Homemade vanilla ice cream loaded with chocolate chips makes this chocolate chip ice cream recipe perfect for both vanilla and chocolate lovers.

I love ice cream, but I especially love making it at home – from cookies and cream ice cream to dulce de leche ice cream to graham cracker ice cream.

But the two most popular ice cream flavors are vanilla and chocolate. So I figured why not combine the two with this chocolate chip ice cream.

What really puts this over the top is the chopped up chocolate. Yes you use good chocolate and make your own “chips.” Don’t buy the prepackaged stuff. Trust me it makes a difference.

Let’s be honest. It is quite easy to just go buy some at the grocery store, but where is the fun in that? With this homemade version, you know what you are putting into and using quality ingredients. So give it a try!

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes
• Ingredient Swaps
• Step-by-Step Photos
• FAQs
• How to Serve
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Other Ice Cream Recipes
• Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Ingredient Notes

• Heavy cream and milk – the 2:1 ratio of heavy cream to milk gives you the right fat content to create that creamy texture you except with ice cream.
• Eggs – important in stabilizing the ice cream and adds extra richness.
• Chocolate – I like usually quality chocolate and chopping it myself.

Ingredient Swaps

As with any recipe, you can switch things up if needed. Some variations include:

• Whole milk and heavy cream are my go-tos, but you can also use any skim milk and half-and-half if needed. It just won’t be as creamy.
• I use granulated sugar in this ice cream recipe, but light brown sugar is a good substitute and offers a slightly different flavor.
• I like dark chocolate, but milk or semi-sweet chocolate work as well.

Step-by-Step Photos

Heat the milk and cream in a medium saucepan until it reaches 170°F. While it is heating up whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until it is thick and a pale yellow.

Temper the egg yolks by slowing adding some of the hot cream mixture and whisk constantly. Now add it back into the saucepan and heat on low until it reaches 185°F. Pour through a fine mesh strainer and let cool before refrigerating for 4 hours or overnight.

Once ready, stir in the vanilla extract and salt and then pour into an ice cream machine while it is churning. Churn for 20 minutes or until desired consistency is reach.

With machine still running, add the chopped chocolate and churn for 30 seconds or until mixed through. Then transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.

FAQs

How to Serve

This homemade ice cream is great on its own or to complement other desserts including:

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie
• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
• Chocolate Lava Cakes
• Smith Island Cake

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Use the Best Ingredients – when making ice cream you want to use the best ingredients possible so use free-range eggs and organic milk and cream. Also use high quality vanilla extract and chocolate.
• Don’t Cut the Fat and Calories – ice cream is not the dessert that you should be cutting the fat. It depends on the high-fat content to create a creamy texture. If you go lower fat, it will cause an icy ice cream. If you’re on a diet, just have a smaller scoop!
• Add Extract at Right Time – if you add the vanilla extract while the custard is too hot, you won’t get the actual flavor as it will cook out slightly. Just wait until right before you pour the custard into the ice cream maker to add it.
• Chill the Custard – you don’t necessarily need to chill the custard overnight, but you want to chill until it is as cold as possible.
• Use Frozen Bowl – make sure your ice cream bowl has been frozen for at least 24 hours, otherwise you aren’t giving the ice cream a great chance of freeze.
• Start Ice Cream Motor First – do not pour the custard in the frozen bowl before starting the ice cream maker. It will start freezing upon contact. You want the motor running and slowly pour the custard in.
• Don’t Overchurn – always error on the side of caution when it comes to churning your ice cream. You do not want it to be hard. Remember it will continue to freeze once you place in the freezer.
• Add chocolate at the end – never add your chocolate at the beginning of the process. You want to add it when it looks like there is about a minute left in the churning process.
• Keep It Creamy – homemade ice cream can turn hard as we don’t add preservatives, however Xanthan gum or a couple tablespoon of vodka will help keep it creamy.

Other Ice Cream Recipes

If you’ve tried this chocolate chip ice cream recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.