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Summer has never tasted better than with my Homemade Cheesecake Popsicles recipe! With creamy homemade cheesecake ice cream, tart berry compote and delicious graham cracker crust crumbles, this easy dessert recipe is a new family favorite, I guarantee. Plus, instructions for making ice cream without an ice cream maker.
Jump to:
- Tools to Make Cheesecake Popsicles
- Ingredients in Cheesecake Popsicles
- Cheesecake Crust Crumble Ingredients
- Berry Compote Ingredients
- How to Make Cheesecake Popsicles
- Tips for Making Cheesecake Popsicles
- Making Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker
- Cheesecake Popsicle Variations
- FAQ
- Cheesecake Popsicles
- Cheesecake Popsicles
- Reviews
Tools to Make Cheesecake Popsicles
- A stand mixer or hand mixer.
- A set of popsicle molds and popsicle sticks.
- Optional: an ice cream maker makes this easier, but isn't necessary.
Ingredients in Cheesecake Popsicles
Cheesecake Ice Cream Ingredients
- Cream cheese: You'll need a little over one package of cream cheese. Use the block kind, not whipped.
- Egg: Egg adds richness and structure to ice cream. If you can, find local eggs- the richer yolks will make a huge difference.
- Vanilla extract
- White sugar: You can use a low carb sweetener too, but I've found white sugar has the cleanest flavor.
- Whole milk: Ice cream needs fat to become creamy, so it's important to use whole milk.
- Heavy cream: Like with the whole milk, you need proper heavy whipping cream. Substitutes won't have the correct fat content.
- Lemon zest: I like adding a little lemon zest to brighten the flavors.
- Salt: Don't forget the salt! It helps the ice cream crystalize correctly and enhances flavor.
Cheesecake Crust Crumble Ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs: Regular or gluten-free work great.
- Sugar: You may not need much, so only add a bit before tasting the crumbs.
- Unsalted butter
You're essentially just making a graham cracker crust! You can also crush up a premade pie crust or other cookies like vanilla wafers or Oreos. If you're using cookies, leave out the extra sugar.
Berry Compote Ingredients
- Frozen berries of choice: Any frozen berry or frozen fruit will work great.
- White sugar
- Water
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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How to Make Cheesecake Popsicles
Part 1: Make the Ice Cream
Step 1: Beat cream cheese and sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together the ½ cup sugar and softened cream cheese until smooth. Remember to use softened cream cheese, as cold cream cheese won't mix well!
Step 2: Add egg and vanilla. Once the cream cheese and sugar mixture is nice and smooth, add in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until fully incorporated.
Step 3: Heat and add the milk. Bring the milk to a simmer in a large saucepan over low heat. With the mixer on low, very slowly pour in the milk and mix until smooth. You don't want to mix too fast or it will splash, and adding the milk too fast can cook the egg.
Step 4: Heat the cream mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the large saucepan, keeping the heat on low. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened enough that you can see the bottom of the pan while stirring.
Step 5: Strain and chill. Strain the mixture into a bowl that can fit in your fridge. Stir in the heavy cream, lemon zest, and salt, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, until fully chilled.
Step 6: Add to ice cream maker or hand churn. If you have an ice cream maker, pour the homemade custard into the machine and churn according to your machine's directions until frozen.
If you don't have an ice cream machine, you can place the bowl in the freezer for 2 hours, hand-mixing thoroughly every 10 minutes.
Part 2: Make the Compote
Step 1: Simmer ingredients. Place the frozen berries in a saucepan alongside the sugar and water, and bring them to a gentle simmer.
Step 2: Reduce. Continue simmering for about 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the compote thickens and the liquid has almost completely disappeared. It should be thick and sticky.
Step 3: Cool completely. Place the compote in the fridge until it's completely cool. I recommend making it as the ice cream is chilling or while it's churning!
Part 3: Make the Crumble
Step 1: Crumble crackers. Place graham crackers or cookies of your choice in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin until they're a fine crumb. If using Oreos or sandwich cookies, remove the creme as it won't crumble well. You can chop it up to sprinkle in the popsicles if you want.
Step 2: Add melted butter and sugar. Pour the crumbs into a bowl and add in melted butter. Mix very well until all the crumbs are saturated; it should be crumbly but able to stick together when pressed. Taste, adding extra sugar as necessary. Set aside, at room temperature.
Part 4: Assemble the Popsicles
Step 1: Assemble the layers. Using separate spoons to keep the layers clean, begin assembling the popsicles in a popsicle mold by alternating layers of filling. I layer mine in the following order:
- Ice cream
- Berry compote
- Ice cream
- Cookie crumbles
- Ice cream
- Berry compote
- Ice cream
- Cookie crumbles
Step 2: Freeze! Add popsicle sticks, then place the mold in the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving, depending on how cold your freezer is.
Step 3: Loosen from mold and serve! Use gently warm water to loosen the popsicles from the molds, wiggling the sticks to ease them out without breaking. Serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Making Cheesecake Popsicles
- Use the highest quality egg you can get. The richness of the yolk has a direct influence on the richness and quality of the ice cream.
- You can use different kinds of cookie for the crumble. I like swapping things up by using Oreos, vanilla wafers, or Thin Mints.
- Run the popsicle molds under warm water to help release the finished popsicles. Store the rest in the freezer for up to 3 months, covered thoroughly!
