Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe: Easy Homemade

It’s Ice Cream Week on Something Swanky and Crazy for Crust!*

Click the links above to see all of our fun ice cream recipes from this week.

***Originally posted in July 2014

Okay you guys, I am SO excited to share this homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe with you today — because it is truly one of the best mint chocolate chip ice cream situations I have ever made in my own kitchen. Like, I literally can’t even. My husband has a short list of husband’s favorite ice cream flavors and mint chocolate chip is absolutely at the top. He is obsessed. And honestly? After making this, I totally get it.

I’ve mentioned before that my husband isn’t a big fan of mix-in type ice cream places (like Coldstone). He’ll eat there if I make him go (I mean, it is ice cream, after all). But then, as we’re driving past the Baskin Robbins on our way home, he’ll heave a not-so-subtle sigh and gaze longingly at the rear-view mirror. That’s when I knew I had to figure out how to make delicious mint chocolate chip ice cream at home — and let me tell you, we have come a long way!

Why This Is the Best Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Can we talk about what makes this the best homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe? It starts with a rich egg custard base — we’re talking egg yolks, heavy cream, whole milk, and a sugar mixture cooked over medium heat until thick and dreamy. That custard base is what separates a truly great cold ice cream from regular mint ice cream you’d grab at grocery stores. We strain it through a fine mesh strainer, chill it completely, and then let the ice cream machine do its thing. The end result is so creamy and indulgent — be still my heart!

For the mint flavor, I use a combination of peppermint extract and vanilla extract, which gives you that perfect sweet vanilla-infused ice cream base with just enough minty freshness. If you really love peppermint, you can bump up the peppermint extract just a touch — but trust me, you don’t need crazy amounts of mint to get a gorgeous flavor. A little goes a long way! A drop or two of green food coloring gives you that pretty little green color we all associate with fresh mint ice cream. So good.

The Secret: Chocolate Chunks Instead of Chips

Okay, here’s my favorite thing about this whole recipe — the chocolate! Instead of just tossing in dark chocolate chips, we’re doing it Baskin Robbins-style. Just like the Stracciatella I mentioned before, you pour melted chocolate — basically Homemade Magic Shell made with a chocolate bar and a little coconut oil — directly into the ice cream machine during the last five minutes of churning. It shatters into the most gorgeous thin chocolate chunks and ribbons. That little crispy bite of chocolate in every single scoop? I am obsessed. It takes this easy ice cream recipe to a whole new level — way better than your favorite ice cream shop, honestly!

Tips for Making This Easy Ice Cream Recipe

This is truly one of the most foolproof dessert recipes I’ve ever made — and I’ve made a lot of them! Here are a few things to keep in mind. First, the model of ice cream maker you use matters a little. I use a Cuisinart ICE-21, which is a basic model without a built-in compressor — it’s an ice-cream machine that requires a pre-frozen bowl. It’s around $49, super easy to use, and makes incredible ice cream in 20–30 minutes. Not quite a manual crank ice cream maker, not quite a restaurant kitchen setup — just a simple ice cream freezer that works perfectly for home baking. Also a good idea: make sure your custard base is fully chilled before you churn ice cream, or it won’t set properly.

Once you churn the ice cream mixture, transfer it to a loaf pan (or a rinsed-out pan works great too!) and freeze until firm. This recipe uses just a handful of ingredients — nothing weird, all things you probably have or can easily find. No sweetened condensed milk, no cream cheese, no whipped cream shortcuts here — just real egg custards, heavy cream, and simple ingredients. It’s not a no-churn situation, but it is absolutely worth the extra step! And if you love easy recipes like this, you’ll definitely want to check out these caramel brownies or these chocolate bread pudding recipes for more dreamy dessert inspiration.

Mint Varieties and Flavor Notes

One thing I get asked about a lot is whether you can use real mint — like actual fresh mint leaves — instead of extract. You absolutely can steep fresh mint in your hot liquid to get a more subtle, slightly different flavor than extract gives you. There are lots of mint varieties out there, and fresh mint ice cream made that way is gorgeous. But for a truly punchy mint chip ice cream flavor that reminds you of your favorite ice cream shop, the combination of peppermint extract plus a tiny bit of vanilla extract is really the best flavor approach. It keeps things simple and the results taste like the best mint oreo ice cream or classic mint chip ice cream you’ve ever had — honestly better than coffee ice cream (and I love coffee ice cream, so that’s saying something!). See the recipe card below for the full details, and go make this immediately. You have to make this! 🍦💚

Homemade Magic Shell

50+ Mint Chocolate Recipes

Grasshopper Poke Cake

Baskin Robbins Mint Chocolate Chip Copycat Recipe

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Ingredients

• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 5 ounces evaporated milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 2 cups half and half
• optional green food coloring
• 1 1/2 cups Magic Shell

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, half and half, and a few drops of green food coloring (if desired). Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
2. According to machine's instructions, pour into ice cream maker. Allow to churn for 20-30 minutes, until ice cream starts to look slightly firm.
3. Slowly drizzle the magic shell into the machine and allow to churn for 5 more minutes (you may need to use a rubber spatula to help move along any big chunks that might form. I had a few, but they weren't a big deal, I probably could have left them alone and it would have been fine).
4. Scrape ice cream into a freezer safe container and allow to freeze until it reaches desired firmness (I photographed after 2 hours in the freezer... but I ate a bowlful right out of the machine!).