I eat my weight in this chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream every time I make it! It has creamy homemade vanilla ice cream studded with edible cookie dough chunks. Everything gets made from scratch, and the flavor and creaminess are unmatched.
I’ll rarely pass up the chance to make something delicious from scratch. Whether that’s homemade tiramisu ice cream, strawberry cheesecake ice cream, or the best chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream!
If you’re already thinking, “Can’t I just pick up a tub of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream from the grocery store?” To that I say, fair point. However, I believe that nothing is as delicious as homemade. My Macedonian grandmother is most definitely to blame, and I thank her for it!
This cookie dough ice cream is creamier, tastier, and all-around better than store-bought, because a) it’s made with love and b) I know exactly what goes into it. Plus, it’s so easy to make in my ice cream maker, I’m already planning my next batch.
Why It’s Worth Making Cookie Dough Ice Cream From Scratch
- The creamiest texture. You’ll notice in the photos that this ice cream is maybe a little more yellow than other cookie dough ice cream recipes. That’s because I use extra egg yolks in the base, which means an ultra-rich (dare I say) luxurious texture.
- Know your ingredients. This recipe uses ingredients that you can easily pronounce, including eggs, milk, and sugar. There’s no mono-this or dextrose-that, just everyday staples.
- Ice cream, anytime. If cookie dough ice cream practically on demand isn’t a convincing enough perk, I don’t know what is.
If you don’t have one already, this is a sign to get your hands on an ice cream maker. If you’re looking for a recipe to make without an ice cream maker, though, check out my 2-ingredient blender ice cream and no-churn cottage cheese ice cream.
Gather Your Ice Cream Ingredients
Including the cookie dough, there are only 7 ingredients you need to make the best chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream at home! I’ve included notes below. Scroll to the printable recipe card after the post for the full recipe, followed by a helpful photo step-by-step.
- Whole Milk and Heavy Cream – I use a combination of the two. If you’d like, you can make this recipe with only heavy cream or a combination of heavy cream and half-and-half instead.
- Sugar – Sugar doesn’t just sweeten the ice cream, but it also helps prevent large ice crystals from forming, for a smoother, richer texture. Regular granulated sugar works perfectly here. I recommend adding a pinch of salt, too.
- Egg Yolks – Separate the yolks from the eggs (I find this is easiest to do when the eggs are at room temperature). I’ll often repurpose the leftover egg whites into egg white wraps for lunch!
- Vanilla – You can also play around with additional flavors, like adding a little espresso powder for a mocha version.
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- Butter – Bring the butter to room temperature before you start.
- Sugar – You’ll need both brown sugar and granulated sugar for the dough. You can substitute all of one type of sugar for both if needed.
- Flour – This recipe uses a variation of the dough for my mini chocolate chip cookies, with the option to heat-treat the raw all-purpose flour (see below).
- Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet mini chocolate chips for more chocolate in every bite! But anything goes, you can opt for regular-sized chips, dark chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks.
- Vanilla and Salt – For flavor.
Should I Heat-Treat the Flour in the Cookie Dough?
If you’re concerned about consuming raw flour, I would recommend heat-treating it. Heating the flour in the microwave or oven beforehand kills any bacteria, making it safe to eat in no-bake recipes, like ice cream. Here’s how to heat treat flour for the edible cookie dough, two ways:
- Oven. Spread the flour out on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350ºF oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Microwave. Quick and easy! Add the flour to a microwave-safe bowl. Then, heat in 20-30 second bursts. This usually only takes a minute or so.
In both cases, make sure the internal temperature of the flour hits 165ºF. Afterward, let the flour cool before you add it to the cookie dough.
3 Secrets to the Best Homemade Ice Cream
My ice cream-making method involves three key steps that I find make a big difference in the overall texture of this homemade cookie dough ice cream. You’ll find the step-by-step with photos below the post, but for now, here’s a quick look at what makes this ice cream ultra-smooth:
- Temper the egg yolks. This is a pretty common step in ice cream recipes, but it’s an important one! Pouring the cooked milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking keeps the eggs from curdling in the heat.
- Strain the custard before freezing. As an extra precaution, I like to strain the thickened vanilla custard. It ensures that no little bits of accidentally-cooked egg yolk make their way into the finished ice cream.
- Strain into the second half of the cream. I keep one half of the cream aside, and fold the strained custard into it right at the end. It helps cool down the custard and further prevents the custard from curdling. Afterward, I set the ice cream base over an ice bath so it can cool gradually before it goes into the ice cream maker.
More Tips for Success
- Pre-freeze your ice cream maker. Some models require pre-freezing up to 15 hours ahead! If you’re new to using one, read through the instruction manual for your particular ice cream maker so you know what to expect.
- Make sure the sugar fully dissolves. When you heat the cream and sugar for the base, make sure the sugar has completely dissolved before you combine the mixture with the other ingredients. This ensures that you end up with a smooth, silky ice cream.
