How to Make Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Making your own ice cream can be a fun activity with delicious results. But the problem is that it takes too long for the ice cream to freeze. Using liquid nitrogen is a great alternative for fast freezing ice cream that is easy to make, and you'll be sure to impress your friends with your kitchen skills using this method.

Ingredients

Serves: 2-3
Preparation: 10 minutes

1 1/2 cups of half and half
4 cups of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of vanilla
1 3/4 cups of sugar
Optional: 2 cups of diced strawberries or other added ingredient for flavor

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Taking the Necessary Precautions

1
Use gloves. Liquid nitrogen is 320 degrees below zero^{[1]
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Research source}, so it's important to take certain precautions to avoid frost burns and other injuries. Make sure that you always wear gloves when handling the liquid nitrogen.
- Admittedly, it is okay if the liquid nitrogen comes into contact with your skin briefly. In most cases, it will just slide right off your skin. The real danger comes when you try to contain it, like in a fist, or if your skin is already wet. Just be very cautious when handling it.
2
Wear safety glasses. You definitely don't want to get the liquid nitrogen in your eyes. So be very careful when mixing, but still wear protective eye gear just to be safe. Liquid nitrogen is so cold that it can make your finger shatter; just imagine what it could do to your eyes.^{[2]
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3
Be careful not to splash the liquid nitrogen. You want to always be in control of where the liquid nitrogen ends up, so try not to splash it as you're mixing it or when you're carrying it in the container.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Getting Started

1
Figure out how much you want to make. Multiply the amount of ice cream by 5 to find out how much liquid nitrogen you need. For example, one gallon of ice cream requires five gallons of liquid nitrogen.
2
Find a place that sells liquid nitrogen. This might not be as easy as it sounds. Since liquid nitrogen has to be stored and transported carefully (and because it is somewhat dangerous), you can't just buy it at any old grocery store. Look in your local Yellow Pages to see if there is a liquid nitrogen supplier listed.^{[3]
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- You might also try calling a dermatologist to ask them where they purchase the liquid nitrogen they use for burning off warts.
- You could try calling a local high school or college chemistry department to see where they get their liquid nitrogen for science experiments.
- Some farmers and welders also use liquid nitrogen, so you might try calling people in those professions.^{[4]
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3
Rent a container for the liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen is usually held in a special container called a Dewar that helps prevent it from evaporating. You'll need a container like this to transport your liquid nitrogen to your home. But most places that sell liquid nitrogen will let you rent or borrow a Dewar for relatively cheap. Each Dewar usually holds about 5 liters (1 US gal) of liquid nitrogen.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Mixing Ingredients

1
Combine the heavy cream, half and half, vanilla, and sugar in a large stainless steel mixing bowl.
2
Mix the ingredients together. Using a wooden spoon or stainless steel whisk, mix all of the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved. If you can still feel some sugar at the bottom, you need to keep stirring.
- Optional: Add in any additional items such as strawberries, bananas, or other things for flavors.
3
Add the liquid nitrogen. Put on your gloves and then slowly pour in the liquid nitrogen.^{[5]
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Research source} Stir it with your wooden spoon (or stainless steel whisk) until it is frozen. This will take, at most, three minutes.
4
Serve the ice cream. Put scoops of the ice cream in cups or ice cream cones and let your guests enjoy.

Community Q&A

Question

Where can I get liquid nitrogen?

Community Answer

You can get liquid nitrogen at a plumber supply store or online. You can also get dry ice and use that instead. Dry ice can be purchased at a handful of grocery stores.
Question

Can I crush dry ice?

Denzel Delgado

Community Answer

Yes. Dry ice is crushable. But make sure it does not come in contact with your skin. It can give you frostbite within seconds.
Question

What happens if I eat dry ice?

Community Answer

Do not attempt to eat dry ice. Dry ice has a surface temperature of -109.3º F (-78.5º C), and would cause ice burns to your mouth, esophagus, and stomach.

Warnings

Do not let the liquid nitrogen touch your skin.

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Don't use artificial sweeteners.

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