It’s honestly hard to beat the taste and consistency of fresh homemade ice cream, no matter what flavor you make. And with the high-tech ice cream makers these days, it’s fairly easy to make at home yourself, and it doesn’t take long either—no cranks, ice, or salt necessary. :) We have a Cuisinart ice cream maker and love it. Here’s how we made strawberry ice cream at home!
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Easy Ice Cream Maker Recipe with Fresh Strawberries
Homemade ice cream is one of our favorite real food indulgences when we want to enjoy a sweet treat. You can easily make it at home with just a few ingredients and flavor it with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
This recipe can be enjoyed right away or frozen for later. Serve with these Strawberry Crumble Bars or check out the many different types of berries.
Ingredients and Supplies for Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
- Strawberries: Fresh work best in this strawberry ice cream recipe. Make sure to mash them before starting. Check out these Red Fruits!
- Maple syrup: We use pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar; you can also sweeten your homemade ice cream with honey instead.
- Milk and heavy cream: Use full-fat options for the best ice cream.
- Ice cream maker: I love how easy it is to make ice cream at home with ours!
Can I Make this Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe in a Vitamix?
This is the number one question we’re asked in the comments so I thought I’d add some info here! You should be able to make strawberry ice cream in a high-powered blender with the same ingredients and quantities as our ice cream maker recipe.
To Make this Recipe in a Vitamix or Blender:
- Use chilled ingredients. I find pre-freezing the cream in an ice cube tray the night before makes it best if you plan to eat your homemade ice cream right away.
- Place the milk, syrup, and cream into the blender, followed by the strawberries. Layering with liquid first is important so it blends properly.
- Blend on high pushing ingredients down with the tamper, then blend for an additional 30 seconds to churn the cream. Don’t overdo it or your ingredients will melt.
- Serve immediately or transfer to a freezer-safe container and chill.
Why is my Homemade Ice Cream Icy?
This is a common issue that happens when you make homemade ice cream, especially with an ice cream maker. If your homemade strawberry ice cream turned out too icy after freezing, here are a few things to try:
- Make sure you have enough fat. Ice cream gets its creamy texture from milk fat; it’s a must in this recipe! Use whole milk instead of skim, and make sure you’re using heavy (whipping) cream, not half and half or a lower milk fat option.
- Use cold ingredients. Cold ingredients mean less churning and less chance for ice crystals to form. (Also make sure your churning bowl is completely frozen, too!). You can chill all ingredients in the fridge the night before, including fresh strawberries.
- Re-freezing. If you thaw and refreeze your homemade strawberry ice cream multiple times ice crystals will form; try avoiding this by freezing in smaller portions.
How to Soften from the Freezer
Since this ice cream has no additives it may freeze more firmly than you’re used to with store-bought varieties. It will also depend on your freezer temperature; especially if you store your homemade ice cream in a deep freezer!
To thaw, let the strawberry ice cream sit out for a few minutes on the counter until it’s soft enough to scoop. Remember, this is supposed to be “hard” ice cream, not soft serve.
What do you plan to make with your fresh strawberries this season?
You May Also Enjoy
- Ice Cream Cake
- Banana Ice Cream
- Maple Pecan Ice Cream
- Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
If you enjoyed this strawberry ice cream recipe, please leave a rating and comment! In addition, check out my Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. For 5 free weekly meal plans and more free resources, sign up to receive my free newsletter! For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes!
Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (organic recommended)
- 3/4 cup milk (organic recommended)
- 2 – 2 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it…start with 2 and only add more if necessary)
- 14 strawberries (plus more for garnish)
Instructions
- Combine the cream, milk and maple syrup in a large glass measuring cup (with a pour spout).
- Remove the stems/leaves from the strawberries and crush them. I used our mini-chopper to mash them up and it worked great. A simple potato masher might do the trick as well.
- If you have a Cuisinart ice cream maker like us just turn on the machine and pour in both the cream/syrup mixture and the crushed strawberries. After about 15 – 20 minutes the ice cream will look really “thick” and ready when it’s done. If you are using a different machine be sure to follow manufacturer directions for making your ice cream.
Hi, wondering if you could swap out blueberries, and if anyone has about how many! Thanks!
Hi Betsie. We’ve not tried it but please let us know how it turns out if you do. :)
I tried this recipe with full fat milk and heavey whipping cream in cuisinart ice cream mmaker.I had to substitute honey instead of maple syrup. And after like 25 mins of churning , the ice cream didnt get thick. So i had to transfer it to air tight bowl and freeze it. It is not creamy , but just icy. :( What did i do wrong? (yes i did freeze the bowl overnight)
Hi there. I’ve had it turn out icy once, too. I began chilling all my ingredients, including the fruit, before adding it to the bowl and it seemed to do the trick. ~Amy
I have a cuisinart ice cream maker also. I’ve noticed that I always have to put the ice cream mixture in the freezer for at least 4 hours (overnight is best) THEN put the mixture into the frozen ice cream bowl. Then the ice cream will be thick and creamy.
If you put the mixture imediately into the cuisinart w/o this first step, your ice cream will not harden.
