Honey Lavender Ice Cream

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

Flavored with lavender flowers and sweetened with honey, this Honey Lavender Ice Cream recipe is luxuriously rich and delicious!  Use a good-flavored honey and the freshest culinary dried lavender you can find and you will be amply rewarded.

We’re huge ice cream fans in our family and have been on a roll this summer making various flavors of homemade ice cream. This honey lavender ice cream recipe is our latest and let me tell you, the moment you take that first bite you know it’s something special.  Each bite is something to be savored.  And if you close your eyes you’ll find yourself whisked away to the vibrant lavender fields of southern France where the air is sweet, the bees are humming, and you’re embraced by the warmth of the sun.

Be sure to use a good-flavored honey and quality dried lavender flowers.  I’m using our local raw honey because that’s what keep on hand but you don’t have to use raw honey, any good honey will do.  Select the freshest dried lavender flowers you can find and make sure they are culinary grade lavender.  Good honey isn’t cheap so this is not an inexpensive ice cream to make.  It is something special to indulge in on special occasions or when you feel like treating yourself to something extra sumptuous.

This recipe is adapted from David Lebovitz’ book The Perfect Scoop.  It’s full of delicious ice cream recipes and I highly recommend it for all ice cream enthusiasts.  And if you’re a fellow Francophile, pick up a copy of his book The Sweet Life in Paris.  It’s a wonderful little book full of hilarious stories that will have you stitches.

For something truly wonderful, do yourself a favor and make this honey lavender ice cream. It’s incredible!

Dairy-Free Ice Cream

If you’re lactose intolerant you can use any milk alternative of your choice such as almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk. Coconut milk will give you creamier results than the other options but will also contribute a coconut flavor. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing at all as long as you like coconut.

Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe

Let’s get started!

Heat the honey in the microwave until hot then stir in the lavender.  Let the lavender steep at room temperature for at least one hour.

Be sure to use quality culinary grade lavender for your lavender ice cream.

Pour the cream into a large bowl and place a fine mesh strainer on top.  Pour the lavender-steeped honey into the cream through the strainer and press on the lavender flowers to extract all the honey.

Discard the lavender flowers and put the strainer back over the bowl.

Place the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Warm the milk, stirring the sugar until it is dissolved.

While the milk is warming, place the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk them together.

Pour 1/2 cup or so of the warmed milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan of warmed milk, whisking constantly.

Use a rubber spatula or spoon to continue stirring the mixture, scraping the bottom to prevent sticking, until the mixture is thicken enough to coat the spatula or the back of the spoon.

Pour the hot mixture through the strainer into the honey-infused cream, then stir to combine.

Let the mixture cool completely, then cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Once the ice cream has thickened, transfer it to a freezer container and freeze for at least a couple of hours, or until fully firm, before serving.

Enjoy!

For more lavender recipes be sure to also try my:

• Lavender Lemonade
• French Almond Cake with Lavender Lemon Glaze
• Herbes de Provence

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 27, 2023; Adapted from David Lebovitz’ book The Perfect Scoop