Experience the legendary richness of Ben and Jerry’s chocolate ice cream from the comfort of your own kitchen with this incredible homemade version. This recipe captures the signature creamy texture and intense chocolate flavor that has made Ben and Jerry’s a household name worldwide. Unlike complex custard-based recipes, this straightforward approach delivers amazing results without the need for cooking or tempering, making it accessible for ice cream makers of all skill levels.
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Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
It is hard to beat Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. And, it is even harder to beat creamy and chocolatey ice cream! So, put the two together, and you’ve got something wonderful! Now you can make Ben & Jerry’s delicious chocolate ice cream at home. When you are making homemade chocolate ice cream just like Ben & Jerry’s, you know it has to be good.
Chocolate ice cream is an ice cream flavor that is difficult to beat, and this creamy sweet treat is well, honestly, amazing. And, what is also amazing is that this is a simple chocolate ice cream recipe that anyone can make.
This homemade chocolate ice cream recipe isn’t based on a custard, so it is easy to put together. You don’t need to cook the mixture before freezing, unlike some recipes where you need to cook the base then freeze it.
Chocolate ice cream is hard to beat, this creamy sweet treat is well honestly, amazing. This is a simple chocolate ice cream recipe that anyone can make.
Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Ice Cream Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need to make this delicious chocolate ice cream:
- Unsweetened chocolate – Provides the intense, pure chocolate flavor that defines this ice cream
- Milk – Creates the liquid base and helps dissolve the chocolate smoothly
- Eggs – Add richness, creaminess, and help create the perfect texture
- Sugar – Sweetens the mixture and contributes to the smooth, scoopable texture
- Heavy cream – Delivers the luxurious, rich mouthfeel that makes this ice cream special
- Vanilla – Enhances and rounds out the chocolate flavor beautifully
- Salt – Intensifies the chocolate taste and balances the overall flavor profile
If you have concerns about raw eggs, you should purchase eggs that are pasteurized as these eggs are safe to consume raw.
How to Make Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Ice Cream
- Make the base by heating chocolate and milk until smooth.
- Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Whisk sugar into the eggs.
- Add cream, vanilla, and salt to the egg mixture. Whisk to combine.
- Add chocolate to the egg mixture and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate the ice cream base for at least 3 hours (overnight is best.
- Transfer the ice cream base to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Serve and enjoy!
Chocolate Ice Cream Variations
Here are some great chocolate ice cream add-ins for added flavors:
- Chocolate chips to make chocolate chip ice cream.
- Mint flavoring for a minty treat.
- Chopped roasted nuts such as almonds, pecans, peanuts, or walnuts.
- Fudgy brownie pieces to make chocolate fudge brownie ice cream.
- Edible chocolate chip cookie dough pieces.
- Peanut butter chips for chocolate peanut butter ice cream.
- Chopped strawberries for strawberry chocolate ice cream.
I’m sure you can get even more creative. Check out more of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavors for inspiration.
No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream
This recipe uses an ice cream maker machine because ice cream makers whip air into the ice cream base making it lighter.
You can do this as a no-churn recipe by simply pouring the ice cream into a container and putting it into your freezer for many hours for it to freeze solid. However, you will end up with something that is much harder and heavier than if you had used an ice cream maker.
Love Ice Cream? Try these recipes!
- Ben and Jerry’s Vanilla
- Cake Flavored Ice Cream
- Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
- Coconut Milkshake
- Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
- Lucky Charms Milkshake
- No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
- Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Root Beer Freeze
Tasty Ice Cream Toppings
Be sure to check out more ice cream recipes and copycat dessert recipes.
Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Place the chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- As the chocolate melts, gradually add the milk, whisking constantly, until smooth.
- Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the sugar into the eggs, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more.
- Add the cream, vanilla and salt to the egg mixture and whisk to blend.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream mixture and blend.
- Cover and refrigerate until cold, from 1 to 3 hours, depending on your refrigerator.
- Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Notes
- Chocolate Almond –Â chopped and roasted whole almonds (salted or unsalted)
- Chocolate Chip – mini chocolate chips work great.
- Edible Cookie Dough Pieces
- Chocolate Brownie Pieces
- Peanut Butter Chips
Turned out a bit grainy, next time I will use different chocolate. I used unsweetened Bakers chocolate and it became grainy as it set up in the fridge prior to the ice cream maker.
Chocolatey and delicious. I did find it to be a slight bit grainy but not too much. I did end up using 2% milk instead of whole milk. It still came out very good.
Can you make this and store it in the refrigerator for a day before putting it into the ice cream maker?
I would not do this, I don’t know what will happen to the egg mix during the resting time.
It was perfect, gave it a quick mix just to make sure it was all blended. Came out PERFECT. The grandkids are coming over for an ice cream social.
How fun! My grandparents used to have ice cream socials during the summer. I just loved them. Stay safe and healthy!
My son loves chocolate ice cream with fudge and Reese’s pieces. If I want to add fudge (to create swirls of fudge) and Reese’s pieces chunks to the ice cream what stage of the process would I do this? What temperature should the fudge be? Also hot fudge? Cold fudge? Room temperature fudge? I saw the variation above for the almonds but wasn’t sure what you meant about after it stiffens ( does that mean before it’s frozen but stiff)? Thanks!
If you want to add hot fudge, add room temperature to ice cream that has already stiffened. If you add it when the ice cream is soft, it will mix in.
Raw eggs? Seems risky…. Or, are you thinking the heated milk will cook the eggs enough to kill Salmonella?
You can purchase eggs that have been pasteurized.
For those that don’t have an ice cream maker try freezing it first – probably overnight. When you are ready to eat it set it out for a few minutes to soften a bit. Much like you do to dip it easily. Then beat it with your mixer until smooth and creamy. This is how my mother-in-law did it 60-70 years ago. Much better than just straight out of freezer!
this is awesome I added some homemade brownies pieces to this and it was even better than the real Ben and Jerry’s chocolate fudge brownie ice cream you buy in the store
Thank you so much for sharing this chocolate ice cream.
Best chocolate recipe!!! This will be my 3rd mixture. It’s easy to double recipe to make 4 quarts. Yummy!!
I assume the first line should be something about melting the chocolate.
I have updated the instructions. They were vague.
“Instructions: Gradually whisk in the milk and heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool.”…..I think something is missing before this. What do I do with the chocolate?
I have updated the instructions. They were vague.
What do we do for the Chocolate Mixture? It didnt have ANY steps:P
‘Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker”? I thought it already was ice cream at this point, why couldn’t you just put it in a bowl or whatever and freeze it?
Buying an ice cream maker makes this not very interesting.
To get the ice cream to set up, you need to put it into an ice cream maker, you need to whip air into it. If you don’t I guess you could freeze the sweetened milk mixture but you will end up something that is hard as a rock.
Herbfell. That is the most stupid Response ever. You thought this was ice cream at this point without an ice cream maker. Seriously? LOL ???? .
It looks delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