This Kulfi Ice Cream is an eggless, no-churn Indian ice cream recipe that's rich, decadent, and easy to make without an ice cream maker. It's ready to chill in 10 minutes and flavored with saffron, cardamom, and rosewater, and adorned with crunchy nuts. Enjoy the authentic 'malai' flavor without any ice crystals.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Frozen dessert recipes hold a special place in my family! I'm not sure if it's the warm weather in California or the sweet, creamy texture, but there is just something so special about enjoying a few scoops of ice cream after a long day.
Everyone in my family has a 'different' favorite ice cream flavor, but I've always preferred Indian flavors, like this creamy Indian Kulfi Ice Cream.
It's prepared with milk, sugar, and intensely fragrant ingredients, including floral saffron and rose water, along with sweet cardamom and pistachios. If you're familiar with Mother Dairy flavors (Indian brand), this will remind you of their 'Mawa Malai' ice cream.
Jump to:
What is Kulfi Ice Cream?
Kulfi is a rich, eggless Indian ice cream with an intense texture because it does not undergo the churning process. Most kulfi flavors include floral and aromatic notes from cardamom, saffron, and rose, and are often adorned with nuts like pistachios, almonds, or cashews.
Why We Love This Recipe
This kulfi recipe takes the same no-churn approach as my mango kulfi and mango ice cream, and highlights the flavors that are so near and dear to my heart. If you aren't drooling already, let me highlight a few reasons why I love making this ice cream:
- 6 ingredients & less than 10 minutes of prep.
- It's an egg-free, no-cook, and no-churn recipe.
- No ice cream-maker required. An electric mixer does all the magic.
- Much easier than traditional method - no need to cook the mix.
- No ice crystals. The texture stays smooth thanks to the choice of ingredients and a few tips.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
Let's take a look at the ingredients in kulfi ice cream. Here's what you need:
- Heavy whipping cream: Keep it chilled for easier whipping.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Keep it chilled.
- Saffron: Look for high-quality brands from local Middle Eastern or Indian grocery markets, Whole Foods, or Amazon.
- Green cardamom: I highly recommend making your own cardamom powder for the best results. Simply deseed 5-6 pods and grind in a spice grinder.
- Rose water: Adds an iconic flavor and aroma. Always use culinary/food-grade rose water. Look for it in Indian grocery markets, the international food section of grocery stores, or online.
- Pistachios. Thinly sliced or chopped. Can also use almonds or cashews. Skip for a nut-free kulfi.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Kulfi Ice Cream
All you need is an electric mixer and 10 minutes to make the ice cream base - the rest is left to the freezer. Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos for easy homemade kulfi ice cream:
Bloom Saffron
Add saffron strands and 1 tablespoon of water to a microwave-safe bowl, then heat for 25-30 seconds. This helps the saffron bloom and release its flavor and color.
Whip Heavy Cream
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream with a hand mixer. Alternatively, use a stand mixer and use the whisk attachment. Whip the cream till it forms stiff peaks.
How to identify stiff peaks? You'll know you've reached "stiff peaks" when you lift your beaters and the cream standing up on the whisk stays straight and firm, without drooping. This structure gives our Kulfi that incredible, airy yet dense "malai" texture!
Combine with Condensed Milk
Add a scoop of the whipped cream into the condensed milk bowl and mix to combine. This lightens the condensed milk.
Fold in the Cream
Then pour the condensed milk into the whipped cream. Using a spatula (not a whisk), gently fold the two together till you reach a silky-smooth consistency.
How to Fold Without Deflating: When adding your flavorings, don't stir! Instead, use a spatula to cut through the center, scoop from the bottom, and "fold" the cream over the top. Rotate the bowl as you go. This keeps the air bubbles intact so your Kulfi stays light.
Mix Flavorings and Nuts
Add the soaked saffron and its liquid, crushed cardamom, rose water, and chopped nuts to the bowl, and gently fold them in.
Troubleshooting Tip: If the cream starts to look grainy, you've overwhipped it, and it's headed toward becoming butter. To fix that, immediately turn off the mixer. Pour in a tablespoon or two of liquid (unwhipped) heavy cream and gently fold it in by hand with a spatula. This often "resets" the texture and brings back that silky smoothness.
Freeze to Set
Pour this mix into a freezer-safe bowl. Press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the cream. Seal it tightly with an airtight lid, then stick it in the freezer for 6-8 hours. If using kulfi molds, fill them all the way, leaving a ¼-inch gap at the top. Seal and freeze.
