Shake It Up!

Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
Did you know you can make creamy, delicious ice cream at home without an ice cream machine? All you need are a few simple ingredients and a little patience. This fun recipe is part science experiment and part sweet treat—perfect for a hot summer day!

What You’ll Need
• 1 C. heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 C. ice
• 1/3 C. salt
• 1 small resealable plastic bag
• 1 gallon size resealable plastic bag
• Gloves or a towel (optional, but helpful—your hands will get cold!)

Let’s Make Ice Cream!

1. Mix the ingredients. Pour the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into the small resealable bag. Seal it tightly.

2. Prepare the ice bag. Put the ice and salt in the large bag. Don’t fill it all the way or else the small bag won’t fit inside.

3. Combine the bags. Place the small, sealed bag inside the large bag with the ice. Seal the large bag.

4. Shake, shake, shake! Shake the bag for 5-8 minutes. It will feel very cold—use the gloves or a towel if you need to. Feel free to take turns with a sibling or friend.

5. Check your ice cream. When the mixture in the small bag thickens into ice cream, take it out, wipe the bag so no salt gets inside, and open it up.

6. Enjoy! Scoop your ice cream into a bowl or cone, grab a spoon, and dig in.

Make It Your Own
You can even invent your own flavor! Try mixing in:
• Chocolate chips
• Crushed cookies or candies
• Chocolate or caramel syrup
• Strawberries or bananas
• Sprinkles

Making ice cream in a bag is a fun way to learn a little science while making a tasty treat. Just remember: the best ingredient is a good shake and a big smile.

Make It Your Own

Salt lowers the freezing temperature of ice. When salt mixes with ice, it gets even colder and pulls heat away from the cream mixture. That helps the liquid freeze into ice cream while you shake it.