A method for making ice cream, comprising a step of preparing a machine for mixing and cooling ice cream and equipped with: - a processing container defining a processing chamber and provided with a stirrer rotating inside the processing chamber; - a thermal treatment system, configured to be activated, selectively and alternatively, in heating or cooling mode, for heating and cooling the processing chamber, respectively; the method being characterised in that it also comprises the following steps: - placing a basic ice cream mixture inside the processing chamber; - activating the thermal treatment system in heating mode for a predetermined time for heating the basic mixture inside the processing chamber, in such a way as to subject the basic mixture to a pasteurizing thermal treatment inside the processing chamber such as to deactivate any infectious agents which may be present; - activating the thermal treatment system in cooling mode for cooling the basic mixture previously subjected to the pasteurizing thermal treatment inside the processing chamber and, at the same time, rotating the rotary mixer, so as to allow incorporating air into the basic mixture to make an ice cream type product in the processing chamber; - keeping the basic mixture previously subjected to the thermal treatment inside the processing chamber between the step of activating the thermal treatment system in heating mode for a predetermined time and the step of activating the thermal treatment system in cooling mode; - extracting at least one portion of the ice cream type product from the processing chamber; wherein the thermal treatment system is a system operating according to a thermodynamic cycle and comprises a circulation circuit provided with an operating fluid; wherein the method comprises, between the step of activating the thermal treatment system in heating mode and the step of activating the thermal treatment system in cooling mode, a further step of activating the thermal system in cooling mode for a predetermined holding time to keep the basic mixture at a temperature of between 2°C and 6°C for the predetermined holding time; wherein the circuit for circulation of the operating fluid comprises a compressor, a first heat exchanger 4, a second heat exchanger, and a throttling valve, operating according to a thermodynamic cycle, and wherein the fluid circulation circuit further comprises a valve for inverting the thermodynamic cycle and adjustable between a first configuration, in which the first heat exchanger acts as an evaporator and the second heat exchanger acts as a condenser, and a second configuration, in which the first heat exchanger acts as a condenser and the second heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, and wherein the step of activating the thermal treatment system in cooling mode comprises a step of setting the valve for inverting the thermodynamic cycle to the first configuration and the step of activating the thermal treatment system in heating mode comprises a step of setting the valve for inverting the thermodynamic cycle to the second configuration. - a processing container defining a processing chamber and provided with a stirrer rotating inside the processing chamber; - a thermal treatment system, configured to be activated, selectively and alternatively, in heating or cooling mode, for heating and cooling the processing chamber, respectively; - placing a basic ice cream mixture inside the processing chamber; - activating the thermal treatment system in heating mode for a predetermined time for heating the basic mixture inside the processing chamber, in such a way as to subject the basic mixture to a pasteurizing thermal treatment inside the processing chamber such as to deactivate any infectious agents which may be present; - activating the thermal treatment system in cooling mode for cooling the basic mixture previously subjected to the pasteurizing thermal treatment inside the processing chamber and, at the same time, rotating the rotary mixer, so as to allow incorporating air into the basic mixture to make an ice cream type product in the processing chamber; - keeping the basic mixture previously subjected to the thermal treatment inside the processing chamber between the step of activating the thermal treatment system in heating mode for a predetermined time and the step of activating the thermal treatment system in cooling mode; - extracting at least one portion of the ice cream type product from the processing chamber;