If you love strawberries and cream together, you’ll fall for this No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream. I think it’s the most strawberry-iest and the most creamiest ice cream ever. As I was eating my cone, I looked over at my son and exclaimed, “This makes me happy!” His reply, “Best ice cream ever”.
No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream is absolutely delish, super easy, and I’d make it again. And maybe again! But I do have reservations about no-churn ice cream in general. I’ll get to those.
About No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream:
This ice cream is loaded with strawberries; there are chunks and blended strawberries, and since the strawberries are roasted (it intensifies their flavor), the juices turn into a strawberry “syrup”.
I’d compare the flavor to the best premium ice cream, and because this is a no-churn recipe, the cream taste is forward and tastes like “Strawberries & Cream”. It’s delightful.
Making No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream:
Basic No churn ice cream follows a formula. First, the flavorings are mixed with condensed milk. Then the cream is whipped and the two are combined. Then comes the hard part: an 8-hour wait for it to freeze.
One of the great things about making this ice cream is that it can be flavored with almost anything, but no churn ice cream freezes hard; there aren’t a lot of additives, natural (like eggs) or not (chemicals found in most ice cream), that aid in the texture.
Any items that contain liquid can add to the issue. That includes fruit, like strawberries, which can turn into icy chunks and their natural juices, which can turn into frozen crystals and shards.
I’ve worked on that in two ways: the strawberries are roasted with a little sugar, turning their juice into a syrup, and a teensy touch of alcohol (it works in sorbet) helps, too.
Roasting the Strawberries:
Roasting couldn’t be easier. Cut the strawberries, toss on a lined sheet pan, and toss with sugar. Roast 25 minutes. The berries become infused with the sugar, and the juices become syrupy. Neither will freeze as hard.
There’s a scientific reason; according to Mashed, sugar causes the freezing point of the mixture to drop. This creates smaller ice crystals, giving frozen desserts a desirable, creamy quality.
Adding Alcohol:
A teensy touch of alcohol works in the same way and adds to the creaminess. There’s 1 tablespoon for a total of 2 quarts of ice cream. This is optional, so if you are opposed, leave it out.
An extract (like vanilla) will work, but be careful of adding too much flavor. A better option is a flavored liqueur or another alcohol of choice. Vodka has a neutral taste and is indiscernible.
No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream
What’s different about No Churn Ice Cream:
I said I’d get to my reservations about no-churn ice cream. The first is without the cooked custard base, the cream taste of the ice-cream comes forward, more than in any other ice cream or custard.
The mouthfeel is different; you might or might not notice depending on how fanatical you are about ice cream. Me? I notice, but my son didn’t. He loved it just as is.
The harder freeze means the ice cream has to be softened in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. There’s a window: Not long enough, it will be “crumbly,” and too long? It gets melty, fast.
Saving Money on No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream:
I’m super happy with the pricing compared to the quality of this no churn ice cream because I shop well.
- I paid a dollar for condensed milk on a Christmas sale, the whipped cream was $1.99 at Aldi, and the berries totaled $2.25 ($1.49 a pound on sale).
- My cost was about $5.25 for 2 quarts, $10.50 a pound, less than Breyers, which comes in at $5.99 for 48 ounces or $15.36 a pound. And if I do say so, this ice cream is better than Breyers! Compare it to an equivalent amount of Ben & Jerry’s ($6.48 for a pint, or $25.96 a pound), and the pricing looks even better.
- But with off-the-shelf (non-sale) prices, ingredients are closer to $12.00 ($24.00 a pound), and savings are less. Honestly, if you aren’t flinching at the cost of premium ice cream, it’s not about the money. 🙂
The Bottom Line:
- Make no churn ice cream if you love customizing and want your own premium ice cream for less.
- Make it if you don’t have or don’t want the hassle of using an ice cream maker.
- Make it if you want a “better” ice cream with fewer additives.
- Make it as a fun project with the kids.
But unless you buy the ingredients at a stellar price, don’t make this primarily as a way to save money.
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends not only on WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Use these sales not just for your holiday, but to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- Take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality; be selective.
Condensed Milk:
- Rock bottom pricing is during the Winter holidays. Watch for sales at the discount grocery and dollar stores. Shoot for $1.00 to $1.25 a can and stock up for the year.
- Good pricing will be found at Latino or other ethnic markets, as well as during grocery store sales before any holiday known for baking.
- Condensed milk stores for years; dates have little meaning. If the product has settled and is denser at the bottom of the can, stir it back together. If darker than usual, heat and/or time have started to caramelize the sugars. It is perfectly safe. Once opened, store any leftover tightly covered in the fridge. It will keep for a weeks, but it may dry out over time.
- Condensed milk is easy to make using sugar and milk, keeps for about six months in the fridge, but takes 45 minutes to an hour. The equivalent of a can will cost about $1.20 to make in 2025, using Lidl pricing for ingredients.
Cream:
- Cream is always cheaper at discount groceries like Aldi & Lidl. Their everyday price beats out the buyer’s club and the best grocery store holiday sales price.
- Cream keeps for weeks, so if the standard grocery is the only option, get in the habit of picking up at a low price before holidays.
Strawberries:
- The sales price of strawberries (especially before holidays) at the grocery is often half the regular price; time your use around those sales. Discount stores have great pricing in season.
- Once picked, strawberries will not continue to ripen. What you see is what you get.
- Easy Storing Method: Before buying, inspect for damage or mold. Once home, remove any damaged berries, place paper towels on top of the berries (or line the inside of the lid), and stash the package upside down. This keeps them away from condensation that forms on the bottom of the package.
- Vinegar Wash: Dunk (don’t soak) berries in a mix of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts cool water. Rinse and dry. Store in a paper towel-lined container, loosely covered. Works only slightly better than method above.
To my Frugal Friends,
I’ll keep experimenting with No Churn Ice Cream (I’ll take one for the team, lol), and you can be sure I’ll have more recipes! If you’ve tried this or other no-churn ice creams, I’d love your opinion!
Mollie
No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream
No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes + 8 hour freeze
- Yield: 2 quarts 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulls removed, halved or quartered depending on size
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vodka, vanilla extract, or liqueur, or alcohol
- 1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ice cream cones, for serving, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or foil.
Place strawberries on sheet pan, toss with sugar and bake for 25 minutes or until soft and syrupy. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold. When chilled, add to a food processor with condensed milk and pulse until the mixture is still chunky or smooth, your preference. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add cream, and with an electric beater, whip until soft peaks form. Add in the extract and powdered sugar and briefly beat in until firm, not quite stiff, peaks form. Do not over-whip. Add about 1/3 of the strawberry mixture and by hand, with a spatula, gently stir in. Add in the remainder and fold in.
Place in a 9 x 5 loaf pan and spread the top smooth. Put in freezer and once firm to the touch, cover with plastic wrap or foil. Continue to freeze for a total of 8 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, remove ice cream from freezer and place in refrigerator for 10–15 minutes or until ice cream softens enough to scoop.
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