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Need a cool, refreshing escape that tastes like childhood summers? This homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream is your answer. It’s the perfect marriage of a creamy custard base, bright bursts of minty flavor from the creme de menthe, and decadent pockets of chocolate – a grown-up twist on a classic flavor combination.

three bowls of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | Kita Roberts PassTheSushi

Looking for the best mint chip ice cream?

Then, you need to try this homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe. Making your own mint chocolate chip ice cream is the grown-up way to indulge your sweet tooth.

Remember those sticky-fingered afternoons spent savoring a melty mint chocolate chip ice cream cone? Pure childhood bliss, right? There’s something undeniably satisfying about whipping up your own frozen masterpiece. It’s a chance to recreate those cherished memories, one delicious scoop at a time. 

What Is Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream?

Homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream is what childhood dreams are made of, like ice cream sandwiches. It’s like a grown-up version of your favorite childhood ice cream treat, made with fresh, high-quality ingredients and a whole lot of love. This recipe is super similar to our peppermint dark chocolate chip gelato, but it’s more of a classic mint chocolate chip instead of peppermint and with an ice cream base instead of gelato.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | Kita Roberts PassTheSushi

What you’ll love about this recipe:

  • FRESH – The creme de menthe adds an unforgettable mint flavor that rivals any other mint ice cream you’ve ever had. Then, you have the rich, creamy base that produces a creamy mint ice cream that will take your favorite dessert recipes to new heights. 
  • NOSTALGIC – This mint chocolate chip ice cream is like the mint ice cream from your childhood but with an adult twist from the creme de menthe. It’s an easy way to indulge in your favorite ice cream flavor without leaving your house!

What You Need to Make Fresh Mint Ice Cream

  • Egg Yolks: These are the custard base that becomes the ice cream. They add richness and thickness and help bind everything together.
  • Sugar: This sweetens the ice cream and helps prevent it from becoming icy. Sugar also plays a role in the texture of the ice cream, making it smooth and scoopable.
  • Heavy Cream: This adds richness, creaminess, and that luxurious mouthfeel we love in ice cream.
  • Whole Milk: This helps to thin out the heavy cream a bit and adds another layer of creamy texture and flavor.
  • Creme de Menthe: It adds the classic mint flavor to the ice cream. Depending on the recipe and your preference, you can use white creme de menthe for a more subtle minty flavor or green creme de menthe for a more intense visual punch.
  • Andes Mint Chocolates, Chopped: These are chopped into smaller pieces so they easily incorporate into the ice cream.

How to Make This Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe

  • Eggs and sugar get whipped until pale yellow in a large bowl. This is your ice cream base.
  • In a saucepan, heat cream and milk over medium heat until simmering.
  • Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly.
  • Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook over medium heat until 170°F (or coats the back of a spoon).
  • Take it off the heat and whisk in the creme de menthe.
  • Cover and chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
  • ​Follow your ice cream maker’s instructions, adding chopped Andes mints during the last few minutes of churning.
  • Freeze the churned ice cream overnight in an airtight container, freezable container, or loaf pan. Then, enjoy!

Expert Recipe Tips

  • Want a super green mint chocolate chip ice cream? Add in a few drops of green food coloring for that iconic bright green color. 
  • When whisking the hot cream mixture into the eggs, take it slow and steady.  This is called tempering, and it helps prevent the eggs from scrambling.  Pour the hot cream into a slow, thin stream while whisking constantly to ensure a smooth and creamy custard base.
  • After cooking the custard, let it chill completely in the fridge for at least 6 hours or even overnight.  This allows the custard to thicken further and results in a smoother texture once churned. Nobody wants icy ice cream, so patience is your friend here.
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | Kita Roberts PassTheSushi

How to Store 

Homemade ice cream will generally keep for up to 2 weeks in the freezer, stored in an airtight container.  However, the longer it sits, the texture might degrade slightly.

