Mint chocolate chip ice cream is a favorite in this house. Back when I upgraded from my broken down manual crank ice cream maker to one with an actual motor, this was one of the first ice cream recipes I experimented with.
Why this recipe works
This homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe is just as good, if not better than store-bought ice cream. It’s super easy to make and so delicious. There’s no cooking involved because there’s no eggs.
My kids loved this ice cream (just as much as my Nutella Swirl Cheesecake Ice Cream!) and each time it was gone within the first couple of nights. I’ve made it many times over the years as it’s now a family favorite.
I actually prefer ice cream made with a sweetened condensed milk base. It’s not only easy, it doesn’t require eggs or to be cooked, which also means no long chill times in the refrigerator. Just mix, add to the ice cream maker, and freeze. That’s it.
So, you’ll see a lot of sweetened condensed milk based ice creams on this blog. The egg custards are good, and I know I can make them. That’s all I need to know. Been there, done that, like this way better.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
- 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk (I use 1%)
- large pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure mint extract
- 5 drops green food coloring (optional)
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
How To Make Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. Please scroll down to simply print out the recipe!
- Combine all ingredients except for the chocolate in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour into your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Five minutes before churning is complete, melt the chocolate on 50% power in your microwave. Slowly drizzle the chocolate into the churning ice cream maker.
- The difference in temperature between the ice cream and the melted chocolate will cause the chocolate to harden and crack, creating wonderful chocolate chips. This method is known as stracciatella.
- Turn the ice cream out into a freezer container and freeze until hard, usually a few hours or so.
That’s it, just wait several hours for it to harden in the freezer then enjoy!
I hope you all love this creamy and delicious mint chocolate chip ice cream as much as we do.
See what our readers are saying!
Oh my goodness! Heaven in a bowl! During quarantine we have rediscovered our ice cream maker. However we’ve been stuck on vanilla because it was so delicious. Today my son asked for mint chocolate chip, my favorite, so I headed online and found your recipe. I adore easy recipes and this one was so simple. The perfect subtle amount of mint. And the melted chips at the end making the crackle? That’s what cinched the deal for me. All of my kids now agree this is the best flavor we’ve made yet! Thank you!
~Melanie
Better than any!!! I used lactose-free half-and-half, now everyone can enjoy this ice cream. I used your same recipe blend, and the lactose free half-and-half, to make chocolate chip, too (omitting the mint extract). Rave reviews and special thanks from my lactose intolerant friends and family. Thank you for sharing!!!
~ Barbara
More of My Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
- If you’re looking for more amazing ice cream recipes to whip up, this Mocha Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Caramel Chocolate Nut Ice Cream are absolute game changers.
- Looking for a healthier version? Try our Mint Chocolate Popsicles, you won’t be disappointed!
- Speaking of extremely delicious ice cream bases, we just made my Freakshakes again the other night and oh my! You guys HAVE to try these extreme milkshakes! Super fun for birthday parties. You will never make milkshakes the same way again.
- After making these Butterfinger Ice Cream Sandwiches, now I want to try chocolate mint cookies with this mint ice cream to make the ultimate chocolate mint ice cream sandwiches!
And if you love mint and chocolate as much as we do, be sure to try our peppermint patty brownies.
More Mint Chocolate Recipes
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Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk I use 1%
- large pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pure mint extract
- 5 drops green food coloring
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Things You'll Need
Before You Begin
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except for the chocolate in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour into your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- 5 minutes before churning is complete, melt the chocolate on 50% power in your microwave. Slowly drizzle the chocolate into the churning ice cream maker.
- The difference in temperature between the ice cream and the meted chocolate will cause the chocolate to harden and crack, creating wonderful chocolate chips. This method is known as straccietella.
- Turn the ice cream out into a freezer container and freeze until hard, usually a few hours or so.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on this blog on September 13, 2011.
Amanda Davis
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Neil says
I bought a cheap ice cream maker on sale only so I could make a few rare ice cream deserts I’d see whipped up on the food channels (namely – Giada’s ricotta ice cream). Tonight I started whipping up a chocolate ice cream recipe that was in the machine manual. Typically, having not reading ahead it wasn’t until I set the machine up that I realized I would have to chill the mix overnight. Dang! So then I started thinking about making something else and came across your recipe for my favorite of all flavors. This came out so well, I can’t believe how easy it was, and the little spoonful I had made me swear out loud! I can’t wait till it sets!
Amanda says
Ha ha Neil! The swearing out loud bit cracked me up! So glad you liked it, it’s totally one of my favorites too!
Marsha Thalin says
Amanda, I just love this ice cream. Just recently became an owner of an ice cream machine. This recipe is going to be my death. Can’t stop thinking of the delicious stuff waiting in the freezer to be consumed. Do you have any good ideas for coconut ice cream with sweetened condensed milk? We don’t have coconut cream here in Sweden. Just love coconut as well as coffee and maple walnut.
Amanda says
Hi Marsha! Do you have access to fresh coconut? I might do some experimenting and let you know!
JC says
Try using coconut milk instead of condensed milk. It’s SO good and it’s not thin (so you don’t get watery ice cream)…it’s very thick, in fact. Just make sure to use full fat coconut milk from a can. If you have access to a Trader Joe’s, they have coconut milk and coconut cream. I use a can of each since the cream is so much thicker.
