Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream

Discover how to make homemade chocolate ice cream that’s silky, intensely chocolatey, and better than any store-bought carton—with a secret vanilla twist!

Your New Favorite Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream

This chocolate and vanilla ice cream combines dark unsweetened cocoa powder, melted semisweet chocolate, rich heavy cream, and pure vanilla extract to create an intensely chocolatey base with smooth, velvety texture and subtle vanilla depth that tastes like premium gelato.

You know that moment when you take the first spoonful of really good ice cream and just close your eyes? That’s exactly what this homemade chocolate ice cream delivers every single time. I’ve been making this recipe for chocolate ice cream for years now, tweaking it until it reached that perfect balance of deep chocolate flavor without any icy crystals or waxy aftertaste.

The secret? A custard base that combines both cocoa powder AND melted chocolate for maximum chocolate intensity. If you’re a chocolate lover like me, you’ll also want to check out my French silk pie ice cream that takes this concept even further.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

How to make homemade chocolate ice cream starts with understanding what makes it truly special. Here’s why this recipe has become my absolute go-to.

It’s ridiculously creamy with zero ice crystals. The custard base creates that smooth, scoopable texture you get from fancy ice cream shops, not the rock-hard stuff that breaks your spoon.

You get double chocolate depth from both cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Most recipes use one or the other, but combining them creates layers of chocolate flavor that taste complex and sophisticated.

The vanilla extract brings everything together. I learned this trick from King Arthur Baking—vanilla enhances chocolate’s flavor compounds, making the chocolate taste even MORE chocolatey rather than competing with it.

My kids request this over store-bought every time. There’s something about making chocolate ice cream homemade that tastes like love in frozen form.

Nutritional Peek (Per Serving)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	285
Protein	4g
Carbohydrates	28g
Fat	18g
Saturated Fat	11g
Sugar	24g

These values are approximate and based on 12 servings

What You’ll Need: Ingredients

Let me walk you through everything for this chocolate ice cream recipe—each ingredient plays a specific role in creating that perfect texture.

Amount	Ingredient	Notes
2 cups	Heavy cream, divided	Use the good stuff—it makes a difference
¼ cup	Unsweetened cocoa powder	Dutch-process gives deeper color, natural is fine too
6 ounces	Semisweet chocolate, chopped	Or use chocolate chips for convenience
1½ cups	Whole milk	Don’t substitute low-fat here
¾ cup	Granulated sugar	Keeps ice cream scoopable by lowering freezing point
⅛ tsp	Sea salt	Enhances chocolate flavor incredibly
3 large	Egg yolks, beaten	Creates that silky custard base
½ tsp	Pure vanilla extract	The secret ingredient that amplifies chocolate

The egg yolks are what transform this from just frozen chocolate milk into luxurious custard-based ice cream. For more tips on working with egg-based desserts, check out my cookie monster ice cream guide.

Essential Equipment

Here’s what you’ll need to make this happen:

Essential:

• Ice cream maker (I use a standard home model)
• Medium saucepan
• Large mixing bowl
• Fine mesh strainer
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Airtight freezer-safe container

Nice to Have:

• Instant-read thermometer (takes the guesswork out)
• Ice bath setup for faster cooling

How to Make Chocolate Ice Cream: Step-by-Step

Here’s how to make chocolate ice cream that rivals any artisan shop. Take your time with the custard—it’s the foundation of everything.

1. Create the chocolate base. Whisk together 1 cup heavy cream and cocoa powder in your saucepan until completely smooth with no lumps visible. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and let it simmer for exactly 30 seconds while whisking constantly (this blooms the cocoa and intensifies the chocolate flavor).

2. Melt in the chocolate. Remove from heat immediately and add your chopped semisweet chocolate, whisking until it melts completely into a glossy, dark mixture. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of cream until everything’s combined—you should have a beautiful chocolate river at this point.

3. Set up your straining station. Transfer this chocolate mixture to a large bowl and position your fine mesh strainer over the top. This will catch any cooked egg bits later and ensure silky-smooth ice cream. Set this aside while you make the custard.

4. Prep your egg yolks. In a small bowl, beat your egg yolks until they’re pale and slightly thickened. Having them ready means you can work quickly when it’s time to temper them.

5. Heat the milk mixture. In your saucepan (give it a quick wipe first), whisk together whole milk, granulated sugar, and sea salt over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is just warm to the touch.

6. Temper those eggs carefully. Here’s the crucial step—add about ½ cup of the warm milk mixture to your beaten egg yolks while whisking constantly. This gradually raises the egg temperature without scrambling them. Once combined, pour this milk-egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking continuously during the addition.

7. Cook the custard to perfection. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly with your spatula in figure-eight motions to cover the entire pan bottom. The custard is ready when it thickens enough to lightly coat the spatula and holds a line when you draw your finger through it (this happens around 170°F if you’re using a thermometer—don’t let it boil or the eggs will curdle).

