I love cheesecake and I love ice cream; so this ice cream called my name as soon as I saw the recipe. It really does taste just like cheesecake frozen into perfectly scoopable bites of ice cream.
Cheesecake Ice Cream
In truth, this ice cream almost tastes too much like cheesecake, and here’s why.
Do not hand someone a bowl of this without telling them it is cheesecake ice cream. You will see the most peculiar confused expressions on their faces.
I laughed so hard when I saw my family’s confusion the first time I made this ice cream. If you are expecting traditional vanilla ice cream, this is nothing close.
It took a moment for them to figure out the flavor, but once they did, it was all smiles around the table.
However, if you tell a cheesecake lover what this is, and they are expecting cheesecake, this is heaven on a spoon.
I highly recommend topping your ice cream with warm caramel sauce or berry sauce for an amazing and company-worthy dessert!
How To Make Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Cut the cream cheese into pieces and place it in the blender. Zest the lemon directly into the blender and then set aside the lemon to use later.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and puree until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You can enjoy it straight out of the machine for a soft serve or place in the freezer for a few hours for a firmer ice cream.
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The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 lemon scrubbed clean
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Cut the cream cheese into pieces and place it in the blender. Zest the lemon directly into the blender and then set aside the lemon to use later. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.
- Pour into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You can enjoy it straight out of the machine for a soft serve or place in the freezer for a few hours for a firmer ice cream.
Nutrition
{originally published 3/16/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/31/22}
recipe lightly adapted from The Perfect Scoop
Chris says
Makin' it!
Anonymous says
Was a lovely texture, my boyf loved it!! I also added vanilla and pieces of digestive biscuits. Next time im using chocolate cream cheese by philidelpia and adding choc pieces .
Linda Parker says
Hi.ln your recipe for cheesecake icecream it says.
1/2cup half and half.
That’s it? What is it.lol
Mary Younkin says
Half and half is a dairy product that is part heavy cream and part milk. You can find it pretty much every US grocery store. If you don’t have it available, you can substitute 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream for every cup of half and half in a recipe.
Valerie says
The texture is pleasantly creamy and overall we enjoyed the end result. However, I am going to substitute vanilla extract for the zest in my next batch. I found the lemon flavor to be a bit too forward. Still good ice cream and we will definitely finish it off. I’m just curious if vanilla will get us closer to cheesecake rather than lemon cheesecake. We like to add toppings and the lemon flavor made for some unique combinations. {grin} Thank you for sharing the recipe; we will make this again!
Mary Younkin says
The lemon adds the “tang” of cheesecake, but it could certainly be reduced or eliminated.
Kelli says
I tried it! It came out awesome! I did add more milk and cream because the mix was extremely thick and jammed up my machine before it froze. I took this to a friend’s birthday party. EVERYONE even those who do not eat sweets loved it. The tang is the key that makes it “exactly like cheesecake” quotes from the party crowd.
Tobe B. says
I’m making this for the second time, upon request from a friend. This is such an easy fool proof ice cream! It tastes just like no-bake cheesecake. I make a fruit filling to swirl in mine. The first was blackberry, this one will have blueberry, the recipient’s favorite flavor. I mix the fruit with sugar, simmer to break down, thicken with cornstarch, then push through a strainer to remove pulp and seeds. I dollop it randomly as I put the frozen mix in my container.
Mary Younkin says
Sounds delicious, Tobe!