Kelli-Anne Collins says
This is the perfect chocolate chip mint recipe. I’ve made it three times already. I’m still working on the stracietella method. The chocolate comes out in big chunks here and there. Does that happen to you too? And what kind of chocolate do you use? Anyways, it’s a great recipe…thanks for sharing!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Kelli! Yes that has happened to me. Once I pour the ice cream from the ice cream maker and into the container, I then break up the larger chunks of chocolate using a spoon or butter knife. Works great!
Cherry says
Hi,
I would love an egg alternative for the base too, but every time I try something different it makes the ice cream too icy (not smooth and creamy). I’ve had some success w/gross stabilizers like corn syrup and corn starch, but that’s too unnatural to want to go back to. Do you find the sweetened condensed milk remedies this issue?
Amanda Formaro says
Definitely yes! Sweetened condensed milk provides a wonderfully creamy ice cream!
Christy says
I so love this recipe. I’ve made it so many times in the last month I don’t even need to look at the recipe anymore. One thing though, maybe you could help, this last time I made it the ice cream got very soft towards the end, I could almost “pour” the mixture into the container to freeze it in. I’m wondering what it could be.
Amanda Formaro says
Do you mean that it was soft at the end while taking it out of your ice cream maker and transferring it to your freezer container? if so, it sounds like your freezer canister wasn’t frozen completely at the bottom. Or did you mean something else? At any rate, once frozen in the freezer it should be fine :)
abbyrhoade says
how can I make this without a ice cream maker? just like blend it by hand or put in a mixer then put it in the freezer container?
Amanda Formaro says
Just blend it by hand and put it into a container. The ice cream maker has a frozen canister and a paddle that turns the mixture, scraping the sides of the frozen container as it goes. This is the churning action. However, it should be fine if you just place it in the container :)
lisa says
Amazing!!!
Leron says
I think the mint extract has enough alcohol to keep it from freezing solid. Mine has 89% alcohol!
Amanda Formaro says
Oh wow!
Calogero says
Wonderful.
Katrina says
On accident, I looked at this post again. ;) But now I know what flavor of ice cream to make next. We’re pretty much out of ice cream, which is like a cardinal sin. But I just happened to, without really think about it, bought some cream AND some cond. milk, I just like to have both on hand for things. So question–do or did you use spearmint flavor or peppermint? Spearmint right? Peppermint is more for candy cane type mint flavor.
Amanda Formaro says
For this particular ice cream I actually used “pure mint extract”, that’s what it says on the bottle. However, all the recipes I searched called for peppermint extract. I used peppermint in my pink peppermint ice cream, which is getting posted this coming week, but the difference in flavor actually came from a higher amount of vanilla extract. So you could use peppermint extract, I haven’t seen spearmint in the store but I think that would work good too :)
leslie says
I make ice cream both ways..I am still on the fence on which one I like better..but the sweetened condensed milk is definitely the quicker route BY FAR!
Mint chocolate chip is one of my all time fav’s
Holly says
Gah! What are you doing to me?? You do know what is going to happen now, right? Now, NOW Aidan will want the ice cream sandwiched in those cookies or made into a pie or something with both of them and more chocolate sauce and whipped cream or something and I won’t hear the end of it until I make it happen. That’s not the worst part though because then I will end up eating half of it myself LOL! That is some seriously great looking ice cream Amanda!
Becki's Whole Life says
Mint Chocolate Chip is probably my favorite ice cream (or at least top three) and this is a great recipe! I love using sweetened condensed milk in my ice cream as well and I just love your method for adding the chocolate “chips…” that is totally fascinating. I want to try this just to see that happen:-)
Amanda Formaro says
Thank Becky :) Sometimes the chocolate can clump together, just break it up when you put the ice cream into the container you will be freezing it in. Then break i up and spread it around with a rubber spatula if needed! :)
Katrina says
Yum! It looks great. Glad SCM worked so well to your liking.
Tonia says
Amanda its official…..I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU and this MINT AND CHIP ICE CREAM!!!! You must’ve known it was my favorite! lmao
Amanda Formaro says
haha! Well you really have to make it, it’s fabulous!
Tonia says
Do you think I could twist your arm to make it for me? My birthday is tomorrow and would be GREAT with a couple of scoops of that deliciousness! lol Thanks for the food porn (pics) lol
Alpana says
Very tempting…..
Deeba says
Ooooooh…that looks good. I’ve just turned into a condensed milk ice cream convert recently too! Love it!!
Fallon says
What kind of freezer container do you use?? I’ve gave ice cream making a break because once I’d put it in the freezer it would be hard as a rock the next time I tried scooping some out.
Amanda says
hi Fallon! I just use a plastic container, or you can recycle the Blue Bunny ice cream containers. Those work well too :) If your ice cream is too hard, your freezer may be set too high. You can also add a tablespoon of vodka or rum to your ice cream as it’s churning. The alcohol is a low enough amount that it’s not detected in the flavor, but it helps keep it from freezing rock hard. I didn’t have to do that with this one or with the pink peppermint ice cream I’m going to post in a day or so either :)
lama woman says
microwave frozen ice for 10 seconds at a time… It assists with softening.
Fallon says
MMM That looks so good! Nice and creamy.
Tami says
I couldn’t agree more with you when it come to the ease of using sweetened condensed milk to make ice cream. When I make it, it disappears so quickly that it makes me wonder why I would spend the time to make it any other way.
Choc. mint is Andy’s favorite ice cream. I’m going to try your version this weekend. MMM! Can’t wait!
What type of ice cream maker did you get? From the top, it looks like mine.
Amanda says
Cuisinart! I love it!