Surviving the 100°F Melt: No-Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream to the Rescue!
Is everyone else currently melting, or is it just me?
With this insane heatwave blasting the East Coast and shattering records across the globe, stepping outside feels like walking directly into a preheated oven. When the thermostat ticks past 100°F, standard survival tactics (like standing in front of the open fridge) just won’t cut it. We need reinforcements. We need ice cream.
But here is the catch: nobody wants to lug out a heavy, loud ice cream maker, nor do we want to wait hours for a bowl to freeze.
Enter the ultimate summer savior: No-Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. It is thick, velvety, packed with ribboned blueberry jam and buttery graham cracker crunch, and—best of all—requires zero special equipment. Just a hand mixer (or some serious forearm strength) and a dream.
Here is how to make your new favorite heatwave coping mechanism.
That is truly the best part about this recipe—it doesn’t just hint at cheesecake; it genuinely tricks your brain into thinking you are eating a frozen slice of a high-end bakery cheesecake.
Here is exactly what makes that flavor profile work so beautifully in ice cream form:
The Flavor
That Authentic Cheesecake Tang
Standard vanilla ice cream is great, but it can sometimes lean a bit too sweet. Because this recipe uses a full 8-ounce block of real cream cheese, it cuts right through the intense sweetness of the condensed milk. You get that signature, rich, slightly savory tang right at the back of your throat that lets you know exactly what dessert you’re eating.
The Textural Contrast
A great cheesecake is all about the layers, and this ice cream nails the brief:
- The Base: Velvet-smooth, rich, and dense—mimicking a New York-style cheesecake batter.
- The Jam: Bright, intensely fruity, and slightly acidic from the lemon zest. It cuts through the dairy and provides a punchy, concentrated burst of real blueberry flavor in every bite.
- The Crust: The crushed graham crackers are the unsung hero here. As the ice cream freezes, the crackers absorb just a tiny bit of moisture, turning them perfectly soft-yet-crumbly—giving you that exact “graham cracker crust” texture in every spoonful.
✨ Imagine this: You slide your spoon through a scoop. You get a thick rib of glossy, deep-purple blueberry jam, a cluster of buttery graham cracker crumbs, and a mountain of tangy, velvety cheesecake base. It hits your tongue, melts instantly, and delivers all the richness of a baked cheesecake without ever having to turn on your oven during a 100°F afternoon.
It is sweet, tangy, fruity, and crunchy all at once. Honestly, good luck stopping at just one scoop!
The Hardest Part (Waiting)
Cover the surface directly with parchment paper (or a tight lid) and transfer it to the freezer. Now, go lay under an AC vent for about 8 hours while the freezer does all the heavy lifting.
💡 Pro-Tip: When it’s finally time to scoop, let the container sit on the counter for about 2–3 minutes. Because of the cream cheese and condensed milk, it scoops like an absolute dream right out of the gate!
Stay cool out there, friends, and happy scooping!
No Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Created by Sue Mun
Makes about 2 quarts
Ingredients:
For the No Churn “Cheesecake” Ice Cream Base:
- 12 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp Beyond Good ground vanilla powder
- 2 1/4 cups (540g) heavy cream
For the Blueberry Jam:
- 200g blueberries fresh or frozen
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 65g granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch + 1/2 tbsp water
Add Ins:
- blueberry jam from above
- 1 sleeve (about 5-6 crackers) graham crackers, crushed
Instructions:
Make the Blueberry Jam:
- In a medium pot, add in the frozen blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and the cornstarch slurry. Cook over medium high heat and allow it to simmer while stirring constantly. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Pour into a blender or use an immersion blender to blend everything smooth. Pour the blueberry jam into a bowl to cool off completely in the fridge.
Make the No Churn Ice Cream:
- In a medium bowl or a stand mixer, whip the heavy cream using a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
- In a separate medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder until smooth and lump free.
- Fold in some of the stiff peak whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Then fold in the rest of the whipped cream and mix until smooth. The ice cream base should be thick and loose like melted ice cream.
- Grab two quart deli containers or a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Layer in the vanilla ice cream base, spoonful of blueberry jam, and crushed graham crackers. Keep layering until you use up all of the vanilla ice cream base.
- Cover the surface with parchment paper or a lid if you have something that fits. Place the containers in the freezer for about 8 hours before scooping and serving.
