Ube ice cream is sweet, earthy, delicious and wonderfully purple! With just 5 ingredients and not needing an ice cream maker, it’s also very easy to make at home. Plus, get lots of tips and answers to your frequently asked questions so you can make this popular Filipino dessert perfectly every time.
(Love making homemade ice cream? Try this delicious Roasted Cherry Choco Chip Ice Cream or this Pistachio Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. They taste so much better than their store counterparts!)
Did you grow up in the Philippines enjoying ube ice cream from Magnolia, Selecta or your local sorbetero?
Then I have a fabulous purple treat for you — an easy, authentic, ube ice cream recipe you can make in the comforts of your own kitchen.
It tastes so much like the one from home and the best part is, this recipe results to a creamier ice cream than the one I remember.
It’s so good! Let’s get to it.
Why you’ll love making this recipe
I’m a big fan of homemade ice cream, especially this one. You’ll love it too because:
- It’s very easy to make. You don’t even need an ice cream maker (no-churn).
- Ube ice cream is only made of 5 ingredients. It’s egg-free and custard-free too so you don’t need to worry about those either.
- Most importantly, it’s ube ice cream like you remember it.
What you’ll need
Making ice cream at home is surprisingly simple. You can never make homemade ice cream you won’t love!
You’ll only need 5 ingredients:
- Condensed milk — this is what gives no-churn ice cream it’s creamy and smooth consistency.
- Ube jam — make sure to choose an ube jam you like eating on its own. You can buy this from an Asian supermarket or Amazon but I make my own ube jam or ube halaya. Try it, it’s super easy!
- Ube extract — this gives the ice cream that bright, vibrant color and a more pronounced ube flavor. You can also buy this from an Asian supermarket or Amazon.
- Vanilla extract — goes very well with ube.
- Heavy cream — this is called differently in different countries but for best results, choose cream that has milk fat content between 36 and 40%.
And like I mentioned, this recipe doesn’t require an ice cream machine.
What I highly recommend are freezer-safe containers with tight-fitting lids to store your ice cream in. I love these ice cream containers and own several in different colors.
How to make
In a large bowl, stir condensed milk, ube jam, ube extract and vanilla extract.
Stir until incorporated.
Take a generous dollop of whipped cream and add to ube mixture.
Fold into your mixture to lighten it.
Take your lightened ube mixture and fold into your whipped cream…
…until well blended.
Transfer into a freezer-safe container and smoothen.
Place plastic wrap on top, then cover tightly. Freeze overnight.
Ice cream making tips
Easy, right? Here are more tips for perfect purple yam ice cream every time.
Use ube jam you like
I always use homemade ube jam when making this recipe but if you’re buying from the store, make sure it’s one that you enjoy eating on its own.
Use full-fat heavy cream
When making homemade ice cream, it’s best to use full fat heavy cream. This means fat content is between 36 and 40%. It whips better and sets better.
Taste, then taste some more
Since no-churn ice cream has no eggs in it, it’s safe to taste as you’re making it. So go ahead and taste at every step if you like.
Especially with this recipe, the kind of ube jam you use will affect how sweet your ice cream becomes. What you can do is add a little at a time and taste until you get the sweetness you like.
Use freezer-friendly container
Not all containers are created equal. Some would lead to ice forming at the bottom or sides of your ice cream. While others might expand in the freezer.
I’ve amassed this collection of ice cream tubs since I learned how to make ice cream and I exclusively use them. I’ve owned them for years and they still look like new!
Cover your ice cream with cling wrap
To be extra sure that ice doesn’t form on any part of your ice cream, especially the top, place cling wrap on it (place it right on the surface of the ice cream) before covering and putting in the freezer.
Then when you’re ready to eat, remove the cling wrap and reveal the creamy, ice cream underneath!
Ube ice cream variations
In the Philippines, there are many ube ice cream variations and they are just as easy to recreate.
– Stir in about a cup of macapuno strips (use the ones available in jars, drained properly) into your ice cream mixture for ube macapuno ice cream.
– Take about a cup of cubed or grated cheese and add into your mixture for a sweet and salty queso / keso ube treat.
Suggested toppings
In addition to cheese and macapuno, my favorite toppings include:
– Toasted coconut
– Strips of langka
– Corn flakes
– And yes, chocolate chips!
Recipe FAQs
For those of you who aren’t familiar with ube yet, it’s the Filipino word for purple yam.
Ube has been a staple in Filipino cuisine for generations and is most often used in making desserts.
A lot of people mistake it for taro, Okinawan sweet potato and purple sweet potato but they’re all different kinds of vegetables and have different flavor profiles as well.
Half & half cannot be substituted for heavy cream in no-churn ice cream recipes because it just doesn’t have enough fat content for whipping (10 to 18 percent).
In a pinch, you can use whipping cream (30 to 36 percent milk fat) but it will result to a lighter, softer texture.
To prevent your ice cream from getting freezer burn or forming ice crystals:
(1) Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the ice cream’s surface before placing the lid. This also helps prevent freezer smells from seeping into your ice cream.
