Homemade Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

This chocolate chip ice cream recipe is easy to follow and will give you rich, creamy ice cream that everyone will love. It’s ice cream, made the right way. Yes, you’ll need eggs. Yes, you’ll cook a custard. Yes, you have to churn. It’s all worth it, friends, for a creamy texture.

girl in striped dress holding ice cream cone

Make sure to have your ice cream maker ready to go before you begin. Most of them require 24 hours of chilling!

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

For the best texture and flavor, use whole milk and cream. And if you want more chocolate chips, throw them in!

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This recipe makes about 1 quart. If you’d like to double or triple it you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but you’ll need to know your ice cream maker’s capacity.

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups whole milk (can substitute coconut milk)
  • 1½ cups heavy cream (can substitute coconut cream)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 egg yolks
  • pinch salt
  • 1½ cups chocolate chips

How to Make Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Make sure to check your ice cream machine’s instructions before beginning: many have a freezer insert that needs to be frozen at least 24 hours before churning.

Step One: Heat the milk and cream

Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of sugar. Stir until the milk and cream are warm and steaming, or about 170 degrees.

saucepan with milk mixture heating, and bowl of beaten egg yolks and sugar.

Step Two: Beat Eggs And Sugar

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until they are light yellow in color and well combined. The mixture will noticeably change color when mixed enough. (A hand mixer on low will work well.)

Step Three: Temper eggs and heat custard

Temper the eggs by stirring a small amount of the warm milk mixture to them a little at a time. Then add the eggs back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and cream.

eggs being tempered and custard cooking in pot.

Put the custard mixture ingredients in a saucepan and turn on the heat to medium. Stir it consistently until it reaches 185 degrees Fahrenheit. The custard is done when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil. Add salt and vanilla extract after taking it off the heat.

Step Four: Strain

To strain the custard, hold cheesecloth or a strainer over a bowl. Place the custard in the refrigerator. Chill for 4-24 hours, until very cold.

straining custard and ice cream maker

Step Five: Churn and freeze

Put the cold custard in your ice cream maker and spin it according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it becomes smooth and creamy. When it is like soft-serve ice cream, add chocolate chips and let the ice cream machine stir them in.

ice cream maker filled with custard and ice cream in loaf pan covered with plastic wrap.

Transfer ice cream into a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm. It will keep well, covered in the freezer for a week.

Storage Instructions

Homemade ice cream should be stored in an airtight container or in a loaf pan with a piece of plastic wrap pressed against it. It will keep up to a week just fine before it starts to lose quality and form ice crystals.

close up of ice cream

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Printable Recipe

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Rich and classic vanilla ice cream loaded with delicious chocolate chips. A recipe that will be loved by kids and adults alike. Makes a tiny bit less than 1 quart.
Print Recipe
close view of chocolate chip ice cream
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Chill Time:12 hours
Total Time:12 hours 45 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • cups whole milk (can substitute coconut milk)
  • cups heavy cream (can substitute coconut cream)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 egg yolks
  • pinch salt
  • cups chocolate chips

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Instructions

  • Heat milk and cream. Heat the milk, cream, and ½ cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until warm and steaming, or about 170 degrees.
  • Beat eggs and sugar. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until light yellow in color and well combined. They will noticeably change color when mixed enough. (A hand mixer on low will work well.)
  • Temper eggs. Add half of the warm milk mixture, a half cup at a time, to the eggs and stir. Then add the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and cream.
  • Heat custard. Heat the combined mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 185℉. The custard is ready when it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not boil. Once off the heat, add a pinch of salt, and the vanilla extract, if using.
  • Strain and chill. Hold cheesecloth or a strainer over a bowl to strain the custard. Immediately place the custard into the refrigerator to chill. Chill for 4-24 hours, until very cold.
  • Churn and add chocolate chips. Put the cold custard in your ice cream maker and spin it according to the manufacturer's instructions until it becomes smooth and creamy. When it has reached the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, add chocolate chips and let the machine stir them in. Place the mixture into a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm. It will keep well, covered in the freezer for a week.

Notes

You can use chocolate chunks too! 
Be sure to check your ice cream machine’s instructions before beginning: many have a freezer insert that needs to be frozen at least 24 hours before churning.
Nutrition info is per serving, approximately ½ cup.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 220mg | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 860IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 454kcal
Author: Katie Shaw

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