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Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

This ice cream recipe involves blending fresh mint infusions with a creamy custard base, then folding in chocolate chips before freezing. The final dessert has a smooth, scoopable texture with bright green swirls of mint and pockets of melty chocolate throughout. It’s prepared through mixing, heating, cooling, and churning for a rich, icy treat.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups heavy cream for custard base
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Mixing Bowl

Method
 

  1. Place the heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and chopped mint leaves into a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot but not boiling, about 5-7 minutes. Look for steam rising and tiny bubbles forming at the edges.
    2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup fresh mint leaves
  2. Remove the saucepan from heat and cover with a lid. Let steep for 15 minutes to infuse the mint flavor. The mixture should smell fragrant and aromatic at this point.
  3. Strain out the mint leaves into a mixing bowl, pressing gently to extract remaining liquid. Discard the leaves. Whisk in vanilla extract until well combined. Warm mixture should be clear with a hint of green tint from mint infusion.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  4. Chill the strained mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until completely cold. The mixture will turn from warm to a chilled, smooth liquid with a fresh mint aroma.
  5. Pour the cold mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, typically about 20-25 minutes. During the last few minutes, add the chocolate chips so they are evenly dispersed throughout the ice cream. The texture should become thick and scoopable, resembling soft serve.
    2 cups heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  6. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, smooth the surface, and freeze for at least 4 hours until firm. The final ice cream will be creamy, bright green with dark chocolate flecks ready for serving.

Notes

For a more intense mint flavor, increase the mint leaves to 1 cup. Use high-quality chocolate chips for better texture. Serve immediately after freezing for the best creaminess.