A method for making ice cream comprises a step of preparing a machine (1) for mixing and cooling ice cream and equipped with: a processing container (2) defining a processing chamber (3) and provided with a stirrer (5) rotating inside the processing chamber (3) and a thermal treatment system, configured to be activated, selectively and alternatively, in heating or cooling mode, for heating and cooling the processing chamber (3), respectively the method comprising the following steps: placing a basic ice cream mixture inside the processing chamber (3) activating the thermal treatment system in heating mode for a predetermined time for heating the basic mixture inside the processing chamber (3), so as to subject the basic mixture to a thermal pasteurizing treatment inside the processing chamber (3) activating the thermal treatment system in cooling mode for cooling the basic mixture inside the processing chamber (3) and, at the same time, rotating the rotary stirrer 5, so as to allow incorporating air into the basic mixture to make an ice cream type product in the processing chamber (3) extracting at least one portion of the ice cream type product from the processing chamber (3).
