Homemade Rolled Ice Cream: Easy 2-Ingredient DIY Dessert & Endless Flavor Ideas

Craving the mesmerizing magic of rolled ice cream but don’t want to pay the high prices at your local shop? You’re in luck! This incredible homemade rolled ice cream recipe is not only super easy to make but requires only two simple ingredients. Get ready to transform your kitchen into a fun, interactive ice cream parlor, where you can customize your frozen treats with any toppings and mix-ins your heart desires.

My kids absolutely go wild for rolled ice cream, and let’s be honest, so do I! But those trips to the ice cream shop can quickly add up. That’s why I started making this fantastic treat at home, and it has become an absolute family favorite. You’ll be genuinely amazed at just how simple this ice cream recipe is to master. With just two base ingredients, the possibilities for flavor combinations and optional toppings are truly endless, limited only by your imagination!

Beyond this rolled ice cream delight, my family also adores other no-churn varieties I whip up, such as our Easy Fried Ice Cream Recipe and the decadent Twix Ice Cream Recipe. If you’re looking to expand your homemade frozen dessert repertoire, these are definitely worth a try!

What is Rolled Ice Cream and How is it Made?

Rolled ice cream, also widely known as Thai rolled ice cream or stir-fried ice cream, is a popular frozen dessert that originated on the streets of Thailand. Unlike traditional scooped ice cream, which is churned in a machine, rolled ice cream is made by pouring a liquid base onto an extremely cold metal surface, typically a specialized freezing pan or anti-griddle, kept at temperatures as low as -20°F (-29°C).

On this super-chilled surface, the ice cream base quickly freezes. Artisans then use spatulas or scrapers to chop and mix in any desired toppings, such as fresh fruit, cookies, or candies, directly into the freezing mixture. As the mixture thickens and crystallizes, it’s spread thinly across the pan. Finally, with skilled precision, the semi-frozen ice cream is scraped into delicate, attractive rolls, which are then placed upright into a cup and garnished with additional toppings. The entire process is not just about making a delicious dessert; it’s a captivating culinary performance!

While professional rolled ice cream stalls use specialized equipment, we have an incredibly easy and accessible method to recreate this viral treat right in your own kitchen using a standard sheet pan. Keep reading to discover how effortlessly you can make this unique dessert!

Why Make Rolled Ice Cream at Home?

Beyond the sheer joy of eating this delightful dessert, there are numerous compelling reasons to try your hand at homemade rolled ice cream:

• Cost-Effective: A single serving of rolled ice cream at a shop can be quite pricey. Making it at home with just two main ingredients is significantly more economical, especially if you have a family of ice cream lovers.
• Endless Customization: When you’re in charge, you can experiment with any flavor combination or topping you can imagine. No more being limited by the menu! This recipe provides a neutral base, acting as a perfect canvas for your culinary creativity.
• Fun Family Activity: The process of making rolled ice cream is just as entertaining as eating it. Kids (and adults!) love watching the base freeze and helping to choose and mix in their favorite add-ins. It’s a fantastic way to spend quality time together.
• Freshness and Quality Control: You control the ingredients, ensuring that only the freshest and highest-quality components go into your dessert. You can also cater to dietary preferences or restrictions more easily.
• The “Wow” Factor: Serving homemade rolled ice cream is sure to impress guests at parties or gatherings. It’s a unique and memorable dessert experience that stands out from traditional ice cream.

Ingredients for the Perfect Rolled Ice Cream Base

Base Ingredients: The Magic Duo

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. You only need two core ingredients to create a rich, creamy, and perfectly freezable ice cream base. Plus, a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness!

• Heavy Cream: This is the superstar ingredient that provides the luscious creaminess and rich texture of your rolled ice cream. It’s crucial that your heavy cream is *very cold* when you start. Keep it in the refrigerator until the very moment you’re ready to mix. The high fat content in heavy cream allows it to thicken beautifully and freeze into a smooth consistency, rather than becoming icy.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: Do not confuse this with evaporated milk or regular whole milk! Sweetened condensed milk is a key component, serving multiple purposes. It not only provides the necessary sweetness but also contributes significantly to the creamy texture and helps prevent large ice crystals from forming, ensuring your rolled ice cream remains smooth and scoopable (or rather, “roll-able”). Its thick consistency is vital for the base to set properly on the cold surface.
• Salt (optional, but recommended): A small pinch of salt works wonders to enhance the overall flavor of your ice cream. It balances the sweetness of the condensed milk and brings out the dairy notes, resulting in a more complex and satisfying taste.

You can find the exact measurements and full ingredient list in the detailed recipe card conveniently located at the bottom of this post.

Unleash Your Creativity: Top-Tier Toppings

The fun truly begins when you add your favorite toppings! Whether you’re mixing them into the base before freezing or piling them on top of your finished rolls, these optional additions elevate your rolled ice cream experience.

