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    Home » Recipes » Ice Cream

    Published: May 14, 2021 · Modified: Apr 23, 2023 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliates

    No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream (best recipe)

    Jump to Recipe
    White bowl with strawberry ice cream, pin with text
    White bowl with strawberry ice cream, long pin with text

    This is the easiest homemade ice cream I make with an outstanding fresh strawberry flavor! A no-churn, 4-ingredient recipe made mostly in a blender (no need for an ice cream maker) that also works with frozen berries. Keep a batch ready at all times for impromptu cravings or last-minute desserts. A fantastic recipe to have at arm's length when the strawberry season starts.

    Table of Contents Open
    Why make this recipe
    Ingredient list
    How to make blender berry ice cream
    Freezing
    Kitchen notes
    Related recipes you might like:
    Strawberry Ice Cream (best no churn recipe)
    Close up of White patterned bowl with strawberry ice cream, more strawberries as background.


    This is the first no churn ice cream recipe we shared on this blog, and it's still our number one homemade ice cream when fresh berries hit the market and the perfect treat for a hot summer day.

    A close call with the frozen strawberry pie if I had to choose a favorite no-bake strawberry dessert.

    And I hope you'll feel the same. It's that good and easy to make. A luscious berry sorbet, but creamy at the same time.

    Made mostly in a blender (no ice cream maker involved), it has only 4 ingredients making it a perfect, easy, crowd-pleasing, no-churn strawberry ice cream. A fantastic recipe!

    It doesn't taste creamy with little strawberry flavor. It is creamy in texture with lots of berry flavor, which makes it even better.

    And though we became raging fans of this vanilla ice cream, this is a homemade strawberry ice cream without condensed milk.

    White bowls with scoops of strawberry ice cream. White marble surface, grey background, and fresh strawberries around.

    I came across it a few Christmas ago when my cousin's sister-in-law had made her famous homemade strawberry ice cream.

    I was eager to try the much-talked-about ice cream she originally made with homegrown raspberries.

    It didn't disappoint! It was amazing and so incredibly easy to make.

    Why make this recipe

    1. No equipment is needed: it's a strawberry ice cream recipe without ice cream maker or custard involved, so it's a breeze to prepare.
    2. Creamy ice cream: considering how little work goes into making it and the lack of egg yolks (used in custard-based ones), this recipe renders a fantastically creamy concoction without losing the fresh berry flavor.
    3. Berries: you can use any type, but strawberries and raspberries work best by far.
    4. Scaling: the recipe is easily scalable. The limit is the size of your blender.
    5. Last-minute dessert: as with any ice cream, you can have a batch in the freezer at all times for when company drops by or if you have a sudden craving.
    Dripping strawberry ice cream scoops in a white bowl, scattered berries, white surface, grey background.

    Ingredient list

    • Fresh strawberries: this will allow you to use less liquid. But frozen strawberries also work well, and I have used them many times. Let them thaw a little to get rid of the extra liquid. But don't let them get completely mushy.
    • Heavy cream is my first choice, but double or heavy whipping cream can be used. Don't use low-fat or anything of the sort.
    • Lemon juice: besides adding some acidity to balance the richness and sweetness of the other ingredients, it's a way to prevent crystallization (ice crystals from forming after it's frozen), which is much needed with no-churn ice cream recipes. So I recommend you don't omit it.
    • White granulated sugar.
    Ingredients for fresh strawberry ice cream on white surface, including lemon, cream, and sugar.

    How to make blender berry ice cream

    Strawberry mixture

    • Wash and hull the strawberries. You can add them to the blender whole, or cut into large chunks or small pieces, whatever way you feel will be best for your blender. This is especially important if the strawberries are rock-hard frozen and your blender is not very potent; and you might want to let them thaw a little.
    • Add sugar and blend until you have pureed strawberries. There will be bubble and the mixture will be thick but runny. This is the first part of this delicious ice cream recipe.
    • Blender: a regular or an immersion blender can be used. If using the latter, puree the strawberries and sugar directly in the bowl you'll be using.
    Two image collage of whole strawberries with sugar, and after it's all processed.

