Best Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

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Rich, ultra-creamy, and chocolatey — this is the best homemade chocolate ice cream recipe ever! It’s easy to make with only 7 ingredients (including two forms of chocolate), has a rich chocolate flavor and is just as good as any ice cream shop! 

Front view of a bowl of chocolate ice cream


We love making ice cream! It’s a fun and delicious process — and nothing beats homemade!  Which is why I am sharing my recipe for the best homemade chocolate ice cream ever! 

This chocolate ice cream is irresistibly creamy and made with two forms of chocolate for a deep rich flavor. It’s not overly sweet, and is just as delicious (maybe even more-so) than your favorite ice cream shop! Serve it alongside a slice of favorite chocolate cake, a piece of this giant cookie cake or eat it all by itself!

Front view of 4 scoops of homemade chocolate ice cream in a bowl

Chocolate Ice Cream: Ingredient & Substitutions

Overhead view of the ingredients in this chocolate ice cream recipe
  • Heavy cream. There really isn’t an adequate substitution for heavy cream. It gives the ice cream it’s ultra-creamy texture.
  • Cocoa powder. If you’re into very dark chocolate ice cream, try using dark cocoa powder.
  • Semisweet chocolate. I use 60% dark chocolate chips to make this recipe. Use whatever percentage you prefer—just know that milk chocolate will result in a sweeter ice cream and the darker the chocolate the more intense the chocolate flavor will be.
  • Whole milk. Half and half is an acceptable substitute for whole milk!
  • Granulated sugar. There’s really no substitute here! I use organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
  • Egg yolks. Another critical ingredient that contributes to the creaminess, don’t leave them out!
  • Vanilla extract. Vanilla beans (seeded) or vanilla bean paste can be used in place of extract.

Equipment

Here is the gear you will need to make this chocolate ice cream recipe!

Overhead photo of an ice cream scoop scooping some chocolate ice cream out of a glass storage container

How to make Chocolate Ice Cream 

Making this homemade chocolate ice cream recipe involves a few steps—plus some chilling and freezing—but it’s well worth the time it takes to make the best chocolate ice cream ever! We’ll walk through the process together step-by-step, but don’t forget to watch the video!

Make the Chocolate Base

The first step in making this recipe is to make the chocolate base. Begin by whisking together the cream and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and boil/simmer for 30 seconds, whisking constantly.

two photos showing how to make chocolate ice cream

Remove the chocolate/cream mixture from the heat and add chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Add remaining cream and whisk to combine.

two photos showing how to make chocolate ice cream

Transfer mixture to a large bowl and position a fine mesh strainer over it. This strainer will be used to strain the custard part of the chocolate ice cream recipe. It’s absolutely critical. 

What if I don’t have a fine mesh strainer?

A nut milk bag, coffee filter or tea towel would work fine, but a fine mesh metal strainer is a kitchen must-have in my house! 

two photos showing how to make homemade chocolate ice cream

Make the Custard

Next we will make the custard component of this chocolate ice cream recipe. To do this, we need to temper the eggs so they don’t cook when they’re added to the warm milk mixture. Begin by whisking the egg yolks together in a medium bowl.

Then, in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together milk, sugar and sea salt. Once the milk mixture is slightly warm, add ½ cup of warm (not hot) milk to the beaten egg yolks and whisk to combine. Add the milk/egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking as it’s being added. 

two photos showing how to make homemade chocolate ice cream

Continue to cook the custard over medium heat, and stir the mixture constantly with a spatula until the it thickens and coats the spatula (it does this when it reaches about170 degrees F).

Pour the thickened custard through the metal strainer into the other ingredients in the bowl. Stir until combined. Discard any custard residue left on the strainer. 

two photos showing how to make this chocolate ice cream recipe

Chill

Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Place a lid on top and let the mixture chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

overhead photo showing how to make chocolate ice cream

Churn

Once the ice cream mixture is cooled to just below room temperature, churn it in an ice cream maker until thick and frozen (30-40 minutes).

two photos showing how to make chocolate ice cream

Freeze

Transfer the chocolate ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 6 hours.

Favorite Ice Cream Containers: 

Here are some of my favorite storage containers for ice cream:

two photos showing how to make chocolate ice cream

Serve! 

Serve this chocolate ice cream on cones, in a dish, drizzled with chocolate syrup, with a dollop of fresh homemade whipped cream, etc.!  Or, use it to stuff between two cookies to make the best homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches (like a chipwhich only so much better).

Overhead photo of an ice cream scoop scooping some chocolate ice cream out of a glass storage container

FAQS About How to make Chocolate Ice Cream

Here are some commonly asked questions about making homemade chocolate ice cream: 

How do you churn ice cream by hand (without an ice cream maker)?

If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can churn this chocolate ice cream recipe by hand. It’s just a lot more work! Here’s how:
Once the ice cream base is made, put it in a freezer-friendly container and put it in the freezer. 
After 1 hour, check the ice cream. If is has started to freeze, use a hand-held mixer (or a whisk or spatula) to beat it vigorously. 
Continue to mix the mixture with a mixer or by hand every 30 minutes until it is frozen. This should take about 3-6 hours. 

How long does homemade ice cream last?

This ice cream stays fresh in the freezer in an airtight containe

Can I add mix-ins to this chocolate ice cream?

