Easy No-Churn Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

Introduction & Inspiration

Get ready to create one of the most luscious, flavorful, and beautifully vibrant homemade ice creams imaginable, all without needing an ice cream maker! This No-Churn Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream is a true celebration of spring and summer fruit. Imagine a rich, tangy cream cheese and whipped cream base, swirled with a homemade sweet-tart rhubarb compote that’s ingeniously super-charged with the intense flavor of freeze-dried strawberry powder. The result is an exceptionally creamy, scoopable frozen dessert with the perfect balance of sweet, tart, and rich flavors.

My inspiration for this recipe comes from wanting to capture the classic, beloved taste of strawberry rhubarb in a cool, creamy format, while making it accessible to everyone – no special equipment required! The use of freeze-dried strawberries is a fantastic trick to impart pure, concentrated fruit flavor without adding the excess water that can make no-churn ice creams icy.

This ice cream is perfect for a special dessert on a warm day, for impressing dinner guests, or anytime you’re craving a truly gourmet, homemade frozen treat. It’s creamy, dreamy, and packed with incredible flavor! It is a perfect no-churn ice cream recipe.

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Factor

Ice cream is, without a doubt, one of the world’s most beloved comfort foods, evoking memories of childhood, celebrations, and simple, sweet joy. The flavor combination of strawberry and rhubarb is itself deeply nostalgic, reminiscent of homemade pies, crumbles, and jams that signal the arrival of warmer, sunnier days.

This recipe beautifully combines the comforting creaminess of ice cream with those classic, heartwarming fruit flavors. The process of making it from scratch – cooking the fragrant rhubarb compote, whipping the fresh cream – adds a layer of satisfying, hands-on comfort. The result is a treat that feels both elegantly special and comfortingly familiar.

It’s a sophisticated yet incredibly comforting dessert that tastes like pure, homemade happiness. A perfect comfort food dessert.

Homemade Focus

This recipe is a wonderful celebration of creating a premium-quality ice cream entirely from scratch, using clever techniques to achieve a professional texture without an ice cream maker. You’re starting by making a concentrated fruit flavor base, first by pulverizing freeze-dried strawberries into a powder, then by cooking fresh rhubarb down into a beautiful compote.

The homemade focus shines in the creation of the no-churn ice cream base itself. You’re whipping fresh heavy cream with cream cheese to create a rich, stable, and tangy foundation. The careful technique of folding the fruit mixture into this creamy base is a key homemade step that ensures a beautiful final product. You control the quality of every ingredient, from the fruit to the dairy.

It’s about using smart, from-scratch techniques to build layers of flavor and achieve a luxuriously creamy texture that rivals any artisanal ice cream shop. The homemade flavor is incredible.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is a luxuriously creamy, rich ice cream with a perfect, vibrant balance of sweet and tart fruit flavors. The rhubarb should provide a distinct tangy note, which is then complemented by the intense, sweet flavor of the strawberry powder.

The ice cream base itself, made with sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, and heavy cream, should be incredibly smooth, rich, and creamy, with a subtle tang from the cream cheese that cuts through the sweetness beautifully. The vanilla adds a classic warm, aromatic background note. The final texture should be dense, smooth, and easily scoopable after firming up in the freezer, with minimal ice crystals.

The overall experience should be an exceptionally creamy, intensely fruity, sweet-tart frozen dessert that is both refreshing and wonderfully indulgent. A perfect balance between flavour and texture.

Ingredient Insights

For the Strawberry Rhubarb Flavor Base:

• Freeze-Dried Strawberries: This is the secret weapon! Pulverizing freeze-dried strawberries into a powder provides intense, pure strawberry flavor without adding any water, which is crucial for preventing iciness in no-churn ice cream.
• Rhubarb (Fresh or Frozen): Provides the signature tartness and lovely color. Chopped into bite-sized pieces to help it cook down evenly.
• Water & Granulated Sugar: Used to cook the rhubarb down into a soft compote.
• Lemon Juice: Adds a touch of brightness and acidity that enhances the fruit flavors.
• Pinch of Salt: A small amount of salt always enhances sweetness and balances flavors.
• Vanilla Extract: Stirred in at the end to add a warm, aromatic note.