I can’t wait to try this recipes by the way. :)
Tried this recipe twice with fresh strawberries and low fat milk. Both times the taste was great and it was very creamy once the ice cream was done. But after freezing it, it turned out very icy. I use the kitchen aid ice cream maker. Bowl was in the freezer, and all ingredients were cold. Any ideas why is turning out icy? Thanks !
Hi Monica. Try a full fat milk. :)
I just got the ice cream machine for Mother’s Day and used this recipe exactly and it did not turn out at all….icy at best. The bowl was completely frozen. Anyone else have this happen? So disappointing because I was so excited.
I have seen people make smaller amounts of ice cream without a machine. I wonder if anyone’s tried this. You would put the mixture in a ziplock bag (I would recommend freezer or storage since the plastic is thicker). Then place that bag over into a larger ziplock bag. Put the ice cream salt in the larger bag with ice. Zip & shake till frozen. So I guess it would depend on how much the mixture ends up amounting to. It seems like it would fit. My family just doesn’t seem to be able to keep a good ice cream machine. Besides, some of them would require you to maybe double or tripple the recipe (depending on size of freezer). I can’t wait to try it!
Hello-I was wondering if you could use a Vitamix instead of an ice cream maker? Thanks!
Hi. We’ve not tried this recipe in a Vitamix. Let us know if you do. :)
This may be a silly question, but could I make this with almond milk? Dairy milk is no longer a staple in our home.
Hi Lisa. We have not tried. Let us know how it turns out if you do. :)
Hi there, Can you please explain the reasoning for using maple syrup in place of sugar? Is there not a preservative-free sugar available?
Hi there. This post will explain: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/06/mini-pledge-week-9-no-refined-sweeteners/. ~Amy
Guess what I just got for Christmas!?! A Cuisinart ice cream maker!!! So thrilled!!! Do you have a chocolate or vanilla recipe that you like?
Hi Angie. Lisa has not shared one yet. She might have some new ice cream recipes coming up in her cookbook. We will have to wait and see. It will be out later in 2014. ~Amy
My ice cream maker makes 2 quarts. Should I double this recipe?
Hello Etta. That should work.
Typically ice cream gives me stomach issues. Will this recipe do that as well?
Hi Katie. If it is the cream that upsets your stomach, then maybe so. However, most ice creams you buy in the grocery store are full of additives that can cause gastric upset, so it is hard to say for sure. ~Amy
Hi! Is there any alternative to the heavy cream? We have two family members with a dairy allergy so I know I can use almond or coconut milk to replace the whole milk, just not sure about the cream. Thanks!
Hi Katy. I’m not sure but you could certainly try. As an alternative, here is the Food Babe’s method for making ice cream with coconut milk: http://foodbabe.com/2013/06/09/how-to-make-coconut-milk-ice-cream/. Good luck and enjoy. ~Amy
I was just wondering if the milk needs to be whole milk?
Thanks!
Hello AndRea. Lisa only uses whole milk. Here is why: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/15/mini-pledge-week-6-no-low-fat-lite-or-nonfat-food-products/. ~Amy
My 8 yr old will be making this today! Strawberry ice cream is her favorite!
We used this recipe today to try out our new ice cream maker for the first time and the ice cream was DELICIOUS! I followed the recipe exactly as written and everybody loved it! Thanks again for sharing! :)
Does anyone know what cup measurement equals 14 strawberries?? I brought home 25 lbs of strawberries yesterday and after eating about 2 lbs, 2 pies, 1 gallon of strawberry mint ice cream(with sugar),22 jars of jam, 3 gallon bags of whole frozen strawberries, I still have at least 3 or 4 cups of strawberry mash left!! Thinking of using this recipe to make freezer pops, but need to know a conversion!!
Crystal, that would depend on the size of the strawberries and if they are halved when you measure them. I can’t guess. :)
Oh my, super super good! Thank you for sharing this recipe! Love that there is just a little maple syrup needed to sweeten it.
Ummmm!
Has anyone experimented with items other than strawberries using this basic recipe? The strawberry ice cream is fantastic!
Maybe this is a dumb question, but in general does using maple syrup as sweetener add a maple taste? I raelly dislike maple flavor but if the flavor is not strong I am hoping I can make it an option in my cooking/baking! Thanks ;)
Hi Katie. I have not found there to be a distinct taste of maple or honey when they are used in any of the recipes. Try this one and let us know your thoughts. ~Amy
I will try your recipe. All of my ice cream flavors turn out well, expect strawberry. Actually, the strawberry is great when churned but dries out within a day in the freezer. I like the idea of using maple syrup instead of sugar.
Yum, made it as soon as I read it. Strawberry ice cream is my kids’ favorite, awesome doing it organic at home.
Have you tried their pressure cookers? Makes eating healthy so much easier!
A Vitamix works well too ;)
Are you able to get yours creamy in the Vitamix? I have only had mine for about three weeks. So still learning it. I made this tonight and it came out icy…but yummy!!! Thoughts?
