Can You Really Make Ice Cream Outdoors with Your KitchenAid Stand Mixer?
Chilly temperatures have some TikTok users experimenting with their kitchen appliance on snowy porches. We asked an expert whether this “hack” is worth trying — or even safe.
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This winter, TikTok user @salepepesalsaverde proposed an interesting idea: that if you live in a cold place and own a KitchenAid stand mixer, then you can use it outdoors as an ice cream maker. His video shows a mixer sitting out on a snowy porch, churning away at an ice cream base. It seems like a clever way to harness the power of Mother Nature, but does it really work? I consulted Amanda Neal, lead recipe developer in Food Network’s test kitchen, to find out.
@salepepesalsaverde We made ice cream outdoors #gelato #icecream ♬ original sound - Fil
“Yes, it is doable, but only if the ice cream base is chilled or refrigerated, and the outside temperature is very low,” she says. It would need to be “at or below zero degrees Fahrenheit, and it would still take close to 30 minutes to churn to a soft serve-consistency. If you pack snow around the bowl, it may churn quicker.”
Remember, though: Just because you can try this at home doesn’t mean you should. A KitchenAid costs hundreds of dollars, so you should think twice about testing its limits.
“Operating a very expensive piece of equipment in extreme weather conditions could damage the machine’s motor and joints,” Amanda says. “You should be okay to use it in the cold. But I would be cautious.”
There’s also the problem of where to plug the mixer in. Not all outdoor outlets are safe to use in cold, snowy weather; only some types are designed for winter use, and you need to cover them so they don’t get wet.
“Be super careful when powering up,” Amanda advises.
The bottom line: While it would be lovely to make ice cream out of winter temperatures, the method is risky. However, there are two solid options for putting your stand mixer to work on a frozen dessert.
First, you can buy KitchenAid’s ice cream maker attachment, which is one of our shopping experts’ top choices for ice cream makers this year.
“This fits most stand mixer bases [and] is very efficient and safe to use in any weather condition,” Amanda says. “Just know, you have to freeze the ice cream maker attachment for at least 16 hours before using.”
Second, you can skip the attachment and consult our favorite no-churn ice cream recipes instead. These use a regular stand mixer to whip the base, then a metal loaf pan to freeze it.
So, if you’re craving ice cream on a chilly day, go ahead and make a batch — just do it indoors.
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