This No-Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is rich, creamy, and packed with real strawberry flavor in every bite! Swirls of homemade strawberry compote add pockets of thick, jammy berry flavor to the velvety cream cheese base. Add in a handful of buttery graham cracker crumbs and it tastes just like a slice of strawberry cheesecake in frozen form. The best part? No ice cream maker needed. Just mix, layer, swirl, and freeze!
“This was decadently delicious and tastes exactly like the slice of strawberry cheesecake from my favorite restaurant. I took it out of the freezer at the minimum suggested time (6 hours) because we were really excited. It was super rich, creamy, and delicious, but a little too soft for cones. However, it DID scoop up beautifully the next day. The “overnight” recommendation for freezing produced a stellar, custard-like consistency…if you can wait!” — Shannon, skilled home cook for over 30 years.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Visit the recipe card below for the full directions.
Ingredient Notes
- Cream Cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is fully softened to room temperature before mixing. This is the key to a smooth, lump-free ice cream base. Take it out of the fridge at least 1–2 hours before you start.
- Heavy Cream: Use cold heavy cream straight from the fridge, as cold cream whips up faster and holds its shape better. You need that volume to give the ice cream its light, creamy texture. Don’t substitute with half-and-half, as it won’t whip to stiff peaks!
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is the secret to giving your no-churn ice cream a smooth, scoopable texture. The high sugar content lowers the freezing point, preventing the ice cream from freezing into a rock-hard block.
- Strawberry Compote: Use my homemade strawberry compote recipe for the best flavor and texture. Make sure to let the compote cool completely before layering it into the ice cream, otherwise it will melt your whipped cream base.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: You want small crumbs for texture, but not dust. A little bit of texture helps mimic the crust of a classic cheesecake.
Step 1: Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
Step 2. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, then fold in the sweetened condensed milk until fully incorporated.
Step 3. Spoon half of the ice cream mixture into a loaf pan. Top with half of the strawberry compote and graham cracker crumbs. Repeat the layers.
Step 4. Use a knife to gently swirl for a marbled effect. Cover tightly and freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm, preferably overnight.
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Don’t over-swirl. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the compote and graham cracker layers with just 2 or 3 passes. You want distinct ribbons of strawberry and visible crumbs, not a fully blended pink ice cream.
Use a metal loaf pan for faster freezing. Metal conducts cold better than glass or plastic, so your ice cream will freeze faster and more evenly.
Cover it tightly. I press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, then add a lid or foil on top to prevent ice crystals.
Let it sit before scooping. No-churn ice cream freezes quite firm. Let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping for the creamiest, most scoopable texture.
Recipe Help – FAQ
In a pinch, you can fold thawed Cool Whip into the cream cheese base instead of whipping your own cream. The texture will be slightly different, but it will still taste great. Just skip adding any extra sugar since Cool Whip is already sweetened.
The cream is ready when it holds stiff peaks — meaning when you lift the beaters or whisk out of the bowl, the cream stands straight up without flopping over. Be careful not to over-whip, which can make it turn it into butter.
This can happen if the ice cream wasn’t covered tightly enough during freezing, allowing air and moisture in. Make sure to press plastic wrap directly onto the surface before sealing. If it’s very hard when you go to serve it, just let it sit out for 5–10 minutes to soften.
It’s best enjoyed in the first 2 weeks for the best flavor and texture. However, it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
No-Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy cream, cold
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 batch strawberry compote
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Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Whip the cold heavy cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Whip the heavy cream just until stiff peaks form. If you go too far, you’ll start making butter! Start on a lower speed and gradually increase to help you control it.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Then gently fold in the sweetened condensed milk until fully incorporated.
- In a loaf pan or a large airtight container, spoon 1/2 of the cheesecake ice cream mixture, then dollop with half of the strawberry compote and half of the crushed graham cracker crumbs. Repeat the layers, then use a knife to gently swirl the layers together for a marbled effect. Be careful not to over-swirl, as you want to maintain distinct layers of cheesecake and strawberry.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a lid and freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm, preferably overnight for best results.
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Notes
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