Can I make ube ice cream without an ice cream maker?

Yes! After chilling the mixture, freeze it in a shallow tray. Stir every 30 minutes for 3–4 hours to break ice crystals until smooth and creamy.

What can I use if I don’t have fresh ube?

You can substitute with frozen grated ube or rehydrated ube powder. Adjust sweetness slightly since ube powder is less sweet.

Why is my ube ice cream icy instead of creamy?

Ensure the base is fully cooled before churning and avoid adding excess liquid. A higher fat ratio from cream gives smoother results.

Can I add toppings or mix-ins?

Absolutely! Add macapuno (coconut sport), crushed cookies, or toasted coconut flakes for texture and flavor contrast.

18 October 2025

Creamiest Homemade Ube Ice Cream (Filipino Purple Yam Dessert)

Name: Creamiest Homemade Ube Ice Cream (Filipino Purple Yam Dessert)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 500 gram ube; 480 gram heavy cream; 240 gram whole milk; 200 gram granulated sugar; 30 gram ube powder; 15 gram ube extract; 1.5 gram salt

RecipeShare Test Kitchen

Make ultra-creamy ube ice cream from scratch—rich, vibrant, and full of nostalgic Filipino flavor. Learn tips, FAQs, and variations using fresh ube, powder, or extract.

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A Purple Delight: What is Ube Ice Cream?

Ube ice cream is a delightful frozen dessert made from ube, a vibrant purple yam native to the Philippines. This delectable treat boasts a beautiful hue and a unique, nutty flavor that's unlike anything you've tasted before.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: The Origins of Ube

Ube has been a staple ingredient in Filipino cuisine for centuries. It's used in a variety of dishes, from sweet treats like ube ice cream and ube halaya (jam) to savory dishes such as ube pandesal (bread rolls).

Let's Get Cooking: Making Ube Ice Cream at Home

Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 6 hours (includes freezing time)

Ingredients

500 grams ube (purple yam), peeled and grated
480 grams heavy cream (approx. 2 cups)
240 grams whole milk (approx. 1 cup)
200 grams granulated sugar (approx. 1 cup)
30 grams ube powder (approx. 1/4 cup)
15 grams ube extract (approx. 1 tablespoon)
1.5 grams salt (approx. 1/4 teaspoon)

Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine grated ube, heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
Stir in ube powder and ube extract, mixing until fully combined.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Transfer the churned ube ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
Scoop and enjoy your homemade ube ice cream!

Can't Find Ube? No Problem!

If you're unable to find fresh ube, you can still make this delicious ice cream using these substitutes:

400 grams frozen grated ube, thawed (approx. 2 cups)
120 grams ube powder (add an additional 120 grams or 1/2 cup of milk to the recipe)
400 grams mashed purple sweet potatoes (though the flavor will be slightly different)

Nutritional Information

Ube ice cream is a treat to be enjoyed in moderation. Based on the ingredients used in this recipe, one serving (1/2 cup) contains approximately:

Calories: 280
Fat: 18g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Protein: 3g
Fiber: 1g

Health Benefits of Ube

In addition to its fantastic taste, ube is packed with essential nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. When consumed in moderation, ube ice cream can be a tasty and nutritious dessert option.

Final Scoops: Tips for the Perfect Ube Ice Cream

Always use an ice cream maker for the smoothest, creamiest texture.
For a lighter version, you can replace the heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk.
If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can still make ube ice cream using the freeze-and-stir method.

Creamiest Homemade Ube Ice Cream (Filipino Purple Yam Dessert)

RecipeShare Test Kitchen

Make ultra-creamy ube ice cream from scratch—rich, vibrant, and full of nostalgic Filipino flavor. Learn tips, FAQs, and variations using fresh ube, powder, or extract.

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

360 mins

Total Time

380 mins

Servings

Chef's Tips

Ensure the mixture is thoroughly cooled before churning for the best texture.
For a smoother texture, you can strain the mixture before churning to remove any lumps.

