together with minimal effort and maximum flavor! This homemade ice cream is naturally sweetened with honey which pairs perfectly with dried lavender. The result is a creamy, floral, aromatic ice cream that tastes better than anything you’d find at the grocery store.

WHY I MADE THIS LAVENDER HONEY ICE CREAM

I’ve been making ice cream at home for quite a few years now. Ice cream also happens to be my husband’s favorite dessert (it’s rare that we don’t have at least one carton of ice cream in our freezer at any given time), so my homemade ice cream hobby is very much an appreciated benefit in my house.

As much as I love a no churn ice cream recipe, nothing really compares to the smooth, rich, creamy ice cream that’s made with an ice cream machine. No churn ice cream can taste delicious, but the texture tends to come out icier than churned ice cream. And when you use wholesome ingredients like milk, cream, honey, and vanilla, making your own ice cream at home has an even better texture than the stuff you buy at a store.

So if you’re going to go through the trouble of pulling out your ice cream maker from your storage closet, then you might as well make one of my favorite recipes of all time: homemade lavender honey ice cream.

I love the double floral notes that come through in this wholesome ice cream recipe. Lavender is a delicious base note for this ice cream because it has both the subtle taste and aroma of one of my favorite flowers. Honey also has a naturally floral flavor too, so when you put the two together it’s just pure ice cream magic.

Make sure you use organic, food-grade lavender for this recipe. But if you can’t get your hands on it, you can leave the lavender out entirely and just create a tasty honey ice cream, which pairs amazingly with so many toppings and mix-ins.

So you can tell just how excited I am for you guys to try this recipe. Honey lavender ice cream is perfect for spring, summer, or anytime really! Trust me you’re doing to be going to multiple scoops of this homemade lavender honey ice cream after the first bite!

This recipe makes about 2 1/2 pints of ice cream, so you can share (or not) all summer long.

MY EASY LAVENDER HONEY ICE CREAM RECIPE

The full instructions on how to make this homemade honey ice cream recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of how to make it.

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to view the full recipe and get all of the measurements and instructions!

• Heat the base: Combine the milk, heavy cream, and honey in a medium saucepan and heat until it just begins to simmer.
• Steep the lavender: Remove the pan from heat and add in the dried lavender. Cover and steep for 30 minutes.
• Temper the eggs: Return the pan to heat and warm the mixture again. Meanwhile, temper the egg yolks with a bit of the milk mixture.
• Cook the custard: Return the pan to heat and stir continuously for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
• Chill: Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and salt, then pour the custard through a strainer into a large heat-safe bowl. Let it cool slightly at room temperature before covering and refrigerating for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Churn: Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until ready to serve!

HOMEMADE LAVENDER ICE CREAM INGREDIENTS

The full ingredients list is in the recipe card below, so make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see what you need to make this recipe!

Here is a quick overview of what you need to make this homemade lavender honey ice cream at home:

• Milk: Forms the liquid base of the custard, along with the heavy cream. Milk contributes to the overall creaminess of the ice cream while keeping it light enough to churn and scoop.
• Heavy Cream: The other half of the custard base that gives the ice cream its rich, creamy texture. Without cream, the ice cream would freeze into a hard, icy block.
• Lavender: The star flavor of this recipe! Dried lavender infuses the custard base with a delicate floral flavor that I love. Make sure you’re using food-grade, organic dried lavender for this recipe. I used this one from the brand Anthony’s.
• Honey: The primary sweetener and a key flavor component in its own right. Honey adds a natural floral sweetness that complements the lavender beautifully! It also dissolves seamlessly into the warm custard base and contributes to a smoother freeze compared to granulated sugar.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and depth to the overall flavor profile.
• Egg Yolks: The backbone of the custard base! Egg yolks are rich in fat and lecithin, which act as natural emulsifiers that bind the fat and liquid together to create a silky smooth custard. They also thicken the mixture as it cooks, giving the ice cream its dense, creamy texture.
• Toffee: Optional, but I also mixed in homemade toffee pieces into this ice cream. It came out delicious!