Storage & Serving
This kulfi ice cream can be stored in the freezer for up to two months in either a large container or individual kulfi popsicle molds to set. As for serving, this dessert doesn't need any other enhancement! Here are my tried and tested methods for storing and serving:
Container: Store in any freezer-friendly glass ice cream container with an airtight lid to prevent ice crystals. To serve, remove the container and let it sit on the counter for 30 seconds. Dip the ice cream scoop in water, shake off the excess, then scoop it into bowls.
Kulfi molds: To serve the kulfi restaurant-style, purchase a Kulfi mold stand. Fill them all the way, leaving a ¼ inch gap at the top for expansion. Freeze for 6-8 hours.
To serve, dip the molds in a bowl of warm water until the pops loosen (about 20-30 seconds), then pull gently upward to get nice, clean kulfis.
Variations To Try
I like to think of this kulfi recipe as an introduction to the world of frozen Indian desserts. The number of flavors and creations is just limitless. Here are some ways of tweaking this recipe:
- Substitute the cashews and almonds with pistachios, then stir in 2 drops of green gel food color for a more potent pistachio flavor in your ice cream.
- Add crushed and dried food grade rose petals to enhance the rose flavors in this recipe and create a 'wow' factor. Stir in 1 tablespoon for this quantity.
- To boost the saffron flavor, simply double the quantity.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Bloom the saffron threads. It is important to bloom (soak in hot water) the saffron threads prior to mixing, as this develops their natural flavor and aroma.
- Chill the sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. Keeping them chilled in the fridge until ready makes them easier to whip and yields a better texture.
- Rosewater provides the iconic aroma and taste in kulfi. Kewra essence (made from pandanus flowers) is a great substitute. If unavailable, use an equal amount of vanilla extract. It won't be as strong as rose water, but it offers similar floral notes.
- Nuts: I am partial to pistachios, but use any combination of unsalted, chopped pistachios, cashews, or almonds. Skip to make it nut-free.
- Identify stiff peaks: The cream has reached "stiff peaks" when you lift your beaters, and the cream on the whisk stays straight and firm, without drooping.
- Avoid deflating the cream: When mixing ingredients with whipped cream, don't stir! To keep the air bubbles intact, use a spatula to cut through the center, scoop from the bottom, and "fold" the cream over the top. Rotate the bowl as you go.
- Fixing grainy cream: If you overwhip the cream, it can turn grainy. To fix that, turn off the mixer, pour in a tablespoon or two of chilled heavy whipping cream, and gently fold it in by hand with a spatula. This works 9/10 times, depending on how overbeaten the cream is.
- Icy texture: This usually happens when the mix is too watery or when air hits the surface. If freezing this in a bowl, press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the cream before freezing. If your ice cream is still icy, let it soften for 5 minutes before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kulfi is typically made with condensed milk (milk and sugar) and flavorful ingredients such as saffron, cardamom, rosewater, mango, and pistachio. These flavors are most commonly found in many desserts across India.
Yes, this whipped cream method requires no cooking, no babysitting, and is ready in only 10 minutes. This made it much easier and time-saving than the traditional kulfi, which requires reducing the milk and constant stirring to prevent scorching, a process that can take up to an hour.
Check your freezer temperature! It needs to be at the coldest setting (0°F / -18°C). Also, ensure you use full-fat condensed milk and cream, as lower-fat mix struggles to firm up properly.
Rosewater varies wildly in potency. If it's overpowering, fold in a little extra plain whipped cream or a pinch more cardamom to balance the floral notes.
More No-Churn Ice Cream Recipes
More Indian Dessert Recipes
These recipes are part of the Indian Dessert Recipes Collection:
📖 Recipe
Easy Kulfi Ice Cream (No-Churn, Eggless Indian Ice Cream)
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pinch saffron (7-8 strands soaked in 1 tablespoon hot water)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream chilled (1 pint)
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk chilled (1 can)
- 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom fresh (5-6 pods seeded and crushed)
- 2 tablespoons rose water or kewra essence (see notes for substitution)
- 1 cup assorted nuts (pistachio, cashews, almonds) finely chopped (see notes)
Instructions
- Soak saffron: Soak saffron strands in hot water while you whip the cream. Alternatively, add saffron and cold water to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 25-30 seconds.
