Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream with Freeze-Dried Berries
This strawberry ice cream is a creamy treat packed with flavor!
- Prep
- 50 mins
- Freezer / Chill Time
- 6 hrs
- Total
- 6 hrs 50 mins
- Makes
- 6 servings
This Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream is a creamy treat bursting with flavor! Built from freeze-dried strawberries, heavy cream, sugar, and a few other simple ingredients, it's both easy and indulgent, a delicious way to enjoy summer!
This strawberry ice cream uses only seven ingredients, including freeze-dried strawberries. It's creamy, packed with strawberry flavor, and very simple to make!
I'm back with another easy ice cream recipe that uses my Ankarsrum Ice Cream Maker Attachment and Ankarsrum Assistent Original® Mixer. This is their newest color, Cloudy Pink, inspired by soft pink clouds, cotton candy, and silky sorbets. Or you could say it even fits this new strawberry ice cream! I suggest checking out this color, along with the many other choices they offer!
For more recipes using my Ankarsrum Assistent Mixer, check out my Classic Cream Puffs, Lemon Cheesecake, Carrot Cake Cookies, and Easy Blender Chocolate Mousse!
What Makes This One Special
- Needs only seven ingredients for the strawberry ice cream base!
- Full of flavor, with plenty of real strawberry taste!
- It's an easy, fun treat for summer or any time of year, perfect for making with friends and family.
- Made with my favorite mixer and ice cream maker attachment from Ankarsrum!
- No extracts or food coloring needed, just one package of freeze-dried strawberries!
- Once the ice cream base is made and chilled, it takes only 20-30 minutes to churn into a rich, delicious frozen treat!
What You'll Need
You'll use the following ingredients to make this simple homemade strawberry ice cream. The items in the bulleted list below are the key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries. I bought mine from Trader Joe's, in a 1.2-ounce package. ALDI also sells them in a 1-ounce package.
- Vodka. This one is optional, but I strongly suggest it. It keeps the ice cream from freezing rock-hard, so it is easier to scoop later. In testing, I tried plain Absolute and Tito's Homemade vodka. I picked the smaller bottle (not the mini hotel-bar size, but a bit bigger). You can add it to any ice cream base, such as my Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream and Dulce de Leche Ice Cream with Chocolate-Covered Pretzels!
How to Make It
Here's a brief overview of how to make this homemade strawberry ice cream. For the complete printable recipe, which can be made with US customary or metric measurements, see the recipe card below.
Helpful Tip: For the best results, chill the ice cream attachment bowl in the freezer overnight (or 24 hours).
Step 1. Process the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor. Process them until they form a fine powder with small bits of freeze-dried strawberry.
Step 2. Add everything to a large bowl. The vodka is optional, but it helps keep your ice cream from freezing rock-hard.
Step 3. Mix all the ingredients together. I suggest using a spatula, since the freeze-dried strawberries can clump up in a whisk.
Step 4. Cover and refrigerate the strawberry ice cream base. Chill for a minimum of thirty minutes, or up to 3 days in advance.
Helpful Tip: If you plan to make the base a few days ahead, store it in a well-sealed container (like Rubbermaid). Then, before adding it to the ice cream maker, give it a good shake (with the lid on, please!) to blend everything together.
Step 5. Add the strawberry ice cream base to the ice cream maker. This base is quite lumpy, so add it to the freezer bowl with the lid off on low speed first, since it won't fit properly through the openings Ankarsrum provides. Carefully attach the lid with the paddle attachment, then raise the speed to medium.
Step 6. Churn for 20-30 minutes at medium speed. It should be a pale pink with hints of red from the freeze-dried strawberry bits, and the texture should resemble soft-serve ice cream. After churning, stir in extra freeze-dried strawberry bits if you like.
Keeping It Frozen
The Ankarsrum ice cream maker doubles as a storage container when paired with the included lid. Cover it and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. You can also transfer the ice cream to a well-sealed storage container.
