Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (Printable)

A smooth and refreshing frozen treat with fresh mint and chocolate chips, perfect for warm weather.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Sweeteners

03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Egg Base

04 - 4 large egg yolks

→ Flavorings

05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
06 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Optional: a few drops green food coloring

→ Add-Ins

08 - 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (mini or chopped)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, and half of the granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat until steaming but not boiling.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
03 - Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper.
04 - Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon, reaching 170–175°F. Avoid boiling.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and green food coloring if using.
06 - Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight until thoroughly chilled.
07 - Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the chocolate chips during the final minutes of churning.
08 - Transfer the ice cream to a lidded container and freeze until firm, about 2 to 4 hours, before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The mint flavor is refreshing without that artificial cooling burn you get from store-bought versions.
  • You control the sweetness and the ratio of chocolate to cream, so every spoonful is exactly how you like it.
  • Its naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, and the base is so adaptable you can swap in coconut milk if you need to.
  • Homemade ice cream impresses people in a way that feels effortless once you know the rhythm of tempering eggs.
02 -
  • If you skip tempering the eggs and just dump them into the hot cream, youll ruin the batch and have to start over, trust me on this.
  • Chilling the custard completely before churning makes a massive difference in texture, so dont rush it even if youre impatient.
  • Use a thermometer the first few times you make custard so you learn what the right thickness looks and feels like on the spoon.
03 -
  • Invest in good peppermint extract because the cheap stuff tastes medicinal and will ruin an otherwise perfect batch.
  • If you accidentally curdle the custard, blend it smooth with an immersion blender and strain it twice, it wont be perfect but itll still churn into decent ice cream.
  • Toast the chocolate chips lightly in a dry pan before adding them for a deeper, almost smoky chocolate flavor that makes this taste expensive.
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