Was it just me or did you grow up thinking Pop-Tarts were one of THE best snacks? Okay let’s be real I still really enjoy them as an adult. I will say, they’ve gotten pretty skimpy with the icing since I was younger… is it just me?!?
Anyway, I’m a big fan of turning my favorite treats into an ice cream so let me show you how I made this strawberry Pop-Tart ice cream!
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Bring on ALL the Pop-Tart Flavor!
I’ve been having so much fun experimenting with adding flavor to the base of my ice creams! For example, with my lemon poppyseed cake ice cream, I used lemon cake mix in the ice cream mixture. I also incorporated a homemade strawberry sauce into my strawberry brownie ice cream!
For this recipe, I thought it would be fun to try getting the ice cream itself to taste like Pop-Tarts. So, I broke up a couple Pop-Tarts and let them soak in the mixture for a day. You don’t have to do an entire day- a couple hours would work fine too! You can also skip this step and just make a vanilla base with chunks of Pop-Tart… it’s totally up to you!
I was debating on whether I should strain the mixture or blend it all together. Once these had soaked for a day, I tasted the ice cream mix and didn’t taste much Pop-Tart flavor… which is why I went with the blender! I’m not going to lie- I was a little nervous that the mix would be too thick and ruin the texture of the ice cream, but thankfully it didn’t!!
The Bigger, The Better
Quite possibly my favorite part about making my own ice cream is making it exactly how I want. When I’m eating ice cream, I want big chunks of flavor! I mean I can’t be the only one who digs for the cookie dough or Oreos in ice cream?!
For this Pop-Tart ice cream, I cut the pieces pretty big and really tried to focus on the pieces that had frosting and filling. If it’s just crust… I’m not interested. I had a friend growing up who would eat only the crust so I got her filling. She is crazy but it worked out well for me.
If I were to do anything different with this recipe, I would toast the Pop-Tart, let it cool, and then cut them into chunks. I just prefer the toasted flavor and wish I would have thought to do this!!
Strawberry Pop-Tart Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 1 box strawberry Pop-Tarts
Instructions
Part One
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, and salt until sugar is completely dissolved
- Stir in heavy cream and vanilla
- Break two Pop-Tarts into big pieces and place into ice cream mixture (if you like the toasted flavor, toast and cool the Pop-Tarts before adding them!)
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 24 hours
Part Two
- Blend ice cream mixture (with the Pop-Tart chunks!) until smooth
- Add mixture into your frozen ice cream bowl and begin churning
- Optional: Toast your Pop-Tarts and let them cool
- While it's churning, cut the Pop-Tarts into bite-size pieces
- Once the ice cream starts to thicken (about 15 minutes in) slowly add in the chunks of Pop-Tart
- Churn for about 5 more minutes or until the ice cream looks thick and well mixed
- Add ice cream to an air tight container and place back in the freezer to firm up a little before serving. Enjoy!!!
Notes
Homemade Ice Cream FAQ
I’m no professional (like, at all), but i’ve been sharing about my homemade ice cream journey on Instagram since 2020. Many people in my community have been inspired to start making their own homemade ice cream and it makes me so happy!! If you’re one of those people, these questions might be helpful to you!
Do you need an ice cream maker?
You don’t need an ice cream maker to make homemade ice cream. However, if you want quality, creamy ice cream, I promise it’s worth investing in an ice cream maker! Once you have an ice cream maker, you won’t have any interest in buying ice cream from the grocery store ever again. Okay, except maybe when you need a quick Ben & Jerry’s run…
What is the best budget ice cream maker?
Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is the best ice cream maker for a beginner. It’s affordable, easy to use, incredibly cute, and most importantly- makes the creamiest ice cream! It’s been really good to me. I’ve had many friends and family members purchase this machine and they always thank me later! All of my homemade ice cream recipes are specific to this Cuisinart ice cream maker.
Do you have recipes that don’t require an ice cream machine?
I don’t, but if you’re in interested in one of my flavors, look up “no churn” homemade ice cream recipes for that flavor. There are plenty of options out there… most use sweetened condensed milk!
I’ve made no-churn ice cream in the past, and it definitely doesn’t provide the same creamy texture as when you churn ice cream. To me, the texture seemed more firm and icy.
How long does it take to make homemade ice cream?
