The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
There's not much to say about this recipe-----it's The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream you'll ever have without an ice cream machine. Creamy vanilla and strawberry goodness + buttery cookie bits creates a soft, sweet, and scoop-able treat that everyone will love! Plus, it's incredibly simple and easy to make! Completely no-churn, just a few ingredients, a blender, and a little bit of time. Kids and adults alike will love this rich + creamy homemade ice cream recipe! Dairy-free + Gluten-free Options.
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Now that we're well into ice cream season, I couldn't be more excited to share this latest velvety creation with you. When it comes to making ice cream at home, I've become so avid at it because it's such an easy process, I get to control the ingredients used in each batch, and you don't need any fancy machine-----just a blender. The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream truly lives up to it's name and every scoop and bite reminds you of the most amazing, coveted flavor-----strawberry shortcake! This recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser and one that you'll need to make on rotation all summer long. Be sure to check out my 10 Delicious No-Churn Ice Cream Flavors Worth Trying for the entire family!
And if you're a lover of making your own ice cream, then this No-Churn Blueberry Protein Ice Cream [with Gingersnap] or No-Churn Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream is a must! Oh and let's not forget about the delicious flavor of strawberry shortcake which can be created in so many ways like this Birthday Strawberry Shortcake Cake, Strawberry Shortcake Donuts, and Delicious Strawberry Shortcake Baked Oats. Whatever you choose, everyone in your house is guaranteed to love it!
But when it comes to this Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream in particular, the type that requires minimal effort + simple ingredients & no fancy ice cream maker----it's a huge hit with the family and is perfect for a sweet cool-down treat over summer or ideal for a cozy winter movie night. Basically, it's perfect ALL YEAR round and can be adapted to be Gluten-free & Vegan!
Jump to:
- What is a Strawberry Shortcake?
- Why You Will LOVE This No Churn Ice Cream
- Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker
- Ingredients for Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
- Why Sweetened Condensed Milk is so important!
- How To Make The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
- Strawberry Puree/Jam 'Sauce'
- Absolutely Love Strawberries?
- Serving Suggestions for this No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Ice cream
- Common Q + A's for The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
- More Amazing Summer Recipes to Try!
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
What is a Strawberry Shortcake?
Everyone loves strawberry shortcakes! Traditionally, It has the components of a perfect dessert:
- Flaky, buttery shortcake (aka biscuits)
- Sweet and saucy strawberry slices
- Whipped fresh cream
Basically, strawberry shortcakes are a dessert that usually comes in the form of a crumbly scone-like texture that is topped with whipped cream. While strawberries are a classic choice, in the UK, it is common to have blackberry + clotted cream shortcake and lemon berry shortcake, which has a lemon curd in place of cream.
Why You Will LOVE This No Churn Ice Cream
- Strawberry + cookie surprises in every bite
- Better than store-bought--promise!
- No churn ice cream = SIMPLE & EASY
- Rich in flavor, velvety + SO creamy
- Perfectly sweet & scoopable and works in a bowl or on a cone
- Ideal for snacking or for hosting kids + adults alike
Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker
You may have thought that the only way to enjoy homemade ice cream is to purchase an ice cream maker. That is totally false! You can create excellent texture without an ice cream maker if you follow some of my basic principles for no-churn ice cream---especially this strawberry shortcake version. It does take a little technique to perfect the consistency, but it is so easy that anyone could do it!
If you take sweetened cream, flavor it, and freeze it, you will be very disappointed. Unfortunately, ice cream needs air whipped into it, which is what most ice cream machines do as they freeze the base. Freezing cream will cause it to solidify and you will never be able to scoop it out.
Instead, I use heavy whipping cream and whip it to stiff peaks. Then, I fold it into sweetened condensed milk along with my other mix-ins to keep the mixture airy. This way, I get perfectly scoop-able ice cream once it has hardened in the freezer.
Ingredients for Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
Here is a simple list of ingredients to make Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream:
- Heavy cream. Choose organic for the best flavor! (See FAQ section for DF option)
- Sweetened condensed milk. I use low-fat, sweetened condensed milk for my homemade ice cream recipe. It really enriches the texture and sweetens things up with just one simple ingredient. (Dairy-free option sub for a DF condensed milk)
- Vanilla. Choose pure vanilla extract to highlight this classic ice cream flavor.