(2) Make sure you use a freezer-safe container with a proper, tight-fitting lid.
It’s still safe to eat ice cream with a few ice crystals. It’s going to affect the texture and the taste though so you really want to protect it from air (its main enemy) and eat it within 2 weeks of making it.
Homemade ube ice cream lasts about 2 weeks in the freezer.
Because it doesn’t have the same preservatives as store-bought, when it comes to homemade ice cream, the fresher the better.
Some tips to keep it fresh for longer:
– Cover the top with plastic wrap (see above)
– Store in a relatively shallow and flat container vs. a deep dish
– Store towards the back of your freezer so that its temperature can remain fairly constant
Other ube dessert recipes
Ready to get into all things ube? Check these out:
Happy ice cream making!
Did you make homemade ube ice cream? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a comment or a star rating below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations!
Ube Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 10-oz can condensed milk
- 5 oz ube jam (see notes)
- 4 tsp ube extract 1 20-ml bottle
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy cream whipped to medium/stiff peaks
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir condensed milk, ube jam, ube extract and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Take a generous dollop of whipped cream and fold into your ube mixture to lighten it.
- Take your lightened ube mixture and fold into your whipped cream until combined.
- Transfer into a freezer-safe container, smoothen the top and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight.
Video
Notes
- Since ube jam is the base of your ice cream, it’s important to use one that you like on its own. I always use my homemade ube jam.
- It will also affect how sweet your ice cream becomes. What you can do is add a little at a time and taste until you get the sweetness you like.
- It’s also best to use heavy cream (milk fat content between 36 and 40 percent). It whips and sets better.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Mayuri
I love purple! I have never heard of ube before but now I am going to first get all the ingredients and then I will try this recipe out. Thanks for sharing!
Liz Beth
I have all the ingredients except the purple yam as we called here in Australia or Ube jam in US ! But the Asian Store does not have the Ube jam , it’s out of stock ! I want to make it now the Ube Ice Cream as it Hot here in Australia , we are in Spring season now but it’s Scorching Hot ! What would be the best replacement for Ube jam, please ! Can I make Ube Ice Cream without the Ube jam !
Say
@Liz Beth, use 1 tbsp ube powder
Anthony
@Liz Beth, Hi Liz, I purchased my Ube Jam in Campsie. There is a Philippino shop near the medical centre. They have it in stock atm. Good luck. But remember to freeze the unused jam as it tends to go moldy even in the refrigerator.
Kim
My other half is always talking about Ube ice cream and I’ve always thought the colour is amazing but never considered making it myself, it looks super simple! I’ll have to give it a try.
Jolina
Hi Kim! Hope you get to try it. It’s pretty awesome if I say so myself 🙂
Amanda
OMG how have I only discovered your blog now! This recipe looks amazing! I love ube. And I also just saw your turon recipe – YUM! I cannot wait to try your recipes. Love it!
Jolina
Hi Amanda! Thanks! You know what goes really well together? Ube AND turon lol! Hope you like them! Happy Saturday 🙂
Emily
I used to watch this youtuber that was Filipino and always ate ube. I never knew what it was until now.
I don’t consume daity but I can’t stop staring at that vibrant purple colour :O
Jolina
LOL I must find this person you speak of! 🙂
Angela Milnes
Ohh, this really looks yummy and I think I need this too. Glad that you share this
Jaime Nicole
I have never heard of ube but that purple color is just gorgeous! Love that you made this without an ice cream maker!
Jacqui Odell
I haven’t heard of ube before. But if you judge ice cream by it’s appearance I know my daughter would love it. She loves purple.
Jody
This homemade ice cream sounds delicious! I love that it doesn’t require an ice cream machine so I don’t need to go out and buy one.
Jennifer G
WOW this looks amazing. I LOVE the colour of the ice cream. SO vibrant and gorgeous. I am sure it tasted wonderful! I am going to have to check it out.
Aditi
I lived in Japan, and surprisingly I never liked ube. 🙁 Maybe I didn’t try it with my heart. But this ube ice cream looks super yummy, I think I will give ube one more try. 😀
Jolina
Hi Aditi! I hope this changes you mind 🙂 (Hmmm you made me wonder if maybe there are different kinds of ube!)
Aura
Yay. Purple yam ice cream! I had this before when I visited California. It was so delicious and creamy! Thank you for sharing the recipe. Now I can make this at home. But first, I have to find those ingredients!
Jolina
Yay! I hope you find the ingredients and I hope you like the ice cream 🙂
Sara
This looks insane!!! I so wanna try this out- it would be great dessert for guests!!
Paula A Bendfeldt Diaz
I had to look up what ube was. 🙂 This looks delicious and so beautiful and bright colored. I am thinking a purple yam ice cream sounds pretty good. Will have to experiment cooking with ube.
Lisa
The color alone of this ice cream is amazing. I haven’t ever heard of Ube but it looks wonderful.
Marysa
What gorgeous ice cream! And it sounds like it would be delicious. We have made ice cream a few times, and it would be fun to make a unique ice cream like ube.