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Closeup of 2 scoops of homemade kefir ice cream, or frozen kefir, in a blue bowl, garnished with red raspberries.

Homemade Kefir Ice Cream (Frozen Kefir)

Last Modified: June 23, 2020 // by Tracy Ariza, DDS // June 16, 2020 I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. Learn more here.

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How to make a basic homemade kefir ice cream that is creamy and smooth, but also maintains the probiotics that kefir is known for.

Slightly tangy, yet creamy and smooth, this homemade kefir ice cream, or frozen kefir, is a delicious frozen treat with the probiotic benefits of kefir.

Overhead view of two bowls, one with a homemade frozen kefir ice cream garnished with raspberries. The other is filled with pomegranate seeds.
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So, the weather is getting hotter, and you’re looking for a somewhat healthy treat? Maybe you’ve been making kefir for a while, and are looking for fun new ways to use it?

This homemade kefir ice cream, or frozen kefir, is perfect for either of those scenarios.

What is kefir?

Kefir is a fermented milk-based drink that is similar to yogurt. It is normally thinner than yogurt, and has more protein and more probiotics.

While both are relatively simple to make at home, kefir is even easier to make than homemade yogurt because it is fermented at room temperature. It doesn’t need to be cooked at all.

How to Make Kefir at Home

Learn how easy it is to make probiotic milk kefir. It can be made with a variety of milks (from animals or vegetables) and can be used in a number of ways.
Check out this recipe
Milk kefir can be made with a variety of milks (from animals and vegetables.) It's easy to make and can be used in a number of ways. Learn how to make kefir at home and benefit from this probiotic beverage. #thethingswellmake #miy #kefir #probiotics #guthealth #homemadekefir #kefirrecipes #fermenting #traditionalrecipes #fermentedfoods #dairyrecipes

What is frozen kefir?

Frozen kefir is the kefirized equivalent of frozen yogurt. While you could just throw a kefir smoothie of sorts into your ice cream maker, I prefer to add kefir to a more classic ice cream base. To do so, I add kefir to a custard made with eggs and cream, and then freeze the mixture.

The final result is a tangy, creamy ice cream with the probiotic benefits of kefir.

Ingredients

This tasty treat uses 5 main ingredients. The custard is made with an egg and some whipping cream. You can use either a heavy or light whipping cream, but heavy cream generally makes for creamier ice cream. Two yolks can be used instead of the whole egg.

Kefir gives this frozen dessert its tanginess. You can either make the kefir yourself or buy it already made. Another option is to substitute the kefir for yogurt to make frozen yogurt instead.

For sweetness, I like to use honey or maple syrup, but you can use granular sugar instead. If using sugar, add it while cooking the custard mixture so that the heat helps dissolve the sugar. You can also sweeten with a low carb sweetener like stevia or erythritol for a keto dessert.

In order to preserve the beneficial qualities of the honey and kefir, I prefer to add them, along with the vanilla extract (I use homemade), to the finished custard, after it has cooled down.

Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract

Save money and ensure that you have the highest quality ingredients by making your own vanilla extract. It's super easy to make and makes a great gift.
Check out this recipe
Two bottles of homemade vanilla extract with vanilla beans next to them.

Procedure

Begin by making a custard. To do so, mix together the egg and the cream, and cook the mixture in a pan over low heat. Keeping the heat low, and keeping it from boiling, helps ensure that the custard doesn’t burn or curdle. Stir constantly, using a spatula to keep the mixture from sticking.

One the mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. If you are using honey that has crystalized, you can add it at the end of the cooking process so that the residual heat liquefies the honey.

  • Adding an egg to a stainless steel pan.
    Add egg to pan.
  • Adding cream to a stainless steel pan with beaten egg.
    Add cream to pan with egg.
  • running a spatula through a thick custard in a stainless steel pan.
    Cook to a thick custard.

Once the mixture has cooled, add the kefir and the vanilla extract. If you didn’t add the honey yet, add it too. Blend all of the ingredients together until completely combined and smooth.

