The fresh strawberry flavour in this will blow your mind! A no churn Strawberry Ice Cream that’s incredibly creamy, no ice crystals and perfectly scoopable. 5 ingredients, easy to make, no ice cream maker required!
HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM
OK, so you might know an ice cream specialist or a fancy pants restaurant that makes a stellar strawberry ice cream with fresh strawberries, and it really truly tastes of strawberries. So it’s a bit bullish to say this homemade strawberry ice cream recipe has flavour money can’t buy.
But if we’re talking about everyday strawberry ice cream sold in tubs at supermarkets and even gourmet stores, then this is off the charts compared to them.
And the reason is simple. The flavour and colour in this recipe relies solely on a whole heap of fresh strawberries that is intensified with roasting. Whereas supermarket ice cream uses artificial flavouring – and artificial colouring!
No churn ice cream
A traditional ice cream starts with a sweetened mixture of cream and eggs which is then poured into an ice cream machine which churns as the ice cream gradually freezes.
This no churn version is made with condensed milk and cream that requires no ice cream maker and yields an ice cream remarkable similar to churned ice cream. To read more about this no churn method, including the difference between No Churn and ice cream made using an ice cream maker, pop over to the no churn Mango Ice Cream recipe I’ve previously shared.
Iciness is the bain of fruit ice creams
If you’ve ever tried a homemade strawberry ice cream recipe before and been disappointed by the crunch of ice crystals from the strawberry juice, be prepared to jump for joy because this is the recipe of your dreams!
Avoiding this problem is actually quite simple – just roast the strawberries. Not only does it remove water which causes the ice crystals, it actually intensifies the strawberry flavour (oven trumps stove for flavour).
And the added bonus for strawberry ice cream is that the caramelisation of the strawberries deepens the pink colour of the ice cream!
How to make no churn strawberry ice cream
Here’s a summary of how to make this magical strawberry ice cream – the numbers correspond to the process photos above and below:
1. Halve strawberries, sprinkle with just a bit of sugar (just to kickstart the juicing process), then roast on a low heat for 1 hour.
2. Scrape into a food processor and blitz. Do not – I repeat, DO NOT taste test. Every drop is precious and I don’t trust you to stop at one tiny taste! 😂 (OK, I mean me, not you)
3 & 4. Once cooled, whip with condensed milk and vanilla to combine and aerate.
5 & 6. Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the strawberry and cream mixture together – do not beat furiously and destroy all the fluffiness!! Watch video for folding technique (pretty please!)
7 & 8. Pour into container then freeze for 12+ hours.
What comes out of the freezer is quite extraordinary. It looks like store bought ice cream. It scoops like store bought ice cream. It’s creamy like store bought – no ice crystals at all.
It even holds its shape when it softens like store bought ice cream – unlike other shortcut ice creams that seem to go from rock hard to a puddle of liquid in an instant with only a split second window of opportunity when it’s scoopable.
But most of all for me, the thing that makes homemade strawberry ice cream so precious is that true taste of strawberries which, in this world of artificial flavourings, is actually quite rare.
The flavour of this really will blow your mind.
REAL strawberry flavour – in vast quantities. When was the last time you tasted that – other than eating fresh strawberries?? – Nagi x
PS Also – no churn Mango Ice Cream. The flavour…. swoon…
More strawberry recipes 🍓🍓
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Strawberry Ice Cream (No Churn)
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lb strawberries , ripe, hulled and halved
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (395g / 13 oz)
- 2 cups / 500 ml cream , full fat, for whipping (Note 1)
Instructions
Roast Strawberries:
- Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F (140°C fan) with shelf in the middle.
- Pile strawberries on a tray. Sprinkle over sugar. Toss through, then spread strawberries out on tray.
- Roast for 45 minutes, rotating tray halfway. Remove from oven, toss strawberries, then return to oven for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it – don’t want juices to become toffee and stick to tray.
- Remove from oven, use spatula to scrape into a food processor, being sure to get all the juices and caramelised bits off the tray.
- Blitz until smooth as possible (caramelised bits won’t blitz smooth), scrape into bowl then cool completely.
Ice Cream Mixture:
- Add condensed milk and vanilla into strawberries. Beat well for 1 1/2 minutes on high to aerate and combine.
- Place cream in another bowl. Use electric beater to beat into stiff peaks – about 3 minutes on high.
- Add a dollop of cream into the strawberry mixture. Fold through gently, don’t beat in furiously (see video for technique). When mostly mixed through, add another dollop and for through about 5 times.
- Tip strawberry mixture into the cream bowl. Gently fold through until it’s a uniform pink colour – about 15 to 20 folds max. Some streaks is ok.
Freezing & serving:
- Pour mixture into a container (preferably glass with airtight lid), smooth top.
- Place sheet of baking paper on surface and press out air bubbles (stops icicles forming). Cover with lid, freeze 12+ hours.