Yes, absolutely. Towards the end of the churning process add your preferred mix-ins. I suggest edible cookie dough – yum.

up close view of chocolate ice cream in a glass dish

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Best Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

Laura
Rich, ultra-creamy, and chocolatey, this is the best homemade chocolate ice cream recipe ever! It's easy to make with only 7 ingredients (including two forms of chocolate), has a rich chocolate flavor, and is just as good as any ice cream shop! 
5 from 118 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 304
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chilling/Churning/Freezing12 hours 40 minutes
Total Time13 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Whisk together 1 cup cream and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil/simmer for 30 seconds whisking constantly.
  • Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add remaining 1 cup of cream and whisk to combine.
  • Transfer mixture to a large bowl and position a fine mesh strainer over it. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together milk, sugar and sea salt.
  • Once the milk mixture is slightly warm, add ½ cup of warm milk to the beaten egg yolks and whisk to combine. Add the milk/egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking during the addition.
  • Continue to cook the custard over medium heat, and stir the mixture constantly with a spatula until the it thickens and lightly coats the spatula (it does this when it reaches about 170 degrees F).
  • Pour the thickened custard through the metal strainer into the other ingredients in the bowl. Stir until combined. Discard any custard residue left on the strainer. 
  • Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
  • Place a lid on top and let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight. To speed up the cooling process, you can place the container of the chocolate ice cream liquid base into an ice bath and stir it often.
  • Once the ice cream mixture is chilled, churn it in an ice cream maker until thick and frozen (30-40 minutes).
  • Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 6 hours.
  • Serve!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions:

  • Heavy cream. There really isn’t a substitution for heavy cream, it gives the chocolate ice cream it’s ultra-creamy texture.
  • Cocoa powder. If you’re into very dark chocolate ice cream, try using dark cocoa powder.
  • Semisweet chocolate. I use 60% dark chocolate chips to make this chocolate ice cream. Use whatever percentage you prefer, just know that milk chocolate will result in a sweeter ice cream, and the darker the chocolate used the more intense the chocolate flavor will be.
  • Whole milk. Half and half is an acceptable substitute for whole milk!
  • Granulated sugar. There’s really no substitute here! I use organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
  • Egg yolks. Another critical ingredient that contributes to the creaminess, don’t leave them out!
  • Vanilla extract. Vanilla beans (seeded) or vanilla bean paste can be used in place of extract.

How do you churn ice cream by hand (without an ice cream maker)?

If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can churn this chocolate ice cream recipe by hand – it’s just a lot more work! Here’s how:
  • Once the ice cream base is made, put it in a freezer-friendly container and put it in the freezer. 
  • After 1 hour, check the ice cream. If is has started to freeze, use a hand-held mixer (or a whisk or spatula) to beat it vigorously. 
  • Continue to mix the mixture with a mixer or by hand every 30 minutes until it is frozen. This should take 3-6 hours. 

To store: 

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Here are some of my favorite storage containers for ice cream:

Nutrition

Serving: 0.333cup | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 701IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

More ice cream recipes 

Here are some more of our favorite ice cream recipes! 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 




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Recipe Rating




75 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Amazing recipe, ice cream came out delicious and so creamy. Substituted the heavy cream with nestle cream as we don’t have heavy cream readily available in SA. Will def be trying your other recipes. Thank you

  2. 4 stars
    Amazing recipe with a few tweaks:
    Ditch the cocoa powder, use 300g (1.5 cups) of melted dark chocolate instead (bain marie technique for melting). After overnight fridge step, mix in 100g (0.5 cups) of grated / lightly nutri-bulleted dark chocolate for that Hagendaz Belgian Chocolate TM feeling of tiny bits of chocolate melting on tongue.
    PS for the metrics amongst us: milk/sugar/egg step aim for 80c temperature.

  3. 5 stars
    I made your coffee ice cream recipe last night. Best ice cream I’ve ever had! It’s basically the same recipe for this one just with chocolate instead of coffee. I expect this to be just as awesome. Going to make it as soon as I finish off the coffee. Thanks so much!

  4. 5 stars
    This is hands down the best chocolate ice cream recipe! Tried several chocolate ice cream recipes before trying this one and was always disappointed by the end product so really grateful to have found this one. Already made 3 batches of chocolate ice cream using this recipe and they all turned out perfect! Personally love the combo of roasted almonds or hazelnuts with chocolate so that is the only addition I made at the churning stage. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

  5. 5 stars
    Great recipe! I made this chocolate ice cream back in August for my daughter’s birthday and it was SO GOOD!!! I followed the recipe exactly and did not double it, like I usually do. By not doubling the recipe, everything fit well in my Kitchenaid mixer with the ice cream maker-bowl. I used a 2.5 qt ice cream freezer container, which was the perfect size for the finished product. This ice cream was so satisfying and I look forward to making it again!

  6. 5 stars
    Getting ready to make a double batch. This will be the third time I have made this recipe. So far, this has been voted “Best Choclate Ice Cream Ever” by everyone who has tried it! We all like our chocolate “dark”, and we add 72% bars and love the texture and deep chocolate flavor. This recipe is a two day effort, but totally worth it. Thank you for sharing!

  7. 5 stars
    I’ve never made chocolate ice cream before so I don’t have anything else to compare to but even though this was an investment in time it was well worth the effort! I think this is the BEST chocolate ice cream I’ve ever had! Everyone at work raved about it too!

  8. 5 stars
    I e made this once before and loved it so much I saved the recipe. I am planning to make again, and want to try using vanilla paste instead of extract. How much would you recommend?

  9. 5 stars
    Let me start off by saying I don’t even like chocolate ice cream and this is the best ice cream I’ve had in a LONG time it’s still soft and enjoyable!! Thank you for sharing

  10. Which paddle did you use in your ice cream machine? My Cuisinart machine came with 2 paddles, an ice cream paddle and a gelato paddle. Apologies if this question has been asked already.