Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream with Graham Cracker Crumble Recipe

What Is So Great About This Recipe?

This recipe is made for people who love fruit and cheesecake. The strawberry and lime play beautifully together, and the base includes a full block of cream cheese plus egg yolks for a true cheesecake custard flavor.

Why you’ll enjoy it:

• Scoopable from the freezer: cream cheese and cornstarch keep the texture soft enough to scoop straight out of the freezer, and the key lime marshmallow swirl remains soft and sticky.
• Flavor contrast: a mellow strawberry cheesecake base balanced by a bright key lime marshmallow ribbon, plus buttery graham cracker crumbs.
• Texture contrast: creamy, sticky, and crunchy elements work together for an exciting bite.
• Unique: you won’t find this exact combination in stores—making your own lets you create flavors you love.

About the Base

The base preparation has three simple parts:

1. Make a strawberry puree.
2. Cook a cheesecake-style custard base (a Sicilian-style gelato base that uses cornstarch for body).
3. Combine the puree with the base to create a strawberry cheesecake ice cream base.

Puree Ingredients

• Strawberries: fresh or frozen will work.
• Sugar: use granulated white sugar so the strawberry flavor shines.
• Lime or lemon juice: a touch of acid brightens the fruit—lime pairs especially well with red fruits.
• Salt: just a pinch to balance flavors.

PRO TIP: Lime complements red and purple fruits, while lemon works well with orange and yellow fruits.

Making the Puree

To make the puree:

1. Cook strawberries, sugar, acid, and salt together over medium heat.
2. Simmer for about 10 minutes until slightly syrupy.
3. Blend until smooth and strain through a fine mesh strainer.
4. Chill the puree until cold.

For the Base

• Cream cheese (block): provides tang and helps keep the frozen base scoopable. Avoid tub-style spreadable cream cheese.
• Half-and-half: the main dairy component. You can substitute whole milk—if you do, increase cornstarch.
• Sugar and egg yolks: for sweetness and the custard texture.
• Cornstarch: prevents iciness and improves scoopability.
• Salt to balance flavors.
• Strawberry puree: chilled, about 1 cup.
• Optional: a drop or two of red food coloring for a pink hue.

Making the Base

Steps for the base:

1. Cube the cream cheese.
2. Combine cream cheese, half-and-half, sugar, yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.
3. Heat over medium, whisking constantly, and bring to a brief boil. Continue whisking for about 10 seconds at a boil.
4. Strain the custard into a large bowl, then whisk in the chilled strawberry puree (and food coloring if using).
5. Chill thoroughly, ideally overnight, until very cold.

About the Key Lime Swirl

The key lime swirl is an Italian meringue-style marshmallow: cooked sugar syrup whipped into egg whites. Because most of the water is cooked out and the meringue is full of air, the swirl stays soft even frozen, making it ideal for ribbons in ice cream.

• Sugar and light corn syrup: for sweetness and to prevent crystallization.
• Key lime juice: for bright tartness (regular lime works too).
• Salt: a small amount to balance flavor.
• Egg whites: whipped to provide structure and a soft, airy texture.

Making the Key Lime Marshmallow Cream

Note: this component is optional but adds a wonderful chewy tang.

1. Place egg whites and a little key lime juice in the mixer and whip until foamy.
2. Cook sugar, corn syrup, remaining lime juice, and salt to 240°F (soft-ball stage) in a small saucepan.
3. With the mixer running, pour the hot syrup slowly down the bowl into the egg whites.
4. Whip until the meringue is cool, glossy, and thick (about 7–8 minutes).
5. Transfer to a piping bag or a zip-top bag for easy layering; refrigerate until ready to use.

Mixer Tip

A stand mixer works best for Italian meringue. If your mixer bowl is very large but you’re only whipping two egg whites, a smaller mixer bowl or a hand mixer in a stable glass bowl will be easier—the whisk needs to make contact with the whites. If using a hand mixer, keep the bowl steady and expect slightly longer whipping time.

PRO TIP: A glass mixing bowl is safer with a hand mixer when pouring hot syrup, since metal bowls can become very hot to hold.

About the Graham Crackers

Store-bought graham crackers work fine, but homemade graham crackers make an even better crumble if you have time. The crumble is simple: crushed graham crackers tossed with a bit of sugar, salt, and browned butter, then baked until crisp.

