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three scoops of blue vanilla ice cream in a glass bowl.
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Blue Vanilla Ice Cream

This blue vanilla ice cream gets its stunning color from butterfly pea flower powder—no artificial dye required. It's got a subtle earthy note that plays beautifully with vanilla, and if you add a splash of citrus, you can watch it shift from blue to purple right before your eyes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Chill & Churn Time4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: blue ice cream, blue vanilla ice cream, butterfly pea flower ice cream, natural blue food coloring
Servings: 12 servings (3 pints)
Calories: 199kcal
Author: Samantha Marceau

Equipment

  • Whisk
  • Fine-Mesh Sieve
  • Compressor-Style Ice Cream Maker

Ingredients

  • 160 g cane sugar
  • 75 g skim milk powder
  • 0.8 g guar gum
  • 6 g butterfly pea powder sifted
  • 450 g whole milk
  • 350 g heavy cream
  • 1 g kosher salt
  • 6 g vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Whisk 160 g cane sugar, 75 g skim milk powder, and 0.8 g guar gum together.
    granulated sugar and skim milk powder in a metal bowl.
  • Sift 6 g butterfly pea powder over top through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps.
    sifted blue butterfly pea powder over sugar, skim milk powder, and guar gum.
  • Whisk everything well until it all takes on a pale blue color.
    butterfly pea flower poweder, sugar, skim milk powder, and guar gum mixed in a metal bowl with a whisk.
  • Pour in 450 g whole milk and stir.
    milk turning blue from butterfly pea flower powder in a metal bowl.
  • Add 350 g heavy cream, 1 g kosher salt, and 6 g vanilla extract, and stir well.
    blue vanilla ice cream base in a metal bowl with a whisk.
  • Churn for 30 minutes, or until your ice cream reaches soft-serve consistency.
    churned blue vanilla ice cream in a compressor ice cream maker bowl.
  • Scoop into pints and let cure for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
    pulling freshly churned blue vanilla ice cream from an ice cream maker bowl with a rubber spatula.

Video

Notes

  • Sift the butterfly pea flower powder through a fine-mesh sieve before adding to remove clumps.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients (sugar, milk powder, guar gum, pea flower powder) together before adding any liquid to avoid blotchy color.
  • Want a more vibrant blue? Add a touch more powder—just know it may shift the flavor slightly more earthy.
  • Can sub blue spirulina powder if you don't have butterfly pea flower on hand, but expect a slightly different flavor and possibly less vibrant color.
  • Keep this ice cream away from acidic add-ins (citrus, fruit purees) if you want it to stay blue. The pigment shifts to purple/magenta at low pH.
Storage: Store blue vanilla ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
nutrition label for blue vanilla ice cream.