  • Adding honey to a cream custard mixture in a stainless steel pan.
    Add honey
  • Pouring kefir into a custard in a stainless bowl
    kefir
  • Pouring vanilla extract into a custard mixture in a stainless steel bowl.
    and vanilla extract.
  • Pouring a cream custard mixture into a frozen container for making ice cream.

Once all of the ingredients have been mixed together, chill the mixture. Using a chilled mixture helps ensure a creamier ice cream.

Once chilled, add the cold mixture to the frozen bowl of an ice cream maker. Follow the instructions for your particular machine to make the frozen kefir ice cream.

  • frozen ice cream on beaters in a homemade ice cream maker
  • frozen kefir in a plastic container

Using an ice cream maker normally makes a soft-serve type ice cream. To make a firmer ice cream, remove the frozen kefir from the bowl and add it to another container.

Place the container in the freezer until it has reached a hard enough consistency.

Customizing the recipe

There are many ways to simplify this recipe or to customize it to suit your taste.

Vegan kefir ice cream

For example, this can be made vegan by using a vegan kefir, usually made with coconut milk instead of a milk-based kefir. (Follow the recipe for how to make kefir, using the grains to ferment coconut milk.) Then, coconut cream can be used instead of dairy cream. While the egg adds creaminess, it can be left out.

To make a light, creamy ice cream without eggs, consider beating the cream or coconut cream until enough air is incorporated to make it the consistency of whipped cream. This adds lightness to the frozen dessert.

Closeup of 2 scoops of a homemade kefir ice cream, or frozen kefir, in a blue bowl, garnished with red raspberries.

No churn kefir ice cream

Don’t have an ice cream maker?

Don’t worry. You can still make this recipe.

Add the final mixture to a freezer-safe container and freeze it directly in the freezer. To make a creamier ice cream, take the container out of the freezer every 20-30 minutes and stir it. Make sure to incorporate the parts that have frozen around the edges. Once fully stirred, freeze the container again.

This method works especially well if you whip the whipping cream and then incorporate the kefir and other ingredients rather than making a classic custard.

Other tips for creamy ice cream:

  • For creamy ice cream, keep the fat content relatively high. Using cream rather than just milk helps ensure smoother ice cream that doesn’t freeze as rock hard. Too much cream, though, can make the ice cream have a buttery texture. So, don’t overdo it. You could use a fermented kefir cream instead of a lower fat kefir, for example, but consider balancing it with milk rather than adding more cream.
  • The addition of egg yolks or a whole egg, even if you don’t cook them into a custard, makes for smoother ice cream. The proteins in the eggs help keep ice crystals from forming. If you aren’t using eggs, you’ll want to look for another way of adding lightness to the ice cream. This can be done by whipping the cream to incorporate air into the mixture before freezing it.
  • Chill the mixture thoroughly before putting it into the ice cream maker. Using a cold mixture also ensures a smoother ice cream.

Storage

Store uneaten frozen kefir in the freezer. Depending on the method you used to make it, it may become quite hard after being in the freezer for several hours.

If it is too hard, soften it by removing it from the freezer for a little while before serving. You can move it to the fridge for 30-40 minutes before serving or set it on the counter at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.

Video

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Closeup of 2 scoops of homemade kefir ice cream, or frozen kefir, in a blue bowl, garnished with red raspberries.

Kefir Ice Cream

Slightly tangy, yet creamy and smooth, this homemade kefir ice cream, or frozen kefir, is a delicious frozen treat with the probiotic benefits of kefir.
4.17 from 30 votes
Print Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Freezing time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 5 half cup servings
Calories: 227kcal
Author: Tracy Ariza, DDS

