Ube Ice Cream - The Unlikely Baker®

Homemade Ube Ice Cream Recipe

Modified: Aug 22, 2022 · Published: Aug 21, 2017 by Jolina · This post may contain affiliate links · 136 Comments

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!)

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Why you’ll love making this recipe

What you’ll need

How to make

Ice cream making tips

Recipe FAQs

Other ube dessert recipes

Ube Ice Cream

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

Close up shot of ube ice cream in a white bowl.

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

Creamy ube ice cream in an ice cream tub.

What is ube?

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.

Can I use half-and-half or whipping cream instead of heavy cream?

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.

How can I prevent freezer-burn?

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.

How long does ube ice cream last?

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!

More Ube Recipes

Comments

Michael Espitia

July 09, 2026 at 11:01 pm

The taste and creaminess of this ice cream is out this world, coupled with the simplicity makes it amazing. Bravo!

Reply
- Jolina
  
  July 13, 2026 at 9:57 am
  
  Glad you liked it Michael!
  
  Reply
SD

November 26, 2025 at 10:35 pm

Can I add Xanthan gum to this recipe?

Reply
- Jolina
  
  November 27, 2025 at 9:07 am
  
  Hi SD, you don’t need to.
  
  Reply
Pam

September 09, 2025 at 5:36 am

Could I use ube powder in place of the extract ?

Thank you !

Reply
- Jolina
  
  September 10, 2025 at 7:38 am
  
  Hi Pam, unfortunately you can’t. You have to reconstitute the ube powder in order to use it. It’s usually a substitute for purple yam not extract.
  
  Reply
- Jo
  
  December 27, 2025 at 12:57 pm
  
  Have you tried using a soft serve ice cream maker with this recipe?
  
  Reply
- Leilani
  
  July 09, 2026 at 11:05 pm
  
  I made this for my family. It was a hit! It was so good our son took the container to his place. He is not a sweets kind of person, but he liked this one! Since then he has taken a second container home with him. Time to make another batch for us to enjoy, before he discovers it!
  
  Reply
  - Jolina
    
    July 13, 2026 at 9:56 am
    
    LOL! That’s always a good sign 🙂
    
    Reply
Susan M

January 20, 2025 at 8:10 am

Can I use purple condensed milk instead? Will it come out the same taste?

Reply
- Jolina
  
  January 20, 2025 at 10:13 am
  
  Hi Susan, I find that ube condensed milk has a slight aftertaste but not bad enough that would stop me from using it. So yeah, I think you can use that to make ube ice cream. Skip the ube extract though, or add just a little to taste. Enjoy!
  
  Reply
Marissa Lugo

August 18, 2024 at 4:44 pm

Thank you for sharing this recipe! Each delicious bite takes me right back home. Maraming salamat, po!

Reply
- Jolina
  
  August 19, 2024 at 8:55 am
  
  So happy to hear that Marissa! Enjoy!
  
  Reply
Tish

October 19, 2023 at 2:44 am

Hi!!! The recipe sounds amazing! Is it a necessity to add ube extract? Is there an alternative?

Reply
- Jolina
  
  October 19, 2023 at 2:16 pm
  
  Hi Tish, you can skip it but will miss out on the pop of ube flavor. Unfortunately I don’t know of a suitable alternative.
  
  Reply
Jacqui

September 11, 2023 at 11:04 pm

Had Ube ice cream for the first time in Hawaii this year. Have been looking for it ever since. Saw this recipe and it looked very easy and so happy that it was! Made it and my family loves it! Thank you!

Reply
- Jolina
  
  September 21, 2023 at 10:26 am
  
  So happy to hear that Jacqui!
  
  Reply
Tiara

August 06, 2023 at 5:22 pm

This was amazing! It tastes just like Magnolia ice cream (for a fraction of the price!) Transported me back to the Philippines at first bite. This will be a staple summer dessert for us here in hot and humid Kentucky. Thank you for the recipe!

Reply
- Jolina
  
  August 08, 2023 at 1:29 pm
  
  Glad you liked it Tiara! And yes ube ice cream is one of the best ways to cool down in this summer heat. Hope you’re having a happy summer!
  
  Reply
Teresa

May 10, 2023 at 10:41 pm

We are an ube family like yours Jolina! And we enjoyed this ube ice cream very very much. It tastes just like Magnolia in the Philippines!! First time making ice cream too, and I can’t wait to try your other recipes. Thank you and have a good day!

Reply
- Jolina
  
  May 11, 2023 at 11:24 am
  
  Yay for ube families 🙂 Enjoy ice cream making! Hope you have a wonderful day too.
  
  Reply
Katelyn

May 07, 2023 at 9:13 pm

Made ube ice cream for my kids and they LOVED it. We used the Buena brand of ube jam. Next time I want to make your ube halaya recipe too 🙂 Thanks for the delicious recipe!

Reply
- Jolina
  
  May 08, 2023 at 11:05 am
  
  You’re most welcome Katelyn! Glad the kids liked it!
  
  Reply

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4.98 from 74 votes (58 ratings without comment)

Homemade Ube Ice Cream Recipe

Why you’ll love making this recipe

What you’ll need

How to make