- Freeze the ice cream for at least 4 hours. Even better, leave your freshly churned cookie dough ice cream in the freezer overnight.
- Take it out ahead of serving. Homemade ice cream is always a little icier than store-bought. It’s a good idea to take it out of the freezer 5 minutes ahead of serving, so it softens a little.
- Helpful tools. You’ll need your ice cream maker as well as a storage container to store the ice cream in after churning, like a glass container, a loaf pan, or a plastic tub with a lid. Another handy tool is an ice cream scoop for serving.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to enjoy this chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream is how I imagine Ben & Jerry’s intended: straight from the tub with a spoon, comfort-watching The Housewives. It’s delicious as-is or drizzled with hot fudge sauce.
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For the Ice Cream Base
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Heat the ice cream base. In a saucepan, combine milk, sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
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Ready the other ingredients. Pour the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream into a large bowl and place a fine-mesh sieve on top. Set aside. Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk just until combined.
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Temper the eggs. When the milk mixture begins to simmer around the edges, remove it from the heat and slowly pour it into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Then, pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan.
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Cook the custard. Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, coating the back of the spoon. If the mixture is runny, it’s not done.
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Make an ice bath. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice cubes.
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Strain the custard. Pour the prepared custard through the fine-mesh sieve and then stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla.
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Cool it down. Place the bowl over the ice bath, stirring occasionally until the mixture is cool. Cover and place in refrigerator until completely chilled; about 3 to 4 hours.
For the Cookie Dough
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Heat treat the flour (optional). Spread the flour out on a baking sheet in a thin layer. Bake it in a 350ºF preheated oven for 5-10 minutes, or until it reaches a temperature of 160°F.
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Make the cookie dough. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugars; beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and salt, and mix until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour, mixing until completely incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
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Chill the dough. Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough for 20 minutes.
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Shape the dough. When ready to make the ice cream, divide and shape the cookie dough into 1/2-inch balls. Transfer the balls to a plate and then place them into the freezer.
Assemble
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Churn the ice cream base. Remove the prepared custard from the fridge and pour the mixture into your ice cream maker. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Add cookie dough. In the last 3 minutes of freezing, and while the ice cream is churning, drop the cookie dough balls into the ice cream machine, a few pieces at a time.
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Freeze. When finished, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container. Freeze for 4 hours, or until firm.
- Vanilla ice cream recipe loosely adapted from David Lebovitz.
Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 984IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Straining the custard is an extra step in this recipe (see earlier), but it really does produce the silkiest homemade ice cream! Give it a try, you’ll see. Let’s get started.
First, Prepare the Ice Cream
- Prepare the ice cream base. To start, combine milk, sugar, and 1 cup of heavy cream in a saucepan with a pinch of salt. Gently cook and stir the mixture over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Prep your other ingredients. Meanwhile, pour the remaining cup of heavy cream into a large bowl, and set a fine-mesh sieve over the top. You’ll only need this later, when we strain the cooked custard into the cream.
- Temper the eggs. Next, lightly whisk the yolks in a separate bowl. Then, when the milk mixture starts to simmer at the edges of the pan, take it off the heat. Slowly stream the hot milk into the egg yolks. Keep whisking! Once that’s incorporated, return the tempered mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook the custard. Cook the mixture over medium heat and keep stirring while it thickens. You want it to coat the back of a spoon without running off.
- Strain the custard. Finally, take the custard off the stove and pass it through your prepared sieve, straining it into the bowl of cream. Give that a stir while mixing in the vanilla.
- Cool. Place the bowl with the custard over a second larger bowl with an ice bath. Stir every so often as the mixture cools off. Afterward, cover the ice cream base and chill it in the fridge for 3-4 hours. In the meantime, you’ll have plenty of time to prepare the cookie dough.
Make the Cookie Dough
- Prepare the dough. First, cream the butter with both sugars, then add the vanilla and salt. Slowly add the flour, and lastly, fold in the chocolate chips. It’s OK if the cookie dough is on the softer side, as it’ll be easier to eat once it’s frozen.
- Chill and shape the dough. Place your cookie dough in the fridge for 20 minutes. Then, when you’re ready, divide the dough into small, ½-inch balls. Place these on a plate or sheet pan, and transfer them to the freezer until it’s time to make the ice cream.
Put It All Together
- Churn. When you’re ready to make your cookie dough ice cream, take your custard out of the fridge and pour it into the ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Add the cookie dough. In the last 3 minutes of churning, leave the machine running, and drop the balls of cookie dough into the ice cream, a few at a time.
- Freeze. Finally, transfer the ice cream to a container, then cover and place it into the freezer until it’s firm (mine usually takes about 4 hours). Enjoy!
How to Store
The best way to store this chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream is in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Otherwise, wrap it tightly. You don’t need a specialty ice cream storage container, but if you have one, use it! Properly stored, homemade ice cream lasts about 1 month in the freezer.
A handy trick to keep the ice cream from icing over is to press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the ice cream before closing the lid.
