Normally I do not go for chocolate ice cream. Definitely a vanilla base kind of girl. But we were having a party. And I had a brand new ice cream maker that was calling to me. “Bree, my bowl is frozen again, don’t you want to make something else?” Why yes, yes I do. Not only do I want to make something new, but so do my children. They are way into the ice cream making. They think that it is magic. You mix some stuff together, pour it into a really cool machine and 30 minutes later they have ice cream. I love this ice cream. It is not super chocolaty, not super sweet, just perfect.
Do you ever tend to run out of the same thing over and over again to the point that every time you go to use it you forget that you are out of it? That is the way that I am about cocoa powder. Now, I don’t pull one off of the shelf, I pull two when at the grocery store. If it is on sale I get three. In this case it was three. In this case, I should have read to package carefully. But I didn’t. I thought that I was buying cocoa powder but I was buying ground sweet chocolate. Delicious? Yes. Good for baking? No. I could not figure out why my chocolate cakes were sinking in the middle. Oh yeah, the ground chocolate was melting. But this delicious ground chocolate is perfect for ice cream making. Now I finally have a use for all of my hoarded ground chocolate.
1 cup cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla
I put the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Then I measured out the milk. And then I decided that I was lazy. I put it in the mixer. Or rather, Ava did. If you are not lazy like me, then whisk it by hand until it is combined.
I let her add the cream. Clay was there for quality control.
Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and mix according to the directions for your machine.
After 30 minutes it is ready to be put into a container to finishing freezing in the freezer. Or you could eat it like this. My husband did. He said that it was like the best milkshake he has ever had in his 33 years.
Put the ice cream into another container and let freeze in the freezer for about 2 hours.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
- I put the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the milk and cream and mix until combined.
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and mix according to the directions for your machine.
- After 30 minutes it is ready to be put into a container to finishing freezing in the freezer.














I found your blog via foodgawker and now I am as addicted to it as I am Pioneer Woman. Your photos are gorgeous! I have a couple blogs and a new Nikon, but my photos are still leaving something to be desired. A few days ago I read that you are in Sacramento…me, too! In fact, I see Brenda Bisharat has commented on some of your posts and she has taken pictures of my girls. Small world!
Anyway, my Mother’s day gift to myself was an ice cream maker and we made your cookies and cream ice cream last night. Delicious! Will definitely be trying this one over the weekend, or today when my bowl refreezes.
I can’t wait to make the Roquamole and will be making the Turkey Pesto Meatballs next week for a new mommy and her family.
Thanks for all the recipes and beautiful photos!
~Sara
that is about the sweetest thing that anyone has said about my blog. Thank you. What a small world!!! Brenda is one of my best friends here. She literally lives around the corner from me as well. Love her. If you need any camera help, let me know and maybe I can help you.
I’ve always been a chocolate ice cream girl, but lately I’ve been eating a lot of vanilla. Maybe it’s time to go back to my roots.
And those are some beautiful children you’ve got.
I love making chocolate ice cream. It looks so luscious. You should double or triple chocolate ice cream (cocoa powder + melted chocolate + chocolate chips/chunks)! Since you’re a vanilla person, I guess you wouldn’t be too excited about that, though. Anyway, I love love love your process photos, and your kids are too cute for words.
no, I am pretty excited about that actually. I am thinking a milk chocolate ice cream with mini chips. I love crunchy ice cream. Aww, you are so sweet. They are pretty cute, but I think that I have a bias.
Such a gorgeous looking chocolate ice cream! Yum!
Looks like the kids had fun
thanks. We did have fun. They are amazed that something liquid goes into the machine and ice cream comes out. Never ceases to amaze them.
This is exactly the recipe I’ve been looking for — cocoa powder instead of chocolate solids. Your kids are adorable helping you. Mine also have to be in on the ice cream action. =)
It is really good. Next time, I might try to melt chocolate and make a really rich base, but this was so yum. Easy and perfect for the kids to help out with.
I also think that the brownn sugar vs white sugar adds just a touch of depth also. Rich without being overpowering.
Delicious! Can you recommend the type of ice-cream maker, please?
I wrote about it here: http://bakedbree.com/2010/04/cookies-and-cream-ice-cream/
I just LOVE visiting your blog! The images are divine and I can’t wait to try your ice cream recipe. You are SO talented in SO many ways!
I love visiting YOUR blog. Your work is really beautiful. I love studio work when done well and you do it really well.
Nom. You know another great use for that ground chocolate? As a not-too-sweetener for coffee. Can you say mocha? I can.
The ice cream is churning as I type this. It is DELICIOUS!!!!!
so glad!
Hello! I just wanted to thank you for posting this tasty recipe. I tried it out last night and of course LOVED it! All your pictures look incredible, and it did taste as good as it looked! I enjoy seeing you have your kids “help” you in the kitchen, I do the same, they just love to help, you are a good mom! I mentioned your site in my recent post: http://seasontheday.blogspot.com/2011/03/homemade-chocolate-ice-cream.html Thanks again for the idea!
You are welcome. I love cooking with my kids.
can you use agave nectar in place of the brown sugar, if so, how much?
Yes, but I really have no idea how much. Agave nectar is a lot more potent than sugar. You will have to play with the proportions.