Watermelon Ice Cream (Easy 3-Ingredient Recipe)

When my youngest son showed me a watermelon ice cream idea he found on TikTok, I honestly thought it was just going to be one of those fun summer experiments that looked better online than it tasted in real life.

But after testing it a few times and making a few changes, this version became our tried-and-true way to make watermelon ice cream.

I skipped the idea of freezing and slicing the entire watermelon into neat little wedges (trust me… it was frustrating and way harder than it looked) and instead turned it into an easy scoopable watermelon ice cream recipe that keeps all of that fresh watermelon flavor.

This easy 3-ingredient watermelon ice cream is no-churn, kid-approved, and one of my favorite frozen desserts to make for hot summer days, cookouts, and backyard nights. Even better, serving it right in the watermelon rind makes it feel extra fun without much extra work.

I don’t like sharing recipes with you unless I like them first. This one is a winner – you all! It is one of the best ice cream recipes I’ve had in a very long time, and I’m so happy to share it with you.

Love easy frozen summer treats? You’ll also love:
• Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
• Root Beer Float Popsicles
• Creamsicle Pops
• Homemade Fudgsicles

Why You’ll Love this Watermelon Ice Cream

• Only 3 simple ingredients — no complicated ice cream base needed
• Made with real watermelon for fresh summer flavor
• No-churn recipe (no ice cream maker required)
• A tried-and-true version that skips the frustrating frozen watermelon slices
• Fun to serve right inside the watermelon rind for parties and cookouts
• Easy to make ahead for backyard BBQs and summer gatherings
• Kid-approved and fun to help make
• Creamy, refreshing texture that tastes lighter than traditional ice cream

3 Ingredients for Watermelon Ice Cream

This easy watermelon ice cream uses only 3 simple ingredients and no special equipment. The fresher and sweeter your watermelon, the better your final flavor will be.

Heavy Cream – necessary for the cream portion of this ice cream recipe. It is easy to find and can usually be found near the milk at your local grocery store

Sweetened Condensed Milk – This is to sweeten the watermelon even more, but be careful not to add too much. The sweetener can tend to overpower this recipe, and you’ll lose that natural watermelon flavor that makes this recipe so refreshing

Watermelon: You’ll need to find a ripe, seedless watermelon. Don’t worry, I have a section to help you find the most perfect sweet watermelon for this recipe.

Helpful Equipment for Making Watermelon Ice Cream

• blender
• strainer
• mixing bowls
• stand-alone mixer
• ice cream bowls
• ice cream scooper

How to Pick a Sweet Watermelon for Watermelon Ice Cream

Choose the sweetest watermelon you can find — because the better the watermelon tastes, the better your ice cream will taste.

• Shape Matters – Look for a watermelon that is uniform in shape. Round or oval is fine, but avoid irregular bumps or odd shapes.
• Weight Matters – Pick a watermelon that feels surprisingly heavy for its size. More weight usually means more water content and a sweeter melon.
• Color Matters – Look for a creamy yellow or darker field spot (the spot where the watermelon sat on the ground). A deeper color usually means it had more time to ripen on the vine.
• Check for Webbing – Those beige, web-like lines on the rind can actually be a good sign. Larger webbing may mean sweetness leaked through while growing.
• Dull is Better – Shiny watermelons often mean they were picked a little early. Go for one with a dull finish instead. Think of it as the older, wiser melon with better flavor.

How to Make Watermelon Ice Cream

Step 1: Blend and Strain the Watermelon

Full instructions and measurements are in the printable recipe card below.

• Cut the watermelon in half and scoop out the flesh
• Blend the watermelon flesh to make juice
• Strain the juice into a medium-sized bowl

Step 2: Whip the Cream and Mix

• In a mixing bowl, mix the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks
• Add the watermelon juice and sweetened condensed milk – Mix to make a watermelon cream

Step 3: Freeze and Scoop

• Pour the mixture into the scooped-out rind and freeze overnight

Expert Tips for Creamy Watermelon Ice Cream

• Most Important Tip – Get a sweet ripe watermelon. If you missed it, I have a full section to help you choose. If you get a tasteless watermelon, your flavor will reflect that.
• Strain the Watermelon – Even though it is labeled seedless, there could still be seeds, and the strain will catch any pulp so it doesn’t get into your watermelon ice cream.
• Skip Slicing the Rind – You can slice the frozen watermelon into the cutest ice cream watermelon slices, but in my opinion, it’s not worth the extra effort. It is just as much fun to scoop ice cream out of a half-watermelon rind.
• Freeze – You’ll want to make this a day or two in advance so your ice cream has really had a chance to set up and shine. If you make this watermelon overnight, the next morning, you can expect the top half to be firm, but it may be slushy in the middle and even have juice standing in the bottom. This is fine for a fun treat, but if you are serving at a party, you might want to let it freeze for at least 1 day in advance to ensure it is frozen through
• Process Order – you can make this recipe in any order that you want – just make sure the heavy cream is at a soft peak before adding in the other ingredients
• Extra Flavor – Leave some flesh on the rind. That juicy watermelon will help flavor the ice cream as it freezes

How to Store Watermelon Ice Cream

Storage: Store homemade ice cream in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

More Fun Summer Recipes 

• Five Ingredient Tropical Smoothie
• Shark Infested Milkshake
• Coffee Milkshake Recipe
• Vanilla Chocolate Chip Milkshake Recipe
• Cherry Vanilla Milkshake Recipe

Watch How to Make Watermelon Ice Cream

Print Your Watermelon Ice Cream Recipe Card