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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream will win your heart for its simplicity and rich, creamy texture without the need for an ice cream maker. It’s a quick and easy way to enjoy frozen desserts with fresh, natural ingredients.
- Effortless Preparation: This no-churn recipe requires just 15 minutes of prep time, making it perfect for busy schedules.
- Minimal Ingredients: With only condensed milk, heavy cream, and fresh strawberries, you get a delicious treat with no additives or preservatives.
- Creamy Texture: The luxuriously soft serve consistency ensures a delightful dessert experience.
We’re delighted to know that for millions of Bold Bakers, this no-churn ice cream recipe is the best strawberry ice cream recipe they’ve tested!
IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 6/9/2024, to include explanations of ingredients and substitutes, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and more Pro Chef Tips.
Table of Contents
- What is Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream?
- Tools You Need
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
- Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
- FAQs
- More Strawberry Frozen Desserts
What is Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
This no-churn Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream features a two-ingredient base of condensed milk and heavy cream without egg yolks in custard base ice cream, melded with fresh strawberry puree for an irresistibly creamy treat.
Tools You Need
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring jug
- Blender or food processor
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Spatula
- Ice cream containers (or a loaf pan with a lid or cling wrap)
Key Ingredients
-
Heavy whipping cream
- Heavy whipping cream is a dairy product skimmed from full-fat cow’s milk with a fat content of around 35%, which makes it whip up well.
- Heavy whipping cream incorporates and retains air to make ice cream light and tender.
- The fat from heavy whipping cream adds flavor and creaminess and lowers the freezing point to make ice cream still scoopable once frozen.
- Heavy whipping cream is a dairy product skimmed from full-fat cow’s milk with a fat content of around 35%, which makes it whip up well.
-
Condensed milk
- Condensed milk is traditionally cow’s milk with much water content boiled away and then added sugar.
- It is a key ingredient, and there is no substitute for it in this method.
- Condensed milk sweetens ice cream to enhance flavors, and lowers the freezing point to provide a smooth and creamy texture.
- Condensed milk’s sugar also coats air bubbles to stabilize the light and aerated structure.
- Alternatively, you can make it at home or use full-fat dairy-free milk such as coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, and cashew milk instead of whole milk to make dairy-free Condensed Milk.
- Condensed milk is traditionally cow’s milk with much water content boiled away and then added sugar.
-
Strawberries
- Strawberries are a key ingredient providing flavor, color, and texture. They contribute to the fruity essence and freshness of the dessert, enhancing its overall taste profile.
- Alternatively, other frozen or fresh berries such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries will also work great.
-
Vanilla extract
- It complements the sweetness of the strawberries and balances the richness, adding depth and complexity to the overall taste.
How to Make No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream
Prepare the fruit
-
Finely puree the strawberries in a blender or food processor, then pass through a sieve to remove the seeds. Set aside. A few drops of lemon juice can help to retain the red color.
Make the 2-Ingredient Ice Cream
-
Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, or until you have medium peaks that hold their shape pretty well, except that the tip of the peak curls over on itself when the beaters are lifted.
-
Turn the speed to low and pour the condensed milk into the mixing bowl, then return the speed to medium-high and whip for about 2 more minutes, or until you have stiff peaks that flop over immediately when the beaters are lifted.
-
With a spatula, fold in vanilla extract and strawberry puree until fully combined.
-
Transfer this ice cream mixture to an air-tight sealable container and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours before eating.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
- Unless you have access to seasonal farmer’s markets and are making this in the summer during prime strawberry season, go for the frozen ones. They are picked at their peak and flash frozen, preserving all of that amazing flavor.
- Be sure to finely puree and strain the strawberries. If you leave it chunky, it will get icy.
- Both the heavy cream and condensed milk should be cold before you begin. Refrigerate a can of condensed milk for at least a few hours before you make this.
- We love this summery ice cream just as it is, but you can dress it up with macerated strawberries, chocolate syrup and a dollop of whipped cream!
- Instead of a freezer container, fill my no-bake Cookie Pie Crust with this ice cream just after you whip it and freeze this way to make a simple Strawberry Ice Cream Pie! Top with a dollop of Creme Fraiche Whipped Cream just before serving!
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
FAQs
Can I make dairy-free strawberry ice cream?
Yes, you can use plant-based milk to make dairy-free condensed milk and whip up coconut cream instead of heavy whipping cream.
Check out our dairy-free coconut ice cream recipe for the method.
How can I keep my ice cream from becoming icy hard?
- INCORPORATE ENOUGH AIR: Take care not to add condensed milk to liquid cream. Whip up heavy cream first till SOFT peaks to build an aerated structure that is able to hold the condensed milk and distribute the condensed milk evenly.