- Remove from freezer, remove paper. Scoop with ice cream scooper and serve in cones or bowls!
Recipe Notes:
LIFE OF DOZER
If you’ve ever had a long haired dog with gastro 💩, you will totally understand the Man Buns and French Braid situation going on here. The amusement is an added bonus.😂
It is my first attempt at making ice cream and I’m going to make all sorts of ice cream flavours on my own from now on. This strawberry ice cream is not flat and homogeneous in taste like store-bought ones. This homemade ice cream tastes like vanilla n strawberry swirl together hence a delightful spoonful every time. Thank you!
Made it…..loved it!!!
I ignored your instructions not to taste test and may have eaten a couple of spoons along the way prior to freezing.
Going to try this, have you done a cherry ice cream and would you treat the cherrys the same as the straw berries. Cheers Robert
This is my Summer go to. People love this recipe.
Nagi, you are incredible! This is SUCH an incredible recipe! I made it today using my own homegrown strawberries and honestly it’s just beautiful. My husband loves it! I’ve shared your recipe link to my Facebook group “All Things Home and Garden” as others have asked for this recipe. Well done you!
Hi Nagi, I’m planning to make ice cream cake for my 4 yr old. Wondering how long can I keep this ice cream in the freezer?
This ice cream is amazingggg 🥰 done both (mango also) and it turned simply perfecttt. Since its melon season I was wondering can I do it like the mango ice cream(make it like puree and reduce it) 🙄
Sooooo delicious and creamy! I made it with local strawberries, which are in season right now, and I think I’ve been ruined for all other strawberry ice creams! Very easy to make and can’t wait to try it with peaches.
Rich! “Best strawberry ice cream I’ve eaten”, said my honey! I agree. I had trouble mixing the strawberry mixture and whipping cream together. It was a balance between mixing it well without beating it. I didn’t want to ruin it. I was so pleased that even though I can see a small blob of whipping cream here and there it still is heavenly. Thank you for this easy and yummy recipe. For those wondering, I did not have a glass container but I did have Snapware 8 1/2 cup rectangle storage container. It was exactly the right size.
Wonderful recipe! I use more strawberries than the recipe states because I grow my own and always have a glut of them. I also add a glass of Baileys ‘Eton Mess’ to each 1kg batch and the result is perfect. My neighbours tasted it and now I’ve got orders 😂 No ice crystals either ❤️
Hi Nagi, I was just wondering how much a can of condensed milk is in grams
A can is 395 grams Rundong! N x
Apparently I got delicious strawberry jam after adding condensed milk LOL
Made this recipe with 1.5kg of strawberries, increased cooking time until collapsed fruit (about 1h). WHen mixed with the whipped cream I left a few cream “blobs/swirls”. It was delicious. Thank u Nagi and speedy recovery for Dozer x
My son who is 6 saw the photo thumbnail of this recipe and exclaimed “we should make that!”. It’s like -35 outside and strawberries are never spectacular in the grocery store this time of year but he just looked so darn cute so I figured why not?! My strawberries needed longer to cook in order to reduce to the right consistency and probably should have cooked a bit longer still but turned out great anyway. Now I have to try your mango ice cream too!
Thanks Nagi!
Holly xx
Hi Nagi! I really want to know where you got your glass container with the lid for this ice cream, and what size it is? Thankyou!
I did not have a glass container. I used my rectangular Snapware. The size is 8 1/2 cups. It was the perfect size.
Any idea about how many cups is 2lb of fresh strawberries?
Hi Liz – it’s about 7.5 cups before you hull and halve them. N x
Made this and it turned out awesome. Didn’t want it too sweet for my ice cream obsessed toddler so I halved the condensed milk and used evaporated milk for the other half.
Also made a banana choc chip version using 3 frozen bananas (same method as above with half half mills) chop the bananas and blend with the milks before folding into the whipped cream with broken flake pieces. Amazing, easy and delicious!
UGGGGHH – bananas are my nemesis food!! But I am glad you guys enjoyed it!! 😂 N x
I love this. Made it yesterday. So good and creamy. No ice crystals. Thanks will make again and again
Dear Nagi,
This ice cream is MIND-BLOWING! Who would have thought roasted strawberries would create such intense colour and flavour? But I believed in you as always, followed each step assiduously, and produced the BEST ice cream I have ever eaten. My guests carolled their praises, and you have six new fans.
I shall NEVER return to shop bought. Top, top, top marks.
Take care, all.
It’s the perfect Springtime dessert! N x
I have just recently found your website. Thank you so much for the simplicity of your recipes that really work so much better than the complicated ones. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. This recipe appealed to me for the explanation you gave as to the why one should follow the methods you recommend. I recently made the pavlova recipe I have never successfully made a pavlova that did not sag after coming out of oven – your explanation of the making made this a success twice over