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This no-churn strawberry cheesecake ice cream is made with a cream cheese ice cream base and has ribbons of strawberry sauce and graham crackers throughout!
If you have a plethora of strawberries on your hands and want to make a frozen treat, no churn ice cream is the perfect dessert!
Rather than hauling out an ice cream maker, this is a no-churn recipe made in a loaf or cake pan. Instead of making an egg-based custard, you’ll make whipped cream, which allows you to get a smooth, fluffy texture without churning or returning to the freezer to stir the ice cream every 30 minutes.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Strawberries – fresh is best! Even overly ripe berries are fine!
- Lemon zest
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy whipping cream – Don’t substitute half-and-half or whole milk! You need whipping cream to get the right texture for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese – this is where the cheesecake flavor comes from
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Graham crackers
IS EVAPORATED MILK THE SAME AS CONDENSED MILK?
No, evaporated milk and condensed milk are not the same. Condensed milk is sweetened, while evaporated milk is unsweetened. Since there’s no other sweetener added to this recipe, you need to use condensed milk.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
If you’re making this ice cream for a party, be sure to allow enough time for it to freeze solid. Six hours is the bare minimum, but overnight is even better!
Make the strawberry puree. In a food processor or blender, combine the strawberries, the zest of half a lemon and the granulated sugar. Pulse several times until lightly pureed, you still want some chunks, you don’t want it to be completely pureed.
Whip the heavy cream. In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract until it forms stiff peaks.
Whip the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until combined.
Combine. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture, beating on low until combined.
Add the remaining ingredients. Carefully fold in the strawberries and chopped graham crackers, reserving a small amount of each for the top of the ice cream. Be careful not to over mix, we want the strawberries and graham cracker swirled into the ice cream, as opposed as fully incorporated.
Freeze the ice cream. Transfer the ice cream to a loaf pan, 8 inch cake pan, or similar container. Scatter the additional strawberry puree and graham crackers over the top. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a lid and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Tips for Success
This homemade strawberry cheesecake ice cream is easy as can be, but these tips will help make sure it turns out perfect.
Knowing when you have stiff peaks. Whipping the heavy cream suspends its water content in a scaffolding of fat. When the whipped cream is combined with the rest of the ingredients, the scaffolding remains and the water droplets it holds are distributed evenly throughout the ice cream mixture. You’ll know you have stiff peaks when the peaks stand straight up when you lift the beater, without the tips curling down.
Nailing the perfect mix-in ratio. If you over-mix the strawberry puree, the entire ice cream will be pink and littered with strawberries. We want the ice cream to feature ribbons of strawberry puree and crushed graham crackers.
Fold, don’t stir. Vigorously stirring in the bits of cupcake and sprinkles will deflate the whipped cream and result in a less fluffy texture.
Time required
- 3 minutes to make the strawberry puree
- 5 minutes to beat heavy cream into stiff peaks
- 3 minutes to finish combining all ingredients
- 6 hours or more to freeze
How to Store
Store leftover ice cream in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes or so before scooping.
Serving Suggestions
Strawberry cheesecake ice cream is delicious scooped into a cone, but you’ll also love it:
- Sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies for a homemade ice cream sandwich. Or add a lemon twist and use lemon cookies!
- Served alongside homemade brownies, chocolate cake or lemon cake.
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Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries, roughly chopped
- 1 small lemon, zest only
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream, 2 cups
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz brick cream cheese, room temperature
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 5 graham crackers, chopped
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine the strawberries, the zest of half a lemon and the granulated sugar. Pulse several times until lightly pureed, you still want some chunks, you don’t want it to be completely pureed. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, beating on low until combined.
- Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture, beating on low until combined.
- Carefully fold in the strawberries and chopped graham crackers, reserving a small amount of each for the top of the ice cream. Be careful not to over mix, we want the strawberries and graham cracker swirled into the ice cream, as opposed as fully incorporated.
- Transfer the ice cream to a loaf pan, 8 inch cake pan, or similar container. Add the remaining strawberries and graham crackers, pressing them in slightly. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a lid and freeze for at least 6 hours, overnight is preferred.
