This post was last updated on March 23, 2015 to include new images.
I don't know about you, but I find it odd how often I see people settle for mediocre mint chocolate chip ice cream. Really?
Where's the cool mint flavor? Where are the rich chocolate pieces?
I find most store-bought mint chocolate chip ice creams to be mellow, at best.
Even some of my best friends are guilty of this travesty.
I know, right? How did I let this kind of thing happen?
A while back, I cooked dinner for some good friends while they brought over the wine and dessert. I made my Easy Orange Chicken and, for dessert, they brought a boxed cherry pie and mint chocolate chip ice cream from the store.
Ok. Weird combination, but whatever. I was willing to look past that. We all know I like me some homemade sweet cherry pie. But, wait!
[record skipping]
Cheap, bad mint chocolate chip ice cream? No! I cannot have this! Not them, too!
If I sound like I'm an uppity, snobby mint chocolate chip ice cream connoisseur, I'm sorry. But...I guess I am!
It's just so sad because good quality ice cream is really easy to make at home. If you've made my Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, you already know this.
This is not your ordinary mint chip ice cream, folks. You wont find mild mint flavors or unnecessary green food coloring to trick you into thinking your ice cream tastes "minty." No itty-bitty slices of thinly shaved chocolate here.
Nope.
What you'll get is a refreshing, creamy, homemade mint ice cream with chunks of heaven wrapped with mint and chocolate.
That's right: chunks. of. heaven (otherwise known as chopped Andes mints).
I hope to bring out the best mint chocolate chip ice cream connoisseur in you, too!
Best Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2-2 ½ teaspoon pure mint extract
- 4-5 oz Andes mints 1 small package, or your favorite bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into uneven pieces
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well blended. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and cream until it begins to steam.
- Slowly (temper) incorporate the egg mixture, spoonful by spoonful, into the milk mixture, and stir. I like to add a tablespoon at a time of the hot mixture into the cold, egg mixture until the egg mixture has heated through. Be careful with this step as moving too quickly will cause the eggs to scramble and will ruin the custard.
- Once the egg and milk mixtures are fully combined, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and smooth, about 15 min. You will be able to make a line on the back of a spoon with your finger.
- Add the mint extract and allow to cool.
- Transfer cooled mixture to ice cream maker. Follow according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.
- Add chopped pieces of chocolate during last five minutes of mixing. Freeze for at least 4-5 hours prior to serving. In my freezer, it usually takes up to 6 hours to get the way I like it.
lisa p
This is a MUST MAKE recipe. SO easy and SO SO delicious. I made it for a dinner party and people were talking about it all night. It's creamy, smooth, luscious...all the things you want in a decadent custard type ice cream. I do have to confess I added a little splash of my favorite vanilla extract too and added a little less mint and I loved how the vanilla only seemed to enhance the mint. It's a total knock out recipe and one I'll be making a lot more.
Wendy Drew
Hello Lacey,
Made the chocolate chip mint today for family Fourth of July party,
followed the directions closely and patience paid off. The recipe mixed into
a smooth consistency, favor extraordinary. CHOPPING the chocolate step
with the chef's knife, do not use a machine or a hammer (really not a good idea).
The broken Nestle morsels worked best rather than Ghiradelli or Andes mints.
I froze the mints before chipping and both still looked and felt gooey. I also
decided to use 2% milk, it worked as well as whole milk.
Nice recipe
Jeff Timmins
Thank you for the recipe and I have to agree this is the Best Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream recipe around! I've tried this recipe a number of times (long story) and have come up with small modifications that work well for me.
* 1/2 cup sugar - Note, our family likes a little less sugar
* 2 1/4 tsp mint extract - Note, went half-way between your suggestion and worked well
* 4 oz Dark Chocolate (60% Cacao Ghirardelli's C-Chips), chopped into uneven pieces - my wife kept eating the Andes mints so went another way =}
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Dustin
This sounds so good.
Gwen
I recently discovered pasteurized eggs at our grocery store. Can I skip the first heating step and move onto the 2nd if I am using the pasteurized eggs, do you think? Thank you! And this sounds so wonderful!!
Lacey Baier
You certainly could do that since you don't have to worry about the bacteria and such, but the overall ice cream wont be as creamy.
Melissa
I picked out this ice cream to make as part of my special birthday-pig-out-on-all-my-favourites day. I am seriously counting down the days....
Lacey Baier
lol, sounds amazing. Happy birthday! 🙂