This easy chocolate ice cream recipe needs just 6 ingredients (including two types of chocolate!) for the perfect rich, creamy scoop. With a traditional egg yolk custard base. Make the chocolate custard, refrigerate it overnight, then churn with an electric ice cream maker. No heavy cream!
Homemade ice cream is a summertime essential, and this traditional chocolate version has been our go-to for over a decade. It's made from scratch, churned in an ice cream maker, and always a hit! This ice cream has an egg yolk custard base, with a rich, complex chocolate flavor thanks to dutch process cocoa powder and a full bar of bittersweet baking chocolate.
With so few ingredients, great ice cream really comes down to technique. It's important to give some time and attention to each step of the process! If it's your first time making ice cream from scratch, don't worry: We'll walk you through every piece.
One note: This custard needs to chill in the refrigerator overnight before you churn it into ice cream, so plan to start this recipe the day before you want to eat it.
Like all good things, homemade ice cream takes practice. Read this post thoroughly before you start, and be patient if some of these techniques are new to you. If you run into questions, just leave us a comment - our team is here to help!
Equipment You'll Need
- An ice cream machine! We like the ease of small electric countertop ice cream machines, but any ice cream maker with at least a 1.5 quart capacity will work here. We tested this recipe with both the Cuisinart 1.5 quart ICE-20 and the 1.5 quart ICE 21-P1.
- Electric hand mixer. To make the custard, you'll first need to whip some egg yolks and sugar together. While you can do this with a whisk and some elbow grease, an electric hand beater makes the process much easier and faster.
- A kitchen thermometer is nice to have, especially if you haven't made ice cream before. If you don't have a thermometer handy, don't worry: We'll give you plenty of visual cues to help you along!
Past that, you don't need much specialty equipment (although this recipe will leave you with a few dishes). A medium saucepan, a sturdy spoon or spatula, a ladle, a fine mesh strainer, and a few mixing bowls will cover you.
Check the instructions on your ice cream maker before you start! We used a Cuisinart 1.5 quart ICE-21 ice cream maker in these photos, which requires you to chill the bowl in the freezer for at least 24 hours before churning.
Ingredients
For a full ingredients list with exact quantities, scroll to the recipe card below.
When we're working with so few ingredients, the quality of the ingredients matters a ton. It's worth splurging on high quality chocolate products here - you will absolutely notice a difference in taste. A few other notes before you jump in:
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. We recommend this dutch process cocoa, which has a rich flavor with some slightly bitter notes. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder - the same kind you'd use for baking (as opposed to a sweetened cocoa mix, which you might use to make hot chocolate).
- Bittersweet baking chocolate adds depth and doubles down on the chocolate flavor. We used a 60% cacao baking chocolate bar, which melts more smoothly than chocolate chips.
- A pinch of kosher salt helps the chocolate flavors "pop."
- Egg yolks and half-and-half form the backbone of our custard: Together, they make the ice cream creamy. (Save extra egg whites for our small batch chocolate chip cookies or toss them into a frittata recipe!)
Variations and Substitutions
There isn't a ton of wiggle room in this recipe: We recommend following it as written, especially on your first try. That said, there are a few small adjustments you can make if you like:
- Adjust the chocolate flavor by using different varieties of cocoa powder and baking chocolate. (See the FAQs below for more guidance on this.)
- Add mix-ins - chopped peanut butter cups, mini marshmallows, strawberries, chocolate chips, nuts - during the last few minutes of churning.
- Add a dash of vanilla extract to the eggs when you first mix them together for extra depth of flavor.
(Day 1) Make the Custard
Whip the egg yolks with sugar
Start by using a hand mixer to whip your egg yolks (Image 1, above) until they are slightly frothy and lightened in color (2). The color difference will be subtle, but you'll also notice the texture change a bit: After a minute or two, the yolks will start to thicken and look a little bit puffy!
No hand mixer? You can use a whisk here, but it will take some time and elbow grease - we recommend using the hand mixer for best results.
Slowly add granulated sugar to egg yolks (Image 3, above), mixing well between each addition.
Beat eggs and sugar together until you have a thick, fluffy mixture with a light yellow color (4). It should feel kind of like airy cake batter - but not as stiff as whipped cream. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the hot cocoa mixture in the next step.
