How to Attach an Ice Cream Maker KitchenAid

On this page (8 sections)

1. Does your KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment match your mixer?
2. How do you freeze the bowl before attaching it?
3. How do you attach the freezer bowl and dasher?
4. Why won't the attachment seat or lock?
5. How long does a batch take, and how full should the bowl be?
6. What should you do with the ice cream after churning?
7. Can you use a freezer-bowl maker instead of the mixer attachment?
8. What else should you know before your first batch?

To attach a KitchenAid ice cream maker, freeze the bowl for about 24 hours, set it on the mixer's base, and fit the dasher and drive assembly. Lock the bowl in place, start the mixer on the lowest setting, and pour the chilled base in through the top opening.

The steps below follow that order. Most trouble with a KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment comes from a bowl that isn't fully frozen or an attachment that doesn't match the mixer's head style, not from the machine itself.

Does your KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment match your mixer?

The attachment must match your mixer's head type, and KitchenAid sells it in two versions: one for tilt-head stand mixers and one for bowl-lift models. Check your mixer's model number against the fit list before you unwrap anything.

The tilt-head version pairs with the classic head that flips back on a hinge. The bowl-lift version uses a different freezer bowl and drive setup for mixers where the bowl rises into a fixed head.

A bowl from one type won't seat properly on the other.

The mixer's own stainless bowl and paddle come off first. The freezer bowl takes their place on the base, so you don't need the standard bowl for churning.

If your mixer sits on a counter with low cabinets, measure the clearance before you lock a tilt-head attachment in place. The head needs room to flip up for the bowl to go on and come off.

How do you freeze the bowl before attaching it?

Freeze the bowl for about 24 hours so the sealed coolant is solid, and keep it flat and upright in the coldest part of the freezer. A bowl that's only partly frozen won't hold the cold long enough for a firm batch.

Clear a spot where the bowl can stand without leaning against other frozen food. Stacking something on top can dent the rim and stop the drive assembly from seating.

Store it flat so the coolant stays spread evenly.

The bowl doesn't need to be frozen in the freezer compartment of a fridge only. A separate chest freezer or the freezer section of a fridge set to its coldest setting works as long as the bowl sits for the full time.

Our guide to how to make sorbet in an ice cream maker covers the same pre-freeze routine for fruit bases.

Plan a day ahead. A batch that's mixed and chilled overnight can go into the freezer bowl the next morning, so both parts are cold at the same time.

How do you attach the freezer bowl and dasher?

Lock the frozen bowl onto the mixer base, then slide the dasher onto its shaft and fit the drive assembly over the top. Each part clicks into a set position, so don't force anything.

Step by step

1. Fit the bowl onto the mixer's base and turn or lock it as your mixer's instructions show. It should sit level and wobble-free.
2. Lower the dasher into the bowl, lining its bottom end up with the pin in the center of the bowl.
3. Set the drive assembly on top so its hub lines up with the mixer's attachment port.
4. Turn the locking screw or latch to hold the assembly in place.
5. Start the mixer on the lowest speed and pour in the chilled base through the opening in the top.

The dasher scrapes the bowl wall as it turns, which is what folds the frozen mixture instead of leaving a solid block. If the dasher doesn't spin when you start the mixer, the drive assembly isn't seated in the hub.

Stop and refit it.

Why won't the attachment seat or lock?

The usual cause is a bowl that's not fully frozen or a head style that doesn't match, and both show up as a part that won't sit down or lock. Cold parts also contract slightly, so fit them after the freezer, not before.

• The bowl sits proud of the base: the bowl may be the wrong version for your mixer, or something is trapped under the rim.
• The drive assembly won't twist into the port: check that the attachment hub is clear and the locking screw is fully open.
• The dasher won't engage: make sure its bottom end lines up with the pin before you set the assembly on top.

Don't run the mixer with the attachment only half locked. The dasher can jump the pin and scrape the bowl edge.

If a part looks bent or cracked, stop using it.

How long does a batch take, and how full should the bowl be?

Most batches churn in about 20 to 30 minutes, and you should fill the bowl no more than about two-thirds full so the mixture can expand. Chilled base freezes faster than a warm mix.

