Cranberry Orange Vanilla Ice Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 1 quart ice cream, about 8 servings
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 9 hours 15 minutes, including chilling, churning, and freezing

Quick Ingredients

• Cranberry compote: 12 ounces cranberries, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Ice cream base: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, 5 large egg yolks, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Do This

• 1. Simmer cranberries, sugar, orange juice, zest, and salt for 10 to 12 minutes until jammy; chill completely.
• 2. Warm cream, milk, half the sugar, corn syrup, orange zest, and salt to 165 degrees F.
• 3. Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar, temper with hot cream, then cook the custard to 170 to 175 degrees F.
• 4. Strain, stir in vanilla, and chill the custard for at least 4 hours until very cold, 40 degrees F or below.
• 5. Churn in an ice cream maker for 20 to 25 minutes, until thick and soft-serve textured.
• 6. Layer churned ice cream with cold cranberry compote in a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 4 hours before scooping.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bright and creamy: Sweet vanilla custard balances the tart pop of cranberry and fragrant orange zest.
• Beautiful swirl: The ruby-red compote ribbons through the pale cream for a striking, scoop-shop look.
• Year-round friendly: Use fresh cranberries in winter or frozen cranberries anytime for a refreshing dessert in any season.
• Make-ahead perfect: The compote and custard can both be prepared the day before churning.

Grocery List

• Produce: 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, 3 medium oranges
• Dairy: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 5 large egg yolks
• Pantry: Granulated sugar, light corn syrup, pure vanilla extract, fine sea salt

Full Ingredients

For the Cranberry Orange Compote

• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, about 3 cups
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 132 grams
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 120 milliliters, from about 2 medium oranges
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, from about 1 medium orange
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Vanilla Orange Ice Cream Base

• 2 cups heavy cream, 480 milliliters
• 1 cup whole milk, 240 milliliters
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 100 grams, divided
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, 30 milliliters
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, from about 1 medium orange
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

For Serving

• Extra finely grated orange zest, optional
• Small candied orange peel strips, optional
• Butter cookies, shortbread, or crisp waffle cones, optional

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Freeze the ice cream maker bowl

If your ice cream maker uses a freezer bowl, place it in the freezer for at least 24 hours before churning. The bowl should be fully frozen and kept at 0 degrees F or colder. If your machine has a built-in compressor, turn it on according to the manufacturer’s instructions when you are ready to churn.

Step 2: Make the cranberry orange compote

In a medium saucepan, combine 12 ounces cranberries, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt. Set the pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar begins to dissolve and the cranberries start to release their juices.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until most of the cranberries have burst and the mixture looks glossy, thick, and jammy. For a smoother swirl, mash the berries lightly with the back of a spoon; for more texture, leave some berries whole.

Step 3: Chill the compote completely

Transfer the compote to a shallow bowl or container. Let it cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours. The compote should be 40 degrees F or below before layering it into the ice cream; warm compote will melt the churned base and create icy patches.

Step 4: Warm the cream mixture

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 165 degrees F and is steaming around the edges. Do not let it boil.

Once hot, remove the pan from the heat and let the orange zest steep in the cream mixture for 10 minutes. This gives the ice cream a bright, fresh orange flavor without adding extra acidity.

Step 5: Temper the egg yolks

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk 5 large egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar for about 1 minute, until the mixture looks slightly lighter and smoother. Slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. Add another 1/2 cup warm cream mixture in the same way.

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream. Whisk gently to combine. Tempering warms the yolks gradually so they thicken the custard smoothly instead of scrambling.

Step 6: Cook the custard

Return the saucepan to medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan, until the custard reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. This usually takes 6 to 8 minutes. The custard should lightly coat the back of the spatula; if you run a finger through it, the line should hold.

Do not allow the custard to boil. If it climbs above 180 degrees F, the yolks may curdle and the texture can become grainy.

Step 7: Strain, flavor, and chill the base

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a clean bowl and pour the custard through it to remove the orange zest and any tiny bits of cooked egg. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.

For the fastest cooling, set the bowl of custard into a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir for 5 minutes. Cover the custard with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. For the best churn, the base should be 40 degrees F or below.

Step 8: Churn the ice cream

Pour the chilled custard into your prepared ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s directions until the ice cream is thick, creamy, and the texture of soft serve, about 20 to 25 minutes. The exact time will depend on your machine and how cold the base is.

While the ice cream churns, place a 1-quart freezer-safe container in the freezer so it is cold when you are ready to pack the ice cream.

Step 9: Layer in the cranberry swirl

Spoon one-third of the churned vanilla orange ice cream into the chilled container. Dollop one-third of the cold cranberry compote over the top. Repeat with two more layers of ice cream and compote. Use a butter knife or skewer to make 3 to 4 gentle figure-eight swirls through the mixture.

A light hand is best here. If you stir too much, the compote will fully blend into the ice cream instead of creating bold ruby ribbons.

Step 10: Freeze until scoopable

Press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream, then cover the container tightly with a lid. Freeze at 0 degrees F for at least 4 hours, or until firm enough to scoop. For the creamiest texture, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips

• Use finely grated zest: A microplane creates delicate zest that infuses flavor without leaving chewy pieces behind.
• Chill thoroughly: A very cold custard churns faster, traps smaller ice crystals, and makes a smoother finished ice cream.
• Keep the compote thick: Simmer it until jammy so the cranberry swirl stays concentrated instead of watering down the ice cream.
• Do not over-swirl: A few gentle passes give you beautiful cranberry ribbons and distinct vanilla-orange pockets.
• Use frozen cranberries without thawing: Add them straight to the saucepan and simmer 2 to 3 minutes longer if needed.

Variations

• Cranberry orange cheesecake ice cream: Beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese into the warm strained custard before chilling for a tangy, cheesecake-style base.
• Spiced holiday cranberry orange ice cream: Add 1 cinnamon stick and 2 whole cloves to the compote while it simmers, then remove them before chilling.
• Chocolate cranberry orange ice cream: Fold 1/2 cup finely chopped dark chocolate into the churned ice cream while layering with the compote.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store Cranberry Orange Ice Cream in an airtight freezer-safe container at 0 degrees F for up to 2 weeks for the best flavor and texture. Pressing parchment paper directly onto the surface helps prevent ice crystals. The cranberry compote can be made up to 5 days ahead and kept refrigerated. The custard base can be made up to 24 hours ahead before churning. If the ice cream becomes very firm after several days, let it soften on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 411 kcal | Carbs: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 45g | Sodium: 119mg | Cholesterol: 200mg