The BEST Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe (2024)

This southern style custard based Strawberry Ice Cream recipe is enhanced with the richness of heavy cream and made irresistible with fresh strawberries in season during the Spring and Summer.

Back in the day, my mom would take me to the ice cream parlor for strawberry ice cream. Now that I’m a mom, instead of taking my daughter to the ice cream parlor, I want to pass down my strawberry ice cream recipe to her. She can then pass it down to my granddaughter and so on. Besides, homemade strawberry ice cream tastes way better than anything I’ve ever had at an ice cream parlor. when in reality it’s simple and produces some of the best quality ice cream you’ll ever have.

The Heart and Soul of the Best Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

Cuisine Inspiration: American Summer Classics
Primary Cooking Method: Churning
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free (check your mix-ins and toppings)
Key Flavor: Bursting with fresh, sweet strawberry goodness
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly, but with a gourmet twist

Sweet Highlights:

• Fresh Strawberry Puree: We’re keeping it 100% real with fresh strawberries, blended into a puree that packs a punch of flavor.
• Perfect Creaminess: This has the smoothest texture
• Sweet, But Not Too Sweet: We’ve got the sugar balance just right
• Versatile Vibes: Whether you’re dressing it up with chocolate drizzle or keeping it classic with a waffle cone, this recipe is your canvas.
• Summer in a Scoop: One taste and you’re transported to sunny days, picnics in the park, and all the joy that the best season has to offer.

Ingredients

The ingredients that make a strawberry ice cream super creamy and luscious are the following:

• Eggs and Egg Yolks
• Sugar
• Heavy Cream
• Half and Half
• Fresh Strawberries
• Vanilla Extract

The eggs and additional egg yolks add a lot of richness to this recipe and create the custard that is needed for a smooth mixture.

Sugar of course is super important to sweeten the recipe. Feel free to make changes to this amount. If you grab strawberries during the spring and summer season when they are indeed in season, you might have a much sweeter variety than those you would get in the fall and winter. Adjust accordingly.

The addition of heavy cream and half and half creates a wonderful indulgence to the recipe. It makes the ice cream sooo creamy!

Lastly fresh strawberries (or even frozen strawberries if that is all you have on hand) and finally vanilla extract that brightens the flavor even more are the last ingredients.

How to Make Strawberry Ice Cream

The process starts by beating both eggs and egg yolks with your sugar while bringing heavy cream and half and half to a boil. Ice cream is only as good as the ingredients you use to make it. So if you can afford it, buying high-quality cream and eggs will ensure a fresher taste. The same rule applies to the strawberries and vanilla extract that will be added later on.

Next, slowly add three tablespoons of the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture to temper it and whisk together to combine. Then slowly add in the rest of the milk mixture and continue to whisk the entire time to make sure it doesn’t scramble. I’m sure no one wants chunks of scrambled egg lingering in their sweet treat.

Add that perfectly sweet strawberry puree, vanilla extract and food coloring if you choose to use it. There’s no shame in adding in that perfect pop of pink but even without it the result is delicious.

Your next move is key. Chill your mixture until completely cool. I’ll say it one more time for the people in the back. Completely cool. Doing this enables your mixture to be aerated as much as possible in the maker, making for the creamiest, smoothest ice cream possible.

Once your mixture has cooled it’s time to get it into your mixer. If you’re using the type of ice cream maker that uses a freezer bowl, make sure to freeze the bowl at least 24 hours ahead of time. If your bowl is not cold enough there’s a chance your mixture will never freeze properly. Disregard this tip if you’re using any other kind of ice cream maker.Be sure to add your mixture to an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions and freeze.

The end result is strawberry ice cream like you’ve never had it before. The taste of natural strawberries comes through while leaving that sickly sweet artificial berry flavor that lingers on the teeth. The texture is smooth, light and oh so wonderfully creamy. You’ll never look at strawberry ice cream the same way again.

How to Properly Store

I love to add my ice cream to some amazing cartons. They allow me to store them in disposable containers that I can also gift to family and friends during the summer. They are easy to carry as well and store in the freezer since they don’t take up too much room.

More Amazing Ice Cream Recipes

If you love Ice Cream, definitely check out these other homemade ice cream recipes:

• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
• Matcha Ice Cream
• Blueberry Ice Cream

*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!*

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