Ube Ice Cream (No Churn) Recipe

This deliciously thick and creamy homemade No-Churn Ube Ice Cream is rich, easy to make, and packed with the sweet, nutty flavor of ube. Made with just four simple ingredients and no ice cream maker required, this homemade purple yam ice cream comes together in just a few minutes before freezing into a smooth, scoopable dessert.

It’s the perfect make-ahead treat for summer parties, Filipino-inspired dessert spreads, or whenever you’re craving a unique and colorful frozen dessert.

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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

What does ube taste like?

Ube, a Filipino purple yam, has mildly sweet flavors of vanilla, pistachio, and white chocolate, with little hints of coconut. It has a subtle, creamy earthiness which makes it a popular base for desserts like ice cream and pastries. And besides, it has that beautiful purple pink color that makes it so insta-worthy.

There are several ways to use ube: ube powder, ube flavor extract, fresh ube, Ube Halaya (Ube Jam), and frozen puree. I developed this ube ice cream recipe using ube powder to add concentrated flavor without adding extra liquid that can lead to ice crystals in homemade ice cream. Feel free to add in a splash of ube flavor extract as well if you’d like.

How to make

This no-churn egg-free ube ice cream recipe skips the traditional custard base and ice cream machine. Sweetened condensed milk provides sweetness and helps create a smooth texture, while whipped cream adds richness and volume.

The full recipe is in the recipe card below, but here are some tips and tricks for you.

Natural ube powder can vary significantly by brand. If using a less concentrated powder, you may need 2–3 tablespoons or even up to ¼ of a cup ube powder for a stronger ube flavor and deeper color.

Use high-quality ube powder for the best flavor and color. Here’s the brand of ube powder I’ve been using and am very happy with it. It has great color, texture, and flavor.

First, you’ll combine all the ingredients in the mixing bowl, just stirring them together. The ube powder may not completely dissolve in the liquid, so there may be small specks of ube. Personally, I think the specks are really pretty, and I will take the time savings of not having another step.

But, if you’d like the ice cream to be completely smooth without any specks, simply take the ube powder and mix it into a small amount of the cream until it’s completely dissolved. This can be done fairly easily with a milk frother. Then, continue on with the recipe.

For a deeper purple color, add a drop or two of purple food coloring if desired.

Chill the mixture before whipping for faster thickening.

Once the mixture has chilled, mix it all together using a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer. It’ll take about 5-10 minutes until it’s thickened like custard. Avoid over mixing once thickened to prevent a buttery or grainy texture.

Many no churn recipes whip the cream separately before folding in the condensed milk. My method works because the condensed milk stabilizes the cream, and gives the final ice cream a slightly denser texture than many no churn ice creams. Besides, it’s one less step to do. This is a recipe I’ve used since before the internet was really even a thing!

Wait, before you freeze it, I have a little tip for you… it’s great as a cold foam iced coffee topper at this point!

Then, spoon it into the ice cream container. I recommend spooning so you don’t deflate the whipped custard. And gently tap it on the counter to release any air bubbles and to get the mixture to settle into the pan.

I love these 1.5-quart ice cream containers. They’re insulted, come in all kinds of colors, have built in lids, and fit nicely in my freezer. You can also use a metal loaf pan for quicker freezing.

Cover tightly before freezing to reduce ice crystals. Freeze overnight for the creamiest texture.

Let the ice cream soften for a few minutes before scooping.

Storage

Store tightly covered in an airtight container in the freezer to prevent freezer burn for up to 2 months.

Variations

• Fold in toasted coconut flakes before freezing
• Add crushed vanilla wafers for texture
• Swirl in coconut cream for extra richness
• Mix in white chocolate chunks for a sweeter dessert

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