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Homemade Cheesecake Ice Cream (No Ice Cream Freezer)

Creamy homemade ice cream with no ice cream maker required. One simple base of whipped cream, cream cheese, and sweetened condensed milk, folded with pureed fruit and crushed graham crackers. Make it strawberry or peach — or make both.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Freeze TIme 2 hours
Serving Size 8 servings

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Blender or food processor
  • 9x5 loaf pan
  • Gallon zip-top bag
  • Rolling Pin

Ingredients

Ice Cream Base

  • 2 cups | heavy cream
  • 8 oz | cream cheese | room temperature
  • 14 oz | sweetened condensed milk | 1 can
  • 1 teaspoon | vanilla extract

Choose Your Fruit

  • 2 cups | fresh strawberries | hulled — OR 2 cups fresh peaches peeled

Graham Crackers

  • 1/2 cup | crushed graham crackers | about 3 whole crackers plus extra for topping

Instructions

Get Everything Ready

  • Place your graham crackers in a gallon zip-top bag. Break them up with your hands, spread them out flat, then run a rolling pin over the bag until they're fairly fine.
  • A few larger pieces are fine. Five whole graham crackers makes about one cup crushed, so crush a little extra to sprinkle on top later.
  • Wash your fruit. Hull the strawberries, or peel the peaches, and cut into rough chunks. Measure out 2 cups FIRST, then puree in a blender or food processor. Use the pulse setting so you can control it. You want really fine bits of fruit, not liquid.
  • Chill your mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes. A cold bowl whips cream faster.

Make the Ice Cream

  • Pour the heavy cream into your chilled bowl and whip until you have good stiff peaks. Use the paddle attachment rather than the whisk — everything else is going in this same bowl and the paddle will handle it all.
  • Add the room-temperature cream cheese, the entire can of sweetened condensed milk, and the vanilla. The condensed milk is where all the sweetness comes from — there is no added sugar in this recipe.
  • Add the pureed fruit. Start the mixer on low so it doesn't splash, then turn it up.
  • Mix until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and check the beater for hidden chunks of cream cheese — that's the one thing that can leave lumps. You'll still see flecks of fruit throughout, which is exactly right.
  • Add the 1/2 cup of crushed graham crackers and gently stir them through. Don't overwork it — the mixture is light and airy and you want to keep it that way. The graham crackers mimic the crust of a real cheesecake.

Freeze

  • Pour into a loaf pan. Leave it uncovered for this first freeze.
  • Freeze for 2 hours, until firm. A loaf pan sets faster than a deep bowl — if you use something taller, give it a little longer.
  • Scoop, sprinkle with extra graham crackers, and serve. Cover leftovers before returning them to the freezer.

Notes

  • MAKING BOTH FLAVORS: This recipe makes one flavor. To make strawberry and peach like we did in the video, simply make it twice — once with each fruit. Everything except the fruit stays identical.
  • FROZEN FRUIT: Works fine. Thaw and drain the excess liquid first, then measure and puree.
  • NO STAND MIXER: A hand mixer does all of this. You can even whisk by hand — it takes longer, but you don't need fancy equipment for this recipe.
  • CREAM CHEESE: Room temperature is not optional. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps. STORAGE: Covered, about 2 weeks in the freezer.