Try These Ice Cream Makers for Delicious Homemade Desserts

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There’s nothing better than having a delicious bowl or cone of ice cream on a hot summer's day. But if you can’t get out to Ree Drummond's town of Pawhuska, OK, for a cup or cone at her ice cream parlor Charlie’s Sweet Shop, don’t worry! There are plenty of the best ice cream makers out there for you to try your hand at making your own frozen treats. In fact, Ree even has her very own ice cream maker as part of her Walmart collection—with a vintage-inspired design topped off with florals, of course!

While some ice cream makers can be on the pricier side, there are great options out there—both electric and manual—for a range of budgets. There are also large-capacity ice cream makers that would be great for big families or summertime cookouts, and others that are perfect for making a single serving on a solo night in. And an ice cream maker doesn't have to take up a lot of kitchen space (hello, compact options).

Our Top Picks

When making homemade ice cream with one of the picks on this list, the possibilities are endless. You can make ice cream floats, keep it simple with flavors like vanilla and chocolate, experiment with toppings, or even try creating some fan faves from Charlie’s Sweet Shop, which sells 16 flavors of ice cream from Tillamook Creamery. With one of the ice cream makers we've found, you can also give the rolled ice cream trend a shot!

But the most important thing to remember when making ice cream at home is to make your own serving as huge as possible. Luckily, Ree sells an ice cream scoop perfect for the job—because she doesn’t do average-sizes scoops. More is more! 😆

Cuisinart ICE21R Automatic Ice Cream Maker

You can now take the "ice" out of the ice cream-making process. This maker features a double-insulated freezer bowl to make it easier to make yourself a frozen treat! You'll just want to make sure you pop it in the freezer 16 to 24 hours prior to whipping up your tasty treats. Plus, you can pour ingredients through the wide mouth
feeding spout and add your favorite mix-ins without interrupting the freezing cycle.

The Pioneer Woman 4-Quart Ice Cream Maker

If you can't make it out to Charlie's Sweet Shop in Pawhuska, OK, this Pioneer Woman ice cream maker is the next best thing. It makes a frozen treat in 30 minutes or less using the electric motor-driven paddle. It has an easy-to-clean interior plastic liner, too. Plus, this sweet rose floral pattern is sure to brighten up any kitchen! You can also grab it in teal with a charming gingham pattern.

Chef'n Sweet Spot Ice Cream Maker

If you've always wanted to try out the rolled ice cream trend, you can now make your own at home! All you have to do is freeze the ice cream maker for 24 hours then get it out and pour your ingredients onto its fast-freezing surface. Once it's frozen, you can then try your hand at rolling it with the scraper or just scoop it up for your typical bowl of ice cream.

Zoku Ice Cream Maker

This is probably the best ice cream maker to get if you're solo. It's easy to use, compact, and makes soft serve ice cream in as little as ten minutes and hard ice cream in 20 minutes! Here's what you'll do: pour in up to five fluid ounces of your chilled ice cream mixture, churn and scrape the stainless steel bowl, and watch as the ice cream freezes before your eyes.

Nostalgia Electric Bucket Ice Cream Maker

Not only does this ice cream maker look pretty dang cool with its bucket design made of real wooden slats, it also makes six quarts of ice cream—which makes it perfect for big families like the Drummonds. The electric motor does all the churning, so there's no manual effort. Bonus points: It has an easy-carry handle so you can transport your ice cream wherever it needs to go. Hello, summer parties!

Dash My Pint Electric Ice Cream Maker Machine

This might be one of the smallest ice cream makers out there—it weighs only about two pounds—but that doesn't mean it's any less of a powerhouse! It can make up to 16 cups of your desired frozen treat in about half an hour. Along with the cooling bowl machine, you'll also get a mixing spoon, recipe book, and recipe database access to make plenty of unique frozen desserts. It also comes in red!

Nostalgia CCIM2AQ Electric Maker Crusher

This electric motor ice cream maker is perfect for enjoying a cold treat outside. After it churns, the included detachable ice cream bucket will keep your ice cream cold while serving. The top opening of the ice cream machine makes it easy to add ice and salt when you are making your ice cream or frozen yogurt. It also features a pretty cool "candy crusher" for the ultimate mix-in experience.

Cuisinart Electric Ice Cream Maker

If you want to make ice cream like a pro, this pick might just do the trick! In 20 minutes you can have up to two quarts of ice cream—plus the lid has integrated measuring cups, perfect for adding your fave mix-ins. Better yet, it features a countdown timer and one-touch settings for whipping up a generous batch of not only ice cream, but gelato or sorbet, too. It also comes with a few recipes.

Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine

You have everything you need with this ice cream maker which has a double-insulated freezer bowl that holds its cold temperature for fast results: There's three condiment containers to dispense toppings like sprinkles, a spot where you can stack your cones, and a place to rest your bowl while you pull-down on the handle to dole out a generous portion of soft serve. The compact design keeps it convenient as well.

Dash Everyday Ice Cream Maker

Introducing a two-in-one machine that makes ice cream and frozen treats. Yup, a removable mold with reusable sticks can create seven frozen treats. The spout on this one also allows you to add ingredients while mixing! It's perfect if you change your mind about flavors last minute. To use it, just freeze the bowl overnight, press a button, then add the ingredients of your choice. An insulated double-wall cooling bowl can also be stored in the freezer after churning so you can serve whenever.

Hamilton Beach Automatic Ice Cream Maker

This option is a solid entry-level ice cream maker. It can create up to four quarts of ice cream in several simple steps. First, pour the ice cream mixture and mix-ins into the canister and cover. it. Next, assemble the machine, plug it in, and add ice and rock salt to the bucket. Last but certainly not least, enjoy! The ice cream (or frozen yogurt, custard, sorbet, gelato and sherbet) will stop churning on its own when ready.

West Bend Electric Dual Single Serve Ice Cream Machine

Another two-in-one option, this ice cream maker churns out single servings of two different flavors. What a smart pick for date night! To top off the customization, you can use the ingredient funnels to add your favorite candies or syrup right into the ice cream. You can also make just one serving at a time. It even comes with two 10-ounce freezing mugs so you can easily store your tasty treat for later.

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