Recipe: 3-Ingredient Strawberry Nice Cream

updated May 28, 2019
summer
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

This creamy, no-churn strawberry nice cream comes together with just three ingredients and no added sugar.

Serves2 to 4

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(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

If you’re the kind of person who eats cookies from a hot baking sheet the second they come out of the oven, you’re going to want to have a spoon ready when you blitz this nice cream together in your food processor. Mark my words: When the smooth, creamy, soft serve-like swirls begin to form, you won’t be able to resist dipping your spoon in for a taste (or three!).

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Is This Similar to One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream?

Yes! Both are considered “nice creams” — fruit-based, vegan, dairy-free treats with no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or added sugar. While it’s not one ingredient, this version requires just three: strawberries, a banana, and a splash of the non-dairy milk of your choice.

Unlike the original one-ingredient banana ice cream, where bananas take center stage, berries are the star of the show, although the banana and milk are key to creating a smooth texture and giving this dessert its ultra-creamy consistency. It’s simple enough that after you make it once, you won’t need to look at the recipe the next time around (and there will definitely be a next time!).

So, How Does It Work?

The fruit is frozen until solid, then blitzed in the food processor until it’s smooth and creamy. While any kind of non-dairy milk will get the job done, I’m partial to cashew milk, which makes for an especially creamy result. You wouldn’t be wrong to spoon this nice cream straight from the food processor, when it has the consistency of extra-thick soft serve, but you can also let it set up it in the freezer for a couple of hours, creating a firm, scoopable treat.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

3-Ingredient Strawberry Nice Cream

This creamy, no-churn strawberry nice cream comes together with just three ingredients and no added sugar.

Serves 2 to 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 quart

    strawberries, hulled and halved (about 2 cups)

  • 1 medium

    banana, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

  • 1/8 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 2/3 cup

    unsweetened nut milk or other non-dairy milk

Instructions

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  1. Arrange the strawberries and bananas in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, about 4 hours.

  2. Transfer the fruit to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Add the salt. Process until the fruit is crumbly, about 30 seconds. Stop the processor and scrape down the sides with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. With the motor running, pour in the milk and blend continuously for 1 minute. The bottom portion of the mixture will start to become smooth, while the top is still crumbly. Stop the processor, scrape down the sides, and stir. Process until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes more.

  3. Serve immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or transfer to a lidded airtight container or a loaf pan and freeze until solid, approximately 2 hours. (If using a loaf pan, place a piece of wax or parchment paper over the surface of the nice cream, then wrap the pan in plastic wrap to prevent ice crystals from forming).

Recipe Notes

Substituting frozen strawberries: You can substitute 10 ounces of whole frozen strawberries.

Storage: The nice cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.