Easy Strawberry Ice Cream
My easy strawberry ice cream is a long-time family favorite that will never grow old. You only need five ingredients to make this creamy concoction and it couldn’t be easier to make. It all comes together in less than 30 minutes. This is the dreamiest strawberry ice cream ever and I believe I could sit and eat the whole thing all by myself!
I remember our family Fourth of July celebrations every year with all our favorite summertime treats. My dad would always make this strawberry ice cream and put it in our old ice cream maker. It would take awhile for the ice cream to churn and you would have to keep adding more ice and rock salt. Let me tell you it was well worth the wait and was always the hit of the party!
I purchased a new ice cream/yogurt maker. I have really enjoyed it because it makes the ice cream making process so quick and easy. It still tastes just as I remember it but churns so much faster. The ice cream is soft set and ready to eat in about 15 minutes but I like to put it in the freezer for awhile to set it a little more. What a cool and refreshing treat for a hot summer day!!
Ingredients for Easy Strawberry Ice Cream:
- 2 cups of sugar
- Juice of one lemon
- Three cups of fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and mashed up
- 1 pint heavy cream
- Milk to fill up ice cream freezer bowl to 3/4 full as needed
How to make Easy Strawberry Ice Cream:
- Make sure your ice cream freezer bowl is frozen. This takes about 12 hours. Wash and hull or unthaw your strawberries and set them aside. Juice one whole lemon and set aside. Measure two cups of sugar in a large bowl and pour in the lemon juice.
- Mix the lemon juice and the sugar together. The mixture will be kind of thick as shown above.
- Pour in one pint of heavy whipping cream and stir to combine until the mixture is smooth.
- Mash up the 3 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries (unthawed) with a fork or potato masher. I leave some of the strawberries in larger pieces so the ice cream is a little chunkier. You can also blend them in the blender if you don’t want chunks of fruit. Add the strawberries (with all the strawberry juices) to the cream mixture and pour into the freezer bowl of the ice cream maker. Add enough milk if needed to fill the bowl about 3/4 full and you’re ready to go! Turn on the ice cream maker and process for about 15-20 minutes or until the ice cream mixture thickens.
- If you are not in a hurry, you can mix everything, cover the bowl, and let it sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or even overnight to let the flavors meld and the berries mascerate before putting the mixture in the ice cream maker. The ice cream tastes great either way.
- When ice cream is thickened and creamy you can eat it as is (it will be quite soft) or pour it into a covered container and place in the freezer for approximately two hours to harden it up.
- Keep any leftover ice cream in the freezer (if you happen to have any).
- This recipe makes 2 quarts of ice cream.
Other dessert recipes to try:
Easy Strawberry Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 cups hulled fresh or frozen strawberries, unthawed, mashed or blended as desired Process the strawberries to your desired consistency
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup 2% or whole milk may need more or less to fill the ice cream freezer bowl after pouring in the rest of the ice cream mixture.
Instructions
- If using a freezer bowl with your ice cream maker you will have to freeze it for 12 hours prior to making your ice cream.
- Juice one lemon and set the juice aside.
- Wash and hull 3 cups of fresh strawberries or you can use frozen (unthawed) if you don't have fresh berries. Mash them with a fork or potato masher or blend them in a blender for a smoother consistency. Set berries aside.
- Pour two cups of sugar in a large bowl and then add the lemon juice. Mix with a wooden spoon. The consistency will be thick. You can also use a hand mixer if you prefer.
- Mix in one pint of heavy cream and whisk together.
- Add the strawberries and mix everything together. You can place the mixture in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours covered or even overnight if you desire. If you don't want to wait you can immediately place in the ice cream freezer. It will taste yummy either way.
- Add enough milk to finish filling up the freezer bowl about 3/4 full or a little more. You may need more or less than 3/4 cup of milk. Leave some room at the top for the ice cream to expand as it freezes.
- Process the ice cream for 15-20 minutes or more depending on your ice cream maker instructions. I use a Cuisinart ice cream maker and mine only takes about 15 minutes.
- When the ice cream is thickened and creamy you may serve it soft or place the ice cream in a covered container (such as a bread pan or something that size) and let it freeze for about two hours to harden the ice cream.
- This ice cream will keep in the freezer for about two weeks. Cover well to keep ice from forming on the ice cream.