Homemade Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
This recipe is easy to follow and will result in rich, creamy ice cream that everyone will love. Be sure to have your ice cream maker ready to go before you begin so you can enjoy this treat as soon as possible.
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- 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.
- The perfect blend of flavors. Chocolate and vanilla are simple but they’re a match made in heaven.
- Easier than you think. Don’t be intimidated by making ice cream from scratch! This recipe is actually quite easy to follow and yields amazing results.
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
You’ll need the following for this yummy homemade ice cream:
- whole milk (2% will work, but not skim)
- heavy cream
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- egg yolks
- salt
- chocolate chips (Dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips are both great. You can use mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate too.)
🥣 Equipment
- ice cream maker
- saucepan
- strainer
- large bowl
🍴Instructions
Step One: Beat the eggs and sugar, and 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.
Beat the eggs and sugar together. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and 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 Two: Temper eggs and heat custard
Temper the eggs by adding a small amount of the warm milk mixture. Then add the eggs back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and cream.
Put the custard mixture ingredients in a saucepan and turn on the heat to medium. Stir it constantly 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 three: Strain
To strain the custard, hold cheesecloth or a strainer over a bowl. Pour the custard into the refrigerator to chill. Chill for 4-24 hours, until very cold.
Step FouR: Churn and freeze
Freeze the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When it is like soft-serve ice cream, add chocolate chips and let the ice cream machine stir them in. 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.
🔍 FAQs
Yes, you can use brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar.
You can still make this recipe without one, but it will require more effort. Check out this blog post for instructions on how to make ice cream without a machine.
Yes, you can adjust the amount of chocolate chips to your preference.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Make sure to have your ice cream maker ready to go before you begin. Most of them require 24 hours of chilling!
- Use quality ingredients and pick the right dairy. Use whole milk for the richest flavor. Heavy cream is key for a smooth texture
- Don’t skip the salt, it enhances the vanilla and chocolate flavors
📘 Related Recipes
- Old-fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream
- Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream
- Caramel and Candied Pecan Ice Cream
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Ice Cream Nachos
🍽 Serve it with
Having a classic summer party? You’ll love these recipes too:
- Sheet cake with cream cheese frosting and berries
- Cucumber and onion salad
- Buttermilk fried chicken
- Blackberry lemonade
📖 Here’s the recipe
Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- strainer
Ingredients
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 egg yolks
- pinch salt
- 1½ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat the milk and cream. Heat the milk, cream and 1/2 cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until warm and steaming, or about 170 degrees.
- Beat the eggs and remaining sugar. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and remaining 1/4 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 the eggs by adding half of the warm milk mixture, a half cup at a time. Then add the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and cream.
- Heat the custard. Heat the saucepan, which now contains all of the milk, cream, sugar, and eggs, over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 185 degrees. 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 the custard and add the vanilla and salt. Hold cheesecloth or a strainer over a bowl to strain the custard. Add the vanilla extract along with the salt and stir to combine. Immediately place the custard into the refrigerator to chill. Chill for 4-24 hours, until very cold.
- Freeze ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions. 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. Will keep well, covered in the freezer for a week.
Notes
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.