Lemon Meringue Ice Cream
Lemon meringue ice cream is a rich, creamy frozen dessert that folds bright lemon into a sweet cream base, then studs it with crunchy pieces of crushed meringue and almond Cantuccini biscuits. Think of it as lemon meringue pie in scoopable form: tangy, sweet, and full of crisp little bites of texture in every spoonful.
This is a classic, egg-and-dairy dessert (so it is vegetarian rather than vegan), and it comes together with just a handful of pantry ingredients. Below you will find both an ice cream maker method and a no-churn version, plus my tips for keeping the texture smooth and the lemon flavor punchy.
For me, there is no summer without enjoying homemade ice cream. I usually prepare it from frozen and blended bananas mixed with flavored protein powder, which is both light and delicious, but this time I wanted something classic, made with milk and sugar the traditional way. I was inspired by the authentic Italian lemon ice cream recipe and customized it to my own taste, leaning on Italian flavors right down to the Cantuccini. If you love that kind of cooking, browse more Italian recipes here on the blog.
What you’ll need
The ingredient list is short, and each part plays a role. Here is what goes into the base and why it matters:
- Liquid cream and milk give the ice cream its body. The cream is what makes it scoopable and rich, while the milk keeps it from turning too heavy.
- Sugar sweetens the base and also helps keep the texture soft once frozen, so it does not set rock hard.
- Lemon juice and lemon extract are the stars. The juice brings fresh acidity and the extract deepens that unmistakable lemon aroma.
- Vanilla extract and a pinch of salt round everything out and stop the sweetness from feeling flat.
- Crushed meringue folds in at the end for airy, sweet crunch that softens slightly in the cold cream.
- Cantuccini biscuits, the crisp Italian almond biscotti, add a nutty bite. Crush them so you get pieces rather than dust.
How to make lemon meringue ice cream
You can make this with an ice cream maker or without one. Both routes get you to the same creamy result, so pick whichever suits your kitchen.
With an ice cream maker:
- Add every ingredient except the meringue and Cantuccini to the ice cream machine.
- Run the machine on your chosen program. A few minutes before it finishes, add the crushed meringue and Cantuccini so they stay in pieces.
- Transfer the mixture to freezer-safe containers and freeze until firm.
No-churn method:
- Using a hand mixer, blend all the ingredients except the meringue and Cantuccini until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into one or more trays lined with plastic wrap and freeze until completely solid.
- Break the frozen sheets into smaller pieces and add them to a food processor.
- Process for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the mixture turns creamy again.
- Add the crushed meringue and Cantuccini, then pulse a couple of times just to distribute them.
- Enjoy right away for a soft-serve texture, or return it to the freezer to firm up.
Tips for the creamiest results
- Chill the base before freezing. A cold mixture freezes faster and more evenly, which means fewer ice crystals and a smoother scoop.
- Add the mix-ins late. Folding in the meringue and Cantuccini at the very end keeps them crunchy instead of letting them dissolve into the base.
- Do not over-process the no-churn version. Blend the frozen sheets just until creamy. Going too long warms the mixture and you lose that soft, airy texture.
- Taste before freezing. Cold dulls flavor, so the base should taste a touch more lemony and sweet at room temperature than you want the final scoop to be.
Storing and making it ahead
Keep the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to limit ice crystals. Homemade ice cream has no stabilizers, so it is best enjoyed within a couple of weeks while the texture is still creamy. Let it sit on the counter for a few minutes before scooping so it softens enough to serve. If you like to keep a stash of frozen desserts ready to go, my full collection of homemade ice cream recipes has plenty of options to rotate through.
How to serve it and what to try next
Serve it in waffle cones with a slice of fresh lemon on the side for a pretty, tangy finish, or scoop it into bowls alongside extra crushed meringue. It is bright enough to close out a heavier meal without feeling too much. If you are chasing more lemon desserts, a slice of lemon olive oil cake or a batch of tangy vegan lemon bars makes a lovely partner. And when you want a completely dairy-free frozen treat, my vegan chocolate ice cream is a rich, plant-based favorite.
I hope you’ll enjoy this lemon meringue ice cream as much as we did. If you make it, please rate the recipe below and leave me a comment telling me how it turned out for you, and whether you went the ice cream maker or no-churn route!
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Lemon Meringue Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 3 cups of liquid cream
- 1 cup milk
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup crushed meringue
- 1 cup Cantuccini biscuits crushed
Instructions
Easy method – using an ice cream machine:
- Put all the ingredients except for the meringue and Cantuccini in the ice cream machine.
- Start the machine and leave it on the desired program. A few minutes before finishing the program, add the meringue and Cantuccini.
- Transfer the mixture into appropriate containers and put in the freezer until it hardens.
Blender / Food processor & freezer method – without an ice cream machine:
- Using the hand mixer, mix all the ingredients (except meringue and Cantuccini).
- Place the ice cream mixture in the freezer in one or more trays covered with plastic wrap.
- Leave it in the freezer until completely frozen.
- Take it out and cut/break the sheets of ice cream into smaller pieces that you put in the food processor.
- Process for 30s-1 minute until it turns into cream.
- Add the meringue and Cantuccini and use the Pulse function a couple of times.
- Enjoy it now or put it in the freezer.
- Serve in waffle cones with slices of fresh lemon.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This recipe is made with liquid cream, milk, and egg-white meringue, and Cantuccini biscuits typically contain eggs too, so it is vegetarian rather than vegan. If you want a plant-based frozen dessert instead, try one of the recipes in my vegan ice cream collection.
No. The recipe gives you two methods. With an ice cream maker you churn the base and add the mix-ins near the end. Without one, you freeze the base in trays, then break it up and blend it smooth in a food processor before folding in the meringue and Cantuccini.
Cantuccini are crisp Italian almond biscotti, and they add a nutty crunch to the ice cream. If you cannot find them, any firm almond biscotti or a similar crunchy cookie works. Crush them into pieces rather than fine crumbs so you keep the texture.
Fresh lemon juice gives the brightest, cleanest flavor, so it is worth using if you can. The recipe also uses lemon extract to deepen the aroma, so the two together carry the lemon taste. Bottled juice will work in a pinch but the flavor is not quite as fresh.
Store it in an airtight container in the freezer and press plastic wrap against the surface to reduce ice crystals. Because homemade ice cream has no stabilizers, it is best enjoyed within a couple of weeks while the texture stays creamy. Let it soften on the counter for a few minutes before scooping.
Icy texture usually comes from the base freezing too slowly or from skipping the re-blending step in the no-churn method. Chill the mixture before freezing, and for the no-churn version blend the frozen sheets until creamy before it warms up. The sugar in the base also helps keep it softer, so do not cut it too much.
