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Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

5 from 1 vote

A luscious, rich vanilla ice cream with a ribbon of fresh strawberry sauce and crushed shortbread cookies throughout.

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Our favorite Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Recipe

A bowl of strawberry shortcake ice cream with fresh strawberry and shortbread cookies crumbled throughout


 

All the flavors of fresh strawberry shortcake in a luscious, rich, creamy bowl of ice cream!

It’s hard to resist a big bowl of homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream. This creamy scoop of deliciousness is loaded with ribbons of tangy, fresh strawberry sauce and crushed shortbread cookie crumbs. It tastes like Strawberry Shortcake!

A terrific summer treat!

Do you remember those labor intensive, hand-cranked, take forever, rock salt required, ice cream churns from your childhood? Those days are gone.

Processing ice cream is as easy as turning on a switch!

We’ve had the same electric ice cream maker for years and it’s still going strong. Cuisinart makes an inexpensive, dependable and easy-to-use model that we highly recommend. Watch for a good sale or check Amazon and pick one up!

A bowl of strawberry shortcake ice cream being drizzled with strawberry sauce

Overview of ingredients

Start with a luscious vanilla based ice cream. For this recipe you’ll need:

  • whole milk
  • cornstarch
  • cream cheese
  • heavy cream
  • salt
  • granulated sugar
  • light corn syrup
  • vanilla extract

The base ice cream is layered in a freezer container between cookies and strawberry sauce. For the layers you will need:

  • crushed shortbread cookies like Lorna Doone or Golden Oreos for a sweeter cookie layer
  • fresh strawberries
  • granulated sugar
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream with a drizzle of strawberry sauce and shortbread cookies crumbled on top

Overview: How to make Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

1. Prepare the strawberry sauce

Combine the strawberries and granulated sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until the strawberries break down.

Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Make the ice cream base

Mix 2 tablespoons of milk with cornstarch until smooth.

Combine the remaining milk, sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture.

Return to the heat and cook until thickened. Remove from the heat and add the cream cheese and salt.

Pour the base into a bowl with the heavy cream and vanilla set over an ice bath. Stir occasionally until the mixture is cooled. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Process the ice cream according to your ice cream manufacturer directions.

3. Layer the ice cream with crushed cookies and strawberry sauce

Spoon one-third of the ice cream into an air-tight freezer safe container. Spoon one-third of the strawberry sauce on top and sprinkle with one-third of the crushed cookies. Repeat twice more, cover and freeze overnight before serving.

A bowl of Ice cream with strawberry sauce and crushed shortbread cookies on top

No ice cream maker? No problem!

If you don’t own an ice cream maker and prefer not to buy one, try adapting this recipe using the base from our No-Churn Ice Cream with Salted Caramel.

Make the no-churn ice cream and strawberry sauce then layer in a freezer-safe container along with crushed shortbread cookies.

Here are a few more of our favorite ice cream recipes you might enjoy:

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A stack of ice cream scoops on an ice cream cone drizzled with strawberry sauce

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 day 40 minutes
Yield: 10
Course: Ice Cream
Author: Tricia
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5 from 1 vote
A luscious, rich vanilla ice cream with a ribbon of fresh strawberry sauce and crushed shortbread cookies throughout.

Ingredients

For the strawberry sauce:

  • 3 cups diced fresh strawberries
  • ½ cup granulated sugar

For the ice cream base:

  • 2 cups whole milk plus 2 tablespoons divided
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch heaping tablespoon
  • 2 ounces cream cheese softened, cut into small pieces
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • â…” cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup shortbread cookies crushed (like Lorna Doone)

Instructions

To make the strawberry sauce:

  • Combine 3 cups of strawberries and ½ cup granulated sugar in a deep, heavy bottom saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the berries start to break down. Smash the berries with a large spoon or spatula while cooking. Simmer until the sauce reduces a little and thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Discard any seeds and pulp. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the ice cream:

