Oh, summer days! They always make me think of sunshine, bare feet, and that perfect slice of strawberry shortcake with a scoop of ice cream melting just so. It’s like a hug in dessert form, right? Well, I’ve managed to capture all those happy, nostalgic vibes in one simple, no-churn treat: The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream. Seriously, it’s like summer in a scoop, and it tastes exactly like your favorite shortcake, but even better because it’s ICE CREAM! No fancy equipment needed, just pure, delicious bliss.

Why You’ll Love This The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Trust me, you’re going to be obsessed with this recipe for so many reasons!

Super Easy, No-Churn Magic: Seriously, no ice cream maker needed! Just a few steps and your freezer does the rest.
That Classic Flavor Combo: It tastes *exactly* like strawberry shortcake – sweet strawberries, buttery shortbread, all swirled into creamy ice cream.
Perfectly Refreshing: On a hot day, nothing beats a scoop of this. It’s cool, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying.
Crowd-Pleaser Guaranteed: Whether it’s a BBQ, a holiday, or just a Tuesday night, this ice cream is always a hit!

Ingredients for The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Okay, let’s talk about what you’ll need to get this magic happening. The beauty of no-churn ice cream is that you likely have most of this in your kitchen already! Making sure your ingredients are good quality really makes a difference, so I always try to use the freshest I can find.

Here’s what goes into this dreamy strawberry shortcake ice cream:

2 cups heavy cream, nice and cold right out of the fridge. The colder, the better it whips!
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk. This is key for that super creamy, no-churn texture. Don’t use evaporated milk here, it’s a different beast!
1 teaspoon vanilla extract. A good quality vanilla really boosts all those yummy flavors.
1 cup crushed shortbread cookies. I like to get them into nice, fine crumbs, but a few bigger bits are totally welcome for texture! Think about your favorite store-bought shortbread or even homemade ones if you’re feeling ambitious.
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries. Make sure they’re ripe and juicy! If you have a moment, you could even toss them with a little sugar like you would for strawberries to can, but it’s not strictly necessary.

Equipment Needed for The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Alright, so you don’t need a whole culinary lab for this recipe, thankfully! But to make your life easy and ensure this strawberry shortcake ice cream turns out perfectly, here are a few things you’ll want to have on hand. Having the right tools really does make a difference, trust me!

Large Mixing Bowl: You’ll need a good-sized bowl to whip your cream and then fold everything together.
Electric Mixer or Whisk: An electric hand mixer makes whipping the cream a breeze, but a sturdy whisk will absolutely work if you’re feeling strong!
Separate Bowl: For mixing up that sweet condensed milk base.
Spatula or Spoon: For gently folding all those delicious ingredients together.
Freezer-Safe Container with Lid: This is important! You want something that will seal tightly to keep your ice cream from getting freezer burn. A loaf pan works great if you have a way to cover it securely.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accuracy, especially with the condensed milk and vanilla.

How to Make The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream: Step-by-Step

Alright, brace yourselves, because this is where the magic really happens! Making this strawberry shortcake ice cream is honestly so straightforward, it feels almost too good to be true. We’re talking just a few easy steps, and before you know it, you’ll have a freezer full of pure summer happiness. Remember, patience is key, especially when it comes to the freezing part!

Whipping the Cream to Perfection

First things first, grab your large mixing bowl and the cold heavy cream. If you can, pop your bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 10 minutes beforehand – I swear it makes a world of difference! Now, start whipping. You want to go until you get nice, stiff peaks. That means when you lift the beaters out, the cream stands straight up without flopping over. If it looks messy or soft, just keep going a little longer. This is what gives our ice cream that lovely, light texture, so don’t skimp on this step! It’s a lot like making my easy whipped cream, just for longer.

Creating the Sweet Condensed Milk Base

In a separate bowl, take your can of sweetened condensed milk. I like to give it a little stir first just to make sure it’s all$/../../homenogenous. Then, add in that teaspoon of vanilla extract. Just gently mix them together until they’re combined. Don’t go crazy here, a quick stir is all it needs!

Folding in the Flavors: Creamy and Fruity

Now comes the fun part where everything starts to come together! Take your lovingly whipped cream and gently fold about a third of it into the condensed milk mixture. Do this carefully; you don’t want to knock all that air out we worked so hard to get in! Once that’s mostly combined, gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream until there are no more white streaks. At this point, carefully fold in your crushed shortbread cookies and chopped strawberries. Aim for an even distribution so you get a bit of shortcake-y goodness and juicy strawberry in every bite. It’s like a truly decadent dessert in the making!

