Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream ~ No Ice Cream Maker Needed!

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to make a homemade strawberry ice cream without the fuss of an ice cream maker? I thought so, too, and that is why I tested and tested various ingredients until I made one that is perfectly creamy and full of strawberry flavor! The mix is made right in the blender and then you freeze it! Easy Peasy!

Since getting the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender, I've tested ice cream recipe after ice cream recipe and my first attempts were dismal to say the least.

Especially the homemade strawberry ice cream! It was icy no matter what I seemed to do. That might be fine for some, but if I'm going to enjoy a scoop of ice cream, it has to be creamy and full of flavor.

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The flavor part was easy, but the creamy texture wasn't. I started off testing the homemade strawberry ice cream using sweetened condensed milk thinking it would have less water and, therefore, reduce ice crystals. Not so much!

Don't get me wrong, it was good, but not good enough. So, I started reading everything I could about making homemade ice cream. Even though I had no intent on using an ice cream maker, I did read about various ways to mix up an ice cream "batter" for use in an ice cream maker. I learned a lot and that has changed the way I approach my ice cream recipes now.

I have completed 5 flavors so far and they each get better and better if I do say so myself. The first flavor is a rich Chocolate Ice Cream and the recipe and video is posted for that.

You can find the recipe right here ----> Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

The other flavors are; French Vanilla Bean, Coffee with Homemade Toffee pieces, and Pistachio. I will link to them when they are released!

Can I make this Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream in any Blender?

While I've only tested it in the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender, I don't see why you couldn't make it in any blender.

The ice cream mix is not heated, so you don't need a blender that cooks. Some of my other recipes do use heat, so you would need to either cook them on the stove and then use a blender or you can always purchase the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender!

If you want to use a different blender, you can refer to the guide below to find out what the blend cycle on the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot blender does and mimic it on your blender!

The Complete Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender Guide with review

It's no secret that I love this blender and there are so many wonderful recipes you can make in it. So, definitely check it out!

Can I make this recipe if I don't have the Ice Cream Function on my Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender?

Yep, you sure can! I realize that there are various models of the Cold & Hot Blender and some don't have the ice cream function.

No worries, just refer to the guide above and use your manual functions to mimic the ice cream function.

I also think the smoothie function would work just fine for this recipe, but I have not tested it that way.

Tips for Making Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

Use fresh strawberries. Frozen strawberries will release more juice and the more water/juice in your ice cream mix, the more chance you have of developing ice crystals.

Don't skip the Xanthan Gum. I made this ice cream without it and the xanthan gum is a game changer for the texture. It acts as a stabilizer and prevents ice crystals from getting bigger. This is what keeps the ice cream nice and creamy.

Use Metal Containers. I have found that using metal containers and freezing them before you put the ice cream in speeds up the freezing process a little and the faster your ice cream freezes, the less ice crystals that form. The ones I use the most are from Pampered Chef. They are pricey, but if you plan on making a lot of ice cream, they are worth every penny. You can find them here ----> (affiliate link)Freezer Containers from PC

You also want your containers to be shallow. So, you can use any container, but don't fill it more than 2" deep.

Add some Vodka. I didn't do that in this recipe, but I did end up adding it to a few other ice cream flavors and it really helps with scoop-ability right out of the freezer. The vodka doesn't freeze, so when it is dispersed in the mix, it doesn't freeze as solid. Don't worry, you can't taste it! Of course, don't do this if you are making it for kids.

Use a cooling rack. Sometimes you have to let the ice cream sit out for a few minutes before scooping. Don't set it on your counter, especially if it is granite or any kind of stone or aluminum. What happens is the bottom thaws much faster than the top and the ice cream pushes around instead of being easily scooped. The cooling rack allows air to cross over the bottom and the top and you will find it much easier to scoop.

How to Make Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream in the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender

Wash and cut the stems off of the strawberries.

Mix the xantham gum with the sugar. This is really important because if you add the xanthan gum directly to the liquid ingredients, it will clump and become gummy.

Add the heavy cream and the milk to the blender. Add in half of the strawberries if you want to have chunks of strawberries in your ice cream. If you want a smooth strawberry ice cream, put all of the strawberries in the blender now.

Add the sugar with the xanthan gum. Put the lid on the blender and select the ice cream function. If you don't have the ice cream function on your blender, here is the link for the guide that I refered to earlier in this post and you can use the manual buttons to mimic the ice cream function.

When there is about 30 seconds left on the ice cream function, remove the lid to stop the cycle.

Add in the remaining strawberries and pulse a few times to chop them up to your desired size.

Pour the ice cream into shallow (preferably metal) freezer containers, cover with parchment and a lid if you have one. Freeze for 6-8 hours.

Serve & Enjoy!