You will love this recipe for Lemon Lavender Ice Cream if you want something that feels fancy but is secretly simple and doesn’t even require an ice cream maker. No-churn ice cream, no eggs, and no cooking on the stove; just a few bowls, a mixer, and your freezer. This creamy, floral, tangy ice cream is the perfect no bake spring dessert, easy Easter treat, or even a sweet, delicate mother’s day dessert that looks and tastes like you spent way more time than you actually did.
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Ingredients for Lemon Lavender Ice Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold; divided
- 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender buds (You can use 1–1½ teaspoons for a softer lavender flavor)
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; about 2–3 lemons
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, but helps smooth and round out the flavor)
How to Make Lemon Lavender Ice Cream
I love how this recipe comes together in simple, relaxed steps. It looks fancy, but it is totally doable on a busy weeknight. Plus, you can freeze it ahead of time for your weekend plans.
1. Infuse part of the cream with lavender
Add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl or large measuring cup. Microwave in 30 second bursts until the cream is hot and steaming but not boiling. Stir between each burst so it heats evenly.
2. Steep the lavender
Stir the lavender buds into the hot cream. Cover the hot cream and let the lavender steep for 5–10 minutes, depending on how strong you want the lavender flavor to be.
For a gentle flavor, stay closer to 5 minutes. For a stronger floral note, go up to 10 minutes. I love lavender flavor, so I went with 10, but if you’re hesitant, try 5-7 minutes at first.
3. Strain out the lavender
Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl or measuring cup.
If you want maximum flavor, press the lavender buds gently into the strainer with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the infused cream.
4. Chill the lavender cream
The cream has to be cold so it will whip properly with the rest of the heavy cream.
Chill your lavender-infused cream until completely cold. You can place the container in the fridge for 30–60 minutes or use the fast option. For the fast option, set the measuring cup in an ice bath and stir for a few minutes until it feels cold to the touch.
5. Make the lemon base
Zest and juice your lemons
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, pinch of salt and vanilla extract, if using.
Whisk until smooth and creamy. The mixture will thicken slightly and smell super bright and citrusy.
6. Whip the cream
Pour the remaining 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream into a large chilled mixing bowl. Add the completely chilled lavender infused cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. The cream should be thick and hold its shape when you lift the beaters.
7. Fold it all together
Add about one third of the whipped cream to the lemon condensed milk mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until mostly combined. This lightens the base so it is easier to mix. Add the rest of the whipped cream and fold just until no streaks remain. Work slowly so you keep all that fluffy texture.
8. Freeze
Spread the mixture into a loaf pan or freezer safe container. Smooth the top, then press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight for the best scoopable texture.
To serve, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5-ish minutes so it softens slightly. Then scoop and enjoy that creamy lemon lavender goodness.
Pro Tips
Here is how I make sure this Lemon Lavender Ice Cream turns out dreamy every time, even on a busy weeknight.
- Use culinary lavender only. Make sure your lavender is labeled “culinary” or “food grade.” Regular decorative lavender can taste soapy. Culinary lavender is softer and meant for recipes like this.
- Don’t taste test the lavender right away. If you taste your lavender-infused cream right away, it will probably (and should!) taste gross. You’re going to be spreading out that lavender flavor throughout all 2 cups of cream plus the lemon mixture. I wish there was a better way, but really the only way to know if you have enough lavender flavor is to first steep it, then chill and mix in with the rest of your cream. If you determine that you want more lavender flavor once your lavender-infused cream is combined with the rest of it, you can repeat the process of heating some cream and steeping some lavender in it for more time. If you want less lavender flavor, you can add more regular cream to dilute the lavender flavor (but try to only add a max of ¼ cup or you’ll throw off the texture of your ice cream).
- Zest first, then juice. Zest the lemons before cutting them. It is much easier to zest whole lemons than squeezed halves.
- Keep everything cold. Cold cream whips faster and holds more air. If your kitchen is warm, you can chill your mixing bowl and beaters for 10–15 minutes before whipping.
FAQs
Do I need an ice cream maker for this recipe?
Nope. Whipped cream plus sweetened condensed milk gives you that rich, scoopable texture without any special equipment.
Where can I buy culinary lavender?
You can find culinary lavender pretty easily online. I get mine on Amazon. You don’t need a large amount, either, for this recipe. I once got a 2 oz. packet and it lasted me for many batches of cupcakes with lavender frosting. You can also sometimes find culinary lavender in tea shops.
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?
Fresh lemon juice gives the brightest flavor and works best here. Bottled juice can taste flat or bitter, so I recommend fresh if at all possible.
Can I use lemon extract instead of lemon zest and juice?
You definitely could, but I wouldn’t recommend. I taste-tested a batch like that for myself just to see how it went and I didn’t like the flavor of the lemon extract as much. I thought it tasted much, much better and fresher with lemon zest (but a lot of lemon zest, go for like 3 good-sized lemons) and a splash of fresh lemon juice. If you want to try lemon extract, don’t use any lemon zest and only use ¼-½ teaspoon of lemon extract.
Can I skip the lavender?
Yes. If you prefer a simple lemon ice cream, just leave out the lavender and use the full 2 cups of heavy cream as is. Everything else stays the same.
My cream will not whip. What happened?
It is usually one of two things; the cream was not cold enough or it was heated too much with the lavender and not fully chilled before whipping. Make sure both the cream and the bowl are cold and try again.
This Lemon Lavender Ice Cream is one of my favorite tricks for turning a few simple ingredients into something that feels like its for a special occasion. It’s creamy, tangy, lightly floral, and perfect for those moments when you want pretty no bake spring desserts. Whether you are planning easy Easter treats, a sweet little lineup of Mother’s Day desserts, or just a quiet treat for yourself after a long day, this recipe fits right in.
Lemon Lavender Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold, divided
- 2 tsp dried culinary lavender buds you can use 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons for a softer lavender flavor
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz
- 2-3 Tbsp lemon zest about 2-3 lemons
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl or large measuring cup. Microwave in 30 second bursts until the cream is hot and steaming but not boiling. Stir between each burst so it heats evenly.
- Stir the lavender buds into the hot cream. Cover the hot cream and let the lavender steep for 5–10 minutes, depending on how strong you want the lavender flavor to be. For a gentle flavor, stay closer to 5 minutes. For a stronger floral note, go up to 10 minutes. I love lavender flavor, so I went with 10, but if you’re hesitant, try 5-7 minutes at first.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl or measuring cup. If you want maximum flavor, press the lavender buds gently into the strainer with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the infused cream.
- Chill your lavender-infused cream until completely cold. You can place the container in the fridge for 30–60 minutes or use the fast option. For the fast option, set the measuring cup in an ice bath and stir for a few minutes until it feels cold to the touch.
- Zest and juice your lemons
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, pinch of salt and vanilla extract, if using.Whisk until smooth and creamy. The mixture will thicken slightly and smell super bright and citrusy.
- Pour the remaining 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream into a large chilled mixing bowl. Add the completely chilled lavender infused cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. The cream should be thick and hold its shape when you lift the beaters.
- Add about one third of the whipped cream to the lemon condensed milk mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until mostly combined. This lightens the base so it is easier to mix. Add the rest of the whipped cream and fold just until no streaks remain. Work slowly so you keep all that fluffy texture.
