You’ll love this Chocolate Ice Cream, a homemade chocolate ice cream recipe made without eggs. Simply mix whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, and chocolate and add to an ice cream maker – this sweet treat is as simple as it is tasty!
Homemade ice cream has become a bit of a tradition in our family for warm holidays and special occasions. While I’m a vanilla ice cream lover at heart, we have a few choco-holics in the family who always request this quick and easy no-cook chocolate ice cream.
While traditional homemade chocolate ice cream recipes use eggs as a binder, this recipe skips the eggs without skimping on the creamy and soft texture you know and love.
And did I mention there’s no cooking and cooling involved? Just a quick prep homemade ice cream recipe that chocolate addicts will love!
Ingredients //
- Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder is essential for giving ice cream its chocolate flavor.
- Brown sugar: Sugar not only lends sweetness to homemade ice cream, but it also helps ice crystals to form and stabilize, which give it a soft and scoopable texture.
- Whole milk and heavy cream: Whole milk and heavy cream provide the creamy foundation of ice cream. I do not recommend a lighter milk or cream, we want the full fat in whole milk and heavy cream for a smooth and silky treat.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract mixes with the cream and chocolate in ice cream to provide a richer and deeper flavor. You can also use vanilla bean paste, if available.
How to Make // The Steps
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients:
The first step to making ice cream from scratch is to mix the cocoa powder and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mix in dairy ingredients:
Next, pour in cold whole milk and heavy cream and mix with the cocoa powder and brown sugar until the mixture is well combined and the sugar is dissolved.
Step 3: Add ingredients to an ice cream maker:
Pour the chocolate mixture into a home ice cream maker and mix according to your machine’s directions. For my ice cream maker, this means I set the time to 30 minutes.
Step 4: Transfer ice cream to a pan and freeze:
After the machine is done, pour the smooth chocolate ice cream into a pan and spread evenly, then freeze for a minimum of 2 hours to allow the ice cream to set before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Cocoa substitutions: While cocoa powder is my recommended chocolate for making ice cream, ground sweet chocolate can also be used (though I would not recommend it as a substitution in baking). If you do use the sweet chocolate, reduce the amount of brown sugar by half, tasting the dairy and chocolate mixture for sweetness before adding to the ice cream maker. If you can’t find sweetened cocoa, use plain and increase the sugar by ¼ cup.
- Use cold milk and cream: To reduce the churn time for your ice cream maker, use very cold cream and milk. Using room temperature ingredients will mean your ice cream maker needs to churn longer, which will make for a heavier final ice cream.
- Though it will be hard, let the ice cream freeze for at least two hours. When the ice cream maker is finished it will produce what is more of a milkshake consistency cream than actual ice cream. For this reason, I spread the soft mixture into a pan and freeze for two hours, which hardens up the cream. Trust me, the wait is worth it!
Why is Chocolate Ice Cream So Good?
- No cooking needed. Forget the hot saucepans to dissolve the sugar, we’re simply whisking the sugar into cold milk and cream until it’s dissolved. A little more of an arm workout, but a lot less time cooling off ingredients before adding them to the ice cream maker.
- It’s egg-free! Ditch the eggs you find in some ice creams, this recipe uses just milk, cream, sugar, and cold to make a creamy consistency.
- It’s versatile. Love simple chocolate ice cream? Want to add more toppings and ingredients? This recipe is perfect on its own or as the base for your favorite flavors.
Variations //
The homemade chocolate ice cream possibilities are truly endless! Below are a few flavor combination ideas, but get creative and try out your favorite ingredients to make this recipe your own.
- Add a liquor: Mix in a bit of Frangelico or Bailey’s Irish Cream to the mixture for a boozy and creamy treat.
- Sprinkle in some nuts: A few sliced almonds, crushed walnuts, or pieces of pistachio will add a crunchy, nutty flavor.
- Crush Oreos: Make it cookies and cream by adding pieces of Oreo cookies to the ice cream mixture.
- Fruit-filled: Add black cherries, raspberries, or pomegranates for an interesting fruit and chocolate cream.
How to Store //
- Prevent freezer burn: Homemade ice cream should be kept in a pan or container with an airtight lid to prevent freezer burn.
- Does it keep? Ice cream can last for up to 3 months in the refrigerator, and longer if it is correctly stored in an airtight container. We have enjoyed homemade ice cream up to 5-6 months after making it when it is stored properly.
FAQ
Ice cream is made by mixing cold whole milk and heavy cream together, and then stirring in sugar until it is dissolved. The liquid mixture is then poured into an ice cream maker, which churns the cold cream until it forms a solid, creamy consistency. Then the cream is poured into a pan or container and is put in the freezer to further harden it into ice cream.
Traditionally ice cream was made with eggs, which are an emulsifier and bind the cream together with other ingredients to provide a thick texture. However, most ice creams today are made without eggs and those with eggs are typically referred to as frozen custards.
Homemade ice cream can be made without eggs by using soy lecithin, or guar or xanthan gums to provide emulsification. However, if you are using a homemade ice cream maker you can skip the eggs or other emulsifiers completely as the cream will harden on its own after freezing.
More Ice Cream Recipes
- No-Churn Salted Cinnamon Ice Cream
- Homemade Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
- No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream
- Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Chocolate Ice Cream
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
- Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl or pitcher.
- Add the milk and cream and mix until well 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.
Video
Nutrition
kitcheniest
Sunday 18th of July 2021
I love this recipe. I have tried other chocolate recipes and this one is superior in texture and taste. I have to agree though, that the recipe is too large for my standard cuisinart ice cream maker. Most ice cream recipes have roughly 2-3 cups liquid, while this one has over 4. I would absolutely love to see this recipe pared down. As is, I’m going to make 2 batches so as not to waste.
Elaine
Thursday 11th of February 2021
Can one grind up chocolate to use instead of the one you use - no chance of getting it in my neighbourhood
Bree Hester
Monday 15th of February 2021
Use regular cocoa and 1/4 cup more sugar.
15 No Egg Homemade Ice Cream Recipes - DipBlogger
Sunday 16th of August 2020
[…] For Full Recipe Click Here […]
Debbie
Sunday 9th of August 2020
Can this be made without the machine. I do not have one. I just made another chocolate IC using a blender. Want to try yours but don’t have the machine.
Debbie
Bree Hester
Sunday 9th of August 2020
Honestly, I don't know. I've never tried to make it without one.
Alexx Franco
Saturday 23rd of May 2020
Wow! What a decadent recipe. I love that it doesn’t require eggs. Less prep time, thank you! Here’s what I did with your recipe. Subbed whole milk and heavy whipping cream for a combo of Half & Half and whipping cream (2 3/4 cup H&H, 2 cups HWC), subbed unsweetened cocoa (1 cup), used 1 cup brown sugar instead of 3/4 cup, ADDED 1/3 cup sweetened Ghirardelli White Chocolate powder to soften that dark chocolate flavor.... whoa baby! I haven’t put this in my KitchenAid Ice Cream makes attachment yet, I want to chill the mixture in my fridge for a bit so it comes out perfectly but so far... it tastes AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and your experience with it. GBY.
Bree Hester
Tuesday 26th of May 2020
Glad that you liked the new recipe you created. :)