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Blue Moon Ice Cream

Blue Moon ice cream is an electric-blue, nostalgic dessert made with a custard base, almond-vanilla fruity notes, and a vivid color created by adding blue food coloring a few drops at a time. The mixture is cooked to 175°F, chilled for 4 hours, churned, then frozen until firm for scoopable softness.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

heavy cream
  • 2 cup heavy cream
whole milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
egg yolks
  • 4 egg yolks
almond extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
raspberry extract or blue raspberry flavoring
  • 0.5 tsp raspberry extract or blue raspberry flavoring
lemon extract
  • 0.25 tsp lemon extract
blue food coloring
  • 1 blue food coloring Add a few drops at a time until the desired electric blue is achieved.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 ice cream maker

Method
 

Make the custard base
  1. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream and whole milk until steaming, with small bubbles forming at the edges. Keep it just steaming so the dairy doesn’t boil over.
  2. Whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a bowl, then slowly whisk the hot dairy into the yolks in a thin stream to temper. Continue whisking until the mixture looks smooth and glossy.
  3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175°F. You’ll see it thicken enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
  4. Strain the custard, then cool slightly so it’s ready for flavoring. Stop when warm but not hot to the touch.
Flavor and color
  1. Stir in the almond extract, vanilla extract, raspberry extract or blue raspberry flavoring, and lemon extract until evenly combined. Taste is not needed—just mix thoroughly for consistent flavor.
  2. Add blue food coloring a few drops at a time, stirring well after each addition, until the mixture turns vivid electric blue. Stop when the color looks dramatic and uniform.
Chill, churn, and freeze
  1. Cool completely, then refrigerate for 4 hours to chill the base thoroughly. Cover the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
  2. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Churn until it has the texture of soft-serve and looks light and aerated.
  3. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm. Freeze long enough that scoops hold their shape.

Notes

Pro tip: when cooking to 175°F, keep stirring to avoid scrambling the egg yolks—if you don’t have a thermometer, cook until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Store in the freezer in a covered container for up to 2 weeks; thaw in the fridge for 10–15 minutes for easier scooping. No—freezing the base again after churning isn’t recommended. Dietary swap: for a lighter version, use half-and-half in place of half the heavy cream (texture will be softer).