We make jam. Jars and jars and jars of it! We haven’t bought jellies/jams for over two years now since I started canning. :)
I see all these yummy homemade ice cream recipes all the time. I guess I need to invest in an ice cream maker so I can join in the fun..although I can’t bare the thought of having another appliance. such a dilemma..
Just finished making this and it is DELICIOUS! My strawberries weren’t very sweet so I added a little sugar in addition to the maple syrup. It was the first recipe I made in my new Cuisinart ice cream machine and I couldn’t be happier! My husband loves it too. The texture was perfect. I’m excited to try out different flavors! I have some really sweet mangos that would be a great addition.
Mine was a little bit icy too. When I used frozen strawberries too but it still tasted AMAZING I made it without an ice cream maker the way Kendra said worked amazingly. My kids loved it and both agreed it tasted a lot better than the store bought strawberry ice cream. Thanks for all your recipes
I JUST opened a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker last night for my birthday and am SO EXCITED to try making our own ice cream/sorbets at home. I knew I could find some recipes from you because of course all the ones in the booklet had sugar and/or brown sugar etc in them. I can’t wait!
How has everyone’s ice cream turned out in the end? I followed the recipe almost exactly (except I used frozen strawberries that I blended) and the outcome of mine was a little icy. Did anyone else have sort of ‘icy’ ice cream? Could this have been caused by the water content of the strawberries?
I have the same ice cream maker as Lisa, and also ran into the problem where the paddle seemed to stop churning the ice cream about 8 minutes into the process. I froze the bowl overnight and all of my ingredients were cold when I put them in, so I can’t seem to figure out what I did wrong. The ice cream does taste good though, so I have no complaints there!
The reason it turned out Icy is because you used frozen strawberry. Unfortunately after trail and error. You have to use fresh fruit. I do not know why, but every time I have tried to use a frozen fruit it just does not turn out. My worst one was using frozen Blueberry’s, never again.
I’m wondering, if I thaw the frozen fruit before I put it in the ice cream mix, will it still turn out icy?
You don’t necessarily need an ice cream maker to make ice cream either – just combine single serving ingredients into a mason jar – screw on the lid tight and then put in a ziploc gallon bag with ice and salt – wrap in a towel and shake until you get ice cream. We used to do that as kids!
I made this with peaches this past summer and it was great!
Lisa
I made this strawberry ice cream today. We also have the Cuisinart ice cream maker. I did double the ingredients though to create double batch, which worked like a dream.
We’re looking forward to having this ice cream tonight for desert.
I’ll take some photos and post them up this week.
Thanks for a simple yet delicious recipe.
Cheers
Pete.
I used evaporated goat’s milk instead of the whipped cream and goat milk instead of the cow’s milk because I love goat’s milk. It was delicious! It will not be as creamy and will change the flavor slightly but if you love goat milk as I do then you will love it.
I was just wondering if you’ve tried making plain chocolate perhaps with using unsweetened cocoa? Or if you have a recipe for this! Just got this ice cream maker for my birthday after reading your yummy recipes! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Amy. Lisa had previously commented that she has made chocolate ice cream before with unsweetened cocoa and maple syrup but that she didn’t record the exact measurements. You could just try experimenting a little. Let us know how it goes. Jill
Another twist for dessert!
Wow, I really love strawberry a lot.
Can you give some tip about choosing a good strawberry?
Angie
My blog : mosaïque salle de bainÂ
Hi Angie. I think the best way to pick them is to smell them. And, if they have a white/green shoulder, they’re not usually ripe. Jill
I can’t wait to try this!! Just got home from Bed Bath & Beyond where I bought an ice cream maker, food processor, blender and popsicle makers. Looking forward to trying many of your recipes. Love your website! Keep up the good work!
This was so yummy! Love your site! Would you mind sharing your Vanilla ice cream recipe? Thanks:)
Hi Heidi. You can simply follow the same recipe for the maple pecan ice cream (https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/16/recipe-homemade-maple-pecan-ice-cream/), just omit the nuts. Jill
I tried this recipe today. It turned out super good but all I had on hand was fat free milk, still super good but next time I will just cut down on the milk because it came out the sides :/
Can you substitute the maple syrup for the sugar, is that the case?
Ingredients
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 cups lowfat vanilla yogurt
18 ounces frozen mixed fruit/I used pineapple
1 teaspoon pure vanilla, almond, or lemon extract
Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes on low speed. Stir in the yogurt, berry purée and extract. Turn the machine on; pour the mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. The frozen yogurt will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the frozen yogurt to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.
Hi Shelly. You could probably substitute maple syrup for the sugar. The substitution ratio is usually 3/4 cup maple syrup for every cup of white sugar. You may also need to decrease the amount of liquid to compensate for the maple syrup being a liquid. It’s always an experiment when making substitutions, so, it may take a few tries to get it right. Our team would also recommend whole milk plain yogurt as opposed to the low fat vanilla version. Good luck.
Just a tip b/c I just bought this ice cream maker – Costco has it right now with an instant rebate and it is $24! I just went to buy a 2nd bowl and it is cheaper to go back to costco and buy a whole other machine!