Start on the lowest speed and keep it there. Higher speeds push the mixture up the sides before it freezes, and the dasher can't scrape properly.

Watch the top opening and add mix-ins in the last few minutes.

Two-thirds is the safe ceiling. A full bowl turns into a slushy overflow as the mixture freezes and expands.

For a larger batch, churn in two rounds with a re-frozen bowl between them, or use a machine built for bigger batches.

What should you do with the ice cream after churning?

Scoop the soft mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for about 2 hours for firmer scoops. Straight from the bowl it has a soft-serve texture, which is fine to eat right away.

Press a sheet of plastic wrap or a lid down onto the surface to keep ice crystals from forming. The bowl and dasher need hand washing after each use, so rinse them before the residue hardens.

Let the freezer bowl thaw fully and dry it before it goes back in the freezer. A wet bowl can frost over and take longer to chill next time.

Can you use a freezer-bowl maker instead of the mixer attachment?

Yes, if you want a second batch going or don't own a stand mixer. A freezer-bowl machine churns on its own motor with the same pre-freeze routine.

The Cuisinart ICE-30BCP1 holds up to 2 quarts and churns a batch in roughly 25 to 35 minutes from a pre-frozen bowl. It has an ingredient spout for mix-ins in the last five minutes.

If you already own the mixer attachment and just want a spare bowl, the replacement bowl is the cheaper way to add capacity.

The Cuisinart ICE-30RFB is the replacement bowl for the ICE-30BC ice cream maker. It's stainless steel with double insulation and needs no ice or stirring.

It's a fit for Cuisinart's freezer-bowl platform, not for a KitchenAid mixer.

If you're working with an ice-and-salt bucket machine instead, our rundown of the best old fashioned ice cream maker covers that style. Those machines need rock salt and ice rather than a freezer bowl.

Morton Ice Cream Salt comes in a 4-pound box, and the brand packs it in bulk for holiday gatherings and summer parties. It's meant for layering with ice around a bucket can, not for the sealed bowl on a mixer.

If you're setting up a bucket machine, the nostalgia ice cream maker instructions walk through the salt and ice layers. Owners of another bucket brand can follow the Rival ice cream maker steps the same way.

What else should you know before your first batch?

Keep the bowl frozen between uses and chill the base before it goes in, and most batches come out firm in under half an hour. The attachment does the churning; the cold does the freezing.

Write down the churn time for each recipe you try. Fruit bases and dairy bases freeze at different rates, and knowing your own timing beats guessing.

Don't open the top more than you need to.

Clean the bowl by hand with warm water and a soft cloth. A dishwasher cycle can damage the sealed coolant, so keep it out of the machine.

If your attachment stops turning mid-batch, stop the mixer and check the drive assembly before you start again. Attaching an ice cream maker to a KitchenAid is a five-minute job once the bowl is cold, so the real prep is the freezer time the day before.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the freezer bowl need before churning?

Freeze the bowl for about 24 hours so the coolant inside is fully frozen. Store it flat and upright in the coldest part of your freezer, and keep it there between batches so it's always ready to use.

Can I attach the ice cream maker to a mixer with another attachment mounted?

Yes, once you clear the mixer's attachment hub. Remove any meat grinder or pasta roller from the front hub, then fit the ice cream maker's drive assembly in its place.

The mixer's own bowl and paddle come off first so the freezer bowl can sit on the base.

Why is my ice cream not freezing in the KitchenAid attachment?

The freezer bowl usually wasn't cold enough. It needs a full 24 hours at freezer temperature, and the ice cream base should be chilled before it goes in.

A bowl that only sat in the freezer for a few hours still has liquid coolant inside and won't hold the cold long enough.

How full should the freezer bowl be?

Fill it no more than about two-thirds full so the mixture has room to expand as it freezes. Overfilling makes the dasher struggle and can push the base up against the lid.

Churn in two batches if your recipe makes more than the bowl holds.

Do I need rock salt with a freezer-bowl attachment?

No. A freezer-bowl attachment chills from the coolant sealed inside the bowl, so there's no ice and salt to layer around it.

Rock salt is for old-style bucket machines that use ice and salt to freeze the mixture.