Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (Printable Version)

A cool and creamy frozen dessert featuring fresh mint flavor and crunchy chocolate chips.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and half the sugar. Heat over medium until steaming but not boiling.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and slightly thickened.
03 - Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot dairy mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper.
04 - Return the 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 at 170–175°F (77–80°C). Do not let it boil.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and green food coloring if using.
06 - Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled for at least 3 hours or overnight.
07 - Churn the chilled base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, adding the chocolate chips during the last minutes of churning.
08 - Transfer the churned mixture to a lidded, freezer-safe container and freeze for 2 to 4 hours or until firm before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The peppermint extract gives you that clean, bright chill without any waxy aftertaste.
  • Homemade custard base means the texture stays creamy even after days in the freezer.
  • You control the sweetness and the chocolate ratio, so it never feels cloying.
  • It's impressive enough for dinner parties but easy enough for a weeknight craving.
02 -
  • Don't rush the tempering step, if you dump hot cream into cold yolks all at once, you'll end up with sweet scrambled eggs instead of custard.
  • Stirring constantly while the custard cooks is non-negotiable, even 30 seconds of distraction can give you lumps.
  • Chill the custard completely before churning, or it won't freeze properly and you'll get a grainy texture.
03 -
  • Use a thermometer to monitor the custard temperature, guessing leads to grainy or runny results, and a few degrees make all the difference.
  • If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour the chilled custard into a shallow pan and freeze it, stirring vigorously every 30 minutes for three hours to break up ice crystals.
  • Taste the custard before churning and adjust the peppermint extract, it should taste slightly stronger than you want the final product to be, because freezing mutes flavors.
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