My kids love it when I make watermelon ice cream! My easy recipe comes together with just 3 ingredients, minimal prep work, and a couple of hours in the freezer, making it ideal for hot summer days not to be spent in the kitchen.

My Favorite Way to Make Homemade Ice Cream with Watermelon

I love a good watermelon in the summertime and I have no idea why it took me so long to make watermelon ice cream out of it. I created my recipe to be super easy so I can prep it in literally minutes.

The first time I made my recipe, I brought home a watermelon to the store to be greeted to a huge watermelon already on my countertop. Apparently my husband Ben had the same idea.

I decided it was a little too much melon for 4 people to eat, so I decided to make something fun for my kids to cool off with. It’s such an easy recipe, I pulled inside my son Connor to make it with me. He loved how most of the ingredients were literally just ice cream and watermelon.

It took just 5 minutes to put the ice cream together and were able to eat it after dinner that night!

Need some more ice cream recipes? Try my peach ice cream recipe, pineapple ice cream, and vanilla ice cream recipe too!

Watermelon Ice Cream Recipe Ingredients

• Watermelon – I find the riper and juicier the watermelon, the better the ice cream tastes too!
• Sweetened condensed milk – Adds richness and creates a real, scoopable ice cream. I love the flavor of this most, but coconut milk with honey is the most comparable.
• Salt – This helps balance out the sweetness and enhance the flavor of the watermelon. I’ve made my recipe with and without salt and while both are delicious, the salt adds a little extra flavor!

How to Make Watermelon Ice Cream

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Place the watermelon cubes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and flash freeze until solid, or about 3 hours.

STEP TWO: When ready, add the frozen watermelon cubes to a blender or food processor with the condensed milk and pinch of salt. Blend it until smooth and no chunks of melon remain.

STEP THREE: Transfer the mixture into a loaf pan or ice cream container, freeze for 1 hour before serving, and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Ice Cream and Watermelon

• When prepping the melon, make sure to remove any black seeds. I don’t want those messing with the texture of the ice cream!
• I’ve noticed that when I use a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, the mixture melts a little when blending. If that happens, I just freeze it a bit longer before serving.
• Try to keep the watermelon cubes around the same size so they freeze evenly. It makes blending so much easier!
• Chill the loaf pan ahead of time. I usually pop it in the freezer while I’m blending so the ice cream starts freezing faster once it’s poured in. 
• If freezing it more than 3 hours, the texture will get hard. Just leave it out for about 10 minutes before scooping to soften it up.

Ice Cream with Watermelon Variations and Substitutions

• There’s no true substitute for watermelon here, as it would change the entire flavor. But feel free to try this recipe with other high-water fruits like cantaloupe or honeydew instead!
• Try swapping out the sweetened condensed milk for coconut milk and a bit of honey. It’s a great dairy-free option that also gives the ice cream a tropical vibe.
• I love adding a splash of lime juice to brighten the whole thing up. I feel like it makes the watermelon taste even more refreshing!
• Fresh mint would pair super nicely with watermelon. Toss in a few leaves before blending — a little goes a long way.
• My recipe yields about 6-8 servings. Feel free to double the recipe if prepping for a party so there are enough watermelon desserts for everyone.

Watermelon Ice Cream FAQs 

How should I store leftover watermelon ice cream?

Leftover ice cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks . I like to press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap on top to keep ice crystals from forming! Since the texture can be harder when frozen, just let it sit out for 10 minutes before scooping.

More Easy Desserts

• Cream cheese fruit dip
• Peach bars
• Canned peach pie
• Orange dreamsicle salad
• Strawberry cobbler