Freezing for the Perfect Texture

Time to let the freezer do its thing! Pour your glorious mixture into your freezer-safe container. Make sure it’s spread out evenly. Now, cover it *tightly* – plastic wrap pressed right onto the surface can help prevent ice crystals, then put the lid on. Pop it into the freezer for at least 6 hours, or honestly, overnight is even better. You want it totally firm. If you want an extra-smooth texture, you can totally stir it around a bit with a fork every hour or so during the first 3-4 hours of freezing, but I usually just let it do its thing!

Tips for The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Success

Okay, so I’ve made this strawberry shortcake ice cream more times than I can count, and I’ve picked up a few tricks that I think make all the difference. First off, make SURE your heavy cream is super cold. Like, straight-from-the-fridge cold. Cold cream whips up way better and faster, trust me on this! Also, when you’re folding everything together – the cream into the condensed milk, and then your cookies and berries – be gentle. You want to keep all that fluffy airiness in the whipped cream; overmixing is the enemy of light and fluffy ice cream. And don’t even *think* about skipping the lid on your freezer container! I learned that the hard way with some … let’s just say ‘ice-crystal-y’ results once. A tight seal is your best friend for creamy, delicious ice cream. If you’re feeling fancy, maybe try adding a touch of lemon zest when you mix in the strawberries for an extra pop! It reminds me of that amazing whipped cream we make.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Let’s chat about these ingredients for a sec, because sometimes you just need a little wiggle room, right? For the shortbread cookies, feel free to use your favorite kind! Graham crackers or even vanilla wafer cookies can work in a pinch, though they’ll give it a slightly different vibe. If you can’t find fresh strawberries, good quality frozen ones will do the trick – just make sure they’re thawed and patted dry so you don’t add too much extra liquid to the ice cream. Every little bit counts for that perfect texture!

Frequently Asked Questions about The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Got questions about this yummy ice cream? I totally get it! It’s always good to have a little extra info, especially when you’re whipping up something special. Here are some I get asked a lot:

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

You sure can! If fresh strawberries aren’t in season or you just have some frozen ones handy, they work perfectly fine. Just make sure to thaw them out completely first and gently pat them dry with a paper towel so you don’t add too much extra water to the mix. They’ll still give you that amazing strawberry flavor!

How long will this strawberry shortcake ice cream last in the freezer?

This homemade ice cream is best enjoyed within about 2 to 3 weeks. After that, it can start to get a bit icy or lose some of its super-creamy texture. I usually try to make a batch when I know we’ll be eating it pretty soon, because honestly, it disappears fast around here! It’s kind of like how no-bake eclair cake doesn’t last too long once it’s made.

Can I make this dairy-free or vegan?

Making it dairy-free is a little tricky since heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk are the stars of the show for that no-churn texture. You might try using a really good quality coconut cream (the thick stuff from a chilled can!) and a vegan condensed milk alternative. It won’t be *exactly* the same, but it could be a delicious experiment! Finding vegan shortbread cookies would be the easy part.

What if I don’t have shortbread cookies?

No worries at all! If you can’t find shortbread, graham crackers are a fantastic substitute. They give a slightly different but equally delicious flavor that still works beautifully with the strawberries. You could even try crushed vanilla wafers for a lighter taste. It’s all about what you love!

Nutritional Information (Estimated)

Just a heads-up, these numbers are estimates, okay? They can totally change depending on the brands of ingredients you use and exactly how big your scoops are. But for a generous 1/2 cup serving, you’re looking at roughly:

Calories: About 350
Fat: Around 20g (that’s about 12g saturated)
Sugar: Around 40g
Carbohydrates: About 45g
Protein: Around 3g
Sodium: About 50mg

It’s definitely a treat, but one that’s totally worth it!

The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Author: ferecipe.com
Total Time: 6 hr 15 min
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

A refreshing no-churn ice cream that captures the flavors of strawberry shortcake.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups heavy cream
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup crushed shortbread cookies
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Instructions

In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture until just combined.
Fold in the crushed shortbread cookies and chopped strawberries.
Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container.
Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until firm.

Notes

For a smoother texture, you can add a tablespoon of vodka to the condensed milk mixture, as alcohol inhibits ice crystal formation.
You can also add a few drops of red food coloring for a more vibrant pink hue.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 0 min
Category: Dessert
Method: No-Churn
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 350
Sugar: 40g
Sodium: 50mg
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 60mg

Keywords: strawberry shortcake ice cream, no churn ice cream, homemade ice cream, strawberry ice cream, shortcake ice cream