Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

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With just a handful of ingredients and no egg yolks required, this super easy-to-make Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream recipe is sure to become a favorite! And with a quick swap you can also make the best Mint Oreo Ice Cream!

Mint chocolate chip has always been one of my husband’s favorite ice cream flavors. In fact, if you don’t count his very favorite ice cream (his rare and guilty indulgence of a Dairy Queen Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard), it probably ranks #1. I agree that the combination of refreshing mint, sweet vanilla-infused ice cream and slightly bitter dark chocolate is a match made in heaven.

We are all big ice cream fans in our family and it is so nice to be able to make our own ice cream so easily and then to enjoy it knowing it’s made with just a small handful of ingredients without junky fillers or preservatives. This Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream recipe takes just 5 minutes of prep and the machine does the rest!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Ingredients:

This recipe calls for just 7 ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it along with information about substitutions:

• Heavy Cream and Whole Milk: For the creamiest results use the heavy cream and whole milk, or if you want it even creamier you can use half and half instead of whole milk. Is it possible to use 2% milk instead of whole? Yes, the result just won’t be as luxurious.
• Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar. For a diabetic-friendly option you can use a sugar substitute.
• Chocolate Chips or Chunks: Depending on whether you prefer larger or smaller chunks, you can use regular or miniature chocolate chips or chunks and you can also chop them up further with a chef’s knife. Alternatively, you can use crushed Oreo Cookies instead to make Mint Oreo Ice Cream, another favorite! If you use Oreo cookies you can definitely cut back on the sugar and use around 3/4 cup instead.
• Peppermint Extract: A common question is, what kind of extract do I need for mint ice cream? There’s a lot of confusion around “mint” versus “peppermint” and when to use what. The simple answer is peppermint extract is made purely from the peppermint plant (mentha piperita) whereas mint extract usually blends mint varieties, such as spearmint and peppermint. Peppermint will give you a stronger flavor while mint is more mild. I like to go for that classic “candy cane” mint flavor, so I use peppermint extract. Feel free to use peppermint, mint or spearmint or a combination. I really like the quality and flavor of Nielsen Massey Pure Peppermint Extract. It’s strong and a little goes a long way. A good budget option is McCormick Pure Peppermint Extract. How much peppermint extract you use is very personal taste dependent. It also highly depends on the brand you’re using because some extracts are much weaker than others. Start with less and taste the mixture to determine if you’d like to add more. NOTE: Do NOT use peppermint essential oil, it’s not the same thing.
• Vanilla Extract: Even though we’re adding peppermint extract, adding some sweet vanilla flavor to the ice cream base makes the end result just that much better. I love Nielsen Massey’s Vanilla Extract.
• Salt: Just a pinch. Salt actually brings out more sweetness in desserts and helps balance the flavors.
• Natural Green Food Coloring (optional): It goes without saying that the ice cream will taste exactly the same whether it’s green or white! But for a little green color you can use a few drops of food coloring if you like. I recommend using a natural food green coloring derived from spirulina like this one. The green won’t be as vibrant as an artificial coloring but the color will be more natural looking, a plus in my opinion.

Equipment

You’ll need an ice cream maker to make this mint chocolate chip ice cream. Cuisinart makes excellent ones. Their basic model is a classic and has been a bestseller for many years. I’ve had mine for 15+ years and it’s still going strong. I also have their deluxe model and love it because it has a built-in compressor (no pre-freezing the bowl, so no planning ahead required). Whichever brand or model of ice cream maker you have, you’ll just combine the ingredients in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved, add the mixture to your machine, and then follow the manufacturer instructions.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe

With no eggs yolks or cooking involved, this recipe doesn’t get much easier but the results are absolutely phenomenal. Here’s how to make mint chocolate chip ice cream:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt, and extracts until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add the natural green food coloring, if using, starting with about 3 drops and adding more as desired.
3. Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer instructions. After approximately 20 minutes, once the mixture is thickened, add the chocolate chips/chunks or crushed oreo cookies and let it continue to churn for 5-10 more minutes or until the ice cream is thick.
4. Spoon the ice cream into a fairly shallow freezer container with a lid and freeze it for at least 3-4 hours or until it is firm. For best results let it freeze overnight.
5. Scoop and serve. This makes about 1 quart of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

That’s it, your ice cream is ready!

Homemade Ice Cream Storage Tips

Here are a few tips for how to best store your homemade ice cream:

• If you’re planning on freezing your ice cream beyond a few days, press a piece of plastic wrap on top of the surface of the ice cream and then secure the lid in place. This will help prevent ice crystals from forming when the ice cream is exposed to air.
• Store the ice cream container towards the back of the freezer to prevent it from warming every time the freezer door is opened. The continually warming and freezing cycle likewise causes the formation of ice crystals.
• Homemade ice cream is best eaten within 2 weeks, after which the texture will begin to degrade.

Enjoy!

For more homemade ice cream recipes try my:

• Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
• Honey Lavender Ice Cream
• Cherry Ice Cream
• Pumpkin Ice Cream
• White Chocolate Cranberry (or Cherry) Pistachio Ice Cream