Ultra creamy and rich with pure chocolate flavor, this is the BEST Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream. Made with whole ingredients and easy to whip up, this will be your go-to chocolate treat all year long. 

Chocolate Ice Cream in a white bowl with a white carton of chocolate ice cream in the background.


Chocolate Ice Cream

I know this is a bold claim but I made the BEST Chocolate Ice Cream ever….if you haven’t gathered that from the title. Chocolate Ice Cream is, by far, my favorite flavor ever.

And when it’s done right…there’s just no turning back.

I mean, chocolate helps me stay sane. Just a little square can melt away enough stress to allow me to proceed with my regular scheduled program for the remainder of the day. So…if you’re one of those who gave up chocolate…or ice cream…or dessert for that matter…Pin this one for later!

There’s a creamery in Strasburg, PA right smack in the middle of Lancaster County Amish Country that makes their own ice cream (and waffle cones…but we’ll talk about that another day). When you walk down the street you can smell the sugar caramelizing on the waffle irons and you just kind of get sucked into the little shop.

You have no self control at all and you MUST order a double dipped cone. Really, you don’t have a choice because it’s like a gravitational pull. And some say it’s a tourist trap but I say it’s a must visit establishment if you want to try the best ice cream ever made that’s not made in your own kitchen.

Their from scratch Chocolate ice cream is incredibly sinful in the best sense of the word. Rich, creamy and simple…that’s what I strived for in my very BEST Chocolate Ice Cream recipe.

And I nailed it (no…I didn’t hurt my arm while patting myself on the back.) This recipe is rich, creamy and simple.

Chocolate Ice Cream in a white bowl with chocolate sprinkles and a blue and white spoon.

How To Make Chocolate Ice Cream

Making homemade chocolate ice cream is really simple to do but for the best ever recipe some practice in patience must be exercised.

  1. In a large saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a simmer over med-low heat and then turn the heat off. Stir in the chocolate and vanilla until the chocolate has melted.
  2. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar to the milk mixture and bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining sugar and egg yolks until the mixture is slightly thickened and light in color. Slowly, add 1/4 cup of the milk mixture to the eggs while whisking constantly. Continue adding the milk to the egg mixture 1/4 cup at a time until all the ingredients are combined.
  4. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and place a medium bowl in the ice bath. Place a fine mesh stainer over the bowl.
  5. Transfer the cream mixture to a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain the custard into the bowl and allow to cool.
  6. Refrigerate the custard until cold or overnight.
  7. Pour the custard into the freezer can of an electric ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is the consistency of soft serve. Transfer to an airtight storage container and freeze.

We’ve been using this Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker for over 20 years. It’s not a space hog in the kitchen and makes the best ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato and sorbet.

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Three cones of chocolate ice cream propped in a glass with chocolate sprinkles.

Ingredients for Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

The best Chocolate Ice Cream starts with the BEST ingredients. Exploding with pure chocolate flavor is the direct result of high quality products like:

  • cocoa powder
  • chopped semi-sweet chocolate
  • milk
  • eggs
  • sugar
  • vanilla

That’s it. And it’s simple to make….BUT you do need to work ahead because coaxing out the best flavors ever does take time.

So, allow the base to chill out overnight as I did with my fabulous Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and THEN, after churning, allow the ice cream to freeze overnight. Or not…I know…it’s hard but the best flavors develop over time. And you will be rewarded…I promise. But if you’re really in a hurry you can totally try this easy Snow Ice Cream recipe….that’s if you have actual snow on the ground.

And after all is said and done….and the very BEST Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream in the whole world is ready to dig into…take a seat. Because that first bite will make your knees buckle…and your heart flutter….and all your worries will melt away….because that first bite is a doozy.

And if you really did the unthinkable and gave up chocolate for lent like a crazy person….you should try this Vanilla Chai Ice Cream or this amazing Strawberry Ice Cream that tastes like summer in a bowl…or a cone…however you roll.

Chocolate ice cream in a white bowl on a white washed board with a blue and white spoon in front of it.

More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

Looking for more fun and easy recipes? Follow along over on Instagram!

Chocolate Ice Cream in a white bowl with chocolate sprinkles and a blue and white spoon.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
Rich, creamy and ultra chocolatey, this is the BEST Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream ever. Just like your local creamery without leaving the house.
5 from 9 votes
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, I always use Hershey’s
  • 2 ounces finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 large egg yolks

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker

Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to a simmer over med-low heat and then turn the heat off. Stir in the chocolate and vanilla until the chocolate has melted.
  • Add 3/4 cup of the sugar to the milk mixture and bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining sugar and egg yolks until the mixture is slightly thickened and light in color. Slowly, add 1/4 cup of the milk mixture to the eggs while whisking constantly. Continue adding the milk to the egg mixture 1/4 cup at a time until all the ingredients are combined.
  • Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and place a medium bowl in the ice bath. Place a fine mesh stainer over the bowl.
  • Transfer the cream mixture to a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain the custard into the bowl and allow to cool.
  • Refrigerate the custard until cold or overnight.
  • Pour the custard into the freezer can of an electric ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is the consistency of soft serve. Transfer to an airtight storage container and freeze.

Notes

Chocolate Ice Cream will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month covered in an airtight container.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 292kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 131mg, Sodium: 32mg, Potassium: 243mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 759IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 2mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dessert, Ice Cream
Cuisine: American