Joy the Baker

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

I banged my head against the wall one good time.  I wanted cheesecake, like a really big slice of cold creamy cheesecake, and I wanted to do anything anything anything at all NOT to make a cheesecake.   Headbang.  How can I get to cheesecake into my face without leaving my house…  without having to make an actual cheesecake?    The last time I foil-wrapped and water-bathed a cheesecake was probably 1997.  It ended in a tragically soggy crust and I’ll never do it again.  

One good bang against the wall and presto!  Ice cream is the answer.  Cream cheesy and rich to mimic cheesecake flavors,  berries because they’re purple and delicious, and chunks of graham cracker crumbs to simulate the all-important crust.  Dreams:  realized.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Basically, I’ll do anything not to get all the cheesecake flavor I can without actually making a cheesecake.  Ice cream is my latest cheesecake hack.  Past cheesecake hacks involve using a pie plate instead of a springform pan.  I’m nothing if not clever in the kitchen.  Salted Caramel Cheesecake Pie.  

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

This ice cream is majorly easy!  I don’t like an egg yolk-y ice cream base so I tend to skip the yolks. 

Fortunately we have all the luscious fat we need with heavy cream and cream cheese!

I like to use brown sugar for a little extra depth to the sweetness, salt for balance, and bourbon because it’s awesome and it keeps the ice cream from freezing into an unmanageable block.  

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

All of the ingredients are combined in the bowl of a big ol’ food processor.  That’s right! This ice cream starts in a food processor.  

If you don’t have a food processor, a high-powered blender will also work.  

Milk and cream, cream cheese, sugar, and salt all twirled together and just like that!  Ice cream base!

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

For the blueberry sauce we’ll combine fresh blueberries, sugar, cornstarch for thickening, as well as salt and lemon to bring out the flavors of the berries.  A bit of water too.

The berries will burst and break down slightly and the whole mixture will thicken as it boils.  Super easy! 

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Churned cheesecake ice cream is devilishly smooth.  Seriously.  either commit to going at it with a spoon straight from the ice cream maker, or don’t even go there.  Once you start… game over!

We can totally talk about ice cream makers if you’d like although you probably have one cluttering up the way way back of your kitchen cupboards (I’m guilty too..).  This Breville Smart Scoop makes fantastic ice cream because it has an internal cooling system.  No need to chill a bowl.  Also great, this Cuisinart 2-quart ice cream jammer… as long as you remember to keep the mixing bowl in the freezer.  

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

We quickly transfer most of the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container.  In this case, my freezer-safe container is a metal loaf pan.  I mean… why not?  

Cooled blueberry sauce is added to the quickly melting ice cream and the two are swirled.  

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Large chunks of graham crackers are folding into the aaaaahhhh-it’s-still-melting-ice cream.  More blueberries on top.  And hey a few more graham crackers too.  

Quick quick.  Then we run to the freezer to let it all rest.  Like seriously… run.  

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

What do we want this ice cream to fulfill?  Rich a cream cheesy?  Check.  Taste just like cheesecake?  Check.  Fresh sweet blueberry goodness?  Check.  Pretty purple color?  Check.  Crust-like graham cracker bits?  Check.  Once consumed, provides turbo energy for housecleaning and other mundane chores?  Well, kinda.  Check! 

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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

  • Author: Joy the Baker

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cheesecake Ice Cream

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional but delicious)

For the Blueberry Sauce

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 heaping cup crumbled Graham Crackers

Instructions

  1. To make the ice cream, combine the cream cheese, milk, cream, brown sugar, slat, and bourbon (if using), in the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a blade attachment.
  2. Blend on high speed until smooth. Depending on how softened your cream cheese was, there may be a few flecks of cream cheese remaining in the combined mixture. That’s ok!
  3. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually about 30 to 45 minutes.
  4. While the ice cream is churning, make the blueberry sauce. In a small saucepan stir together blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, water, salt, and lemon juice over medium-low heat. Stir until the berries burst and the juices have thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Place in a small bowl and allow to rest in the refrigerator while the ice cream churns.
  5. When ice cream in done churning, quickly spoon it into a freezer safe container. Add the blueberry sauce and swirl to combine. Add crumbled graham crackers and lightly stir in.
  6. Allow ice cream to rest in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best. Ice cream will last for 1 week in the freezer.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Sarah

    Finally made this after keeping it on my radar for two years. I just recently picked like 8 lbs of berries and was happy to have fresh blueberries on hand. I got rave reviews at the office. Thank you for putting together some amazing recipes.