Pro Tip: Don't rush this process! Properly beating this mixture together ensures the sugar will fully dissolve into the egg yolks, which helps make the ice cream creamy.
Make the hot cocoa mixture
Add half and half and cocoa powder to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat (Image 5, above) and whisk to combine (6).
Pro Tip: The cocoa powder won't incorporate right away - it may just "float" on top of the half and half for a minute. But as you continue whisking (and as the liquid heats up) it will smooth out into a uniform mixture.
Cook the hot cocoa mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches a low simmer. You should have a smooth mixture that resembles hot chocolate (Image 7, above).
Remove the saucepan from the heat, and proceed immediately to the next step!
Temper the egg mixture
Use a ladle to slowly add the hot cocoa mixture to the whipped egg mixture, one spoonful at a time. Whisk constantly, and fully incorporate each spoonful of hot cocoa before adding more (Images 8-9, above).
Pro Tip: The goal here is to slowly raise the temperature of the eggs - a technique called tempering - in order to prevent the eggs from cooking or curdling in response to the heat. Work slowly here, and be patient! If your eggs begin to curdle or scramble, check out some tips to recover in the FAQ section below.
Continue adding the hot cocoa mixture to the egg mixture, one ladle-full at a time (Images 10-11, above), until you've whisked in about ⅔ of the hot cocoa mixture.
What to Watch For: As you add more of the cocoa mixture, the egg mixture will continue to thin out and darken in color. The egg mixture will also slowly warm up - once you've whisked in about ⅔ of the hot cocoa, the egg mixture bowl should feel warm to the touch.
How to know when you're done tempering
At this point, the egg mixture should be only slightly lighter in color than the original hot cocoa mixture, and the texture should be almost identical (see image above). Once you reach this point, your eggs are "cooked" enough to move on to the next step!
Pro Tip: This technique can take practice! Work slowly, be patient, and add just a little bit of hot cocoa at a time to slowly raise the temperature of the eggs.
Return tempered egg mixture to saucepan
Once the eggs are properly tempered, it's time for another round of slow whisking!
Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot cocoa mixture (Image 12, above). Once again, it's important to pour slowly and whisk constantly.
Once everything is whisked together, the mixture will resemble hot chocolate (Image 13, below).
Thicken the custard
Return the saucepan to the stovetop over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened slightly and reached a temperature of at least 170° Fahrenheit. As the custard thickens, it will slightly darken in color, and you'll notice fewer small bubbles along the surface as you stir.
Pro Tip: Give the custard a stir with a spatula or wooden spoon, then carefully run your finger along the widest part of the utensil. If the custard stays put and doesn't rush to fill in the line you created, it's ready! (Image 14, above.)
Strain the chocolate custard
Over the bowl of broken chocolate pieces (Image 15, above), place a fine mesh sieve (16) and slowly pour the chocolate custard through the sieve (17). Use a spatula to gently stir the custard as it strains, to help coax it through the strainer (18). The strainer will catch any curdled egg pieces or large chunks of cocoa, leaving you with a smooth ice cream base.
Why strain the custard? Even experienced cooks can have trouble tempering eggs! For this beginner-friendly recipe, we included this step to remove any scrambled egg pieces and ensure a smooth ice cream.
Stir in the chocolate and let it cool
Let the mixture sit for a few minutes after straining: The heat of the custard will start melting the chocolate pieces in your bowl (Image 19, above). Stir everything together (20) until the chocolate has fully melted and you're left with a rich, dark custard (21).
Let the custard cool completely, then cover it with an airtight lid (we used a silicone bowl cover) or a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (22).
How to Cool Custard: Let the finished custard sit on the counter for about an hour, stirring frequently to release extra heat, until it's cooled to room temperature. To speed the cooling process up, place the custard bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice (or an ice water bath) and stir until it's completely cooled. Learn more: How to use an ice water bath.
(Day 2) Churn the Ice Cream
Pull your chocolate custard out of the fridge and remove the lid (Image 1, above). The custard should have thickened significantly overnight. When you stir it, it will resist a little and then hold its shape for a moment, similar to chocolate pudding (2).
Stir the custard a few times to loosen it up (3). This will make it easier to pour into your ice cream maker!
