Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream

Maria Calvo
Dec 16, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Dec 16, 2025

(Inspired by the Amalfi Coast 🇮🇹🍋)

Some recipes are more than just dessert — they’re memories.

This lemon cheesecake ice cream was inspired by our trip to Italy, where we spent time along the Amalfi Coast and tasted some of the most unforgettable gelato of our lives. If you’ve ever been there, you know exactly what I mean: those famous Amalfi lemons are intensely fragrant, bright, and nothing like the lemons we’re used to back home. The lemon gelato we had was creamy, refreshing, and somehow both light and indulgent at the same time.

We still have a bottle of limoncello sitting in the fridge — and that’s where this recipe was born.

This ice cream is a nod to that trip, those lemons, and the simple joy of slowing down and savoring really good food.

Why This Recipe Works

Even though this recipe uses cream cheese, it doesn’t scream “cheesecake.” Instead, it creates a luxuriously smooth, gelato-style texture with just enough richness to feel indulgent — without being heavy.

I intentionally lowered the fat compared to traditional American ice cream by using more half & half and less heavy cream. The result is a creamier, lighter mouthfeel that’s much closer to the gelato we enjoyed in Italy.

The real star here is the lemon zest — that’s what carries the bright, aromatic lemon flavor. The fresh lemon juice adds just enough tang to balance the sweetness, and the limoncello (if you have it) adds a subtle warmth and depth that makes this ice cream feel truly special.

No limoncello? No problem. The recipe works beautifully without it, or you can replace it with vodka if that’s what you typically use to keep your ice cream scoopable.

Ingredients

Dairy

1½ cups organic half & half
¾ cup organic heavy cream
8 oz cream cheese, very soft (for full cheesecake payoff)

Sweet & Flavor

¾ cup allulose or sweetner (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Zest of 2 lemons (this carries the lemon flavor)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (add more if you prefer stronger lemon flavor)
2–4 tbsp limoncello, to taste (optional; can replace vodka or omit entirely)
Pinch of sea salt

Method

Blend everything except the limoncello until completely smooth and airy. Take your time here — a silky base makes all the difference.
Add limoncello last, pulsing just to combine.
Chill the base for 4–8 hours (overnight is ideal for best texture).
Churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.
Freeze for 1–2 hours for a firmer scoop, or enjoy immediately as a soft-serve gelato-style treat.

The Final Scoop

This lemon cheesecake ice cream is bright, creamy, refreshing, and quietly indulgent — exactly how we remember the gelato in Amalfi. It’s the kind of dessert that doesn’t feel heavy, doesn’t overwhelm your palate, and makes you slow down and savor every bite.

For us, it’s more than ice cream. It’s a small way to relive a beautiful trip and bring a little piece of Italy back into our kitchen.

Estimated Macros

(Based on full batch, assuming 8 servings and ~3 tbsp limoncello total)

Per serving (approximate):

Calories: ~210–220
Fat: ~18 g
Protein: ~4 g
Net Carbs: ~3–4 g
Sugar: 0 g (sweetened with allulose)
Macros will vary slightly depending on exact dairy brands and how much limoncello you use.