- You can also just serve the ice cream and compote without forming popsicles! Strawberry cheesecake ice cream, anyone?
- You can remove the popsicles and dip them in chocolate before freezing them again on a baking sheet lined with wax paper for chocolate-dipped cheesecake sticks! I like to use chocolate ganache, then dip the in cookie crumbles again before freezing them.
Making Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker
You can make this ice cream without an ice cream maker! Churning ice cream by hand takes longer and may not turn out as perfectly creamy, but it's absolutely possible.
For making ice cream without an ice cream maker, place the cheesecake mixture in a bowl in the freezer for 2 hours. Every 10-15 minutes, remove it from the freezer to mix it thoroughly, making sure to scrape up the sides of the bowl and integrate in the frozen crystals.
Cheesecake Popsicle Variations
- Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles: Use strawberries for the compote and add in slices of fresh strawberries.
- Blackberry Cheesecake Popsicles: A tart and delicious variation! Use frozen blackberries for the compote. This is my favorite in spring when I can go blackberry picking for the best fresh berries ever!
- Red White and Blue Popsicles: Make two compotes, one with blueberries and one with raspberries or strawberries, and layer them separately for red and blue stripes.
- Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles: Add 3 Tablespoons or more of unsweetened cocoa powder to the cheesecake mixture, and make strawberry compote. Then use crushed chocolate cookies for the crust!
- Lemon Bar Popsicles: Use lemon curd instead of berry compote and add extra lemon zest to the cheesecake mixture.
- Frozen Cheesecake Balls: Use an ice cream scoop to roll balls of cheesecake and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once nice and frozen, use skewers to dip them in compote and cookie crumbles, then freeze them again. Or, try dipping them in melted chocolate!
FAQ
Homemade popsicles last up to 3 months in the freezer. I recommend covering the molds thoroughly in plastic wrap to ensure they don't start going stale.
Pack up the popsicles, still in the mold or removed and wrapped individually in parchment paper, in a cooler with lots of ice packs or bags of ice. Keep them out of the sun until ready to serve.
Cheesecake Popsicles
What started as a fun 4th of July dessert idea (seriously, how cute would red, white, and blue popsicles be?) for the kids has taken over my life. I sound like I'm being dramatic, but seriously, learning how to make homemade popsicles has me absolutely hooked. Not a week goes by that I'm not dreaming up new flavors for yet another popsicle recipe!
So far, I think these frozen cheesecake popsicles have truly taken the cake (get it?) for our favorite homemade popsicle recipe. They're not too icy, super creamy, unbelievably indulgent, and so fun to make with or without an ice cream machine. Plus, the potential for changing up the flavors is endless.
Try this out for your next BBQ by getting the kids involved picking out flavors and add-ins! Help them make their own popsicles, then freeze them while everyone eats lunch. It's the perfect super fun summer dessert where the kids make their own treats!
Cheesecake Popsicles
Video
Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker optional, but helpful!
- Stand Mixer or electric hand mixer
- Popsicle molds
- Popsicle sticks
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Ice Cream
- 8.9 oz. cream cheese - One 8 oz. package + 2 tablespoons, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- pinch salt
For the Crumble
- ½ cup graham crackers - crushed
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted
For the Berry Compote
- 2 cups frozen berries - of choice
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
For the Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Using a hand mixer or electric stand mixer, beat together ½ cup sugar and 8.9 oz. cream cheese until smooth. Add in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- In a medium saucepan, bring ½ cup whole milk to a simmer. With the electric mixer on low, very slowly pour the milk into the cream cheese mixture.
- Add the mixture to the saucepan and heat on low, stirring continuously until it thickens. When it's ready, you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when stirring.
- Strain the custard mixture into a bowl, then stir in 1 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Once cold, pour the custard into your ice cream machine and churn according to your machine's instructions until frozen.
- Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream machine, you can churn the cheesecake ice cream by hand. Keep it in the freezer and give it a good mix every 10-15 minutes for at least 1 ½ to 2 hours.
For the compotes
- Add 2 cups frozen blueberries and 2 cups frozen raspberries to separate saucepans.
- Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon water to each pan and bring to a simmer.
- Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for around 20 minutes, or until it thickens and the liquid has almost completely disappeared.
- Allow to cool before using.
For the crumble
- Place ½ cup graham crackers in a plastic bag and gently crush with a rolling pin until they are a crumb texture.
- Mix the crumbs with 3 tablespoons melted butter and set aside at room temperature.
To assemble
- Once all of your ingredients are made and ready, begin layering your separate ingredients into the popsicle molds. I layered mine in the following order: 1. Ice cream 2. Blueberry compote 3. Ice cream 4. Cookie crumble 5. Ice cream 6. Raspberry compote 7. Ice cream 8. Cookie crumble
- Freeze for about 2 hours before serving.
- To remove the popsicles from the molds, run the ice cream molds under warm water and gently ease them out.
Notes
- Use the highest quality egg you can get. The richness of the yolk has a direct influence on the richness and quality of the ice cream.
- You can use different kinds of cookie for the crumble. I like swapping things up by using Oreos, vanilla wafers, or Thin Mints.
- Run the popsicle molds under warm water to help release the finished popsicles. Store the rest in the freezer for up to 3 months, covered thoroughly!
- You can also just serve the ice cream and compote without forming popsicles! Strawberry cheesecake ice cream, anyone?
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