Prepare your ice cream mixer, then carefully pour the chocolate custard into the bowl of the ice cream machine. You'll likely need to use a spatula to help coax it all out of the bowl, as the custard will be fairly thick. As the ice cream churns, it will thicken significantly and lighten in color (4-6).
Check the instructions on your ice cream machine! Every mixer is a little different. Be sure to consult your equipment's instructions to make sure you're assembling it correctly and adding the custard properly. The churning process and timing will vary based on your equipment.
When it's ready, it will resemble soft serve ice cream (kind of like a Wendy's Frosty!) With our ice cream maker, the churning process takes about 20 minutes.
Pro Tip: Be careful not to over-churn your ice cream! Once it's reached a soft serve consistency, immediately transfer it to a container and place it in the freezer. If you continue to churn ice cream after it's "done", it can develop ice crystals that lead to a gritty texture. This is one reason it's so important to consult the instructions for your individual ice cream maker - one machine may need more or less time to churn than another!
Pack the Ice Cream
When the ice cream is ready, it's time to pack it up! Work quickly here to avoid melting.
Remove the mixing arm (7) and scrape the ice cream into a container. The ice cream may be stiffer along the sides, where it's in direct contact with the freezer bowl. Just scrape off as much as you can!
What container should I use?
There are a ton of ways to store homemade ice cream, but it may take some trial-and-error to find the method that works best for you!
If we're eating it within a few days, we pack ice cream in freezer-safe 1-quart deli containers. Plastic containers can become brittle in the freezer over time, which makes them more prone to cracking under pressure (for example, if you squeeze the container too tightly while scooping hard chocolate ice cream). We find this problem is easily avoided by letting hard ice cream sit on the counter for five minutes before scooping.
Plastic deli containers are also a bit quicker to form ice crystals along the surface of the ice cream than other containers we've tested. If you want to keep the ice cream in the freezer for several weeks, you may want to try a glass container with a freezer-safe lid. You can also find many specialty ice cream containers online, or clean and re-use sturdy plastic ice cream containers from the store.
When the container is full, add an airtight lid and pop the ice cream into the freezer for at least an hour before scooping.
The ice cream will continue to harden in the freezer, and it will also darken slightly in color. It will still be fairly easy to scoop after just a few hours in the freezer; after a day or two, scooping will be noticeably more difficult.
Pro Tip: Chocolate ice cream is notorious for being very solid, and therefore difficult to scoop! If you're having trouble scooping the ice cream after an extended time in the freezer, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften up, then try again.
FAQs
We find this homemade chocolate ice cream recipe is best eaten within one month. Past that - depending on the container you keep it in - it can start to dry out and form small ice crystals in the freezer.
If your custard isn't thickening, it may just need more time to cook! Because stoves and pans can vary so much, you may need to adjust the exact cooking times in this recipe. Follow the visual cues provided, and use a kitchen thermometer to ensure your custard is cooked to at least 170° Fahrenheit to reduce the risk of food borne illness. Keep in mind that the custard will also thicken as it cools on the counter, and again as it chills in the fridge overnight!
If your eggs start to curdle and cook as you temper them, stop adding the hot liquid immediately! Whisk constantly for a minute or two, and try to work out any lumps while the eggs cool off a bit after the shock of the hot liquid. If the eggs are still curdling, you can also set the bowl in a bit of ice or cold water to help stop the eggs from cooking, or - if the curdling is minimal - give the mixture a zap with an immersion blender. If you have just a few chunks in the mixture when you're done tempering, don't worry too much - they'll get strained out when you pour the custard through a strainer later on! If the entire mixture starts to look very curdled - almost like cottage cheese or scrambled eggs - you might just have to start over, and add the liquid more slowly next time. Don't forget that ice cream takes practice: Don't worry if it's not perfect on your first try! Keep at it. Learn More: How to Temper Eggs.
You can swap whole milk (for a lighter ice cream) or heavy cream (for an even richer ice cream) for up to 50% of the half and half here, although in our testing, a 100% half and half ice cream was our far-and-away favorite. We have not tested this recipe with dairy-free half-and-half substitutes.
The color and flavor of your chocolate ice cream depend 100% on the type of cocoa powder and baking chocolate you use! If you want a darker ice cream with more complex flavor, you'll need to use darker cocoa powder and a dark chocolate baking bar that also pack those rich colors and complex flavors.
