Slightly sweet, perfectly creamy cheesecake flavor and packed with juicy blueberries, this homemade Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is going to be a crowd favorite.
I had a similar ice cream flavor on our trip earlier this year to San Diego and knew I needed to make something like it at home with my favorite Kitchenaid ice cream maker. I don’t make enough ice cream with it, which is a darn shame. Does anyone have a chocolate ice cream recipe they really love?
I used the sweet cream ice cream base from the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Cookbook, which I purchased in the same Amazon order that I did the ice cream maker attachment for my trusty Kitchenaid stand mixer. I’m also ashamed to say this is the only flavor I’ve made from the book but they ALL look delicious and amazing. My only regret is not having more freezer space to keep a bunch of homemade ice creams.
My favorite part about this blueberry cheesecake ice cream might be the cheesecake ice cream base, or the mixed in graham cracker crumbles. Or the delightful blueberry sauce swirled into the ice cream. Basically, the entire ice cream is a dream come true.
The only downside to making your own ice cream at home is that you will usually need to know 24 hours in advance that you’ll want a particular homemade ice cream so you can get the ice cream maker attachment sufficiently chilled in the freezer. It’s also important to make sure all of your ingredients are chilled a bit, at the very least, make sure they are not hot (I’m looking at you, baked graham cracker crust part.)
This blueberry cheesecake ice cream seems like a lot of work on paper, but it’s just a few steps for each portion and once they’re all done everything comes together so easily. You could even skip baking the graham cracker crust and just pulse them down in the food processor and add the graham cracker swirl that way.
How do you make the blueberry sauce for this blueberry cheesecake ice cream?
Making the blueberry sauce for the blueberry cheesecake ice cream is similar to how you would make a compote, like this red berry compote I love to put on yogurt parfaits (topped with homemade granola!) Berries into the pan on medium high heat, add water and sugar and a little bit of cornstarch to thicken while stirring constantly.
How long do I need to churn the ice cream for?
The ice cream maker attachment I use calls for around 20 minutes of churning to get a soft-serve consistency of ice cream, but always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how long you’re supposed to churn for. Once the cheesecake ice cream base was all churned up, I mixed in the blueberry sauce and graham cracker crust swirl in by hand with a spatula and spread it into a loaf pan (for easier scooping with an ice cream scoop.)
How long does this ice cream keep in the freezer?
I wouldn’t keep it in the freezer for more than two weeks, personally. It doesn’t have any preservatives or things in it to keep it from getting a little crystallized from being frozen, so I’d say that it’s best enjoyed within a week of churning for optimal flavor and texture. You might also want to let it sit out on the counter for a little before scooping, as it can get really frozen solid depending on how cold you keep your freezer.
Tell me, what’s your favorite flavor ice cream? Have you ever made it at home?
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Slightly sweet, perfectly creamy cheesecake flavor and packed with juicy blueberries, this homemade Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is going to be a crowd favorite.
Ingredients
Cheesecake Ice Cream Base
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs, large
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
Graham Cracker Crust Swirl
- ¾ cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon melted butter
Blueberry Sauce
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
For the Cheesecake Ice Cream Base
- Using a hand or stand mixer, use a whisk attachment to cream the cream cheese.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs in a mixing bowl until they are light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in sugar a small bit at a time and continue to whisk until combined completely. Add in cream cheese mixture.
- Pour in cream and milk and whisk to blend.
- Using an ice cream maker or ice cream maker attachment, follow the manufacturer's instructions on how long the ice cream mixture should churn for. My particular model churned for about 20 minutes and formed a soft-serve consistency ice cream.
For the Graham Cracker Crust Swirl
- Pulse about 8 sheets of graham crackers in a food processor or crush in a bag by hand until finely ground crumbs form.
- Add sugar and melted butter to graham cracker crumbs and mix to combine.
- Spread graham cracker crumb mixture into a baking dish and bake at 350° for about 10 minutes.
- Allow graham cracker crust to cool completely before breaking into pieces.
For the Blueberry Sauce
- Add berries to a pan over medium high heat.
- Add sugar while continually stirring the blueberries.
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a separate cup or bowl to remove any cornstarch lumps by creating a slurry. Pour this mixture into the blueberry and sugar mixture, continuing to stir the mixture until the berries have burst and sauce has thickened.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before adding to ice cream.
Putting it All Together
- Combine cooled graham cracker crust crumbles and blueberry sauce with churned ice cream by gently folding in the mix-in ingredients.
- Spoon ice cream mixture into a freezer safe container. I used a loaf pan because its long shape allows for easier scooping.
- If possible, freeze for 4 hours or overnight for a typical hard ice cream texture. If ice cream is too firm, leave out for a few minutes to thaw before scooping.
Notes
This Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is best enjoyed within 2 weeks of churning, with a preferred consumption time of 1 week. I found the ice cream to get a bit crystallized after that period of time.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Stefanie
This looks delicious! I'd love to give this a try before the end of summer. My fiancé and I love this flavor combo 🙂
Jeff the Chef
Your post's title is basically a list of my three favorite things: blueberries, cheesecake, and ice cream! Find a way to work in a cup of coffee, and you pretty much would have all my favorite things! Beautiful photographs, by the way.