Tools Used

Ice Cream Maker SaucepanIce Cream Container

We use affiliate links, which may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Ingredients

Scale

USMetric

Scale

Instructions

Cooking

1
In a large saucepan, combine grated ube, heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt.
2
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and the sugar dissolves.
3
Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
4
Stir in ube powder and ube extract, mixing until fully combined.
5
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
6
Transfer the churned ube ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
7
Scoop and enjoy your homemade ube ice cream!

Comments & Reviews

Benjie
9/4/2025
Tried this with ube halaya instead of grated ube. It worked well but I’ll cut back a bit on sugar next time. Still, amazing texture and flavor!
Clarisse
9/2/2025
I reduced the sugar a bit and folded in coconut flakes before freezing. Perfect balance of sweet and nutty—reminds me of summers in Cebu!
Leo
8/1/2025
My first time making homemade ice cream and it came out perfect. Creamy, vibrant, and full of ube flavor. Highly recommend using real ube if you can find it!
Katrina M.
7/29/2025
This turned out amazing! I added macapuno and a drizzle of condensed milk before freezing—tasted like the ones from Goldilocks!
Jerome
6/28/2025
My kids devoured this! We’ll definitely be making it again. Might try adding macapuno next time.
Arlene Bautista
5/27/2025
I strained the base before churning and wow—super silky. Best ube ice cream I’ve made at home.
Mei Tan
2/26/2025
Didn’t have an ice cream maker so I used the freeze-and-stir method—took longer but still came out delicious. Thanks for the tips!
Leandro G.
11/25/2024
I love that it uses real ube and not just extract. So much richer in flavor!
Hannah
7/24/2024
The texture was spot on, but mine came out a little too sweet. Will reduce the sugar next time by 20g.
Mark Esteban
4/23/2024
Made this for my mom’s birthday and she said it reminded her of the Magnolia ice cream we used to have in Manila. Thank you!
Carla Dizon
2/21/2024
I used coconut milk instead of whole milk and it still turned out amazing. Love how vibrant the color is too!
Josefina Reyes
10/20/2023
This ube ice cream is so creamy and flavorful! A true Filipino treat!

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories 280

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18g23%

Saturated Fat 7g35%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 85mg28%

Sodium 210mg9%

Total Carbohydrates 28g10%

Dietary Fiber 0g0%

Sugars 20g

Protein 3g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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A Purple Delight: What is Ube Ice Cream?

A Trip Down Memory Lane: The Origins of Ube

Let's Get Cooking: Making Ube Ice Cream at Home

Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 6 hours (includes freezing time)

Ingredients

500 grams ube (purple yam), peeled and grated
480 grams heavy cream (approx. 2 cups)
240 grams whole milk (approx. 1 cup)
200 grams granulated sugar (approx. 1 cup)
30 grams ube powder (approx. 1/4 cup)
15 grams ube extract (approx. 1 tablespoon)
1.5 grams salt (approx. 1/4 teaspoon)

Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine grated ube, heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
Stir in ube powder and ube extract, mixing until fully combined.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Transfer the churned ube ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
Scoop and enjoy your homemade ube ice cream!

Can't Find Ube? No Problem!

If you're unable to find fresh ube, you can still make this delicious ice cream using these substitutes:

400 grams frozen grated ube, thawed (approx. 2 cups)
120 grams ube powder (add an additional 120 grams or 1/2 cup of milk to the recipe)
400 grams mashed purple sweet potatoes (though the flavor will be slightly different)

Nutritional Information

Ube ice cream is a treat to be enjoyed in moderation. Based on the ingredients used in this recipe, one serving (1/2 cup) contains approximately:

Calories: 280
Fat: 18g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Protein: 3g
Fiber: 1g

Health Benefits of Ube

Final Scoops: Tips for the Perfect Ube Ice Cream

Always use an ice cream maker for the smoothest, creamiest texture.
For a lighter version, you can replace the heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk.
If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can still make ube ice cream using the freeze-and-stir method.