HOW LONG DOES THIS ICE CREAM TAKE TO MAKE?

This homemade honey ice cream recipe has a few different components to it, but they all come together quickly and easily.

The full recipe is below, but here’s the gist of it:

• Prep time: 45 mins
• Chill time: 6 hours
• Churning: 20 minutes (depends on your ice cream maker)

In total, this easy homemade ice cream recipe takes about an hour of active time to make! This does not include the 6 hour chilling time that is required for this recipe, which you can read about more in the FAQ section.

HOW TO STORE THIS LAVENDER HONEY ICE CREAM?

When stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container, this ice cream will keep well for up to 2 weeks.

For best results, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container to prevent ice crystals from forming on top.

The ice cream will naturally get harder over time, so let it sit on the counter for about 5 minutes before scooping for best results!

LAVENDER HONEY ICE CREAM FAQ

1. What kind of lavender should I use?

Always use dried, organic, food grade lavender for baking or cooking. It’s important to read the fine print on the package because not all lavender is safe for consumption.

Decorative or craft lavender may be treated with pesticides or other chemicals that you don’t want to ingest, so always look for culinary lavender when shopping.

I used this one from Anthony’s and I love it!

2. Can I use fresh lavender instead of dried?

Yes! If you’re lucky enough to have fresh lavender on hand, use about 2–3 tbsp of fresh lavender in place dried lavender.

3. What does lavender taste like? Does this ice cream have a very strong lavender flavor?

Lavender has a very floral flavor, so if you like notes like rose or jasmine then you will love lavender ice cream!

This ice cream definitely has a subtle floral flavor, but it isn’t overpowering.

4. What does tempering the eggs do, and why is it important?

Tempering is the process of slowly bringing the egg yolks up to a higher temperature by whisking in a little bit of the hot milk mixture before adding the egg yolks to the pan.

This prevents the eggs from scrambling when they hit the heat, which you definitely want to avoid! Ask me how I know…

5. Do I need an ice cream maker for this recipe?

I highly recommend using an ice cream maker for the smoothest, creamiest results. I use the KitchenAid Ice Cream Bowl attachment so if you already have the KitchenAid stand mixer, I recommend getting this attachment!

If you don’t have one, you can pour the chilled mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze it, stirring vigorously every 30–45 minutes for the first 3–4 hours to break up ice crystals. The texture won’t be quite as smooth, but it will still be delicious.

6. Can I substitute the honey with another sweetener?

I love using honey for this recipe for a few reasons: the natural floral flavor in honey pairs amazingly with the lavender, and because honey is a liquid sweetener it’s makes this ice cream extra-creamy.

You can swap out the honey other sweeteners like maple syrup or granulated sugar, which both work well as 1:1 substitutes, but note that this will alter the flavor of the finished ice cream.

7. Why do I need to chill the ice cream mixture before churning?

Chilling the custard thoroughly before churning is essential for achieving a smooth, creamy ice cream texture.

A cold ice cream mixture churns faster and more evenly when poured into the ice cream maker, which means smaller ice crystals and a velvety ice cream. You’ll be tempted to skip this step, but don’t!

8. How long does this ice cream keep in the freezer?

When stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container, this ice cream will keep well for up to 2 weeks.

For best results, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container to prevent ice crystals from forming on top.

The ice cream will naturally get harder over time, so let it sit on the counter for about 5 minutes before scooping for best results!

9. Can I make this recipe dairy free?

I haven’t tried it for this recipe, but you can experiment with an oat milk and/or coconut milk mixture in place of both the milk and heavy cream for a dairy free ice cream.

Note that the flavor will be slightly different. If you use coconut milk, the ice cream will have a subtle coconut flavor.

Also keep in mind that the texture of the ice cream may be less creamy if you use a substitute like coconut, oat, or almond milk.

10. Do I have to use the lavender?

Nope, you can leave it out if you prefer! The result will be just a deliciously smooth, creamy vanilla ice cream base that you can load up with whatever toppings or mix-ins that you like.

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