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This mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe is a refreshing escape from the ordinary and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser (or, you know, a solo Netflix marathon companion, no judgment). It’s the perfect balance of sweet and minty, creamy and chocolatey, with a touch of homemade magic in every scoop. If you try this recipe, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment down below to help out the next reader! 

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | Kita Roberts PassTheSushi

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

This homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream is the real deal. It's creamy ice cream packed with fresh mint flavor (thanks to real creme de menthe!) and studded with rich pockets of Andes chocolate candies. It's a taste of summer nostalgia made even better.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Dessert
American
Author: Kita Roberts
50 minutes
Serves: 1 quart

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/3 cup creme de menthe
  • 3/4 cup Andes mint chocolates - chopped

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale yellow.
  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream and milk until edges just begin to bubble.
  • Slowly, pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking the entire time.
  • Return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until it registers 170 F on a candy thermometer or coats the back of a spoon.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in the creme de menthe.
  • Pour into a large bowl, cover, and cool completely in fridge at least 6 hours.
  • Process the mixture according to your ice cream maker’s directions, adding the chopped mint chocolates during the last few minutes of churning.
  • Transfer to an airtight container and freeze over night.

Notes

Adapted from Slushed 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 621kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 284mg | Sodium: 74mg | Sugar: 44g

Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.

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Recipe FAQs

Nope! If you want to keep things alcohol-free, you can use 1.5-2 teaspoons of mint extract or peppermint extract instead, depending on how minty you like your ice cream. 

Alcohol lowers the freezing point of the ice cream. As a result, the texture is creamier, less icy, and super easy to scoop. And don’t worry. It’s not enough to give you a buzz.

No. You can swap them out for regular chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. You can also crush up chocolate bars into small pieces. Just make sure they’re dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate, as milk chocolate doesn’t pair well with mint flavoring. 

No, you don’t necessarily need an ice cream maker! Follow the instructions below for making homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker:

  1. Make the recipe like normal and let it chill completely (at least 6 hours).
  2. Fill a large metal bowl with ice and salt (salt lowers freezing). Nest your chilled custard inside.
  3. Grab a whisk or mixer and vigorously stir the custard in the ice bath. Look for ice crystals forming (that’s good!). Keep going for 20-30 minutes until thickened (soft-serve).
  4. Fold in the chocolate. Pour into a container and freeze for 4-6 hours. Let soften 5-10 minutes before scooping (no machine means a bit more icy!). Enjoy!

Whole milk is the best choice for a rich and creamy ice cream.  However, you can use a combination of whole milk and half-and-half for a slightly lighter option.  Avoid using skim milk, as it won’t produce the best texture or flavor.

Kita is a world traveled photographer and writer with over a decade of experience. An award-winning cocktail developer and not-so-secret BBQ aficionado.

18 Comments

  3. When I was little, I danced. After every recital, my dad would take me to Baskin Robbins for mint chocolate chip ice cream. So, I did a pirouette when I saw this. And squealed!

    Reply

  4. You’ve hit on one of the few ice cream flavors that includes chocolate that I’ll eat. Even though it’s so rich and creamy,the mint make it refreshing and the tiny (very tiny) bits of chocolate are just the right complement. And just for the record, your photos are gorgeous but I would so not want to clean up three bowls after a shoot (lazy me).

    Reply

  9. I just made some coffee ice cream the other day and seeing as it’s so easy to make I would love to make more. This is right in my alley too!

    Reply

  11. I don’t eat ice cream all that often… but when I do, this is the flavor!! Well done!
    Oh… and is it bad that there is still a pumpkin by my front door?? 😉

    Reply

  12. This is my favorite flavor of ice cream! Yum! I love this during the summer!

    Reply

  13. Oo, mint chocolate chip is the best summer flavor! No worries about getting a new theme running. I can’t even manage to post regularly even without a job now! But I think I’m being lazy and you’re super busy!

    Reply

  15. This looks beautiful! Mint chocolate chip always reminds me of my mother, it’s her favorite 🙂

    Reply

  16. I just saw this on G+ and had to hop over and tell you that it looks friggin’ amazing!!! WANT!

    Reply
5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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