  • Prepare an ice bath. Fill a large bowl with ice and place a smaller bowl on top of the ice. Add the heavy cream and vanilla to the bowl and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of milk with the cornstarch until smooth.
  • Pour the remaining 2 cups of milk, sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Don’t leave the stove! Be sure to watch that the milk doesn’t boil over. Simmer the mixture for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture.
  • Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the softened cream cheese and salt to the hot mixture. Stir until the cream cheese is blended into the milk and cornstarch mixture.
  • Pour the hot ice cream base into the bowl with the cream and vanilla. Stir until well blended. Continue to stir every few minutes until the mixture is cooled. Remove the bowl from the ice bath and dry the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
  • Process the ice cream according to your ice cream maker directions.
  • Once the ice cream is frozen, spoon â…“ of the vanilla ice cream in an air-tight freezer safe container. Spoon â…“ of the strawberry sauce on top and sprinkle with ⅓¼ of the crushed cookies. Repeat twice more with a layer of ice cream, then strawberry sauce, and finally the cookies. Freeze the ice cream at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
  • Serve with additional cookies if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce to spoon over the top of each serving if desired
  • I use Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookies for this recipe.
  • The base ice cream recipe was adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams At Home
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 203mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 706IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg

Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

While this recipe is not difficult to make it takes some time to mix, process and freeze before it’s ready to serve.

Personally I love that you can make this dessert days ahead and freeze until needed. It’s perfect for company and fun to serve.

Add a few extra shortbread cookies to each serving and drizzle with some of the reserved strawberry sauce. Everyone will love it!

Originally posted July 2018, updated May 2022

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30 Comments

  1. Holly

    Okay so I may sound like an idiot but I’ve never made ice cream before and want to try! But how come you can’t eat it the same day you make it if you’re using an ice cream maker? And any tips would be great since I’m a beginner! I want to try!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      That’s a great question Holly! You can eat ice cream straight out of the ice cream maker if you want a softer ice cream (more like soft serve). If you want scoop-able round balls, you need to freeze it for several hours or overnight, whatever works best for you. If you make it in the morning, I’m sure it will be frozen enough for dinner. I like mine to be really, really frozen so I always make it the day before. Tips – don’t try to make too much, the ice cream maker can only hold a certain amount, see the directions for your model and check your recipe. I would start with a simple one flavor ice cream like chocolate, vanilla or strawberry. The layered ice creams are not hard but do take more time. Chocolate Chip would be a good one too. The Cuisinart ice cream maker comes with a small cookbook for basic recipes. There are custard ice creams made with eggs, and then other recipes like this one that do not. The custards are so good but do take a little more effort to cook, but are not hard. I chose a non-eggy base for this ice cream so it would be white in color. I have many recipes on the blog, so let me know if there is one you are thinking about – or if you have questions! I know you’re going to love making homemade ice creams. Such a treat! Thanks

      Reply

      • Holly

        Instead of layering them, can’t you just mix the stuff in there at the end with it still going? Just curious.

      • Tricia Buice

        Sure if that’s what you want to do. I wanted this particular ice cream to have a ribbon of the strawberry puree so you get that pop of color and flavor. Otherwise it would be a strawberry flavored ice cream. The cookies are also better not incorporated throughout so they stay a little more crisp, not mush. A lot of times you won’t have room in the ice cream maker to add things like chocolate chips, etc. Once you see how the machine works, it may make more sense. Is there a particular ice cream you want to make? I have a really good Strawberry Ice Cream that doesn’t need layered. I also have a Chocolate Chocolate-Chunk Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream that wouldn’t look very pretty if the raspberry was just mixed in the chocolate ice cream. Each recipe is different and unique.

      • Holly

        Oooooooohh okay. That makes total sense! As soon as my daughter wakes up from her nap. We’re headed to Walmart for an ice cream maker!

  3. Susan

    What an incredibly delicious idea! We have such delicious ice cream made locally and nearby that I rarely get out my ice cream maker anymore but this is getting pinned to try this summer 🙂

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Thank you Gerlinde! My husband adores homemade ice cream so he’s a great encourager when it comes to making new flavor combinations. Have a lovely week and thanks!

      Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Haha – you have to be quick Abbe. The cones are sitting down in the top of a bottle and the scoops are held in place with toothpicks so they don’t slide off. Ice cream is so hard to shoot because it starts to melt in a matter of minutes. Thank you!

      Reply

  11. Pam

    Woo hoo, Tricia! Can’t think of any better food for summer! Your ice cream looks very delicious!!! Have a fun weekend! And thanks for the recipe!

    Reply