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Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Salted caramel ice cream is a no-churn, creamy frozen dessert made by folding whipped cream with sweetened condensed milk, then swirling in buttery salted caramel. Melted sugar turns deep amber for a rich caramel flavor, and the base freezes firm after a few hours for easy scooping.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
freezing 6 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Caramel
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar for caramel
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter for caramel
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream for caramel
  • 0.75 tsp flaky sea salt
Ice cream base
  • 2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the salted caramel
  1. Melt the granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it turns deep amber, about 6–8 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the unsalted butter, followed by the heavy cream, and watch for vigorous bubbling.
  3. Stir in the flaky sea salt and let the caramel cool completely until no longer warm.
Make the no-churn ice cream base
  1. Beat the heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks, then stop when the mixture holds a sharp peak.
  2. Fold in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract until smooth and evenly combined.
Assemble and freeze
  1. Pour half the ice cream base into a loaf pan, drizzle with half the salted caramel, then repeat with the remaining base and caramel.
  2. Swirl gently with a knife to create a marbled pattern, then freeze for at least 6 hours until firm before scooping.

Notes

For the smoothest caramel swirl, cool the caramel completely before mixing so it doesn’t melt the whipped cream. Store covered in the freezer for up to 2 months; it won’t refreeze well if partially melted. Freezer: yes. To make it dairy-forward but lighter, swap 1 cup of the heavy whipping cream for an equal amount of whole milk (texture will be slightly softer).