For the No-Churn Ice Cream Base:

• Sweetened Condensed Milk: A key ingredient in most no-churn ice cream recipes. Its high sugar content and low water content helps to prevent the formation of large ice crystals, keeping the ice cream soft and scoopable.
• Cream Cheese (Room Temperature): Adds a wonderful tangy flavor reminiscent of cheesecake, and its fat and stabilizers contribute to an even smoother, richer texture. Must be at room temperature to beat smoothly.
• Heavy Cream (Cold): Whipped to stiff peaks, it incorporates air into the base, which is what gives the ice cream its volume and creamy, scoopable texture without a churning machine. It must be very cold to whip properly.
• Pink Food Coloring (Optional): A drop or two can be used to enhance the pinkish hue from the rhubarb and strawberries if desired.

Essential Equipment

• Food Processor or Spice Grinder: For pulverizing the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.
• Medium Saucepan: For cooking the rhubarb compote.
• Blender (Optional): If you prefer an ultra-smooth rhubarb mixture with no fruit chunks.
• Fine-Mesh Sieve/Strainer (Optional): If you want to strain the cooked rhubarb mixture for an even smoother texture (the recipe implies this is not necessary if blended).
• Large Bowl: For mixing the ice cream base.
• Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment (or Hand Mixer and another large bowl): Essential for whipping the cream cheese and heavy cream to the proper consistency.
• Rubber Spatula: Crucial for gently folding the whipped cream mixture.
• 9x4x4-inch Pullman Loaf Pan with a Lid (or other freezer-safe loaf pan/container): The specified container for freezing the ice cream. A standard loaf pan covered with plastic wrap also works.
• Measuring Cups & Spoons (and optionally a Digital Scale):

Ingredients

(Based on 1x column, yields about 1 quart)

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote:

• ▢ ½ cup [8g] freeze-dried strawberries
• ▢ 16 oz [454g] rhubarb, fresh or frozen, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

No-Churn Ice Cream Base:

• ▢ 1 (14 oz / 396g) can sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 oz [57g] cream cheese, at room temperature
• ▢ 2 cups [480g] heavy cream, cold
• ▢ 1 to 2 drops pink food coloring (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Strawberry Powder and Rhubarb Compote:

• Place the freeze-dried strawberries into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade (or a spice/coffee grinder). Process until they are reduced to a fine powder. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped rhubarb, the prepared freeze-dried strawberry powder, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt.
• Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently and gently mashing the rhubarb with the back of a spoon, until the rhubarb has completely broken down and released its juices, about 15 minutes. The mixture should be thick and jam-like.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
• Optional: For a completely smooth ice cream, you can carefully transfer the warm rhubarb mixture to a blender and process for a few seconds until smooth. Otherwise, the small fruit chunks add a lovely texture.
• Let the rhubarb compote cool completely to room temperature. You can speed this up by placing it in the refrigerator.

2. Prepare the Ice Cream Base:

• In a large bowl, combine the can of sweetened condensed milk, the completely cooled rhubarb mixture, and the ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir well to combine.
• In the separate, clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer in another large bowl), beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed until it is completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps.
• Turn the mixer to low speed. In a slow, steady stream, pour the 2 cups of cold heavy cream into the beaten cream cheese. Mix until just combined.
• Once combined, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whisk until the cream and cream cheese mixture forms stiff, fluffy peaks. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Combine and Fold the Ice Cream Mixture:

• Take about half of the whipped cream/cream cheese mixture and add it to the large bowl containing the sweetened condensed milk and rhubarb mixture.
• Whisk this in thoroughly until completely combined. This step lightens the condensed milk base, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream without deflating it.
• Using a large rubber spatula, gently add the remaining half of the whipped cream mixture.
• Carefully fold everything together until no white streaks remain. Use gentle “cut and fold” motions, scraping from the bottom and folding over the top, to maintain as much air and volume as possible.
• If using, gently fold in 1 to 2 drops of pink food coloring.

4. Freeze:

• Pour the final ice cream mixture into a 9x4x4-inch Pullman loaf pan or another freezer-safe container with a lid. Smooth the top.
• Cover and place in the freezer until firm. This will take at least 6 hours, but overnight is often best. The ice cream will keep well for up to 1 week.

5. Serve:

• When ready to serve, you may need to let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly for easier scooping.
• Scoop into bowls or cones and enjoy your homemade No-Churn Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream!

