Nothing says peak summer like a scoop of homemade strawberry ice cream. The store-bought versions usually rely on artificial flavorings and bright pink dyes, but making it at home gives you that rich, velvety texture and the unmistakable flavor of real, sun-ripened fruit.
The absolute biggest hurdle with strawberry ice cream is water content. Strawberries are about 90% water, which means if you just chop them up and throw them into cream, they turn into icy, rock-hard pebbles.
To fix that, this classic recipe macerates and slightly reduces the fruit first to draw out the water and concentrate the sugars.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (brightens the fruit flavor)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
The Method
1.Macerate the strawberries:2 hours.
In a bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with ¼ cup of the sugar and the lemon juice. Let them sit at room temperature for about 2 hours. The sugar will draw out the juices and create a brilliant, flavorful syrup.
2.Mash or puree:5 min.
Pour the strawberries and all their accumulated syrup into a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times for a chunky texture, or blend completely smooth if you prefer no fruit bits in your ice cream.
3.Mix the ice cream base:5 min.
In a large bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and the remaining ½ cup of sugar until the sugar completely dissolves. Stir in the strawberry puree.
4.Chill the mixture:Chilling is non-negotiable.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the base for at least 4 hours (overnight is best). The mixture needs to be completely cold before going into your ice cream maker, or it won’t churn properly and will develop ice crystals.
5.Churn and freeze:20-25 min.
Pour the chilled base into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions (usually 20–25 minutes). It will look like soft-serve. Transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for 4 hours to firm it up.
No Ice Cream Maker? No Problem.
You can easily make a no-churn version. Whip the 2 cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, mix the strawberry puree with a 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk (skip the regular milk and sugar). Gently fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture, pour it into a loaf pan, and freeze for 6 hours.