- Maple syrup. Add a touch of maple flavor to compliment the vanilla and strawberry flavors in the ice cream. You can also substitute with honey or agave if you prefer.
- Almond Milk. Adds a nutty element and creates a smoother batter. You can use store-bought or make your own Almond Milk without soaking!
- Strawberry Sauce. This adds a bold, velvety texture to each bite. You'll need fresh strawberries, cane sugar, lemon juice, and preserves or jam.
- Shortbread cookies. The sweet, crunchy, crumbly star of the show. I love how buttery shortbread cookies are without getting soggy once incorporated. However, you can sub with cake pieces, biscuit pieces, sugar cone pieces, vanilla wafers, or even vanilla Oreo cookies.
Why Sweetened Condensed Milk is so important!
First, I must let you know that Sweetened Condensed Milk is a canned milk that has 60 percent of it's water content removed, making it thicker in consistency.
Also, it has 40-45% sugar, making it a great sugar substitute in recipes that use sugar. More importantly, condensed milk creates a caramelized flavor along with it's sweetness, which give the dishes that require it, a beautiful kick of flavor.
That being said---I generally love using the original Sweetened Condensed Milk like the Eagle Brand's version, however, in this recipe, I love using Edward's & Son's Let's Do Organic's dairy-free coconut version for vegan-friendly options.
How To Make The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
TO MAKE THE ICE CREAM:
- In a high-powered blender, add the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, maple syrup, and milk, blending everything together until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
ASSEMBLE + FREEZE:
- Immediately pour everything into a 9x5 loaf pan (or small metal bowl), top with cooled strawberry sauce and crushed cookies and add them into the batter, stirring slightly to incorporate them in the middle. Then top the batter with remaining strawberry sauce and more crushed cookies.
- Tightly wrap the top of pan with foil paper or heavy duty plastic wrap and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
- To serve, remove from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes to help it soften slightly before scooping.
- Bon Appetit!
Strawberry Puree/Jam 'Sauce'
To switch things up a bit and make a purée or jam sauce for your strawberry topping instead, you'll need just four ingredients:
- Strawberries. Fresh or frozen berries both work! I love using fresh to reduce the amount of water content.
- Cane or coconut sugar. Either work well to make your fruit puree.
- Lemon juice. This bit of acid helps bring out the natural sweetness in the fruit.
- Strawberry preserves/jam. Adds a great burst of strawberry flavor and adds a nice thickened texture to the sauce.
Make the sauce by first combining all of the ingredients in a saucepan on the stove. Then simmer the berries until they break down, about 5 to 6 minutes. At this point, the sauce should have thickened up beautifully. Finally, remove from heat and let it cool COMPLETELY.
Absolutely Love Strawberries?
You might think you know everything about strawberries, especially if you've been munching on them since before you could walk. But hold on to your hats, folks, because I've got some juicy info to share with you! I spill the tea on all things Strawberry Season – from the tastiest varieties to the incredible health benefits that'll have you feeling like a superhero.
So if you're ready to add a little sweetness to your life, head on over to my blog post Strawberry Season. Your taste buds (and your body) will thank you.
Serving Suggestions for this No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Ice cream
Although homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream is absolutely amazing on its own, here are some ideas to elevate it to the next level:
Scoop into bowls or cones: Serve the strawberry shortcake ice cream in bowls or cones for pure ice cream joy.
Make ice cream sandwiches: Get playful by sandwiching strawberry shortcake ice cream between vanilla wafers or sugar cookies for twice the amount of buttery goodness!
Build epic sundaes: Create towering sundaes with multiple scoops of this strawberry shortcake ice cream, toppings, and crushed shortbread cookies.
Blend milkshake magic: Whip up creamy milkshakes by blending the ice cream with your favorite milk like this Homemade Creamy Cashew Milk or Almond Milk, then top with whipped cream and cookie crumbs and fresh strawberries or a drizzle of strawberry sauce.
