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Sweet and creamy No Churn Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is a quick, easy way to get your ice cream fix! Sumptuous vanilla ice cream is flecked with dark chocolate for a real treat, with no ice cream maker required.
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Easy Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe
The only thing better than ice cream is no churn ice cream. Yes, it is absolutely possible to make fresh, homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker! I’m a big fan of no churn ice creams, as shown by my many recipes on this site including my No-Churn Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, Mint Chocolate Ice Cream, and more. No churn ice creams are beyond easy to make and taste as good as, if not better, than store-bought ice cream.
I’m thrilled to add this no churn chocolate chip ice cream to my recipe arsenal. There’s something truly special about the simple combination of creamy vanilla ice cream packed with crunchy dark chocolate chips. It’s simple, but there is beauty in the simplicity. Using pure vanilla extract in the ice cream base will infuse it with flavor, and if you buy good-quality dark chocolate for the chips your ice cream will taste that much better, too.
My method has you whip heavy cream into soft peaks. Then you’ll fold in sweetened condensed milk to give it structure and sweetness, and chocolate chips and vanilla for classic flavor. After that, you let it set in the freezer for a few hours and there you go! Perfect, no churn ice cream that takes minimal effort to prepare and tastes so fresh and decadent.
Why You’ll Love This No Churn Ice Cream
What’s not to love about ice cream? This is an easy, reliable recipe you can make quickly. Here’s why I love to make this no churn chocolate chip ice cream:
- So easy. No ice cream maker needed to make this homemade no churn ice cream, meaning you can have ice cream ready later today rather than have to pre-plan. Plus, there’s no custard base (and you don’t have to fuss with cooking egg yolks) so this is a good recipe to adapt to being vegan if you wish. See my suggestions for making this chocolate chip ice cream dairy-free below.
- Naturally gluten-free. I love a recipe that’s already naturally gluten-free by virtue of its ingredients. This ice cream needs just 4, and none of them contain gluten. So you won’t have to worry about adapting this recipe to be gluten-free – it already is!
- Easily adaptable. The base for this no churn ice cream is a solid one, and you can definitely think beyond dark chocolate as to add-ins. You could drop in bits of homemade candy, for example, or lemon zest and sugar, or anything else you can think up.
What You’ll Need
Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to make this ice cream. Make sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream brings intense richness to this ice cream. If you like, you could substitute half-and-half with similar results.
- Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla ice cream to give this ice cream the best flavor.
- Condensed Milk: You can use regular or fat-free condensed milk.
- Dark Chocolate: You can chop your own chocolate or use chips or mini chips. I like to use a combination for lots of dfferent textures!
How to Make No Churn Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
It’s so easy to make this ice cream! Don’t forget to leave plenty of time for the ice cream to firm in the freezer before you serve it.
- Place the bowl for the cream in the freezer to chill. Place a large glass or metal bowl in the refrigerator or freezer for whipping the cream.
- Then, whip the heavy cream an vanilla in the cold bowl. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract to the chilled bowl. Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat the heavy cream to soft peaks.
- Fold the condensed milk into the whipped cream. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and gently fold until you no longer see ribbons of the sweetened condensed milk and it is evenly distributed.
- Fold in the chocolate, reserving a bit for topping if you wish. If you want to decorate the top of the ice cream, set aside about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate. Add the remaining chocolate to the ice cream mixture and gently fold in. Transfer to a container that you can freeze, such as a 9-inch loaf pan.
- Pour the mix into a container and top with any reserved chocolate. Top the ice cream mixture with the reserved chocolate, if desired.
- Chill the ice cream in the freezer for at least 4-6 hours. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 4-6 hours or until frozen completely.
Tips for Making No Churn Ice Cream
Here are a few tips to help you make this no churn ice cream turn out great every time:
- Don’t store the ice cream too long. The longer ice cream sits in the freezer, the more potential it has to turn icy. Store-bought ice cream lasts longer, about 2 months, while homemade ice cream cream should be eaten up more quickly. Try to consume your no churn ice cream within about 2 weeks.
- Make it dairy-free. If you’d like to make this ice cream dairy-free, you can substitute coconut cream for the heavy cream and a non-dairy condensed milk for the condensed milk. Alternatively, you can substitute coconut milk for the condensed milk, although it will not be as dense. You may also want to add some sugar to taste if it’s not sweet enough.
- Swap in fruit or other ingredients. This is a great ice cream base that’s virtually endlessly adaptable. You could add fresh, chopped cherries, blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries to make a fruit ice cream. Or drizzle in chocolate sauce or caramel sauce. You could also throw in mini M&Ms or other chopped candies or nuts of your choice.
Serving Suggestions
When you want to keep things simple, just serve pretty bowls of chocolate chip ice cream! If you want some other suggestions for serving this no churn ice cream, read on:
- With chocolate sauce. My Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce would be amazing drizzled over scoops of chocolate chip ice cream. Or you could swirl the sauce into the ice cream base before you freeze it.
- Top with caramel sauce. Caramel sauce is so rich and decadent, and it would taste wonderful spooned on top of fresh chocolate chip ice cream.
- Make a sundae. A sundae is always makes for such a nice presentation. Top scoops of chocolate chip ice cream with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or both, lots of whipped cream, and some toasted nuts.
- Build a brownie sundae. Let’s take the sundae idea one step farther and make a brownie sundae with gluten-free brownies. Yes, please! Try my Easy Gluten-Free Brownies or Gluten-Free Mug Brownies as a great base for no churn ice cream. Make sure the brownies are warm!
- Pile with whipped cream. Keep it simple and add more whipped cream to the ice cream when serving.
- Serve in ice cream cones. Pick up a package of gluten-free ice cream cones and make your kids happy with a hand-held dessert.
How Long Does Homemade Ice Cream Last?
Store no churn chocolate chip ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 weeks, preferably less. As noted, homemade ice cream doesn’t last quite as long as commercially-made ice cream. This is because it doesn’t contain any preservatives. Store your homemade no churn ice cream in the back of the freezer, where it is the coldest, to preserve its freshness.
No-Churn Ice Cream Essentials
I have a few things in my kitchen that make it super easy to make any no-churn ice cream recipe.
- METAL BOWLS: Popping a metal bowl in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes helps the cream to whip up faster and avoid overbeating it.
- HAND MIXER: One with a whisk attachment also saves the effort of using a whisk and is much easier to handle than pulling out the big stand mixer.
- SPATULAS: A silicone spatula is the best tool to gently fold the ice crema together.
- LOAF PANS: Yes, you can buy a special ice cream container, but a basic 9-inch loaf pan is the perfect size to fit a standard batch of no-churn ice cream.
No Churn Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 pint heavy cream, well chilled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 14.5-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, regular or fat-free
- 1 cup/about 5-5 ½ ounces chopped dark chocolate, chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, mini chocolate chips, or a combination
Instructions
- Place a large glass or metal bowl in the refrigerator or freezer for whipping the cream.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract to the chilled bowl. Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat the heavy cream to soft peaks.
- Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and gently fold until you no longer see ribbons of the sweetened condensed milk and it is evenly distributed.
- If you want to decorate the top of the ice cream, set aside about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate. Add the remaining chocolate to the ice cream mixture and gently fold in. Transfer to a container that you can freeze, such as a 9-inch loaf pan.
- Top the ice cream mixture with the reserved chocolate, if desired.
- Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 4-6 hours or until frozen completely.
Did you make this?
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