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Blue Moon Ice Cream

Blue Moon ice cream is a creamy, electric-blue frozen dessert made with a custard base, strained for silkiness, and flavored with almond, raspberry-blue, and lemon. After chilling, it churns into a smooth texture with a mysterious fruity-floral taste that’s instantly recognizable as a nostalgic Midwest classic.
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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: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Custard base
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp raspberry extract or blue raspberry flavoring
  • 0.25 tsp lemon extract
  • 0.5 tsp blue food coloring Start with a few drops and add gradually to reach electric blue.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 strainer

Method
 

Make the custard
  1. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream and whole milk until steaming, whisking occasionally so the mixture doesn’t scorch.
  2. Whisk the hot cream mixture slowly into the egg yolks beaten with granulated sugar, keeping the stream steady to avoid scrambling.
  3. Return the custard to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175F.
  4. Strain the custard and cool slightly so it’s smooth before adding flavor and color.
Flavor and color
  1. Stir in the almond extract, vanilla extract, raspberry extract or blue raspberry flavoring, and lemon extract until fully combined.
  2. Add blue food coloring a few drops at a time until the mixture turns electric blue, stirring after each addition to control the shade.
  3. Cool the custard completely before chilling to prevent ice crystals.
Chill, churn, and freeze
  1. Refrigerate the custard for 4 hours until very cold, then churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  2. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm for scoopable texture.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, strain the custard and cool it completely before refrigerating; if it’s still warm, it can slow chilling and affect final scoopability. Store covered in the refrigerator-freezer up to 2 weeks; for best color and flavor, keep it away from the door. Freezing: yes, up to 1 month for best quality. For a dairy-light option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, though the richness and body may be slightly reduced.