You have to be a little prepared when you make your own ice cream. The most important thing to remember is to put your ice cream maker bowl in the freezer for 24 hours before churning.
So as long as the bowl is frozen, you could make the ice cream batter in the morning and refrigerate for a few hours before churning. (The churning process only takes about 20 minutes) However, if you leave your ice cream mixture in the fridge longer, it will result in a creamier, more flavorful, ice cream. I almost always leave my mixture in the fridge overnight. Here’s an example of my homemade ice cream making schedule:
- Friday Afternoon– place the freezer bowl in the freezer then make the ice cream mixture, cover, and refrigerate. (Both for 24 hours)
- Saturday Afternoon– churn the ice cream mixture! It’ll be ready to eat in soft-serve consistency at this point, but I prefer more of a hard ice cream texture so I put it back in the freezer for at least a few hours
- Saturday Evening– enjoy the ice cream!
What if my ice cream isn’t thickening?
Without fail, the most common mistake when making homemade ice cream is forgetting to put the bowl in the freezer ahead of time.
Or, not giving the bowl enough time to freeze before churning. It really needs a full 24 hours. Trust me, I’ve made this mistake myself and it’s incredibly frustrating. You’re all excited to enjoy your ice cream and then you realize your ice cream mixture is not thickening at all and you have to wait another 24 hours to try again.
What’s the difference between ice cream and custard?
They’re almost the same, except that custard has egg yolks cooked into the ice cream, making it smoother and creamier. Making custard does require a little extra technique. Here are my tips for making a custard:
Tempering the Eggs
In order to prevent having scrambled eggs in your ice cream (ew!), you have to temper the eggs. Basically, the egg yolks and heated custard mixture have to be very carefully combined together. You’ll do this slowly while continuously whisking or stirring.
Strain the mixture
It’s not uncommon to get just a few small chunks of egg yolk that cooked, so it’s essential that you strain the mixture!
Can I use non-dairy or low-fat milk?
Yes and yes! Regarding non-dairy recipes, you’ll have to look those up. I made a non-dairy homemade vanilla ice cream once and it was pretty good. It definitely had a different flavor…more nutty! But the texture was great and I think if you’re used to non-dairy alternatives, you would enjoy it! As for low-fat milk, that is definitely an option as well. You would just replace the whole milk amount with the low-fat option. It won’t be the same creamy texture as a full-fat ice cream.
How do you store homemade ice cream?
When I first got our machine I used to just leave it in the freezer bowl and put a plastic wrap over it. It wasn’t the best method, but it did the job. I recommend putting it in an air-tight container. It will keep longer than just using plastic wrap! These are the containers I use!
How long does homemade ice cream last?
Homemade ice cream will be best to eat within one week, but it can last up to two weeks. After that, it starts to get icy and grainy.
OH MY GOODNESS this strawberry Pop-Tart ice cream was so incredibly tasty! Getting those chunks of Pop-Tarts in every bite is key! I’m definitely going to have to try this Pop-Tart ice cream with some of my other favorite flavors… brown sugar cinnamon, s’mores, wild berry…. what do we think?? I can taste it already.
Update: I tried a homemade brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tart ice cream and it turned out delicious. Get the recipe here!
Comment below and let me know your favorite Pop-Tart flavor!
So much love to you all! Elisha <3
That sounds delicious! My daughter bought a bowl specific to her kitchen aide moser that makes ice cream. And tomorrow night, since I’m watching her girls (my granddaughters), we may have to make this while mom and dad are out for the night! My fav pop tart flavor is strawberry but the unfrosted, but I can’t find them anymore! Such a disappointment! But the frosting in this probably makes the ice cream! Also, the chairs really are stunning!!! I love your style in your house!
Hi Lauri! Awe, I hope you can find the unfrosted and get the chance to try this… I’m sure your granddaughter’s would LOVE it! Thank you so much for the kind words- you’re the best!
I love this recipe. I have made it 3 times now. The second time I substituted the strawberry pop tarts for raspberry, and wow was it tasty! I added .7 oz of freeze dried raspberries to the cream about 10 mins in to churning in the maker. My friends loved it even more than the strawberry one.
Thank you so much Reed that makes me happy!! Also, wow- I need to try the raspberry flavor! Yum!