- Do not cut back condensed milk (sugar) by more than one-quarter so there will be enough sugar to coat the air bubbles to prevent them from popping or drying out. Ice cream will be light and creamy instead of dense and hard.
- Vanilla extract matters. Vanilla extract is alcohol-based with a lower freezing point than water to stop the ice cream from freezing icy hard.
As long as you follow this recipe’s instructions closely, you’re guaranteed an ice cream that doesn’t get icy because of the air incorporated and the sugar contained in condensed milk.
How can I make this strawberry ice cream less sweet?
Add a pinch of salt, one-third more heavy whipping cream, or a ripe avocado to your ice cream base to reduce its sweetness.
Can I make this fresh strawberry flavor ice cream in an ice cream maker?
Gradually add about 1/4 cup of cold heavy whipping cream into cold condensed milk until the mixture is smooth. Add to the remaining cold heavy whipping cream into your ice cream maker. Churn ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Fold in desired add-ins before storing it in the freezer.
More Strawberry Frozen Desserts
- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Strawberry Banana Frozen Yogurt
- Strawberry & Mint Dairy-Free Ice Cream
- Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars Recipe
- The Easiest Homemade Strawberry Gelato (No Machine)
- Banana & Strawberry Ice Cream For Breakfast
Make More Ice Cream Flavors!
Get 100+ Ice Cream recipes at my Gemma’s Freezer Section Ice Cream Destination page!
IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 6/9/2024, to include explanations of ingredients and substitutes, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and more Pro Chef Tips.
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Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (6 ¼ oz/177 g) strawberries , fresh or defrosted
- 2 cups (16 fl oz/480 ml ) heavy whipping cream , cold
- 1 can (14 oz/400 ml) sweetened condensed milk , cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, or until you have medium peaks.
- Turn the speed to low and pour in the condensed milk, then return the speed to medium-high and whip for about 2 more minutes, or until you have stiff peaks.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and strawberry puree until fully combined.
- Transfer to an air-tight freezable container and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours before enjoying. Keep stored in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
Recipe Notes
- Unless you have access to seasonal farmer’s markets and are making this in the summer during prime strawberry season, go for the frozen ones. They are picked at their peak and flash frozen, preserving all of that amazing flavor.
- Be sure to finely puree and strain the strawberries. If you leave it chunky, it will get icy.
- Both the heavy cream and condensed milk should be cold before you begin. Refrigerate a can of condensed milk for at least a few hours before you make this.
- We love this summery ice cream just as it is, but you can add chunks of strawberries for extra texture, or dress it up with macerated strawberries, chocolate syrup and a dollop of whipped cream!
- Instead of a freezer container, fill my no-bake Cookie Pie Crust with this ice cream just after you whip it and freeze this way to make a simple Strawberry Ice Cream Pie! Top with a dollop of Creme Fraiche Whipped Cream just before serving!
When l added the condensed milk it became runny and l kept beating it and then the cream split ie it curdled. I am so frustrated. Why did this happen
I’m not a regular icecream eater so I tightly cover storebought icecream with clingfilm, making sure it touches the entire surface, before putting the lid on. It stops any ice crystals or drying out.
Would it work as well with homemade icecream/gelato?
You weren’t kidding when you said to mix in the melted chocolate quickly. I dawdled a little and ended up with a stracciatella look, ALSO GOOD!
Hi Gemma any sweet I need I always use your recipies
I have a KitchenAid ice cream bowl/attachment for the stand mixer….could I use the same ingredients and skip the whisking part and mix ingredients prior to pouring into frozen ice cream bowl?
Sorry I forgot to ask how much is 2 pints in metric please?
I need to make sure I use a big enough container lol
Truly delightful and worth making.
Hi gemma…can we use dairy free whipping cream which has some added sugar in it. If yes than do we need to reduce the quantity of MILKMAID as it will be too sweet otherwise. Kindly help. Eager to make these icecreams for my daughters ???? Thanks much
Hi Gemma! It’s been only a week since I found your website/YouTube channel, and I can’t count how many hours I’ve spent watching all your videos. All your recipes look really awesome! I’ve also read some comments about how the strawberry frozen yogurt and the strawberry ice cream can be a bit less creamy than expected because of the water in the fruit. Hence, before I make my first experiment with your recipes, wanted to ask you — would it work if I put the strawberry puree in a pan and let it evaporate a bit on a very low… Read more »
Hi Gemma, I followed the procedure and didn’t add vanilla since we don’t have extracts here but only essence. After freezing, when I scooped it out, there were ice crystals all over. I could only taste ice but not the ice cream. I wonder why this happened?