Lighter chocolate products (like Hershey or Nestle Cocoa powder + baking chocolate under 60% cacao) will give you a lighter, more milk chocolate style ice cream. For a dark chocolate ice cream, use darker cocoa powder and a chocolate bar with 70%+ cacao for a dark chocolate ice cream. For an ultra-dark chocolate ice cream that leans even more bittersweet, you can also swap some or all of the cocoa powder for black cocoa powder.
A few different things can lead to a slightly gritty or sandy ice cream texture.
Not mixing eggs and sugar thoroughly. Make sure you've properly whipped the sugar and egg yolk mixture: Beat this mixture until the eggs are pale yellow and the sugar is fully dissolved.
Chocolate didn't melt fully. If the baking chocolate pieces don't melt fully into the custard while it's still hot, you can end up with small pieces of chocolate that give your ice cream some texture. Next time, try breaking the chocolate into smaller pieces, or melt it in the microwave before whisking it into the hot chocolate custard for even better integration.
Ice cream churned too long. If you churn the ice cream too long, it will develop too many ice crystals, which can lead to a gritty or sandy texture. For best results, churn the ice cream until it just resembles soft serve ice cream, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until solid.
If your ice cream is gritty, you can let it melt and try churning it again! Move the frozen ice cream back to the refrigerator for a day or two, until the ice cream custard has melted and once again resembles thick chocolate pudding. To break up any residual texture, use an immersion blender to blend through the custard until it is very smooth, then transfer to your prepared ice cream maker and churn again (you can also give it a zap in a blender or large food processor). Keep a very close eye on the ice cream as it churns, and transfer it to the freezer container a little earlier than you did the first time to see if the texture improves!
Remember: Great ice cream takes practice! If it doesn't turn out perfectly the first time, make some notes about what to do differently, and try again!
🎥 Step by step video
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Ice Cream
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Inactive Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 9 hours
- Yield: 1 and ½ quarts 1x
- Category: Ice Cream
- Cuisine: American
Description
This creamy homemade chocolate ice cream is perfect for summer! With an egg yolk custard base. Start this recipe a day ahead of time, chill the custard overnight, and churn in an ice cream machine.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (we used a 60% Ghirardelli baking chocolate bar)
- 5 egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (we used this double dark cocoa powder)
- 3 cups half and half
- pinch of kosher salt (about 1/16 teaspoon - seriously, just a pinch!)
Instructions
Prep Work
- Check the instructions on your ice cream machine. You may need to place the mixing bowl in the freezer a day or two ahead of time!
- Read through the recipe post above (especially if it's your first time making ice cream!) and gather the equipment you'll need.
Day 1 - Make the Custard
- Prep the chocolate bar - In a large mixing bowl, break the semi-sweet chocolate bar into small chunks. Place a fine mesh strainer over the top of the bowl. Set aside.
- Make the egg mixture - Add egg yolks to a separate large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the yolks together for one minute (or whisk vigorously by hand for 3-5 minutes) until egg yolks are slightly frothy and have lightened in color. Add sugar to egg yolks a little at a time, beating well between each addition. When all sugar is added, continue beating until you have a thick, pale yellow mixture. Set this egg mixture aside.
- Make the hot cocoa mixture - Whisk cocoa powder and half and half together in a medium saucepan. The cocoa may resist incorporating into the half and half at first - that's ok! Set the pot over medium-low heat and cook, whisking frequently, for 8-10 minutes until the mixture reaches a low simmer (about 180° Fahrenheit).
- Temper the egg mixture - Use a small ladle to add a few Tablespoons of the hot cocoa mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly as you stream the hot liquid into the eggs. The goal here is to slowly raise the temperature of the egg mixture, so that the eggs cook without scrambling or curdling. Continue adding hot cocoa mixture to eggs a little at a time, whisking constantly, until you've incorporated at least ⅔ of the hot cocoa mixture into the eggs. When the eggs are properly tempered, the egg mixture should be warm to the touch, with a similar texture and color to the original hot cocoa mixture.
