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No-Churn Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

No-churn dulce de leche ice cream with silky, caramel-forward ribbons swirled throughout a creamy base. This easy caramel frozen dessert uses stiffly whipped cream and a layered pan swirl for thick, golden streaks in every scoop.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
freezing 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Latin American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ice cream base
  • 2 cup heavy cream Cold for faster whipping.
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk Use full-fat for best texture.
  • 0.5 cup dulce de leche Measure 1 cup total; reserve 1/2 cup for mixing.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Dulce de leche swirl
  • 0.5 cup dulce de leche Remaining 1/2 cup for drizzling and swirling.
  • 1 flaky sea salt for finishing Use sparingly right before freezing.

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 loaf pan

Method
 

Whip the cream
  1. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, so the cream holds its shape when the whisk is lifted. Stop once peaks are firm to avoid grainy texture.
Mix the caramel base
  1. Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup of the dulce de leche, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and glossy. Scrape the sides to ensure no streaks remain.
Combine gently
  1. Fold the dulce de leche mixture into the whipped cream gently until no white streaks remain. Keep the mixture airy to maintain a creamy scoop.
Swirl in the loaf pan
  1. Pour half of the mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan and drizzle half of the remaining dulce de leche over the top. Swirl with a spoon to create thick ribbons.
  2. Pour in the remaining ice cream mixture, then drizzle the rest of the dulce de leche and swirl again. Aim for visible caramel streaks throughout the surface.
Finish and freeze
  1. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top for finishing, then cover and freeze for at least 6 hours. The ice cream should be firm enough to slice and scoop cleanly.

Notes

For the smoothest, ripest caramel swirls, keep the heavy cream very cold before whipping. Cover tightly and freeze up to 2 weeks; texture may soften slightly if thawed too long. Freezing is best—no freezer-bag freezing needed since it’s in a loaf pan. For a dairy-free swap, use a high-fat coconut cream substitute for the heavy cream and choose a dairy-free sweetened condensed alternative, then proceed the same way.