8. Strain and combine. Immediately pour the thickened custard through your waiting strainer into the chocolate mixture. Stir everything together until fully combined, then discard any eggy bits left in the strainer. Add the vanilla extract and stir once more—smell how amazing this is?

9. Chill thoroughly. Cover your bowl with a lid or plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface (this prevents a skin from forming) and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but overnight is even better. If you’re impatient like me, you can nestle the bowl into an ice bath and stir frequently to speed things up.

10. Churn into frozen perfection. Once your mixture is completely cold, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions, usually 30-40 minutes. It should look like soft-serve when done—thick, creamy, and absolutely irresistible.

11. Freeze to firm up. Transfer your freshly churned ice cream to an airtight container, smooth the top, and freeze for at least 6 hours before serving. This final freeze gives it that perfect scoopable consistency.

12. Serve and celebrate! Let the container sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before scooping—this makes serving so much easier.

Pro Tips for Perfect Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

How to make homemade chocolate ice cream successfully comes down to a few key techniques I’ve learned through plenty of batches.

Room-temperature ingredients incorporate more evenly, creating a stable emulsion. This is why professional bakers temper eggs and butter—a temperature difference greater than 10°C can cause the batter to break, resulting in a grainy texture. According to Serious Eats, proper tempering is non-negotiable for smooth custards.

Don’t rush the chilling process. Cold base = smoother ice cream because it churns faster, giving ice crystals less time to form. I know overnight seems long, but it’s worth the wait for that silky texture.

Use an instant-read thermometer if you have one. Cooking custard to exactly 170-175°F gives you that perfect thickness without any scrambled egg texture lurking in there.

Press plastic wrap directly on the ice cream surface before freezing. This prevents those annoying ice crystals from forming on top and keeps your ice cream tasting fresh longer.

What If Things Go Wrong? Troubleshooting Guide

Why is my custard grainy or curdled? No worries—the eggs got too hot too fast. Next time, keep the heat at medium (not high), whisk constantly, and temper those eggs more slowly. If it happens, strain the custard through your mesh strainer twice—it’ll catch most of the lumpy bits.

What if my ice cream is icy instead of creamy? This usually means the base wasn’t cold enough before churning, or it churned too slowly. Make sure your mixture is thoroughly chilled and your ice cream maker bowl is completely frozen solid before starting.

Why didn’t my custard thicken? You probably didn’t cook it long enough. The custard needs to reach that coating stage—keep going until it visibly thickens and coats your spatula. A thermometer reading of 170-175°F is your friend here.

My ice cream is rock-hard after freezing—what happened? Homemade ice cream does freeze harder than store-bought because we’re not adding commercial stabilizers. Let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping, or try adding a tablespoon of vodka to the base (it lowers the freezing point without affecting flavor).

Delicious Variations and Twists

This chocolate ice cream homemade base is incredibly versatile once you’ve mastered it.

Mint chocolate chip: Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract with the vanilla, and stir in ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate during the last minute of churning.

Chocolate peanut butter swirl: Warm ½ cup peanut butter until pourable, then swirl it through the soft ice cream before the final freeze.

Mexican chocolate: Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the cocoa powder before heating—it’s warming and complex.

Cookies and cream: Crush about 15 Oreos and fold them in during the last 2 minutes of churning for that classic combination.

For dairy-free versions, explore our dedicated vegan chocolate ice cream guide with coconut milk and cashew cream alternatives.

Serving, Storage, and Keeping It Fresh

Serving: Let your ice cream sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping—this makes it so much easier to serve. A warm ice cream scoop (dip it in hot water) glides through beautifully.

Storage: Keep this chocolate and vanilla ice cream in an airtight container pressed with plastic wrap or parchment paper directly on the surface. It’ll stay delicious for up to 2 weeks in the freezer, though it rarely lasts that long at my house.

Freshness tip: Homemade ice cream is best enjoyed within the first week when the texture is absolutely perfect. After that, it’s still delicious but may develop a few more ice crystals.

No-Waste Kitchen Magic

Got leftover ice cream base that won’t fit in your maker? Pour it into popsicle molds for chocolate fudge pops that kids go crazy for.

Those egg whites you didn’t use? Save them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and make meringues, angel food cake, or add them to scrambled eggs for extra fluffiness.

If your ice cream gets freezer burn, scrape off the affected top layer and the rest underneath should still be perfectly creamy. Or blend it with milk for an amazing chocolate milkshake that wastes nothing.

Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream FAQs

Time to Celebrate Your Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream!

There’s something absolutely magical about making chocolate and vanilla ice cream from scratch—knowing exactly what went into it and watching it transform from a simple custard into frozen perfection. This recipe has brought so many smiles to my kitchen, and I hope it does the same for yours.

I’d love to hear how your batch turns out! Drop a comment below and tell me if you tried any fun variations or mix-ins. And definitely share a photo—there’s nothing prettier than a scoop of homemade chocolate ice cream catching the light.

Craving more frozen treats? Try my French silk pie ice cream next for an even more decadent chocolate experience.