Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream is an easy no-churn ice cream the whole family will love. This cute homemade ice cream recipe has pretty pink-and-white swirls, LOTS of sprinkles, and chunks of frosted circus animal cookies mixed right in!

Scoops of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream in a chocolate bowl.
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Watch out, friends, because this Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream is a dangerous recipe. Dare I say it’s irresistible?!

Circus animal cookies are already my kryptonite. I don’t know what addictive ingredients they’re putting into those things (um…other than sugar… *innocent whistling*), but somehow, if I get my hands on a bag of those pink and white temptations, the entire thing is gone before I know what’s happened. They are that addicting. (And when they’re added to a sky-high cake, like my Circus Animal Layer CakeFuggedaboutit. Absolutely irresistible.)

So when you combine THOSE cookies with THIS ice cream recipe, you’re really tempting fate. It’s rich and creamy, packed full of cookies, and absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy it plain or give it the SugarHero treatment by serving it in an edible Chocolate Bowl–it’s an outrageously-fun presentation!

More No-Churn Ice cream Recipes

Are you an ice cream lover? Check out some of our most popular EASY ice cream recipes, like No-Churn Peach Ice Cream, No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream, Easy Vanilla Ice Cream (No-churn recipe!), and Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream!

Table of Contents

🧾 What You’ll Need

Scoops of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream in a chocolate bowl.

Ingredients

Grab these special ingredients and read my pro tips before getting started! Full ingredient amounts in the recipe card below. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

  • Heavy whipping cream: I recommend using heavy cream or manufacturing cream over whipping cream, when possible. Heavy cream and manufacturing cream have the most fat, which produces a better flavor and texture. For best results, make sure the cream is very cold before whipping it.
  • Sweetened condensed milk: This thick, rich sweetener will ensure that your ice cream doesn’t freeze too hard and is a perfect scoopable consistency. Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk, NOT evaporated milk. The cans look similar, and they’re usually in the same section at the grocery store, but they are not the same thing. 
  • Vanilla extract: This Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Vanilla is my FAVORITE!
  • Pink gel food coloring: To get that pretty swirl, half of the ice cream will be dyed a soft baby pink. I used Americolor Soft Pink for this recipe.
  • Circus animal cookies: These cookies are the star of the show! I recommend using Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies.
  • Sprinkles: Use any sprinkles you have on hand. I used rainbow nonpareils, as well as, some other larger sprinkles I had in my stash.

Equipment

  • Mixer: You’ll need either a stand mixer or hand mixer to whip the cream.
  • Ice cream storage container: An ice cream storage container keeps the ice cream fresh in the freezer. I have this set, and can personally vouch that the containers are amazing. They keep the ice cream soft and fresh, while keeping out odors and ice crystals.
  • Ice cream scoop: For serving of course! A high-quality ice cream scoop makes it so easy to portion the ice cream out in perfect rounded scoops.
Scoops of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream in a chocolate bowl with a hand sprinkling sprinkles on top.

Ready to Make This?

  1. Get the recipe below 👇👇
  2. Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
  3. Read important FAQs and more

Leave a Review!

If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!

Scoops of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream in a chocolate bowl.

No-Churn Circus Animal Ice Cream

4.88 from 16 votes
No-Churn Circus Animal Ice Cream is a sweet pink-and-white swirled ice cream, with LOTS of sprinkles and circus animal cookies mixed in! The best part is, you don’t need an ice cream maker to make this treat.
Prep25 minutes
Cook0 minutes
Chilling Time6 hours
Total6 hours 25 minutes
Yields10 servings

Ingredients

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Instructions 

  • Prepare whipped cream: Whip the cream to firm peaks. Set aside.
  • Mix milk and vanilla: In a separate bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract, and stir well.
  • Fold cream into milk mixture: Gently fold the whipped cream into the milk mixture, working in batches and stirring gently so the cream doesn’t deflate.
  • Divide and color: Once combined, divide the mixture in half and color one half a soft pink color, and leave the other half white.
  • Add cookies and sprinkles: Divide the cookies and sprinkles between the two bowls, reserving a few spoonfuls of each to use as toppings. Gently fold the cookies and sprinkles into both bowls.
  • Fill storage container: Take a 6-cup storage container or loaf pan, and alternate adding scoops of white and pink cream into the container. Swirl a knife through the cream until the colors are mixed up in pretty swirls.
  • Finish and freeze: Sprinkle the top of the ice cream with the reserved sprinkles and cookie pieces. Freeze the container for 4-6 hours, until very firm.

