No-Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream

By Melissa Clark

Updated September 9, 2025

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
3½ hours
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
3 hours 20 minutes
Rating
4(453)
Comments
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Yes, you can make excellent ice cream without an ice cream machine — and with just two ingredients. This salted caramel version has a buoyant, velvety texture thanks to whipped cream and gets toasty butterscotch notes from prepared dulce de leche, a richly complex substitute for the more commonly used sweetened condensed milk. Adding a pinch of flaky sea salt to some of the dulce de leche before swirling it into the ice cream base gives the whole thing crunchy, savory pops, balancing out the sweetness. And if you want to go one step further, swirling in a few tablespoons of chopped nuts, shredded coconut or chocolate chips along with the dulce de leche adds texture as well as flavor.

Featured in: The Easiest Salted Caramel Ice Cream Doesn’t Require a Machine

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Ingredients

Yield:1½ pints

  • 1 (14-ounce) can or jar dulce de leche

  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream

  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • ½ teaspoon flaky salt (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

23 grams carbs; 52 milligrams cholesterol; 246 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 175 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 21 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour or spoon about ¾ of the dulce de leche from the can into a small bowl (save the remaining dulce de leche for swirling). In a large bowl, using a whisk or electric mixer, beat heavy cream and fine sea salt until stiff. Add a dollop of the whipped cream to the small bowl, and mix until the dulce de leche has loosened.

  2. Step 2

    Add the lightened dulce de leche mixture to the bowl of whipped cream, gently folding until combined.

  3. Step 3

    Add remaining dulce de leche to the now-empty small bowl and season with flaky salt (or you can substitute ¼ teaspoon fine salt, but you won’t have the crunch).

  4. Step 4

    In a quart-size container, add a quarter of the dulce de leche whipped cream. Dollop in a few small spoonfuls of salted dulce de leche on top and swirl gently. Repeat until all of the whipped cream and dulce de leche are transferred. Freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
453 user ratings
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Comments

Judith

If you can’t find dulce de leche at your local grocery, you can easily make your own by simmering, for 3 hrs, an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of water. Keep it covered by an inch or so of water! (No, it won’t explode.) Remove from hot water bath and bring to room temp. It stores indefinitely, so make several. Can’t wait? Open a can, scoop out 1/3 cup and top with whipped cream. I’ve made it this way for many years.

Heidi

I just love everything Melissa does. Period.

Grace

I have made condensed milk based ice creams in a Cuisinart ice cream machine. I just mix the heavy cream and condensed milk together. I add it to the machine, no whipping necessary. Since dulce de leche is just caramelized condensed milk, this method should work well.

Former corgimum

Making your own dulce de leche: If you boil do not use a fancy pot(no ruffoni kids) since the adhesive will get on everything.

Former corgimum

This was very rich and sweet but does work. The only downside i missed was the fluffier air in an ice cream. But it was a great way to use up condensed milk. On that note the salt helps cut down the very caramel sweet so recommended.

splendidcakes

I did this and it worked perfectly. Thanks for the tip!@Grace

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