This recipe is a combination of buttermilk ice cream and strawberry ice cream. Truly, my two favorite ice creams to make at home. The buttermilk adds tang, and the sweet strawberry puree is total summer. So grab your ice cream maker and let's get churning!
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Skill Level: Intermediate. This homemade ice cream recipe is simple but has several steps and requires an ice cream machine.
Shortcut Central: Use 1 cup of strawberry jam instead of fresh strawberries and ¼ cup of sugar.
Flavor Remix: Heat the strawberries in a sauté pan with the sugar and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for a sophisticated roasted strawberry twist.
Allergy Watch: Gluten Free, No Eggs, Nut-Free
There are a few things to note about this ice cream recipe. First off, it is eggless. I love a frozen custard, but ice cream can easily be made without eggs. I use a small amount of cream cheese instead of egg yolks to help bind the ingredients.
A dab of cornstarch grabs any excess water, eliminating ice crystals to ensure a perfectly smooth, creamy texture. And finally, swapping some of the sugar with a little corn syrup helps the ice cream freeze faster (thanks to America's Test Kitchen for this little tip!).
Ingredient Notes
- Strawberries: Fresh is best, but frozen strawberries work outside of peak strawberry season.
- Sugar: Plain old white sugar. Note that it is divided between the puree and the buttermilk ice cream base.
- Buttermilk: Use the real deal, not homemade, so you get that delightful tang.
- Heavy Cream: Because we are using buttermilk, which has a lower fat quantity than whole milk, you must use heavy cream and NOT half and half.
- Cornstarch: You can use tapioca starch as a substitute. Some recipes call for milk powder but I think cornstarch works the best.
- Light Corn Syrup: Must be light. You can substitute with additional sugar
- Cream Cheese: Must be full-fat.
How to Make Strawberry Ice Cream
A step-by-step visual guide for making buttermilk ice cream. You can skip to the recipe for the full written instructions.
Before starting, be sure to freeze the bowl of the ice cream maker for 12 to 24 hours.
Puree Strawberries
Macerating the strawberries (i.e., mixing with sugar) helps the berries release their juice
Make a Slurry
Whisk the cornstarch with buttermilk to add to the warm ice cream base.
Heat the Cream Base
Over low heat, whisk the cream and buttermilk with the sugars. Once dissolved, increase the heat and bring to a LOW boil. After you add the slurry, whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes to prevent lumps. The mixture should thicken and coat the back of a spoon.
Add Puree
Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream cheese and strawberry puree.
Chill
You can transfer the fridge but to speed things up, I like to pour the base into a ziploc bag and submerge the ice cream into an ice bath before placing in the fridge.
Churn
Once totally chilled, churn for 25 minutes or until it begins to pull from the sides. Personally, I like it at this soft serve stage but typically you would freeze for another 4 hours for a firm ice cream texture.
Recipe Tips
- If you have the room, store your clean ice cream maker bowl in the freezer so you are always ready to go!
- Resist skipping each of the chills or putting the bowl in for less time.
- You can strain the strawberry puree through cheesecloth to remove the seeds.
- When you remove the freezer, let the ice cream sit for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.
- If the ice cream sits too long at room temperature, refreezing it will result in ice crystals forming.
- Do not overfill the ice cream bowl beyond the machine’s max fill line.
Make Ahead and Storing
Make Ahead: For best results, prepare and chill the base at least 4–24 hours in advance to allow flavors to meld and ensure proper freezing. You can churn the ice cream up to a week ahead, then store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Storing: Store homemade ice cream in the coldest part of your freezer, ideally in a shallow, airtight container to minimize ice crystals. Press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly against the surface before sealing to prevent freezer burn. For best texture and flavor, enjoy within 2 weeks.
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream (no eggs)
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Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped strawberries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 4 Tablespoons cream cheese softened
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix the strawberries with ¼ cup sugar in a bowl. Let sit for about 15 minutes so the strawberries release their juices. Blend the strawberries in a blender or food processor.2 cups chopped strawberries, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Mix ¼ cup buttermilk with the cornstarch to make a slurry.1 ½ cups buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- Combine the cream, remaining buttermilk and sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook, whisking constantly, for 4 minutes.¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- Gradually whisk in the cream cheese and salt. Add the strawberry purée and stir to combine.4 Tablespoons cream cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cover and refrigerate the ice cream base until completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Once chilled, pour the ice cream base into your pre-frozen ice cream maker bowl (follow your model’s instructions). Churn for about 25 minutes, or until it reaches soft-serve consistency. If desired, add the additional sliced strawberries and churn for an additional 5 minutes.2 cups chopped strawberries
- Enjoy immediately as soft serve, or transfer to an airtight container. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals, then cover and freeze until firm, 2 to 4 hours.
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- large saucepan
Notes
- To speed up the cooling process, pour into a zip top plastic bag or into a clean bowl and place into an ice bath. Whisk until cool and then place in the fridge for an hour.
- For a smoother ice cream, puree all the strawberries. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Recipe Questions
I have only used the 2-quart Cuisinart ice cream maker. It is compact and easy to use, and I haven't had any issues with it.
Pour the cold base directly into popsicle molds (i.e. do not churn) and freeze for 6 to 8 hours.
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