🍦 Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Prep time: 20 mins | Freeze time: 6+ hours | Yields: ~1 quart
Ingredients
Category Ingredient Quantity
Dairy Heavy Cream (chilled) 2 cups
Whole Milk (chilled) 1 cup
Sweetener Granulated Sugar 3/4 cup
Flavoring Pure Peppermint Extract 1 to 1 ½ tsp (to taste)
Vanilla Extract ½ tsp
Texture Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips ½ cup (chopped)
Visual Green Food Coloring 2–3 drops (optional)
Instructions
Whisk the Base: In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, whole milk, peppermint extract, and vanilla together until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add Cream & Color: Stir in the heavy cream. If you want that classic green look from your photo, add a few drops of food coloring now and stir until the color is uniform.
Churn: Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions (usually 15–25 minutes).
The Chocolate: While the ice cream churns, roughly chop your chocolate chips. This ensures you get those nice “shaved” bits along with the chunks.
Fold it In: During the last 2 minutes of churning, pour in the chocolate pieces and let the machine distribute them.
Freeze: Transfer the soft ice cream into an airtight, freezer-safe container. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent ice crystals, then freeze for at least 6 hours to firm up.
Pro-Tips for Success
Don’t over-mint: Peppermint extract is very strong. Start with 1 tsp, taste the liquid base, and add more only if needed.
Chill your bowl: If using an ice cream maker with a freezer bowl, ensure it has been in the freezer for at least 24 hours before starting.
Chocolate choice: Using a chocolate bar chopped by hand creates different sized “shards” that melt beautifully on the tongue compared to standard chips.