Delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

If you ask me, strawberry rhubarb is one of the best flavor combinations out there.

This homemade ice cream brings together tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries with a hint of orange zest and lemon juice. The fruit gets cooked down into a jammy mixture that swirls through rich, creamy ice cream.

It’s mixed with cream cheese for extra tang and a smooth texture that scoops like a dream. Crushed graham crackers folded in at the end add a nice crunch in every bite.

It’s a refreshing treat that tastes like summer, perfect for when you want something a little more interesting than plain vanilla.

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What Kind of Rhubarb Should I Use?

Fresh rhubarb is definitely the way to go for this ice cream, and you’ll want to look for stalks that are firm and crisp when you’re at the store or farmers market. The color can range from bright red to pale green, and honestly, both work just fine – the red stalks might give you a prettier pink color, but the green ones taste just as good. Make sure to trim off any leaves if they’re still attached, since those aren’t edible, and focus on using the stalks that are about an inch thick for the best texture. If you can only find frozen rhubarb, it’ll work in a pinch, but fresh really gives you the best flavor and texture for this recipe.

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Options for Substitutions

This ice cream recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Fresh strawberries: Frozen strawberries work just fine here – just thaw them first and drain any excess liquid before using. You can also try raspberries or blackberries for a different berry flavor.
• Rhubarb: If rhubarb isn’t in season, you can use all strawberries instead (about 4 cups total). The flavor will be sweeter and less tart, so you might want to add a tablespoon of lemon juice to balance it out.
• Orange zest: Lemon zest works as a substitute and gives a nice bright flavor. You could also skip the citrus zest entirely if you don’t have any on hand.
• Heavy whipping cream: You can use half-and-half for a lighter version, though the texture will be less creamy. Avoid using milk as it won’t give you that rich ice cream consistency.
• Graham cracker sticks: Regular graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or even shortbread cookies make great substitutes. Crumble them to about the same size for that nice crunchy texture throughout.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest mistake when making no-churn ice cream is over-whipping the cream mixture, which can lead to a grainy, butter-like texture instead of smooth and creamy – stop whisking once you reach medium peaks, where the cream holds its shape but still has a slight droop at the tip.

Another common error is adding the roasted fruit mixture while it’s still warm, as this will melt your whipped cream base and leave you with an icy, separated mess instead of a creamy dessert.

Don’t skip roasting the strawberries and rhubarb, since raw rhubarb can be too tart and watery, but watch them closely in the oven because overcooked fruit turns mushy and loses its fresh flavor.

For the best texture, make sure to freeze your ice cream for the full 4 hours minimum – checking it too early and stirring it will incorporate air pockets that create ice crystals.

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What to Serve With Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream?

This ice cream is pretty perfect on its own, but I love serving it alongside a warm slice of pound cake or angel food cake – the contrast between the cold ice cream and warm cake is really nice. You can also crumble some extra graham crackers on top for more crunch, or drizzle it with a bit of honey if you want extra sweetness. If you’re feeling fancy, pair it with fresh berries or a simple fruit compote made from whatever’s in season. For a fun dessert spread, serve scoops in waffle cones or bowls alongside other summer treats like lemon bars or shortbread cookies.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your homemade ice cream in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 weeks. Press a piece of parchment paper directly on the surface before sealing to help prevent ice crystals from forming on top.

Scoop: Homemade ice cream gets pretty hard in the freezer, so let it sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes before scooping. This makes it so much easier to serve and gives you that perfect creamy texture you’re looking for.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1850-2100
• Protein: 11-14 g
• Fat: 125-140 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-210 g

Ingredients

For the roasted fruit:

• 2 cups strawberries (hulled and quartered into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 1/2 cups rhubarb stalks (sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 orange zest (finely grated for best aroma)
• 1 tsp lemon juice

For the cream base:

• 2 cups Horizon Organic heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the assembly:

• 6 graham crackers (Honey Maid, crushed into chunky crumbles)

Step 1: Prepare and Roast the Fruit Base

• 2 cups strawberries
• 2 1/2 cups rhubarb stalks
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 orange zest
• pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

While it heats, hull and quarter the strawberries into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, then slice the rhubarb stalks into 1/2-inch thick slices.

In a bowl, combine the prepared strawberries and rhubarb with 3 tablespoons of sugar, finely grated orange zest, and a small pinch of salt.

Spread this mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes until the fruit softens and releases its juices but still maintains some shape.

The rhubarb will break down faster than the strawberries, creating a naturally chunky texture—this is exactly what you want.

Step 2: Create the Cream Base and Reserve Fruit Components

• roasted fruit mixture from Step 1
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Remove the roasted fruit from the oven and let it cool slightly.

