Best Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe (with two special ingredients!)
This is the homemade strawberry ice cream recipe of our dreams! It's super creamy and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor. It's an iconic summer treat that's easy to make at home, and it only takes about 30 minutes of hands-on prep time.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped strawberries, see notes
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil, see notes
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 cup whipping cream
- Optional but recommended: 2 tablespoons vodka
Instructions
- Place the strawberries and ¾ cup sugar in a medium-sized pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, give the pot a stir and reduce the heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool slightly.4 cups chopped strawberries
- Pour about half the strawberries into a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add the pureed and chopped strawberries into a bowl together and place them in your fridge to cool.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ½ cup sugar.4 egg yolks
- Heat the whole milk, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt in a small pot over medium-high heat until steam rises from the pot. Then whisk some of the hot milk into the egg yolks to temper them, then add the egg yolks to the pot of hot milk. Place the pot over medium heat and, whisking constantly but slowly, bring the milk almost to a boil. You want the custard to thicken to the point where it will coat the back of a spoon.1 cup whole milk, ¼ cup refined coconut oil, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla, 1 pinch sea salt
- Pour the custard into a large bowl through a fine-mesh sieve Make sure to use a sieve to filter out any little bits of cooked egg. Add the whipping cream, strawberries, and vodka to the bowl and whisk. Place the bowl into your fridge to let it cool completely, for at least 4 hours.1 cup whipping cream, Optional but recommended: 2 tablespoons vodka
- Once the strawberry ice cream custard is completely cold, process it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. When it's done, it'll have the consistency of soft serve ice cream. Transfer the strawberry ice cream to a freezer-proof dish and cover the top with parchment paper directly on the ice cream. Freeze until firm.
Notes
Strawberries: Make sure to use ripe, in-season strawberries. If you make this strawberry ice cream in the fall or winter, it is best to use frozen strawberries.
Coconut oil: This increases the fat content to make the ice cream creamier. To avoid a coconut flavor, make sure to use refined coconut oil.
Vodka: As vodka doesn't freeze, it prevents the ice cream from becoming icy.
Strawberry topping: If you sprinkle fresh strawberries on top to make it look extra pretty (like we've done in the photos), they will be icy when you eat them.
Why is my homemade strawberry ice cream icy?
This recipe produces reliably soft and creamy ice cream. But if yours is a little icy, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- The strawberries. Don’t skimp on the boiling time. If they’re not boiled long enough, they will add water to the ice cream, which can cause it to be icy.
- The dairy. This recipe works with whole milk and whipping cream. If you substitute either with lower fat or plant-based options, it will turn icy.
- Use all 4 eggs. Egg yolks add fat, which makes ice cream creamy.
- Churn it well. Wait until you hear your ice cream maker slow down and struggle to churn the ice cream - that’s how you know it’s ready. If you don’t churn it long enough, it can become icy.
Serving: 1 serving = ½ cup, Calories: 363kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 141mg, Sodium: 35mg, Potassium: 184mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 36g, Vitamin A: 625IU, Vitamin C: 43mg, Calcium: 77mg, Iron: 1mg