Pin It Making ice cream from scratch was never on my radar until a friend mentioned offhandedly that homemade mint chocolate chip tastes nothing like the store-bought kind. I was skeptical, but one sweltering afternoon I decided to prove her right or wrong. The moment that cooling custard hit my tongue—bright, creamy, with real peppermint dancing through it—I understood why she'd been smug about it. Now I make it every summer, and somehow people always know when a batch is sitting in my freezer.
I served this to my in-laws last Fourth of July, and my father-in-law asked for the recipe before he'd even finished his bowl. He doesn't ask for recipes. That's when I realized this wasn't just good ice cream—it was the kind of thing that makes people feel remembered, like you went to the trouble for them specifically.
Ingredients
- Heavy cream and whole milk: Use the best quality you can find; they're the foundation of everything creamy and smooth here.
- Granulated sugar: This sweetens and also helps the custard set to the right consistency.
- Egg yolks: The magic ingredient that transforms this from flavored milk into luxurious custard.
- Peppermint extract: Real extract, not imitation, makes the difference between authentic mint and something chemical-tasting.
- Vanilla extract: A small amount rounds out the mint and adds subtle depth.
- Green food coloring (optional): A few drops give it that iconic look, but the flavor doesn't depend on it.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: Mini or chopped pieces freeze harder than large chips and create better texture contrast.
Instructions
- Warm the cream base:
- Pour heavy cream, milk, and half the sugar into a medium saucepan and heat gently over medium until wisps of steam rise from the surface. You want it hot enough to cook the eggs safely, but not so hot it boils—that's when things go sideways.
- Whisk the yolks:
- In a separate bowl, whisk your egg yolks with the remaining sugar until they turn pale yellow and slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes of whisking. This step aerates them and makes tempering smoother.
- Temper carefully:
- This is the nerve-wracking part—slowly pour about a cup of the hot cream into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. You're raising the temperature gradually so the eggs cook gently instead of scrambling into sweet egg salad.
- Cook the custard:
- Pour everything back into the saucepan and stir constantly with a wooden spoon over low heat until the mixture coats the spoon and reaches 170–175°F. It should feel like liquid velvet, not thin milk—trust your wooden spoon more than the thermometer.
- Add flavor:
- Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract, vanilla, and food coloring if you're using it. The heat will carry the peppermint through the whole batch.
- Strain and chill:
- Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to catch any cooked egg bits or lumps. Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight—patience here pays off.
- Churn:
- Follow your ice cream maker's instructions, but in the final minute or two of churning, add your chocolate chips so they stay in distinct pieces rather than melting into streaks.
- Freeze:
- Scoop the freshly churned ice cream into a lidded container and freeze for 2–4 hours until it firms up to the perfect scoopable consistency.
Pin It My neighbor brought her homemade ice cream maker to a block party once, and I brought a batch of this in a cooler. We served it side by side, and watching people's faces light up when they tasted the real mint flavor was worth every minute of tempering and waiting. That's when ice cream stopped being dessert and became proof that you cared.
The Tempering Moment
The scariest part of this recipe is the tempering step, but it's also the most important. Tempering simply means raising the temperature of the eggs gradually so they cook safely without scrambling. I used to think I was doing it wrong until I realized the whole point is to feel a little nervous—if you're paying attention and whisking, you're doing it right. The custard should reach about 170°F, which kills any bacteria while keeping the eggs silky and smooth.
Fresh Mint Variations
If you want an even more intense mint experience, try steeping fresh mint leaves directly in the cream and milk before you heat them. Use a handful of fresh leaves, heat gently for about 5 minutes, then strain them out before adding the egg yolks. This creates a deeper, more botanical mint flavor that reminds you of summer gardens rather than a candy jar. The extract alone is perfectly fine, but fresh mint feels like a secret ingredient that nobody expects.
Storage and Serving Tips
Homemade ice cream freezes harder than the commercial stuff because there are no stabilizers, so scoop it out about 5 minutes before you want to serve it—that brief softening time makes scooping easier and lets the flavors bloom. Stored properly in a lidded container, this keeps for about two weeks, though it rarely lasts that long in my house. One more thing: the moment you open the freezer and smell that peppermint, you'll know the whole effort was worth it.
- Scoop with hot water rinsed spoon for cleaner edges and easier serving.
- Leftover ice cream can be softened slightly and re-churned if it gets too hard and crystallized.
- Keep it in the coldest part of your freezer away from the door to prevent melting and refreezing cycles.
Pin It This ice cream is the kind you make for people who matter, because they taste the difference. Every spoonful is worth the time you spent tempering, stirring, and waiting.
Recipe FAQs
- → How can I intensify the mint flavor?
Steep fresh mint leaves in the cream and milk mixture before combining with egg yolks, then strain for a vibrant mint boost.
- → What is the purpose of tempering the egg yolks?
Tempering gently warms the yolks to avoid curdling when combined with hot cream, ensuring a smooth custard base.
- → Can I use a dairy-free alternative?
Yes, substitute coconut milk and coconut cream for the dairy components to maintain creaminess with a different flavor profile.
- → Why add chocolate chips at the end of churning?
Adding them in the final minutes prevents melting and ensures the chocolate retains a firm, crunchy texture throughout.
- → What is the ideal chilling time before churning?
Chill the custard mixture for at least 3 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld and ensure proper texture during churning.