    Reply

  3. Trang

    Oh no. I must’ve done something wrong because my ice cream maker churned forever and it was still liquid. I’ve never made the base in a food processor before. Was I suppose to blend until it was thicker? It was liquid from beginning to the end.

    Reply

  5. Maggie Grace Rasor

    My Meyer Lemons are ripe now, so I’m going to try this with the juice and zest from the lemons and also some homemade Limoncello from last year’s crop of lemons. Can’t wait! Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply

  6. Jess Tan

    how do you store your ice cream in the metal loaf pan? it doesn’t have a lid so how would you keep your ice cream airtight?

    Reply

  7. Claire

    This ice cream is fantastic! Followed the recipe & omitted the alcohol, and had my doubts about the amount of salt and blueberry sauce after tasting the mixture. But the flavors melded perfectly after freezing, and doesn’t freeze rock hard either. It’s my family’s favorite now, thank you!

    Reply

  9. Ashley S.

    Wow. This is heavenly! I followed the recipe exactly minus the bourbon…the liquor store was closed. Thanks for another hit, Joy!

    Reply

  11. Karla

    Why…why on earth was the ice cream positioned in that manner? Is laziness the new aesthetic? There’ s got to be a less aneurysm-inducing way to photograph ice cream.

    Reply

  13. Shirley Casciola

    This is the best Ice cream I’ve made in a long time. Used Kahlua in place of the rum and it was delish !

    Reply

  14. CrisK

    Made two days ago and it is gone !!! Super easy and so good. Divided in three and ended with blueberry, nutella and dulce de leche ice cream.

    Reply

  16. CJ

    Made this yesterday. Didn’t have all the correct ingredients at home. Used frozen blueberries from last years crop, Light cream cheese, 2 cups 1/2 & 1/2. Still came out creamy and delicious!

    Reply

  19. Megan

    Just made this…wha Divine. Blueberry cheesecake was my favorite DQ blizzard back in the day ;) Now I’m totally planning strawberry, lemon, chocolate cheesecake ice-cream….Thank you Joy!!!

    Reply

  21. CrisK

    Love your recipes !!!
    BTW, regarding “foil-wrapped and water-bathed a cheesecake was probably 1997. It ended in a tragically soggy crust and I’ll never do it again.”
    I do not foil or place in water, I just place a cookie sheet with a kitchen towel soaked to the max for the steam effect. It works every time !

    Reply

  27. Georgina | The Librarian

    I’ve just invested in the ice cream bowl attachment for my kitchenaid and I think it is life changing, never again will I need to buy ice cream because homemade is so much better!! I am looking forward to trying his cream cheese base idea, it sounds delicious :)

    Reply

  34. Ashlyn

    YUM!! This looks fantastic! I love cheesecake and I’m totally into the idea of having it in ice cream form! I cannot wait to make this!

    Reply

  35. Annaliese

    Sounds super tasty!!! I have to note that the omission of egg yolks here is not only good for the taste preference, but since you’re omitting the emulsifier present (lecithin) in the yolks, the natural emulsifying properties of cream cheese can step in for that functionality. Love that!

    Reply

  41. aidammollenkamp

    You’re right – this is so the answer! I love to make cheesecake all the time but, truth be told, I haven’t put them in a water bath since about 1997. Seems like a lot happened in 1997, huh?

    Reply

    • Space Monkey1959

      This is about ice cream so why even comment that you don’t want to make it because you love cheesecake in its original form. Some people just don’t think. Everybody who read the comments all thought this about you not just me.

      Reply

  48. Rena

    Honestly I think it was 1997 when I prepared my last home made ice cream :) But as I am in general not really skilled in baking but I love cheesecake it’s simply a must for me to try out this recipe! Thank you!
    xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena http://www.dressedwithsoul.com

    Reply

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