Making the Crumble

1. Crush graham crackers to coarse crumbs.
2. Toss crumbs with a pinch of salt, a little sugar, and melted browned butter.
3. Press crumbs into a thin disc on a baking sheet for even browning, bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, then cool and break into crumbs.

Putting It All Together

You can prepare components over several days. The order below keeps the process manageable and flexible.

1. Make the strawberry puree (up to three days ahead).
2. Cook and combine the custard base with the puree; chill (can be done a day or two ahead).
3. Make and bake the graham crumble; store airtight.
4. Make the marshmallow swirl the day you churn the ice cream and transfer it to a piping bag.
5. Churn the very cold base according to your machine’s instructions.
6. Layer churned ice cream, marshmallow ribbons, and graham crumbs in a container.
7. Press plastic directly onto the surface and freeze at least 6–8 hours or overnight until solid.

Tips for Success

The strawberry base alone is excellent if you want to skip the extras. If you prefer an easier marshmallow option, use store-bought marshmallow fluff whisked with a teaspoon of lime juice and a little lime zest before layering.

Ice Cream Q & A

Questions

A Note About Measurements

Follow the ingredient measurements for best results. A kitchen scale is helpful for accuracy when weighing fruit or other ingredients.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (with Key Lime Swirl)

Author: Jennifer Field

This strawberry cheesecake ice cream, with its browned-butter graham crumble and sweet-tart key lime marshmallow swirl, is creamy, crunchy, and memorable. You can make just the base or add one or both of the optional components.

Equipment

• Ice cream scoop
• 9″ x 5″ loaf pan or similar container
• Stand mixer (or hand mixer)
• 3-quart saucepan
• Ice cream maker

Ingredients (high level)

For the Strawberry Puree

• Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• Granulated sugar
• Fresh lime or lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

For the Cheesecake Ice Cream Base

• 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups half-and-half (or substitute milk/cream)
• About 1 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup chilled strawberry puree
• Optional: a drop or two of red food coloring

For the Key Lime Marshmallow Cream

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup key lime juice plus 2 tsp (divided)
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

For the Browned Butter Graham Cracker Crumbs

• About 10 double graham crackers, crushed
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp browned butter

Instructions (summary)

Strawberry Puree

1. Cook berries, sugar, acid, and salt until boiling. Simmer about 10 minutes.
2. Blend until smooth, strain, and chill.

Cheesecake Ice Cream Base

1. Cube cream cheese and add to a saucepan with half-and-half, sugar, yolks, cornstarch, and salt.
2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it comes to a boil; whisk for about 10 seconds at a boil.
3. Strain into a bowl, whisk in chilled puree and optional coloring, then chill to at least 40°F (preferably overnight).

Graham Cracker Crumbs

1. Pulse crackers to coarse crumbs, mix with salt and sugar, then stir in browned butter until evenly coated.
2. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes until crisp; cool and chill in the freezer before use.

Key Lime Marshmallow Cream

1. Bring sugar, corn syrup, 1/4 cup key lime juice, and salt to a boil. Cover and boil 2 minutes to wash crystals, then continue to cook to 240°F.
2. Whip egg whites and 2 tsp key lime juice until foamy, then to medium peaks.
3. Stream hot syrup into whipped whites with the mixer running, then whip until cool and glossy (7–8 minutes). Transfer to a piping or zip-top bag and chill.

Assembly

1. Churn the chilled base per your ice cream maker instructions.
2. During churning, prepare your container and piping bag of marshmallow.
3. Layer ice cream, marshmallow ribbons, and graham crumbs in thirds until the container is full.
4. Press plastic directly onto the surface and freeze at least 6–8 hours or overnight.

Notes & Shortcuts

• Skip the marshmallow or crumble if you prefer a simpler ice cream.
• Use store-bought marshmallow cream and add lime juice and zest as an easy shortcut.
• Substitute regular butter for browned butter in the crumble if needed.
• If using whole milk or non-dairy milk instead of half-and-half, add 2 extra teaspoons of cornstarch for body.
• Store tightly covered; best within a week.

Thank you for spending some time here today. Enjoy the strawberry cheesecake ice cream, with or without the graham crumble and marshmallow swirl. Take care and have a lovely day.