This Strawberry S’mores Ice Cream brings together two of summer’s best things: fresh peak-season strawberries and the campfire flavors of s’mores. All that goodness is churned into one creamy, no-cook, egg-free homemade ice cream brimming with chunks of chocolate, graham crackers, and mini marshmallows.
The idea for this strawberry s’mores ice cream came about on a June afternoon, when I happened to have a bowl of fresh berries in the kitchen and a sudden craving for s’mores. Turns out that the overlap of strawberry season and s’mores season meant that these flavors were always meant to be together.
Many people favor this style of homemade ice cream because there’s no cooking at all. No custard base, no tempering eggs. Just a simple milk-and-cream base that goes straight into the machine.
When local strawberries are in season, I try to use them in as many ways as possible before they’re gone. My Homemade Strawberry Jam is usually the first thing I make, and this ice cream runs a close second. If you like a purely strawberry ice cream, give my Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream a try.
Recipe Snapshot: Strawberry S’mores Ice Cream
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: none
Standing, Churning, and Freezing: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours, 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: none
Primary Ingredients: Fresh strawberries, sugar, whole milk, heavy cream, chocolate bars, graham crackers, mini marshmallows
Skill Level: Easy
DO MORE WITH CHATGPT
What Makes This Recipe Special
Two hours of macerating transforms fresh strawberries into something concentrated and almost jammy, with a depth of flavor that frozen berries can’t replicate.
Adding the berries for the last five minutes of churning, not at the very beginning, keeps them as distinct pieces. You get chunks of strawberry in every scoop rather than a uniform pink base.
Because the s’mores mix-ins go in after churning, the chocolate stays chunky, the marshmallows stay fluffy, and the graham crackers hold their texture. And since there are no eggs and no cooking, this is a recipe any level of home cook can pull off.
What Is Maceration?
This recipe calls for 2 hours of time to “macerate” the strawberries. Maceration is a kitchen technique that uses an ingredient like sugar or salt to draw moisture out of food, thereby changing its texture or intensifying its flavor. You may have seen recipes where cucumbers or eggplant slices are salted to pull out moisture, right? That’s maceration. In this recipe, the strawberries sit with sugar and lemon juice, which extracts the natural juices and creates a sweet, concentrated syrup. By the end of two hours, the flavor of the berries is intensified, and they turn into an almost jam-like texture.
Key Ingredients
This post may contain affiliate links. Lana’s Cooking is reader-supported and earns a tiny commission at no extra cost to you when you shop from our links.
- Strawberries — Very ripe, fragrant berries are what make this recipe spectacular. Farmers’ market or U-pick strawberries typically have better flavor, but store-bought berries definitely work.
- Lemon juice — Don’t skip it. The acid brightens the strawberry flavor.
- Heavy cream and whole milk — You need both for the right fat content. Using lower-fat milk would produce a noticeably icier, less creamy result.
- Sugar — Used for both the maceration step and the ice cream base. The sugar on the berries draws out their juices and creates a syrup that carries strawberry flavor throughout the ice cream.
- Milk chocolate bars — A standard, plain Hershey’s bar is perfect here.
- Graham crackers — Three full crackers, broken into bite-sized pieces by hand. They will start to soften after a day in the freezer and many people actually prefer the softer texture.
- Mini marshmallows — Mini size distributes evenly throughout the ice cream. Standard marshmallows can be cut into small pieces if that’s what you have on hand.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Variations and Substitutions
- No ice cream machine: Whip 2 cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks, then fold in one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. Fold in the macerated strawberries and all of the s’mores mix-ins. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze for at least 6 hours. The texture will be different than the churned version, but all the flavors are there.
- Chocolate options: Semi-sweet and dark chocolate bars are excellent alternatives to milk chocolate. Chocolate chips are a convenient swap, but will give you smaller pieces than the chunky, irregular bits you get from a broken bar.
- Frozen strawberries: Fresh is the better choice, but frozen berries can work if needed. Thaw them completely, skip the maceration step entirely, and use them along with all their accumulated liquid. Expect a slightly less intense strawberry flavor in the finished ice cream.
How to Make Strawberry S’mores Ice Cream
STEP 1. In a small bowl, combine the sliced strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/3 cup of sugar. Stir gently to coat the berries and distribute the sugar. Allow them to stand at room temperature for 2 hours, until the strawberries are soft and sitting in a pool of sweet, fragrant juice.
STEP 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole milk and the remaining 2/3 cup of sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
STEP 3. Pour the milk and cream mixture into the frozen bowl of your ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions, about 25 to 30 minutes, until the mixture has thickened to a soft-serve consistency.
STEP 3 (cont’d.) In the last 5 minutes of churning, add the macerated strawberries along with all of their accumulated juices. The ice cream will be soft-set at this point, and that is exactly right.
