Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
Creamy and rich, Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream is an old-fashioned summertime treat!
This Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream may be one of the best things about summer. In my book, it ranks right up there with watching fireflies, walking through cool green grass in your bare feet, and sipping a cold beverage while watching the waves crash on the beach. It’s the epitome of summertime and a treat I look forward to indulging in at least two or three times during the season.
Making Ice Cream the Old Fashioned Way
I remember when my sisters and I were little girls and Mama would make homemade ice cream for us. That cold, creamy, delicious ice cream was worth every minute of the work it took to produce it. And it did take some work. Of course, Mama did all the kitchen work but we girls were pressed into service to do the churning.
I remember the old blue ice cream churn we had. It was a manual churn. No electric motor. Nope. Mama would fill the canister with the ice cream mixture, put the dasher in, and close it up. Then the canister was placed in the churn just so and the churn layered with crushed ice and rock salt.
Now the thing about our churn was that one of the clasps that held the crank mechanism on the sides was broken. No problem! We just put a towel on top of the churn and one of us sat on top to hold it down while the other two took turns cranking.
Now making ice cream with a manual churn is not an instantaneous process. You had to turn that crank for a good 30 to 45 minutes to make ice cream, so when one of us tired out another would take a turn while the first one sat on top of the churn. It was a lot of fun until the handle became hard to turn as the ice cream hardened. If I remember correctly, Daddy usually had to take over and finish the last few minutes for us.
Was it worth it? You bet! That homemade ice cream was a pure delight. Joy in a spoon. Sometimes it was plain vanilla, sometimes it was peach, and once in a great while, it may have been strawberry. Probably very much like this Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream. Be warned, however, that this is not diet food. Oh, no. This is rich. Creamy. Decadent. Ice Cream. Yum!
How to Make Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
Wash, hull, and chop the strawberries. Put them in a bowl and sprinkle over the two tablespoons of sugar. Toss to distribute the sugar throughout the berries and set aside until needed.
Make and Chill the Ice Cream Base
Add the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean (split down the middle) to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring the cream and milk mixture nearly to a boil over medium-high heat. Take the pan off the heat and leave it to infuse with the vanilla bean for 20 minutes.
Whisk the egg yolks with the 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until the yolks are thickened and pale yellow in color. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk and cream mixture and gradually pour the still-warm mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. I find this easier to do if I transfer the mixture to a large measuring cup. Pour the combined mixture back into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Add the Strawberries
Crush or blend the strawberries and pour them into the cooled cream-milk-egg mixture. Stir to combine.
Churn or Freeze the Ice Cream
If using an ice cream maker or churn, place the mixture in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled (overnight is best). Pour into a prepared ice cream churn and process according to the manufacturer’s directions.
The mixture may also be frozen in a large plastic container. Pour into the container, cover, and place in the freezer. Remove from the freezer every 2-3 hours and beat with an electric mixer or in a food processor (this prevents ice crystals from forming). Repeat 3 or 4 times or until the ice cream is frozen.
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
- Strawberry S’mores Ice Cream
- Homemade Peach Ice Cream
- Nutella Ice Cream Sandwich
- An Old-Fashioned Treat – Coke Floats
Questions? I’m happy to help!
If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!
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Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh strawberries
- ¾ cup sugar plus 2 tblsp.
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean
- 10 egg yolks
Instructions
- Wash, hull, and chop the strawberries. Put them in a bowl and sprinkle over the two tablespoons of sugar. Toss to distribute the sugar throughout the berries and set aside until needed.
- Add the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean (split down the middle) to a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring the cream and milk mixture nearly to a boil over medium-high heat. Take the pan off the heat and leave it to infuse with the vanilla bean for 20 minutes.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until the yolks are thickened and pale yellow in color. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk and cream mixture and gradually pour the mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. Pour the combined mixture back into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Crush or blend the strawberries and pour into the cooled cream/milk/egg mixture. Stir to combine.
- If using an ice cream maker or churn, place the mixture in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled (overnight is best). Pour into a prepared ice cream churn and process according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- The mixture may also be frozen in a large plastic container. Creamy and rich, Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream is an old-fashioned summer time treat! Remove from the freezer every 2-3 hours and beat with an electric mixer or in a food processor (this prevents ice crystals from forming). Repeat 3 or 4 times or until the ice cream is frozen.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I have a 6 quart electric freezer. Do I need to double this recipe to make 6 quarts? I am just not sure how much this recipe makes. Thanks!
Hi Karan – most ice cream churns’ instructions say to fill the canister no more than half full of the liquid ice cream mixture, meaning that you’d need no more than about 3 quarts of mixture. Since this recipe makes approximately 1 1/2 quarts of mixture (4 cups of milk and cream plus strawberries and egg yolks) I’d say that, yes, you should double the recipe for your ice cream freezer.
YUM! I love strawberries and ice cream, so this is a win-win. Thanks so much for sharing. HUGS!
I have been wanting to try strawberry ice cream! This sounds so fresh and yummy!
Amanda – this is one of the best strawberry ice cream recipes I’ve ever made. It is absolutely delicious. And very rich!
Strawberry Ice Cream is my favorite. Ours sounds so rich and delicious!
I need to go pick more strawberries and make this! Yum!
There’s definitely nothing quite like strawberry ice cream… especially if it’s homemade! This sounds awesome!
Nope, nothing at all like it! I always look forward to a dish or two in the summer :-)
Yum – there’s nothing better than homemade ice cream. :)
I agree, Jen! It’s definitely a pleasure that’s occasionally worth the extra calories.
I want a scoop!
And I’d love to share a scoop with you, Maria!
This looks wonderful. You did not have to turn that freezer for many times before we purchased an electric one. The hand cranked freezer made the best ice-cream though. I am going to make some
about two Sundays from now. Don’t you want to come and help???
I kinda wish I had one of those old hand crank freezers. You’re right – it did make the best ice cream!
This post takes me back home enjoying summers at my Grandma and Grandpas! My grammy used have one of those old style ice cream makers where it churned away! I believe strawberry was my favorite flavor too, sooooo delicious!!! Your ice cream looks fabulous! Hugs, Terra
Thanks so much for your comment, Terra! I really love being able to remind people of lovely childhood memories like yours. All the best!
I agree – fresh home made ice cream is a pure joy, especially in summer!
Isn’t it, though? And the flavors are truly endless.
Yes, the churn was blue, and yes, one of the brackets was missing. I was grown before I realized that not everybody in the world had to take turns sitting on the churn to make ice cream. Think about it. If it had not been a “two girl” operation, it would have been punishment to have to sit there alone and churn. But since it took two of us, there was always somebody with whom to talk, and to anticipate that cold heaven to come.
Some folks say that you are supposed to cure homemade ice cream in the freezer for a few hours before you eat it. Do you know of anyone with that much will power?
Thanks for reminding me.
Miss P
I wouldn’t mind helping somebody churn ice cream even today. It’s a lovely opportunity for a chat. And no. I have never known anybody who could leave the ice cream in the freezer to cure. I’d rather have mine soft-serve anyway :-)
Homemade ice cream is amazing and this looks wonderful!
Thanks Angie! It’s a really rich, delicious, luxurious dessert.