• Sprinkles: A classic for a reason! Rainbow sprinkles add a pop of vibrant color and a delightful crunch. Don’t stop there – consider using seasonal sprinkles to celebrate holidays like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Halloween, or even birthdays.
• Crushed Cookies: Transform your rolled ice cream into an instant classic. Favorites like Oreo cookies (cream removed or kept in!), chocolate chip cookies, or even buttery sugar cookies are excellent choices. Simply crush them into small pieces before incorporating.
• Crushed Candy Bars: Have leftover Halloween candy? Or just a favorite candy bar calling your name? Chop up Snickers, Twix, Reese’s, or Kit Kats for an explosion of flavor and texture. This is a fantastic way to repurpose candy into a delicious new dessert.
• Caramel Sauce: A drizzle of rich caramel adds a luxurious touch. Our Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe is incredibly easy to make and tastes infinitely better than store-bought.
• Chocolate Chips: From classic milk chocolate to intense dark chocolate or creamy white chocolate, chocolate chips are always a welcome addition. They’re also phenomenal when paired with a generous swirl of Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe.
• Fresh Fruit: For a lighter, brighter flavor, fresh fruits are perfect. Sliced strawberries, diced peaches, pineapple chunks, or juicy raspberries add natural sweetness and a refreshing contrast to the creamy base.
• Crushed Pretzels: For a delightful sweet and salty crunch, crushed pretzels are an unexpected but highly addictive topping.

Essential Equipment for Homemade Rolled Ice Cream

While you don’t need a professional anti-griddle, having the right tools will make your rolled ice cream journey much smoother and more enjoyable:

• Rimmed Baking Sheet Pans: You’ll need at least two, preferably with good sturdy rims, as these will be your “cold surfaces” in the freezer. The rim helps keep the liquid ice cream base contained.
• Large Mixing Bowl: For combining your heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk.
• Whisk: To ensure your base ingredients are thoroughly blended.
• Metal Spatulas or Putty Knives: This is critical for rolling! You’ll need a flat-edged, sturdy metal spatula (like a bench scraper or wide offset spatula) or even a clean, new putty knife from a hardware store. The key is a thin, sharp edge to effectively scrape and roll the frozen ice cream.
• Small Serving Bowls or Ramekins: Chilling these beforehand helps keep your rolled ice cream firm once transferred.
• Freezer with Flat Surface: Essential for freezing your sheet pans evenly.

How to Make Ice Cream Rolls: Step-by-Step

Let’s get down to the exciting part – creating your very own rolled ice cream! Follow these steps carefully for the best results.

Step 1. Prepare the Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and a pinch of salt. Whisk these ingredients together thoroughly until they are well blended and the mixture is uniform. You want to ensure there are no streaks of unmixed condensed milk or cream.

Step 2. Mix Until Blended: Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined. It should have a slightly thickened consistency, but not fully whipped like whipped cream. This ensures a consistent base for freezing.

Step 3. Prepare for Freezing: Carefully pour the blended ice cream mixture into two rimmed baking sheet pans. Aim for an even, thin layer across each pan – this is crucial for successful rolling. If you plan to add mix-in toppings directly into the ice cream (like crushed cookies or sprinkles), sprinkle them evenly over the mixture now. Use a spatula to gently swirl or mix them into the liquid base. Place the sheet pans in the freezer on a completely flat surface. This flat positioning ensures the mixture freezes evenly. Allow them to freeze for 2 to 4 hours, or until completely solid and firm enough to scrape.

Step 4. Chill Your Tools and Roll: About 15-30 minutes before you plan to roll the ice cream, place your serving bowls (ramekins or small cups) and your metal ice cream scraper (spatula or putty knife) into the freezer. Chilling these tools will prevent the ice cream from melting too quickly as you work. Once everything is ready, retrieve one sheet pan from the freezer. Working quickly, position the pan with the longer side facing you. Use your chilled spatula to cut the frozen ice cream into approximately 3-inch wide strips. Starting at one end of a strip (preferably the bottom), firmly push the spatula forward at a slight angle, scraping the ice cream up and rolling it into a spiral as you go. Gently transfer each finished roll into the chilled serving bowls. Repeat with the remaining ice cream, rolling one pan at a time to keep the other frozen. Garnish with additional toppings like whipped cream, fresh berries, or chocolate syrup, and serve immediately!

Beyond the Basics: Exciting Rolled Ice Cream Flavors

The beauty of this simple base is its versatility. You can infuse your rolled ice cream with a myriad of flavors. Here are some popular ideas and how to achieve them:

• Cookies and Cream: Before freezing, add finely crushed Oreo cookies (or similar chocolate sandwich cookies) to the whisked ice cream base. Stir them in thoroughly to distribute the cookie bits evenly, ensuring every roll is packed with flavor.

• Peach Ice Cream: Dice fresh, ripe peaches into very small pieces. Gently fold them into the ice cream base before pouring onto the sheet pans. The natural sweetness and slight tartness of the peaches will create a refreshing treat.

