Between the weather getting hotter and my pregnancy cravings, I am on a full-blown ice cream kick. And since discovering how easy the no-churn ice cream method is, I can’t stop experimenting with different flavors! When you open my freezer these days, you’ll always see at least one loaf pan full of my latest ice cream concoction. My most recent flavor success is probably my favorite of all my ice cream recipes thus far: strawberry shortcake! 

This easy strawberry shortcake ice cream features delicious fresh strawberries that have been sweetened and reduced to amplify flavor, plus baked shortcake crumbs to give it extra texture and beautiful bursts of shortcake flavor. These toppings get incorporated into the base ice cream recipe, which is vanilla ice cream spiked with a little cream cheese to give it a rich and creamy cheesecake-like flavor. So, so good. Like, irresistibly good!

Like most great recipes, this one will require a little more involvement than the average no-churn ice cream recipe. It’s still easier than a churned ice cream recipe, there are just a couple elements that require cooking (the strawberries) and baking (the shortcake crumbles). 

You’ll start by chopping up some fresh strawberries and adding them into a saucepan along with some granulated sugar and a pinch of salt. These strawberries will cook for about 20-25 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and you’re left with more of a jam-like consistency with big strawberry chunks in it. Eliminating the majority of the liquid not only amplifies the strawberry flavor, it will make the overall consistency of the ice cream perfect. Too much liquid will result in chunks of strawberry flavored ice in your ice cream, which isn’t the most pleasant. So be sure not to skip the reduction! And when it’s finished, just pop it into the refrigerator to cool completely. 

The next element is the shortcake crumbles, which involve mixing up a few dry ingredients and binding them together with melted butter and vanilla extract until the mixture is crumbly. Then you’ll throw them on a lined cookie sheet and bake them. You could even toss this part of the recipe together and bake the crumbles while you’re reducing the strawberries to make things even more efficient. 

Once your toppings are both completely cool, you’re ready to make the ice cream base and mix it with the toppings in a chilled loaf pan. To make sure there are strawberries and shortcake crumbles throughout, I like to do the assembly process in layers: add one layer of ice cream, top it with strawberries and shortcake crumbles, swirl everything together with a skewer, repeat twice more. After a 6 hour stay in the freezer, your strawberry shortcake ice cream is ready to enjoy! 

I could not stop eating this ice cream during the photo session. It’s so delicious in a cone or simply by the spoonful, so saturated with strawberries and shortcake crumbles that you get the best bite every time. If you love strawberry shortcake and ice cream, this is a dessert made in heaven just for you – a true must try!

Now all I want to do it turn this flavor combo into an ice cream cake. Stay tuned for that!

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No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

No-churn vanilla ice cream with sweetened strawberries and baked shortcake crumbles in every bite. So dreamy and easy to whip up (no ice cream maker needed!)

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Freeze Time 6 hours

Servings 6 Cups (12 servings)

Ingredients

Strawberry Reduction

• 2 Cups (300g) fresh strawberries*, halved
• 1/3 Cup (70g) granulated sugar
• pinch of salt

Baked Shortcake Crumbles

• 3/4 Cups (90g) cake flour
• 2 1/2 Tbsp (32g) granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Ice Cream

• 4 Oz (120g) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups (12 Oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 Cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Strawberry Reduction

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the strawberries, sugar, and salt. The strawberries will begin to release their juices. Bring the mixture to a simmer and mash up the strawberries as you cook them down. 
• Simmer over medium-low heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture should become somewhat of a jam-like inconsistency after the reduction. Place into an airtight container and refrigerate until cold.

Bake the Shortcake Crumbles

• Preheat the oven to 250°F/121ºC and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix with a rubber spatula until the mixture begins to form small clusters, then press the ingredients together with your hands to form even more clusters. Spread the clusters onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Cool the crumbs completely before using in the cake assembly.

Make the Ice Cream

• Place a large metal bowl into the refrigerator and a loaf pan into the freezer to chill for at least 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Remove the large chilled metal bowl from the refrigerator and add the cream cheese into it. Beat with a hand mixer (or using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer) until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy whipping cream and beat the two ingredients together on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold one half of the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the heavy whipping cream mixture. When combined, gently fold in the rest of the sweetened condensed milk mixture in.
• Remove the chilled loaf pan from the freezer and add 1/3 of the ice cream mixture into it. Smooth it down with a rubber spatula and add 1/3 of the strawberries and a few Tablespoons of the shortcake crumbles on top. Use a skewer to marble the toppings into the ice cream. Repeat twice more.
• Cover the loaf pan with a piece of aluminum foil and freeze for at least 6 hours, after which the ice cream should be semi-firm and ready to enjoy!

Notes

*You can use frozen strawberries, but since there is added liquid content from the ice, you may need to cook them for longer than this recipe indicates to reach a jam-like consistency. 

Time saving tip: Mix up and bake the shortcake crumbles while the strawberries are reducing! You’ll have plenty of time since the strawberries only need to be stirred occasionally. 

Make ahead tips: the strawberry reduction and shortcake crumbles can be made up to one week ahead of time. Store both in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Storage tips: This ice cream is best stored in an airtight container in the freezer. It will last for several months (if you can make it last that long). 

Did you make this no-churn strawberry shortcake ice cream? I want to know how it went! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create with my recipes!

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