Although it isn't required, I recommend placing a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper on top of the ice cream to prevent freezer burn.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I freeze the ice cream freezer bowl?It's best to freeze the ice cream freezer bowl overnight (or 24 hours). You'll know it's ready when you can no longer hear the liquid gel inside swishing around.
Why do you add vodka to the ice cream base?Adding vodka to the strawberry ice cream keeps it from freezing rock-hard, which makes it easier to scoop later.
Can I use fresh strawberries for this ice cream recipe?I recommend using only freeze-dried strawberries. Fresh strawberries, whether cooked down or roasted, can add too much liquid to an ice cream base and keep it from churning into soft-serve. Freeze-dried strawberries don't add extra liquid. Instead, they soak up some of the moisture from the base during chilling, and they still pack just as much flavor!
If you tried this Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream with Freeze-Dried Berries
Creamy and bursting with flavor, this strawberry ice cream is made from freeze-dried strawberries, heavy cream, sugar, and a few other basic ingredients. It's easy, rich, and a sweet way to celebrate summer!
- Prep
- 50 mins
- Freezer / Chill Time
- 6 hrs
- Total
- 6 hrs 50 mins
- Makes
- 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1.2 oz Freeze-Dried Strawberries, processed into bits
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
- 3/4 cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 tbsp Vodka, plain, like Tito's or Absolut
- 3 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Method
- Before you begin, freeze the ice cream freezer bowl overnight (24 hours is best).
- Using a small or medium food processor, grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a mix of fine powder and little bits. Set it aside.
- Add all the listed ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir them together with a spatula or spoon. The freeze-dried strawberry bits will clump as you mix, which is okay. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill. This lets the freeze-dried strawberries absorb some of the liquid and soften.
- Before transferring the strawberry ice cream base to the ice cream maker, stir it once more until well combined. The freeze-dried strawberry bits may still be a little clumpy, but they're easier to stir now.
- With the ice cream maker running on low speed, pour the strawberry ice cream base into the freezer bowl. Carefully place the lid with the paddle attachment on, then raise the speed to medium. Churn for 20-30 minutes on medium speed. The strawberry ice cream should be a pale pink with hints of red from the freeze-dried strawberry bits, and its texture will be like soft-serve.
- Enjoy it right away, or freeze it for at least 6 hours or overnight in the Ankarsrum freezer bowl with its lid, or in a well-sealed container. Before storing, stir in extra freeze-dried strawberry bits if you like. Although it isn't required, I recommend laying plastic wrap or wax paper over the top of the ice cream before adding the lid to prevent freezer burn.
Baker’s notes
- The prep time listed includes 20 minutes of prep and 30 minutes to chill the ice cream base in the refrigerator.
- I made this homemade strawberry ice cream with the Ankarsrum Assistent Original® mixer and the Ankarsrum ice cream maker attachment. However, you can use any ice cream maker you prefer. You will need an ice cream maker either way.
- This base is quite lumpy, so if you're using the Ankarsrum ice cream maker, add the base with the lid off on low speed first, then carefully attach the lid with the paddle attachment. Then raise the speed to medium. If that feels uncomfortable, you can add the base to the ice cream maker, put on the lid and paddle attachment, then set the speed to medium.
- You can make the strawberry ice cream base 2-3 days in advance. The longer it sits within that window before churning, the creamier your ice cream will be.
- If making the base in advance, store it in a well-sealed container (like Rubbermaid). Before adding it to the ice cream maker, give it a good shake (with the lid on, please!) to blend the ingredients together, since the freeze-dried strawberries can form a separate layer while chilling.
- Vodka is optional but highly recommended, since it helps keep your ice cream from turning rock hard in the freezer. If you skip it, you may notice ice crystals forming in the ice cream maker and on the ice cream once it's in the freezer.
- I bought my freeze-dried strawberries from Trader Joe's, in a 1.2-ounce package. ALDI also sells them in a 1-ounce package.