    The whipped cream

    • Whip cream until medium soft peaks form. Use a large bowl for easier integration later. When the cream is correctly whipped, the tip won't hold and it will fall immediately when you lift the beaters. This ice cream base will be mixed further with the strawberry puree. So don't wait until stiff peaks form (as you would for chantilly cream) because it might curdle when you integrate it with the strawberry mixture.
    • Add the strawberries to the cream. Mix with a spatula until you have a uniformly red and wonderfully smooth concoction.
    Collage showing whipped cream, and adding strawberry puree to it.

    Freezing

    Pour the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container or metal loaf pan.

    Freeze until solid. The time it takes will depend on your freezer and the container you use. If short on time, solidifying will take less time if you use a shallow container. So keep that in mind depending on when you plan to serve it.

    If you're making it days or weeks ahead, use a freezer container with a lid or cover with plastic wrap.

    Pouring strawberry ice cream onto white ceramic shallow dish.
    Several scoops of strawberry ice cream in white bowl, more strawberries around, white surface, grey background.

    Kitchen notes

    • Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
    • Use a regular blender, immersion blender or food processor: they all work, but the food processor might render a chunkier mixture.
    • Take it out 15-20 before you want to serve it: it freezes rock solid, literally. You won't be able to scrape the surface unless you leave it out at room temperature for a little while.
    • Strawberries and raspberries work best: or a mix. Consider that some berries (raspberries, blackberries) have tiny seeds that can become a bit of a pain when eating. So you might want to sift the puree before mixing it with the cream.
    • Serving: I like to eat it plain, maybe with some fresh strawberries added. You can serve it on top of a brownie square (they pair wonderfully) or topped with a light fudge sauce.
    • Vanilla extract: you can add ½ a teaspoon for a mellower flavor. I like pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper. 
    Grey background and white marble surface with white bowls containing strawberry ice cream. Fresh strawberries around.
    How do you make strawberry ice cream from scratch?

    With this recipe! The recipe card below includes ingredients, instructions, and tips to make a creamy, easy, no-churn strawberry ice cream.

    What are the ingredients for strawberry ice cream?

    For a no-churn version, you need strawberries, sugar, cream and lemon. Some use condensed milk. You will also need egg yolks and an ice cream maker for custard-based ice cream.

    Why is my strawberry ice cream icy?

    This happens due to crystallization because the water content of the ice cream solidifies faster than the fat (cream). Most recipes use an ice cream machine because churning allows the fats and water to solidify slowly and more evenly. This recipe avoids that, to an extent, by using lemon juice.


    Related recipes you might like:

    • Round white pie dish with frozen strawberry swirl pie, a slice missing, fresh strawberries on top.
      Frozen Strawberry Pie
    • Two white and magenta ice cream paletas on a metal pan, top one is bitten.
      Berry Cheesecake Ice Cream (no-churn)
    • Scooping vanilla ice in a beige bowl. Pink and light blue background.
      Condensed Milk Ice Cream
    • Mint green background with vanilla ice cream being scooped into a glass.
      Creamy Cheesecake Ice Cream (best no churn recipe)

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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    Scoops of strawberry ice cream in white bowl, more strawberries around, white surface, grey background.

    Strawberry Ice Cream (best no churn recipe)

    ★★★★★

    5 from 11 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    This is the easiest homemade ice cream with an outstanding fresh strawberry flavor! A no-churn, 4-ingredient recipe made mostly in the blender (no need for an ice cream maker) that also works with frozen berries. 

    • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    Units
    • 1 pound fresh strawberries (or raspberries)
    • Juice of ½ lemon
    • 1 ½ cups sugar
    • 1 ¼ cups whipping cream

    Instructions

    1. In a blender put rinsed and hulled strawberries with the sugar and lemon juice. You can leave it macerating for ½ hour the berries and sugar first, before pureeing it, so they release some of their natural juice.
    2. Blend until it’s creamy and smoothie-like, an even mixture with no strawberry chunks. 
    3. Beat cream to ¾ consistency, soft/medium peaks. See Notes below please.
    4. Add the strawberry mixture to the cream, integrating well. 
    5. Transfer to a freezer-proof container.
    6. Freeze for several hours, about 4 depending on your freezer and the container you used, until solid, before eating,

    Notes

    • Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
    • Use a regular blender, immersion blender or food processor: they all work, but the food processor might render a chunkier mixture.
    • Freeze until solid. Pour the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container or metal loaf pan. If short on time, solidifying will take less time if you use a shallow container. So keep that in mind depending on when you plan to serve it. If you're making it days or weeks ahead, use a freezer container with a lid or cover with plastic wrap.
    • Frozen strawberries. You can add them to the blender whole, cut large strawberry chunks or small pieces, whatever way you feel will be best for your blender. This is especially important if the strawberries are frozen and you might want to let them thaw a little before cutting them. Because rock hard strawberries are similar to ice cubes. And not all blenders are cool with that.
    • Take it out 15-20 before you want to serve it: it freezes rock solid, literally. You won't be able to scrape the surface unless you leave it out at room temperature for a little while.
    • Strawberries and raspberries work best: or a mix. Consider that some berries (raspberries, blackberries) have tiny seeds that can become a bit of a pain when eating. So you might want to sift the puree before mixing it with the cream.
    • Serving: I like to eat it plain, maybe with some fresh strawberries added. You can serve it on top of a brownie square (they pair wonderfully) or topped with a light fudge sauce.
    • Vanilla extract: you can add ½ a teaspoon for a mellower flavor. I like pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper. 
    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Freezing time: 4 hours
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Blender
    • Cuisine: International

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: â…•
    • Calories: 464
    • Sugar: 66.1 g
    • Sodium: 17.6 mg
    • Fat: 21.7 g
    • Carbohydrates: 68.7 g
    • Fiber: 1.8 g
    • Protein: 2.3 g
    • Cholesterol: 67.2 mg

    Keywords: strawberry ice cream

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vintagekitchenblog on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagekitchenblog

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    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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    1. Nancy says

      July 25, 2023 at 4:42 am

      After the strawberries are blended and the cream whipped, Do you whip them together with the mixer or fold them together?

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        July 25, 2023 at 8:24 am

        Hi Nancy, you fold them until smooth and even colored.

        Reply
    2. Rose Boyd says

      June 30, 2023 at 11:21 am

      Hi. Do you need to use the lemon juice if using frozen strawberries?

      Also are you able to tell me the metric equiv? (grams and millilitres).

      I’ll let you know how it turns out.

      Thanks

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        June 30, 2023 at 11:45 am

        Hi Rose! The lemon juice is used to bring out the flavor of the strawberries, balance sweetness and the richness of the cream. It doesn't matter if the berries are fresh or frozen. You can omit it.
        In metric it would be 454g of strawberries, 300g sugar, 310g cream. You can toggle the US/M button to change from US measurements to metric. Happy baking!

        Reply
    3. Rachael says

      September 26, 2020 at 4:09 pm

      There is lemon juice in the. ingredients list but the method doesn’t say when to add the lemon. Is it blended with the strawberries and sugar?

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        September 26, 2020 at 7:31 pm

        Hi Rachel, you add it to the blender with the fruit and sugar.

        Reply
    4. Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says

      June 22, 2020 at 4:20 am

      Your ice cream recipe has come at the perfect time for me as its getting really hot here this week! The strawberry ice cream looks so delicious and I love that it is only 4 ingredients and no-churn!

      Reply
    5. Marwin Brown says

      June 21, 2020 at 6:42 pm

      This looks rich and creamy and like such an easy recipe to make. Perfect for summer too!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

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