• Fudge Stripe: Once the ice cream mixture is spread onto the sheet pan, drizzle generous lines of chocolate syrup all over the surface. Use a toothpick or small knife to swirl it lightly through the mixture before freezing, creating beautiful marble patterns.

• Birthday Cake: This is a guaranteed kid-favorite! Mix colorful cake batter sprinkles (confetti sprinkles) directly into the ice cream base before freezing. Once rolled, top with whipped cream and more sprinkles for a festive celebration in a cup.

• Mint Chocolate Chip: Chop Andes mints or other mint chocolate candies into small pieces. Fold them into the ice cream base. For an extra boost of mint flavor and color, you can also add a tiny drop of green food coloring and a touch of mint extract (start small, a little goes a long way!).

• Nutella Swirl: After pouring the base onto the sheet pan, dollop spoonfuls of Nutella randomly across the surface. Use a knife or skewer to swirl the Nutella through the ice cream mixture, creating a rich, hazelnut-chocolate marbled effect. This yields an incredibly creamy and delicious result.

• Peanut Butter Bliss: Swirl creamy peanut butter or peanut butter sauce into the base before freezing. For added texture, you could also mix in some finely crushed peanuts or mini peanut butter cups. The nutty flavor pairs wonderfully with the sweet cream.

Truly, the possibilities for flavors are endless! The simple two-ingredient base acts as a perfect canvas, allowing you to easily incorporate almost anything you desire to create countless unique and delicious rolled ice cream experiences.

Storage Tips for Your Homemade Rolls

While rolled ice cream is best enjoyed immediately after preparation for the ultimate texture and visual appeal, you can certainly store leftovers or pre-made batches.

Place your finished rolled ice cream (or even the frozen sheet of ice cream before rolling, if you prefer to roll fresh) inside an airtight container. This helps prevent freezer burn and keeps unwanted odors from permeating your delicious dessert. Store the container in the coldest part of your freezer. When stored properly, homemade rolled ice cream can maintain its quality for up to 3 months.

However, in my experience, this delectable treat tends to disappear pretty fast around here, so it rarely lasts that long!

Frequently Asked Questions About Rolled Ice Cream

Here are some common questions people ask about making rolled ice cream at home:

• Do I need a special machine to make rolled ice cream? No! While professional rolled ice cream shops use specialized freezing pans or “anti-griddles,” this homemade recipe cleverly uses standard rimmed baking sheet pans, which you likely already have in your kitchen freezer. The key is to get them extremely cold.
• Can I use different types of milk? For this specific 2-ingredient recipe, heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk are essential for achieving the correct texture and sweetness. Substituting with other milks (like regular milk, almond milk, or coconut milk) will drastically change the consistency and may prevent the mixture from freezing and rolling properly.
• Why isn’t my rolled ice cream freezing hard enough? The most common reasons are that your sheet pan wasn’t cold enough (freeze it for at least an hour, preferably longer, before pouring the mixture), or the ice cream mixture itself wasn’t frozen for long enough (needs 2-4 hours). Ensure your freezer is set to a sufficiently cold temperature.
• My ice cream is too hard to roll, what should I do? If your ice cream base is rock solid, it likely froze for too long or your freezer is extremely cold. Let the pan sit at room temperature for just 1-2 minutes to slightly soften the top layer, then try rolling again. Don’t let it sit out for too long, or it will become too soft.
• How do I get perfect rolls? Practice is key! Start by making sure your ice cream is perfectly frozen and your spatula is chilled and has a sharp, flat edge. Push firmly and evenly with your spatula at a slight angle to create the roll. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect initially; they’ll still taste amazing!
• Can I make this dairy-free or vegan? While this specific recipe relies on dairy heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk, you might be able to find recipes using full-fat coconut cream and sweetened condensed coconut milk. However, the ratios and freezing times would likely need adjustment, so it would be a different recipe entirely.

More Delicious Ice Cream Recipes

If you’ve loved making this rolled ice cream and are looking for more frosty treats, explore some of our other fantastic homemade ice cream recipes:

• Kool-Aid Ice Cream: A fun, vibrant, and surprisingly simple ice cream that kids absolutely adore!
• Homemade Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Recipe: The classic flavor we all love, made from scratch with ease.
• Homemade Cotton Candy Ice Cream Recipe: A whimsical and colorful treat that tastes just like the carnival favorite.
• Cookie Monster Ice Cream: A playful blue ice cream packed with cookies, perfect for a themed party or just for fun.
• Samoa Ice Cream: Inspired by the popular Girl Scout cookie, this ice cream features coconut, caramel, and chocolate.
• Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream: Indulge in the rich, creamy flavors of cheesecake combined with fresh strawberries in this delightful dessert.

Go ahead and make this incredible homemade rolled ice cream today for a truly special and memorable treat. We’d love to hear about your creations! Please come back and leave a star rating and comment to share your experience.