Strawberry cheesecake ice cream

A decadent dessert to celebrate summer.

It takes a lot for a non-chocolate dessert to excite me. It’s got to be something pretty special. Even still, I usually feel chocolate’s absence. I must admit that when I put this recipe together, I tried to rationalize a place for chocolate. I almost threw in a handful of chocolate chips, for good measure.

But I would have been wrong to add the chocolate. This luscious ice cream, with the rich taste of a slice of strawberry cheesecake, does not need a stitch of chocolate. It’s true. It’s perfectly decadent as it is. So deliciously decadent that I’ve been battling with the little angel and devil on my shoulder about whether I should exercise a bit of self-control or simply surrender and finish every last bite for breakfast.

Is there any better way to welcome summer than with some homemade ice cream made with hand-picked berries?? I think not.

Go ahead. Indulge.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar*
1 cup sour cream
1 cup light cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cup fresh strawberries, halved if large
1 cup graham crackers, broken into small pieces

*Use more or less sugar, as desired, depending on the sweetness of your berries.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the sour cream, cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add the strawberries and beat until the berries mostly break up, leaving a few delicious chunks. Refrigerate for about an hour. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine’s directions. Add the graham crackers during the last 5-10 minutes of freezing.

Amy Deline blogs at The Gourmand Mom.

Related post: Strawberrylicious Roundup

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