- Thicken the custard - Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot cocoa mixture, whisking constantly. Return the saucepan to the stove; turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 8-15 minutes, until the custard has thickened slightly and reached a temperature of at least 170° F. When the custard is ready, you should be able to run your finger along the widest part of your spoon or spatula and no custard should rush in to fill the path you just made.
- Strain the custard - Turn off the heat and carefully pour hot custard through your prepared strainer, so it covers the chocolate pieces in your large mixing bowl. Gently stir the custard in the strainer to help coax it through.
- Mix in the chocolate - Let the strained custard sit for a minute, then gently stir until all the baking chocolate is melted and fully incorporated into the custard.
- Cool and Refrigerate - Let custard cool on counter for an hour, until it is completely cooled (stir frequently to release any extra heat and speed the cooling process). Cover the cooled mixture with an airtight lid and refrigerate 8-10 hours, preferably overnight.
Day 2 - Churn the Ice Cream
- Remove custard from the fridge and give it a stir. It will have thickened overnight, and should resemble chocolate pudding.
- Transfer the custard to your prepared ice cream maker and churn according to your device's instructions. The ice cream will lighten in color and thicken up quite a bit as it churns; when it's ready, it will resemble soft-serve ice cream or a Wendy's frosty. With our Cuisinart ice cream maker, the churning process takes about 20-30 minutes.
- Scoop ice cream into a freezer-safe container with an airtight lid. Attach the lid and transfer the ice cream to the freezer for at least an hour so it can firm up before you scoop it. Ice cream will darken a bit and continue to harden for the first few hours in the freezer.
Notes
Please read the entire post above this recipe - especially if it's your first time making ice cream! - as it's packed with step-by-step photos and notes to help you succeed.
Ingredient Notes. Use an unsweetened cocoa powder here - we recommend a good dutch process cocoa, which gives a rich color and complex chocolate flavor. The chocolate products you use in this ice cream make a HUGE difference!
Equipment Notes. An electric hand beater will make it much faster and easier to whip the eggs and sugar together. If you don't have a hand mixer, plan to whisk these ingredients vigorously by hand for several minutes. We also recommend using a kitchen thermometer if you have one to ensure your custard reaches a temperature of at least 170° Fahrenheit before you strain it!
What ice cream maker should I use? We tested this recipe with the Cuisinart ICE-20 and ICE-21 ice cream machines. We like the ease and size of electric countertop ice cream makers, but an old fashioned ice-and-salt machine with a hand crank will also work here. Make sure your ice cream machine has at least a 1.5-quart capacity, and be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions for churning the ice cream in whatever machine you use.
Additions and Substitutions. Add up to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract when you beat the eggs and sugar together - this will give some extra depth of flavor, which will be most helpful if you're using milder cocoa powder or baking chocolate. You can swap up to half of the half-and-half for whole milk (for a lighter ice cream) or heavy cream (for an even richer ice cream) if you like. Add your favorite mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, etc.) to the ice cream during the last few minutes of churning. Use darker chocolate products (like a black cocoa powder or 70%+ cacao baking chocolate) for a dark chocolate ice cream; for a milk chocolate ice cream, use lighter cocoa powder and baking chocolate under 60% cacao. The type of chocolate you use here is a huge determinant of flavor - play around with different brands and products to find your favorite combo!
Freezing and Storage. This ice cream will darken in color and continue to harden during its first few hours in the freezer. It will last about a month in the freezer before it starts to dry out and form ice crystals. We recommend using a strong storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
Great homemade ice cream takes practice. Homemade ice cream is almost entirely about technique. Plan to spend some time and attention on each step of this recipe, and don't be discouraged if things don't go perfectly on your first try! We have provided approximate times for each recipe step, but cook times may vary depending on your kitchen and equipment. Pay attention to visual cues and use the step-by-step photos in the post above to help you along!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 235
- Sugar: 31.3 g
- Sodium: 112.2 mg
- Fat: 8.4 g
- Trans Fat:
- Carbohydrates: 37.6 g
- Protein: 5.4 g
- Cholesterol: 119.6 mg
Other Delicious Ice Cream Recipes
Kyle
Superb ice cream!
Team Life As A Strawberry
YIPPEE! We're happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Jax
yuuummmmy!!!!
Tim
"Air conditioning on a spoon" -- love it!
Rhonda
Also love the "Air conditioning on a spoon" phrase!