Description

This creamy strawberry ice cream recipe uses just five main ingredients to create a rich, fruity, and refreshing dessert. Fresh strawberries are cooked with sugar to form a strawberry base, then combined with cold milk, heavy cream, and vanilla for a smooth, luscious texture. The mixture is churned in an ice cream machine and frozen until firm, resulting in a homemade treat bursting with natural strawberry flavor.

Ingredients

Strawberry Base

28 ounces fresh strawberries (chopped)
2⅝ cups granulated sugar

Ice Cream Mixture

2 cups whole milk (cold)
2 cups heavy cream (cold)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Prepare Strawberry Base: Combine the chopped fresh strawberries and 2⅝ cups of granulated sugar in a medium saucepan.
Cook Strawberry Mixture: Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 226℉ (108℃), creating a thickened strawberry base.
Cool Strawberry Base: Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the strawberry mixture to cool completely.
Mix Ice Cream Base: In a large bowl, combine the cold whole milk, cold heavy cream, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.
Stir Ingredients: Gently stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely, careful not to beat or whisk to avoid creating air bubbles.
Combine and Churn: Pour the milk and cream mixture into an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions and churn until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
Add Strawberry Base: Remove the churned ice cream from the machine and gently fold in the cooled strawberry mixture to evenly distribute the fruit flavor.
Freeze to Firm: Transfer the combined ice cream to a container and freeze for 3-4 hours, or until firm enough to scoop and serve.

Notes

Ensure all dairy ingredients are very cold for the best ice cream texture.
Cooking strawberries to the correct temperature helps intensify their flavor and reduce excess water content, preventing icy texture.
Do not whisk the ice cream base vigorously; stirring gently prevents excess air incorporation which can affect creaminess.
If you don’t have an ice cream machine, you can freeze the mixture in a shallow container, stirring every 30 minutes until firm to mimic churning.
For extra strawberry flavor, consider adding a small amount of strawberry jam when folding in the fruit base.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Churning
Cuisine: American