Strawberry ice cream is one of the most loved flavors by both adults and children: creamy, sweet just the right amount and a delicate pink color, homemade strawberry ice cream is perfect for a refreshing, wholesome snack or to serve at the end of a meal, alone or alongside a fruit salad. Strawberry ice cream is made without eggs, simply mixing cream, milk, sugar and puréed fresh strawberries. The ratio between these ingredients makes the difference between a flavorful, creamy ice cream and one that’s forgettable. It took a few attempts, but in the end I found the right recipe for perfect homemade strawberry ice cream!
To make homemade strawberry ice cream you’ll need a home ice cream maker: either a self-cooling ice cream maker like mine, or one with a freezer bowl. Preparation times vary a bit by model, but generally it doesn’t take more than 45 minutes. The only difference is that if you use an ice cream maker with a freezer bowl – besides remembering to freeze it the night before – it’s a good idea to prepare the ice cream mix at least 4 hours ahead so it chills well in the refrigerator before you put it in the machine.
If you’re looking for the recipe for strawberry ice cream without a machine you can find it here, while in this article you’ll find the recipe for strawberry sorbet without cream or milk, to make with or without an ice cream maker.

Ingredients for about 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) of homemade strawberry ice cream

2 1/2 cups strawberries
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cups heavy cream (liquid) (unsweetened)
2 tbsps lemon juice

Tools

1 Blender / Mixer
1 Spoon
1 Knife
1 Ice cream maker

How to prepare homemade strawberry ice cream with an ice cream maker

To prepare homemade strawberry ice cream, start by washing and drying the strawberries. Remove the stems and cut them into pieces (1). Put them in a blender or food processor together with the lemon juice (2) and the sugar (3).
Blend thoroughly until you obtain a smooth purée (4). Check that there are no large pieces remaining, as they would freeze in the freezer and make the ice cream unpleasant to eat. Then add the cream and the milk (5) and mix well with a spoon. At this point, if you have a ice cream maker with a freezer bowl cool the strawberry ice cream mixture well in the coldest part of the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or longer if you have time. If instead you have a self-cooling ice cream maker with compressor you can prepare the ice cream immediately: pour the mixture into the bowl (6).
Insert the paddles and place the bowl in the machine (7), setting a program for at least 35 minutes. I usually set a 1-hour program, but after 30-35 minutes I check it frequently. The ice cream is ready when it has a firm consistency and clings to the paddles (8). Remove the bowl from the machine and stir the strawberry ice cream with a spoon (9). Depending on the consistency, decide if the ice cream needs to firm up in the freezer.
Bear in mind that, depending on the model of your ice cream maker, it may take more or less time and, once finished, the ice cream may require a couple of hours in the freezer before being enjoyed: for these details always refer to the instructions in your machine manual.
Serve the homemade strawberry ice cream as a snack or at the end of a meal.