Cakes and Cupcakes
The Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Pie Recipe
This nostalgic treat combines the creamy luxury of vanilla ice cream with the bright, jammy punch of fresh summer strawberries. It is finished with a buttery shortbread crumble that tastes exactly like those classic ice cream truck bars we all loved as kids.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 425 kcal
Method
Place the cookies in a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. Reserve 2 tablespoons of these crumbs for the topping.
Press the remaining cookie crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Place the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.
Take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for about 15-20 minutes until it is soft enough to stir but not completely melted.
In a small bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with the granulated sugar. Let them sit for 10 minutes until they become glossy and juicy.
Transfer the softened ice cream to a large bowl and gently fold in the macerated strawberries along with their juices. Do not over-mix; you want thick streaks of fruit throughout the cream.
Spread the strawberry and ice cream mixture evenly into the chilled cookie crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Crush the freeze-dried strawberries into coarse bits. Mix them with the reserved cookie crumbs and sprinkle this 'crunch' topping generously over the top of the pie.
Cover the pie with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, until firm.
When ready to serve, top with dollops of whipped cream. Let the pie sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before slicing with a knife dipped in hot water.
Notes
To get that authentic ice cream bar flavor, don't skip the freeze-dried strawberries; they provide a concentrated punch of flavor that fresh berries can't match.
If you don't have a food processor, place the cookies in a gallon-sized zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
For the cleanest slices, dip your knife in a tall glass of hot water and wipe it dry between every single cut.
Make sure your ice cream is high-quality vanilla bean—it's the primary flavor, so it's worth the extra couple of dollars.