- Whip heavy cream: In a large mixing bowl, add heavy cream and start whipping using a hand mixer. Alternatively, use a stand mixer and use the whisk attachment. Whip the cream till it forms stiff peaks.
- Combine with condensed milk: Add a scoop of whipped cream to the condensed milk and mix until combined. This lightens the condensed milk. Then pour the condensed milk into the whipped cream. Using a spatula, gently fold the two together till you reach a silky-smooth consistency.
- Mix flavorings and nuts: Add soaked saffron with the liquid, cardamom, rose water, and chopped nuts to the bowl and gently fold them in.
- Chill: Pour this mix into a freezer-safe bowl. Seal it tightly with an airtight lid, then stick it in the freezer for 6-8 hours.
Notes
- Bloom the saffron threads. It is important to bloom (soak in hot water) the saffron threads prior to mixing, as this develops their natural flavor and aroma.
- Chill the sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. Keeping them chilled in the fridge until ready makes them easier to whip and yields a better texture.
- Rosewater provides the iconic aroma and taste in kulfi. Kewra essence (made from pandanus flowers) is a great substitute. If unavailable, use an equal amount of vanilla extract. It won't be as strong as rose water, but it offers similar floral notes.
- Nuts: I am partial to pistachios, but use any combination of unsalted, chopped pistachios, cashews, or almonds. Skip to make it nut-free.
- Identify stiff peaks: The cream has reached "stiff peaks" when you lift your beaters, and the cream on the whisk stays straight and firm, without drooping.
- Avoid deflating the cream: When mixing ingredients with whipped cream, don't stir! To keep the air bubbles intact, use a spatula to cut through the center, scoop from the bottom, and "fold" the cream over the top. Rotate the bowl as you go.
- Fixing grainy cream: If you overwhip the cream, it can turn grainy. To fix that, turn off the mixer, pour in a tablespoon or two of chilled heavy whipping cream, and gently fold it in by hand with a spatula. This works 9/10 times, depending on how overbeaten the cream is.
- Icy texture: This usually happens when the mix is too watery or when air hits the surface. If freezing this in a bowl, press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the cream before freezing. If your ice cream is still icy, let it soften for 5 minutes before eating.
Jacqui Naidoo says
Hello, how long can the ice cream be kept in the freezer? Can I make it a couple of weeks in advance?
Aneesha Gupta says
Hi there, yes you can! This ice cream can be stored for up to two months in the freezer.
Elli says
Outstanding Kulfi, you will lick the plate clean...
Thank you Aneesha
Aneesha Gupta says
Best compliment ever!! Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed this kulfi!
Nikhil Saxena says
Hi Aneesha, I made this icecream and it was absolutely delicious. My only problem was that it did not set properly. Any suggestions.
Aneesha says
Hi Nikhil, I'm so glad you enjoyed the flavors! For next time, I recommend whipping the cream a few extra minutes till it forms stiff peaks, that's the most likely reason it didn't set properly. Let me know how it goes next time!
Heena says
I made a big batch 4qt, it didn’t settle even after 8 hours of freezing? The first time I made just 1 pint and it came out great.
Aneesha says
Hi Heena, sounds like the batter needed more churning. Did you churn it for longer since you multiplied the ingredients?
Carla Spacher says
When using vanilla extract as a substitute for rose water, do you use 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract?
Aneesha says
Hi Carla, I recommend 1 teaspoon of vanilla, else it will overpower the flavors. Hope you enjoy it!
Cherry Furlong says
Just made this and love, love, love it ❤️
Aneesha says
Thank you! Go glad you enjoyed it!
mothers day cake in Kolkata says
It was nice to go through your post. Thanks for sharing the recipe here. Keep up the good work.
Aneesha says
Thank you so much!
Ankita says
So delicious! The whole family loved it
Aneesha says
That's wonderful. Thanks Ankita!
David Jones says
Thanks for sharing the recipe for this most loved ice cream. I will definitely try this one.
https://www.smithsicecreamvans.com/
Aneesha says
Hi David, you're most welcome, and I hope you love this recipe!
Tarak says
Hello. We love this recipe. We do have an ice cream maker (cuisinart). Is there a way to incorporate that in the recipe?
Aneesha says
Hi Tarak, I'm so glad you enjoy it. You can certainly make it in the ice cream maker, simply follow the instructions of your machine for eggless ice cream and it should work. Enjoy!