These strawberry ice cream sandwiches are made with an easy, no-churn strawberry ice cream sandwiched in between two layers of graham cracker crust. It's the perfect no-bake treat for a hot day!
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Notes from the baker
Ever since my viral Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe from a few years ago, I've been trying to make different variations of it. This style of ice cream sandwich is so well-loved, I think, because it's so easy to make and accessible with just a few ingredients.
These strawberry ice cream sandwiches are different from others because of the crunchy cookie crust rather than a soft cake-like crust that's more common in store-bought ice cream sandwiches. The ice cream layer is also special because it's no-churn and made with an ice cream maker or eggs.
This combination of graham crackers and strawberry ice cream just screams summer to me but with a classic flavour. Give this one a try if you want a refreshing treat that's not too sweet and perfectly fruity!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Crunchy graham cracker cookie crust. The crust is simple to make (2 ingredients!) and pairs perfectly with the strawberry flavour.
- Creamy strawberry ice cream. The ice cream layer tastes just like store-bought ice cream with a soft texture.
- No-churn and no-bake. The only thing you need to cook is the strawberry compote for the ice cream. Everything else just sets up in the freezer.
- Easy to make recipe. Only a few ingredients needed! The hardest part is waiting for them to freeze.
Tools
- 9x9" pan - This recipe is scaled for a 9x9" square pan. This will make enough for about 8 ice cream sandwiches depending on how you cut them. Make sure you line it with parchment paper (with some extra paper overhanging) so that you can remove the ice cream sandwiches from the pan easily.
- Small saucepan - You'll need a small saucepan to cook the strawberry compote on the stovetop.
- Whisk - You'll need a whisk to whip the cream for the ice cream. You can also use a hand mixer but I actually find that a big whisk is faster for this.
Ingredient notes
As always, the fullย recipe cardย with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to theย recipe.
- Strawberries - You can use fresh or frozen strawberries but I prefer fresh strawberries for better flavour. If you're using frozen strawberries, you just cook them straight from frozen without thawing or dicing them.
- Water - We're just using a tiny bit of water to get the cooking process started and to prevent the strawberries from burning or sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Graham crackers - Graham crackers are the ideal biscuit for the crust. You can also use any other crunchy biscuit for a different flavour variation such as biscoff cookies, digestive biscuits, or shortbread cookies.
- Unsalted butter - This holds the crust together and firms up when frozen.
- Whipping cream or heavy cream - You can use whipped cream for a lighter ice cream or heavy cream for a thicker and richer ice cream. I used whipping cream in mine with great results.
- Vanilla extract
- Sweetened condensed milk - Condensed milk adds enough sugar content to keep the ice cream soft and also adds a nice milky flavour.
Tips for making the best strawberry ice cream sandwiches
- Cook as much water out of the strawberries as possible. The reason we're cooking the strawberries instead of just blending them into a puree is to remove the water content from them. Water in ice cream creates ice crystals when frozen, making the ice cream icy instead of soft and creamy. Your goal is to cook off the water so that you have a very thick jam-like consistency.
- Add more melted butter if the crust mixture seems too dry or won't hold together. Different graham crackers may absorb more liquid than others. The crust mixture should resemble wet sand and hold together when pressed. If it's too dry, the crust will be too crumbly and fall apart after freezing.
- Whip the cream to firm peaks. Whipping the cream adds lots of tiny air bubbles, similar to what happens when you churn ice cream, which makes the ice cream softer without being icy. Make sure it's at firm peaks (the cream stands up by itself in pointy peaks when you lift the whisk out of it) before adding the other ingredients.
- Freeze the ice cream layer before adding the final crust layer. If the ice cream layer is too soft, the crust layer will just sink right into it. You need some resistance to be able to firmly press the crust layer on top for the best result.
Storage
These strawberry ice cream sandwiches should be stored covered or in an airtight container in the freezer for up 2 weeks. Since they're not made with any stabilizers or preservatives like store-bought ice cream, they may start to dry out or be more susceptible to ice crystals the longer you store them.
Frequently asked questions
Baking by weight is much more accurate than volume. When using US standard cups, ingredients like flour and sugar can easily be overpacked into the cup causing you to add too much of certain ingredients. Recipes with weight measurements are also easier to scale to smaller or bigger batches without dealing with weird fractions.ย To measure by weight, you simply need a kitchen scale which you can usually pick up for less than $20.
Small measurements are given in tablespoons and teaspoons because most kitchen scales are not accurate under about 10g. Tiny amounts like a ยผ teaspoon may not register accurately unless you have a drug scale. Mixing these measurements is a common practice among other recipe sites and commercial kitchens.
More ice cream sandwich recipes to try
Recipe
Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
Equipment
Ingredientsย ย
- 300 g strawberries, fresh or frozen, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon water
- 325 g graham crackers
- 230 g unsalted butter, melted
- 300 g whipping cream or heavy cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 150 g sweetened condensed milk
Instructionsย
- Prep: Line a 9x9" pan with parchment paper on all sides. Use binder clips to secure the parchment paper to the sides of the pan. Set aside.
- Cook strawberries: In a small saucepan, add the diced strawberries and a bit of water to help get it started. Cover and bring to a boil. Leave the lid slightly ajar and simmer on medium heat until the strawberries have broken down and the mixture is thick and chunky. Uncover and let most of the water cook off until you have a thick strawberry compote. Transfer it to small bowl to cool completely.
- Crush graham crackers: Place the graham crackers in a ziploc bag and smack them with a rolling pin until they become very finely crushed. You can also use a food processor. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl.
- Crust mixture: Pour melted butter over the crushed graham crackers and mix with a spatula until the crumbs are all saturated and the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer half of the crumb mixture to your lined pan.
- Press into pan: Use a a spatula or the flat bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs firmly into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Let this sit in the freezer while you prepare the ice cream filling. Cover the bowl of remaining crumb mixture and set aside in a warm place.
- Whip cream: In a large mixing bowl, add the whipping cream and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to whip the cream until it becomes firm peaks.
- Ice cream mixture: Pour the condensed milk into the cream while whisking until combined. Add the cooled strawberry compote and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Fill pan: Pour the ice cream mixture into the pan on top of the crust. Cover and freeze for at least 2 hours or until the ice cream layer is firm to the touch.
- Final crust layer: Add the remaining crust mixture on top of the ice cream layer. Spread it out evenly and press it down firmly with a spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup. Return it to the freezer and freeze for at least 12 hours or overnight until completely solid.
- Slice: Lift the ice cream sandwich block out of the pan by lifting it up by the parchment paper overhangs. Use a large, sharp knife to cut it into 8 bars before serving or returning them to the freezer.
Monserrat says
Es realmente delicioso
Amanda S says
As an American who has used the imperial measurement system all her life...reviewers need to stop complaining about grams and having to use a scale. The recipe was written in grams, you knew that when you read it. A basic, $13 kitchen scale has been one of the best investments I've ever made. There's no need to rate a recipe lower when you don't want to make it the way it's written.
Rose says
Couldnโt have said it better.
If thereโs a will, thereโs a way.
Too bad, some people can be so Karen, to appreciate this or the person who shared this fantastic dessert!
Agos says
Everyone at home loved them! Theyโre so good!
Declyn says
The ice-cream sandwiches were really good but the measurements were all in grams and parts of the recipe were kinda confusing... it made the whole process 5ร longer if you don't have a scale.
Courtney says
This looks delish and Iโm going to try it, is it 583 cal for one bar?
Devyn says
The recipe was very good and the ice-cream sandwiches turned out very very good but if you don't have a scale to measure grams in it's going to take you 10ร longer to make... also some of the directions were really confusing