Two No-Churn Ice Cream Recipes

Adapted from the Pines Lake Women’s Club Dessert Cook Book (circa 1950s) // Submitted by Grace Nash

Here are two summer ice creams that make themselves. 

OK they almost do, and they are both based off of a 1950s era recipe for Strawberry Ice Cream from Grace Nash of Pines Lake NJ.  And Grace knew exactly what she was doing.

You start by macerating fresh or frozen strawberries in some sugar, add a bit of lemon, vanilla, and salt for balance, dump in some full fat sour cream, pour it into a baking dish and pop it in the freezer. 

You stir it three times over the course of 90 minutes. Then Grace’s instructions say to “forget until needed”, and it’s true – that’s all you need to do. The result is a luscious, creamy ice cream perfect whenever you need a sweet treat. 

I tested out a version of this ice cream with peaches, with one added twist. It’s the same drill  – peaches, sugar, sour cream, pan, freeze, stir, etc.

Then you stir in crushed cookies. I used those thin ginger cookies but I think oatmeal would be great. Back in the freezer and you have a beautiful treat. 

How would you riff on this recipe?

Drop a comment below if you made this recipe – I’d love to know!

Easy No-churn Strawberry Ice Cream

Adapted from the Pines Lake Women’s Club Dessert Cook Book (1950s) / Submitted by Grace Nash: You have Grace to thank for this easy, no-churn strawberry ice cream. It is absolutely delicious and comes together with so little effort that it practically makes itself! While the texture may not be exactly the same as churned ice cream – this one's a little more icy – I'm sure you'll go back for seconds!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Appetizer, Dessert

Servings 1 1/2 pints

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen, mashed or cut into bite-sized pieces (about 10 oz.)
• 1 cup sugar, divided (a portion will be used to macerate the berries)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 big pinch of salt
• 1 pint full-fat sour cream*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, combine the strawberries with ⅓ cup of the sugar, lemon juice, and salt.
• Let sit for 30–60 minutes to draw out the juices and create a syrup.
• Add the remaining sugar, sour cream, and vanilla to the berry mixture. Stir until smooth and fully combined.
• Pour into a flat, freezer-safe dish or pan.
• Pour into a shallow, freezer-safe pan. Freeze, stirring every 30 minutes for about 1½ hours (3 times), scraping the sides and incorporating the frozen bits.
• Cover with parchment or plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. 
• Freeze until completely firm, about 3–5 hours total (time will vary based on freezer settings and pan size). Or as Grace Nash says in the original recipe “forget until needed”!
• Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping and serving.
• While the texture may not be exactly the same as churned ice cream – this one's a little more icy – it is still delicious. And note that on a hot day it melts fairly quickly, so be prepared!
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer.

Notes

*Full-fat sour cream works best, as low-fat sour cream can have a gummy texture and could turn more icy.

Keyword cooking with kids, easy dessert recipe, easy ice cream, no churn ice cream, strawberry ice cream, summer dessert recipe, vintage recipes

Grace Nash’s Easy No-churn Peach & Ginger Cookie Ice Cream

Adapted from the Pines Lake Women’s Club Dessert Cook Book (1950s) / Submitted by Grace Nash: Fresh cherries and dark chocolate come together in a creamy sour cream base — no ice cream maker required! While the texture may not be exactly the same as churned ice cream – this one's a little more icy – I'm sure you'll go back for seconds!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 1 1/2 pints

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups chopped fresh peaches (about 10 oz) (you can mash them a bit if you like)
• 1 cup sugar, divided (a portion will be used to macerate the peaches)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 big pinch of salt
• 1 pint full-fat sour cream*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup crumbled ginger cookies

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, combine the peaches with ⅓ cup of the sugar, salt, and lemon juice.
• Let sit for 30–40 minutes to draw out the juices and create a syrup.
• Stir in the remaining sugar, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth and fully combined.
• Pour into a shallow, freezer-safe pan. Freeze, stirring every 30 minutes for about 1½ hours (3 times), scraping the sides and incorporating the frozen bits.
• Once the mixture starts to firm up, gently stir in the crushed cookies.
• Cover with parchment or plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze until completely firm, about 3–5 hours total (time will vary based on freezer settings and pan size).
• Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping and serving.
• While the texture may not be exactly the same as churned ice cream – this one's a little more icy – it is still delicious. And note that on a hot day it melts fairly quickly, so be prepared!
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer.

Notes

*Full-fat sour cream works best for a creamy texture — low-fat may turn icy and can have a gummy texture.

Keyword easy ice cream, no churn ice cream, peach ice cream, vintage recipes