Video

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Recipe Notes

This recipe has been modified and revised from its original version. You can find a copy of the old recipe here.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 908IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and hashtag it #SugarHero. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @elabau.

📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make No-Churn Circus Animal Ice Cream

Here’s an overview of how to make Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream! Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.

2 photo process picture of cream being whipped and then having sweetened condensed milk stirred in for Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream.
  1. Prepare whipped cream: Whip the cream to firm peaks. Set aside.
  2. Make milk mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Stir well.
2 photo process picture of mixed ice cream batter being split into a bowl of white and another of pink for Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream.
  1. Fold cream into milk mixture: Gently fold the whipped cream into the milk mixture, working in batches and stirring gently so the cream doesn’t deflate.
  2. Divide and color: Once combined, divide the mixture in half and color one half a soft pink color, and leave the other half white.
2 photo process picture of pink and white bowls of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream with cookies and sprinkles ready to be stirred in and then scooped into a plastic container.
  1. Fold in cookies and sprinkles: Gently fold the cookies and sprinkles into both bowls.
  2. Scoop ice cream into container: Alternate adding scoops of white and pink cream into an ice cream container or loaf pan.
2 photo process picture of pink and white scoops of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream in a plastic container and then a photo of the scoops swirled together.
  1. Swirl: Once all the ice cream is layered in the container, swirl a knife through the cream until the colors are mixed up in pretty swirls.
2 photo process picture of frozen Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream in a plastic container and a scoop of the ice cream.
  1. Embellish: Sprinkle the top of the ice cream with the reserved sprinkles and cookie pieces.
  2. Freeze: Freeze the container for at least 4-6 hours, until very firm.
Scoops of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream in a chocolate bowl.

💡 Tips and FAQs for Success

  • Check the milk. It’s so easy to grab evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk. It’s the key to getting creamy, scoopable ice cream!
  • Chill the bowl and whisk. Using colder equipment to whip the cream will produce a lighter whipped cream which will create a lighter ice cream. Chill it for 15 minutes for best results.
  • Whip to firm peaks: Cream goes through a few general stages of development as it incorporates air and thickens. The ideal stage for making the ice cream base is called firm peaks. You can identify this stage by how the cream reacts when you lift the whisk out of the mixing bowl. If the cream flops over and does not hold a pointy shape on the whisk, it’s at the soft peak stage and needs to be whipped longer. Continue mixing and test the cream again by pulling up the whisk. You’ll know it’s at the firm peak stage when the cream points upward with hardly any flopping and retains its shape well.
  • Don’t over mix. As you combine all the ice cream ingredients be careful to fold them gently until just combined. Over-mixing will deflate the cream and ruin the texture of the ice cream.
  • Store in the back of the freezer. Temperature regulation fluctuates at the front of the freezer where the door opens and closes. If the ice cream temperature fluctuates too much, ice crystals can form. Your ice cream will stay fresher if it’s stored toward the back at a constant temperature.
Why is my no-churn ice cream icy?

The most common reason no-churn ice cream gets icy is because of an accidental imbalance in the ingredients. Make sure to use the correct ingredient amounts and to use high-fat whipping cream. The added fat helps to bind the ice cream together and creates a creamy texture that won’t crystalize.

Why is my no-churn ice cream so soft?

Most likely, it hasn’t had enough time to set in the freezer. Depending on the shape of your freezer container, it might take your batch of ice cream longer to freeze through. I recommend 4-6 hours, but it could take 8+ hours to get really firm. It’s best to let it freeze overnight.

Storage Information

Store your ice cream in a freezer-safe container in the freezer. It will keep for several weeks if it’s kept covered and airtight.

Close up of a spoon with a bite of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream in a chocolate bowl.
1 photo of Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream with text overlay for Pinterest.

Don’t miss the step-by-step tutorial showing how to make Circus Animal Ice Creamcheck out the web story here!


Meet Elizabeth!

Hi, I’m Elizabeth — a trained pastry chef, cookbook author, video instructor, and your new Baking BFF! I’m going to teach you everything you need to know to be a sugar hero. ❤️

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4.88 from 16 votes

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28 Comments

    1. Hi Tami! Thank you for the rating and review. I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. It’s one of our favorites for sure!