Ice Cream Pie: Press a cookie crust into a pie dish, fill it with the strawberry shortcake ice cream mix, and freeze until firm. YUM
Pair with deliciously soft, warm donuts or biscuits: Serve this ice cream with freshly baked or fried donuts like these Homemade Glazed Donuts or Flaky Honey Buttermilk Biscuits for a heavenly combination!
Common Q + A's for The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
When kept in an air-tight container, ice cream lasts for about 2 weeks.
Yes and No! If you want to make this recipe even faster and easier, you can replace the heavy cream with 2 cups of cool whip, however, the texture won't be as solid and "ice cream" like as this one. Cool whip creates a more "gummy" and a less smooth texture. Simply place the cool whip in a stand mixer bowl and fold in the remaining ingredients until uniform. Then place in the loaf pan and freeze as directed.
To make this ice cream entirely dairy-free, simply substitute the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream or milk (refrigerated overnight), the condensed milk for dairy-free sweetened condensed milk, and ensure that the cookies are dairy-free. Also, ensure that the strawberry preserves/jam is vegan-friendly.
Absolutely! Just ensure that cookies are gluten-free friendly.
Yes! I love how buttery shortbread cookies are in this ice cream without getting soggy once incorporated. However, you can sub with cake pieces, biscuit pieces, sugar cone pieces, vanilla wafers, or even vanilla Oreo cookies.
The freezing time can vary depending on your freezer temperature and the depth of the ice cream in the container. Generally, it takes around 4-6 hours for the ice cream to become firm. It's best to check its consistency periodically and adjust the freezing time as needed.
Basically, the main difference in the two types of cookies is the amount of sugar to butter ratio. In general, Butter cookies contain more sugar and are baked at a higher temperature. Shortbread cookies contain a higher fat content (butter), which yields a melt-in-your-mouth texture with the outside crispiness.
As I've mentioned, Shortbread should always have a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, but be slightly crisp when you bite into it, which makes it perfect for this ice cream!
Of course! If you're short on time or just don't want to make your own strawberry sauce/filling from scratch, you can definitely purchase an organic can of strawberry pie filling as a substitute. It has the right consistency which creates a velvety texture to this ice cream.
More Amazing Summer Recipes to Try!
- No-Churn Cookies + Cream Ice Cream
- My Favorite Peach Crumble Pie
- No-Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- Oreo Milkshake
- Vegan Peanut Butter Pecan Milkshake
- Southern Peach Cobbler Cheesecake
- Spicy Jalapeño Cucumber Mocktail
- Easy Southern Peach Cobbler [with Canned Peaches]
- Biscoff Banana Pudding with Caramel
- Vegan Funfetti Cake + Vanilla Buttercream
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you.
The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
- 3 cups fresh sliced strawberries, stems removed
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- ½ lemon, freshly-squeezed
- 3 Tbsps organic strawberry preserves/jam
ICE CREAM:
- 2 cups organic heavy cream, VERY COLD
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, low-fat
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsps pure maple syrup
- Pinch of sea salt
- ¼ cup Almond milk (You can also sub with whole milk or your fave plant-based milk)
- 2 cups organic shortbread cookies, roughly crushed (See Post for More Options)
Instructions
TO MAKE THE STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
- In a saucepan, add together all ingredients over medium-high heat, stirring until combined. Once strawberries begin to soften, continue stirring until mixture begins to thickened a bit, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
TO MAKE THE ICE CREAM:
- In a high-powered blender, add the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, maple syrup, and milk, blending everything together until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
ASSEMBLE + FREEZE:
- Immediately pour the ice cream "batter" into a 9x5 loaf pan (or small metal bowl or round cake pan), followed by ¾ of the COOLED strawberry sauce, slightly stirring everything around (best with a spatula or spoon) to create a "swirl" look. Next, add the crushed shortbread cookies and add them into the batter, stirring slightly to incorporate them in the middle. Then top the batter with the remaining ¼ of the strawberry sauce and more crushed cookies.
- Tightly wrap the top of pan with foil paper or heavy duty plastic wrap and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
- To serve, remove from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes to help it soften slightly before scooping and adding it your fave bowl(s) or cone(s).
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: When kept in an air-tight container, ice cream lasts for about 2 weeks.
- DAIRY-FREE + GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS: See FAQs section.
Nutrition
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Absolutely delicious! My family loved this.