Gently mash the fruit mixture with a fork, keeping it intentionally chunky rather than smooth—I prefer fruit pieces throughout rather than a completely pureed texture.

Reserve 1/4 cup of this mashed fruit in a separate bowl to swirl on top later, then set both portions aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, 1 1/4 cups sugar, softened cream cheese, and vanilla extract until the mixture reaches medium peaks (soft and billowy but not fully stiff).

The cream cheese adds richness and helps create a creamier texture than cream alone.

Step 3: Fold in Fruit and Layer for Freezing

• fruit-cream mixture from Step 2
• reserved mashed fruit from Step 2
• 6 graham crackers

Fold the larger portion of mashed fruit (reserving the 1/4 cup set aside earlier) into the whipped cream base using a gentle folding motion to maintain the light, airy texture you’ve created.

In a freezer-safe container, begin layering: spread about 1/3 of the fruit-cream mixture on the bottom, then sprinkle with a handful of crushed graham crackers.

Add another 1/3 of the mixture with another layer of crumbles, then top with the final 1/3 of the cream.

Drizzle or swirl the reserved 1/4 cup of fruit on top in decorative streaks, creating a marbled effect.

I like to use a knife to gently swirl through the fruit for a more pronounced pattern without overworking the mixture.

Step 4: Freeze and Prepare Sauce

• any remaining roasted fruit liquid from Steps 1-2

Cover the layered ice cream container and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or until completely frozen and scoopable.

While the ice cream freezes, strain any remaining liquid that may have separated from the roasted fruit through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing gently on the solids to extract the maximum amount of flavorful juice.

This strained fruit liquid becomes your sauce—thin, intensely flavored, and perfect for drizzling over the finished ice cream.

Step 5: Serve with Sauce and Graham Crumbles

Remove the ice cream from the freezer 5 minutes before serving to soften slightly for easier scooping.

Scoop the layered ice cream into serving bowls, drizzle generously with the strained fruit sauce, and top with extra crushed graham crackers for added crunch and texture.

The combination of creamy ice cream, tart-sweet fruit sauce, and buttery cracker crumbles creates a multi-dimensional dessert.

Delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

Delicious Delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 1975 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the roasted fruit

• 2 cups strawberries (hulled and quartered into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 1/2 cups rhubarb stalks (sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 orange zest (finely grated for best aroma)
• 1 tsp lemon juice

For the cream base

• 2 cups Horizon Organic heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the assembly

• 6 graham crackers (Honey Maid, crushed into chunky crumbles)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400°F. While it heats, hull and quarter the strawberries into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, then slice the rhubarb stalks into 1/2-inch thick slices. In a bowl, combine the prepared strawberries and rhubarb with 3 tablespoons of sugar, finely grated orange zest, and a small pinch of salt. Spread this mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes until the fruit softens and releases its juices but still maintains some shape. The rhubarb will break down faster than the strawberries, creating a naturally chunky texture—this is exactly what you want.
• Remove the roasted fruit from the oven and let it cool slightly. Gently mash the fruit mixture with a fork, keeping it intentionally chunky rather than smooth—I prefer fruit pieces throughout rather than a completely pureed texture. Reserve 1/4 cup of this mashed fruit in a separate bowl to swirl on top later, then set both portions aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, 1 1/4 cups sugar, softened cream cheese, and vanilla extract until the mixture reaches medium peaks (soft and billowy but not fully stiff). The cream cheese adds richness and helps create a creamier texture than cream alone.
• Fold the larger portion of mashed fruit (reserving the 1/4 cup set aside earlier) into the whipped cream base using a gentle folding motion to maintain the light, airy texture you've created. In a freezer-safe container, begin layering: spread about 1/3 of the fruit-cream mixture on the bottom, then sprinkle with a handful of crushed graham crackers. Add another 1/3 of the mixture with another layer of crumbles, then top with the final 1/3 of the cream. Drizzle or swirl the reserved 1/4 cup of fruit on top in decorative streaks, creating a marbled effect. I like to use a knife to gently swirl through the fruit for a more pronounced pattern without overworking the mixture.
• Cover the layered ice cream container and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or until completely frozen and scoopable. While the ice cream freezes, strain any remaining liquid that may have separated from the roasted fruit through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing gently on the solids to extract the maximum amount of flavorful juice. This strained fruit liquid becomes your sauce—thin, intensely flavored, and perfect for drizzling over the finished ice cream.
• Remove the ice cream from the freezer 5 minutes before serving to soften slightly for easier scooping. Scoop the layered ice cream into serving bowls, drizzle generously with the strained fruit sauce, and top with extra crushed graham crackers for added crunch and texture. The combination of creamy ice cream, tart-sweet fruit sauce, and buttery cracker crumbles creates a multi-dimensional dessert.