Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (Printer-friendly)

Tangy lemon and sweet blueberries swirled into creamy cheesecake ice cream with graham cracker bits.

# What you'll need:

→ Ice Cream Base

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk
03 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
06 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt

→ Blueberry Swirl

09 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
10 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Mix-Ins

12 - 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

# Method:

01 - Combine blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until berries burst and mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and cool completely.
02 - Beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Mix until well combined.
03 - Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Add heavy cream and whisk until fully incorporated.
04 - Process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, typically 20–25 minutes, until reaching soft-serve consistency.
05 - Gently fold in graham cracker crumbs. Transfer half the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, spoon half the blueberry swirl over top, and lightly swirl with a knife. Repeat with remaining ice cream and swirl.
06 - Cover container and freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm.
07 - Let ice cream sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping for easier serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tangy cream cheese base makes it taste like actual cheesecake, just frozen
  • That blueberry swirl creates these gorgeous purple ribbons throughout every scoop
  • Graham cracker crumbs bring the whole graham crust experience without any baking
02 -
  • Cold ingredients can make your cream cheese seize up into tiny lumps that never quite disappear
  • The blueberry swirl must be completely chilled or it will melt your ice cream base while swirling
  • Over-churning can turn this beautiful creation into a buttery, grainy mess instead of creamy heaven
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them, much easier to handle the fruit that way
  • Grate graham crackers fresh from whole sheets for the best texture and flavor
  • Make the blueberry swirl the day before so it is thoroughly chilled and ready to go

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