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/4 cup milk kefir
  • 1/4 cup honey or to taste
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Mix the egg with the heavy cream and cook in a small saucepan over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until you obtain a somewhat thick custard.
  • Remove from the heat, and allow to cool.
  • Mix in the milk kefir, vanilla extract, and honey to taste.
  • Chill the mixture.
  • Freeze in your ice cream maker, according to the directions for your particular machine.
  • When finished, transfer to another container and place it in the freezer for a couple of hours to harden it a bit more, giving it the consistency of ice cream.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you are using granulated honey, consider adding the honey to the custard mix at the end of the heating process so that the heat will liquefy it again. If using liquid honey, add it with the kefir and vanilla extract while cool. Adding them to the cool custard helps retain the beneficial qualities of these ingredients.
  • Honey can be substituted with maple syrup, stevia liquid, or erythritol. The latter 2 will lower the sugar and carb count. Regular sugar can also be used, but it should be added to the cream and egg at the beginning so that the heat will dissolve the sugar crystals. 
  • To make a vegan kefir ice cream, make kefir with coconut milk instead of dairy. Use coconut cream instead of whipping cream, and leave the egg out. Use one of the other sweeteners listed above.  To make a fluffier ice cream, whip the coconut cream to incorporate air into it. Fold the other ingredients into the thickened whipped coconut cream. 
  • This can be made without an ice cream maker. To make a no-churn frozen kefir, pour the finished mixture into a freezable container and place in the freezer. Remove from the freezer every 20-30 minutes, and mix the ingredients, scraping off the frozen mixture from the sides of the container and incorporating them into the rest of the mixture. Return it to the freezer, and repeat until you achieve the desired texture. 
  • Once you have a frozen dessert of a “soft-serve” consistency, you can either serve it right away, or let it get a bit harder in the freezer. I have found it is best to move it to a new container before sticking it into the freezer. Not only does that help with not letting more ice crystals form, but it keeps your bowl free for a new flavor!
  • Store uneaten frozen kefir in the freezer. If it is too hard, soften it by removing it from the freezer for a little while before serving. (Around 30 minutes if stored in the fridge, or 10 minutes at room temperature.)
Course Desserts
Cuisine Probiotics
Special Diets Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Keyword frozen kefir, kefir ice cream
Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @thethingswellmake or tag #thethingswellmake!
Serving: 0.5cups | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 48mg | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 1mg

This post was originally published on August 10, 2013. It was rewritten with better instructions, adding new photos and video in June 2020.

Category: Desserts & Sweets, frozen treats, Recipes

About Tracy Ariza, DDS

Tracy Ariza, B.A., D.D.S., left dentistry and the United States to found Oh, The Things We’ll Make!, writing to you from the Spanish Riviera. She loves making things herself in order to keep control of what goes in them. While far from perfect, she strives each day to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

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Comments

  1. Pamela Sundberg

    July 21, 2022 at 6:22 PM

    I’m new into Kiefer but would love to make frozen yogurt not ice cream with Kiefer… how do I accomplish this, please?…. I don’t want the heavy cream.. eggs are okay.. but love orig tart frozen yogurt and would love to try it with milk or the coconut milk…
    Thank you!…yum!šŸ˜‹ pamela

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      September 5, 2022 at 6:05 PM

      Hi Pamela,
      I wouldn’t bother with making a custard of any sort then. You could try mixing the kefir with your sweeteners (and possibly eggs- but not 100% needed) and allow it to churn to a soft frozen consistency. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can freeze it and stir it every 15-20 minutes to break up any ice crystals that form on the sides. You could add coconut milk. (Or follow my recipe and sub the cream with coconut cream.)
      Keep in mind that the more fat that’s in the recipe, the creamier the product will be- and won’t freeze as solidly when you store leftovers. Ice creams without fats freeze into a solid ice cube and will need to be taken out in advance and broken up before serving.

      Reply
  2. ACG

    July 6, 2019 at 10:24 AM

    What can I use instead of the heavy cream please?

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza

      August 5, 2019 at 5:39 PM

      I’ve only made it with the heavy cream, but you could try it with coconut cream, perhaps?

      Reply
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Hello, I’m Tracy!

I love making my own natural products like soaps and lotions and my own pantry items like yogurt and salad dressings.
Why do I do it? Sometimes to save money, sometimes because it's healthier, but I always love having control of the ingredients!​
Oh, the things we'll make!...

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