Troubleshooting

• Ice Cream is Icy: This is the main challenge with no-churn ice creams. Causes include: rhubarb compote being too watery or not fully cooled before adding; using low-fat dairy instead of full-fat cream cheese and heavy cream; or the mixture not being whipped/emulsified enough. Using freeze-dried strawberries as directed is a key technique to prevent iciness from fresh fruit water content.
• Cream Cheese is Lumpy: The cream cheese was not at true room temperature and wasn’t beaten smooth before adding the cold heavy cream.
• Whipped Cream Mixture Didn’t Reach Stiff Peaks: The heavy cream wasn’t cold enough, or the bowl/beaters had some grease or water on them. Always use very cold cream and clean, dry equipment.
• Ice Cream Too Hard to Scoop: This is common with homemade ice cream as it lacks commercial stabilizers. Simply let the container sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes to soften before scooping.
• Flavor Too Tart or Too Sweet: The sweetness will depend on your rhubarb and your personal preference. The recipe suggests you can adjust the sugar in the compote. Remember that flavors are muted when frozen, so the unfrozen base should taste slightly sweeter than you want the final product to be.

Tips and Variations

• Cool Compote Completely: Do not skip this step! Adding warm rhubarb compote to the whipped cream base will cause it to melt and deflate, resulting in a dense, soupy, and icy final product.
• Full-Fat Dairy is Key: For the creamiest texture in no-churn ice cream, full-fat cream cheese and heavy whipping cream are essential.
• Freeze-Dried Fruit Power: This is a fantastic trick for adding intense fruit flavor without adding water. You can experiment with other freeze-dried fruits like raspberries or blueberries.
• Don’t Over-fold: When combining the whipped cream with the base, fold gently just until no streaks remain. Over-folding will knock out the air you just whipped in.
• Mix-in Swirl: After pouring half the ice cream base into your loaf pan, you could add a few dollops of a thicker, jam-like strawberry or rhubarb preserve, then top with remaining ice cream base and gently swirl with a knife for a ribbon effect.
• Crunchy Element: After churning/mixing and just before freezing, fold in some crumbled shortbread cookies, graham cracker pieces, or toasted pistachios for a textural contrast.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

• Serve in Chilled Bowls or Cones: To help it stay frozen longer while eating.
• Garnish: Top scoops with some fresh chopped strawberries, a small mint sprig, or a sprinkle of more freeze-dried strawberry powder for a pop of color.
• Perfect Summer Dessert: A wonderfully refreshing and elegant dessert for a warm day.
• Alongside a Cookie: Delicious served with a simple, buttery shortbread cookie or an almond biscotti.

Nutritional Information

(Note: Estimated, per ½ cup serving. This is a rich, full-fat dessert.)

• Calories: 350-450+
• Fat: 20-30g+
• Saturated Fat: 15-22g+ (from cream, cream cheese)
• Cholesterol: 70-100mg+
• Sodium: 150-250mg+
• Total Carbohydrates: 30-40g+
• Dietary Fiber: 1-2g+
• Sugars: 28-38g+ (Mostly from sweetened condensed milk and fruit)
• Protein: 4-6g+

Print

Recipe Summary and Q&A

Summary: This No-Churn Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream is made by first creating a flavor base. Freeze-dried strawberries are pulverized into a powder, then combined with chopped rhubarb, water, sugar, lemon juice, and salt, and cooked down into a thick compote. This compote is cooled completely. The ice cream base is made by whipping softened cream cheese until smooth, then whipping in cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. In a separate large bowl, the cooled rhubarb compote is mixed with sweetened condensed milk and salt. A portion of the whipped cream/cream cheese mixture is whisked into the condensed milk mixture to lighten it, then the remaining whipped cream is gently folded in. The final mixture is poured into a loaf pan and frozen for at least 6 hours until firm.

Q&A:

• Q: Why use freeze-dried strawberries instead of fresh or frozen?
  • A: Freeze-dried strawberries provide a very intense, concentrated strawberry flavor without adding any of the water content that fresh or frozen strawberries contain. Excess water is the primary cause of ice crystals in no-churn ice cream, so using the dried powder is a clever way to get big flavor while maintaining a creamy texture.
• Q: Do I really need an electric mixer for this?
  • A: While you can whip cream by hand with a whisk, it takes a significant amount of time and effort to get it to stiff peaks. An electric mixer (either handheld or a stand mixer) is highly recommended to properly whip the cream and to ensure the cream cheese base is beaten completely smooth and lump-free.
• Q: Can I use a different fruit combination?
  • A: Absolutely! You could make a raspberry-rhubarb version, a plain strawberry version, or use other fruits that cook down well into a compote, like peaches or cherries. Just be mindful of the water content of the fruit you choose.
• Q: My finished ice cream is rock hard out of the freezer. What did I do wrong?
  • A: You likely did nothing wrong! Homemade ice cream, especially no-churn, lacks the commercial stabilizers and high-tech freezing processes of store-bought ice cream, so it naturally freezes much harder. This is completely normal. Just let the container sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before scooping to allow it to soften slightly.