Pro Tip
Adding the strawberries in the last 5 minutes, not the beginning, keeps them as intact pieces in the finished ice cream. Added too early, they break down and blend into the base instead.
STEP 4. Scrape the soft-set ice cream into a large bowl. Fold in the broken chocolate pieces, graham cracker bits, and mini marshmallows until evenly distributed.
STEP 4 (cont’d.) Transfer to a shallow freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for at least 2 hours or until firm enough to scoop.
Pro Tip
A shallow container like an 8×8 baking dish freezes more evenly than a deep loaf pan and makes scooping much easier. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing to keep ice crystals from forming on top.
Want to save this?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Recipe Tips
- The graham crackers will soften after the first day in the freezer. For a crunchy texture, enjoy the ice cream within 24 hours, or enjoy the softer, cookie-like texture as the days go by.
- If your strawberries are not as sweet as you would like, add an extra tablespoon of sugar to the maceration step.
- To prevent ice crystals from forming, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container.
- This recipe makes approximately 1.5 quarts. Check your machine’s capacity before you start, and if you want to double the recipe, plan to churn it in two separate batches.
- The ice cream keeps in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
How to Serve
Serve in bowls or waffle cones with a few extra mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces scattered on top. This ice cream goes over so well at backyard cookouts, especially alongside a slice of Fresh Strawberry Pie for a full strawberry-season dessert spread.
For a fun presentation, scoop it into individual mini graham cracker pie crusts. They take the s’mores flavors one step further, and make a pretty presentation
How to Store
Transfer the ice cream to a shallow freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid. Press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the surface before sealing to minimize ice crystals. This ice cream keeps in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Do not refreeze ice cream that has fully melted.
Recipe
Strawberry S’mores Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups ripe strawberries hulled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ounces milk chocolate bars broken into bite-sized pieces
- 3 graham crackers broken into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the sliced strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/3 cup of the sugar. Stir gently to distribute the sugar. Allow the strawberries to stand at room temperature for 2 hours.2 cups ripe strawberries, 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and remaining sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved – about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.2/3 cup sugar1 cup whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fill the ice cream machine with the milk and cream mixture. Turn on the machine and freeze until thickened, about 25-30 minutes. Add the strawberries and any accumulated juices during the last 5 minutes of freezing time. The ice cream will be soft set.
- Scrape the ice cream into a large bowl. Stir in the broken chocolate bars, graham crackers, and mini marshmallows. Place the mixture in a shallow pan or dish. Cover and place in freezer for 2 hours or until firm.3 ounces milk chocolate bars, 3 graham crackers, 1 cup mini marshmallows
Notes
- No-churn variation: whip 2 cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks, fold in one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, then fold in the macerated strawberries and all mix-ins. Freeze at least 6 hours.
- Add the strawberries and all their accumulated juices in the last 5 minutes of churning only. Adding them earlier causes the fruit to break down and blend into the base.
- The ice cream will be soft-set when it comes out of the machine. It needs at least 2 hours in the freezer to firm up to a scoopable consistency.
- A shallow container like an 8×8 baking dish freezes more evenly and is easier to scoop from than a deep loaf pan.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container to prevent ice crystals.
- Store in the freezer up to 2 weeks.
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.
How much fun is this?! I took look forward all year to strawberry season and I need to up my game this year with some ice cream recipes.
This looks so good! I’ve been in a major ice cream making mood lately.
Seems like I stay in a major ice cream mood, Lauren. Especially in the spring and summer!
I am in awe! That ice cream looks wonderful. I REALLY want some, right now.
Miss P
I love this idea, these are perfect for summer! :)
That looks awesome! I never would have thought to combine s’mores and strawberries, but it sounds like an amazing combination.
I literally gasped when I saw the first ice cream photo. It’s apparent you are a veteran ice cream maker. Well, it looks like you are a pro. Great way to use the seasonal berry.
There are going to be a lot of people in my house loving these!
Beautiful presentation! I love strawberries in my ice cream. The addition of graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate makes it all so much better!
Wow! I love this idea! Great recipe :)
Oh man, strawberry s’more ice cream cake?! Wish I would have had this two weeks ago for my birthday. It sounds amazing!
Love that there are real strawberries in here – that makes it healthy, right? ;)
Of course, Julie! What’s not healthy about strawberries ;-)
This looks great! YUM! What a fun idea to add strawberries! YUM!
Oh, yum….this looks decadent and delicious. :) Yes, strawberries are so versatile.
I love the combinations of flavors here. Looks great and perfect for summer.
Nothing makes me think of summer like fresh strawberry ice cream, Christine.
This. Is. Ingenious. Strawberries and s’mores together? I cannot wait to make a batch!
Thanks, Sarah! It did turn out really well if I do say so :-)