Dark chocolate mint ice cream is infused with fresh mint and churned with chopped dark chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Mint Ice Cream | The Little Epicurean
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Mint chocolate ice cream, also known as mint chip ice cream is the common flavor. It’s mint ice cream studded with chocolate bits.

This is the mint ice cream for those who prefer to different, unique, and sometimes a bit irrational!

Upon initial inspection, this looks like regular old chocolate ice cream. However, one taste and you’ll immediately know it’s something special!

Dark Chocolate Mint Ice Cream | The Little Epicurean

Why This Flavor Combo Works

This ice cream tastes quite similar to a Girl’s Scout Thin Mint cookie.

More than often, regular chocolate ice cream is rather flat in flavor. The mint infusion and dark chocolate chunks really helps to bring dimension and complexity to chocolate ice cream.

This recipes uses chopped chocolate instead of unsweetened cocoa powder to flavor the ice cream base. The resulting ice cream is a bit sweeter and creamier.

Ingredients

  • Milk : Use your choice of reduced fat 2% milk or whole milk. This recipe requires dairy milk.
  • Heavy Cream : Also labeled as heavy whipping cream, it’s the thick fatty part of the milk that rises to the surface. It is different from whipping cream, which has slightly less fat. For this recipe, you may use either heavy cream or whipping cream. They results between the two are hardly noticeable.
  • Mint Leaves : Use fresh leaves that are vibrant green in color. There over 30 species and 500 varieties of mint. The most commonly available for purchase at supermarkets are spearmint and peppermint.
  • Sugar : Original recipe calls for white granulated sugar. For warmer flavors, swap in brown sugar. Resulting ice cream color will be slightly darker with brown sugar.
  • Egg Yolks : Recipe uses large sized egg yolks. Six large yolks is roughly 84 grams. If you use extra-large yolks, measure out yolks by weight.
  • Chocolate : Use your choice of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate ranges from bittersweet (70% chocolate liquor, 30% sugar) to semi-sweet (60% chocolate liquor, 40% sugar). For best results, stay within the 60-70% chocolate range.
Dark Chocolate Mint Ice Cream | The Little Epicurean

I personally use this automatic compressor ice cream maker. It uses a commercial quality compressor-freezer allowing you to make ice cream quickly and efficiently.

Compressor ice cream machines are a bit more expensive. It is worth the price if you make ice cream and sorbets often.

Simply pour the liquid mixture into the machine. The compressor will automatically chill the canister. Within 30 minutes, you’ll have fresh churned ice cream ready!

For infrequent ice cream makers, I suggest this insulated freezer bowl ice cream maker. I used this version for several years before upgrading.

The only caveat with this simpler machine: you have keep the freezer bowl in the freezer for at least 24 hours before use. Other than that, it’s simple and easy to use! 

Ice Cream Storage

For best results, keep homemade ice cream covered in an airtight container stored in the coldest part of the freezer.

I recommend using this 2 quart Cambro container .It’s a durable, stackable container. It’s great for homemade ice cream and sorbet recipe since it can hold up to 2 quarts.

This reusable ice cream tub or tight fitting silicone lid freezer storage container are also great options.

Keep ice cream for up to two weeks. Overtime, it will inevitability develop freezer burn, dry out, or absorb other flavors from the freezer.

Dark Chocolate Mint Ice Cream | The Little Epicurean

More Mint Dessert Recipes

1 from 1 vote

Fresh Mint Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Dark chocolate ice cream infused with fresh mint and churned with bits of chopped dark chocolate.
Yield: about 1 quart
Servings: 8
three scoops dark chocolate mint ice cream in a bowl serving bowl.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Save This Recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get a quick newsletter from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Equipment

  • Ice Cream Maker/Machine

Ingredients

  • 2 cups 2% milk, (454 g)
  • 2 cups heavy cream, (454 g)
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped or torn
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, (200 g)
  • 6 large egg yolks, (84 g)
  • 12 oz dark chocolate, (340 g) about 2 cups, finely chopped, divided
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

  • In a medium pot, bring milk and cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add chopped mint. Cover pot and let steep for 20 minutes.
  • Strain mixture and discard mint leaves. Place pot over medium heat bring back to a boil.
  • Meanwhile, place 8 oz chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar.
  • Once milk begins to boil, lower heat. Temper hot milk into sugar yolk mixture. Slowly add hot milk into yolks about ¼ cup at a time, whisking to distribute heat. Once all the milk has been added, transfer everything back into the pot.
  • Stir over medium-low heat until mixture reaches nappe consistency, or 180°F on a kitchen thermometer. Let sit at 180° F for 3 minutes to pasteurize eggs.
  • Pour hot mixture into bowl of reserved 8 oz chopped chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 3 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and stir to combine. Continue to stir until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth and homogenous. Transfer mixture to an airtight container and let mature in the fridge overnight (or least6 hours).
  • Freeze mixture in ice cream maker according to your unit's instructions. Once the volume has increased by half and mixture has reached a soft serve consistency, add in remaining 4 oz chopped chocolate.
  • Once chopped chocolate has been distributed, transfer ice cream to an airtight container and let rest in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Ingredients:
  • Use reduced fat 2% milk or whole milk
  • Use fresh mint leaves that are vibrant green in color. Spearmint and peppermint are the most commonly available.
  • Dark chocolate ranges from bittersweet (70% chocolate liquor, 30% sugar) to semi-sweet (60% chocolate liquor, 40% sugar). For best results, stay within the 60-70% chocolate range.
Storage: keep homemade ice cream covered in an airtight container stored in the coldest part of the freezer. Keep ice cream for up to two weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 627kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 44g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 211mg, Sodium: 60mg, Potassium: 490mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 40g, Vitamin A: 1374IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 171mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

iconLike this recipe? Rate & comment below!

You May Also Like

1 from 1 vote

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

16 Comments

  1. Liz says:

    1 star
    Followed the recipe as directed. The flavor just isn’t good. The chocolate isn’t dark enough and the mint taste muddy.

  2. Robin says:

    This was just what I was looking for. Dark, rich, and with a real mint taste instead of the artificial candy-like flavor you normally find in mint chip. I love a lot of mint, and this definitely has the powerful mint taste I prefer. I wanted to give this as a gift, and it’s the exact kind of decadence you give to someone.

    It was definitely a lot more steps than I anticipated. I often avoid cooked ice cream bases since it’s such a pain to heat the milk perfectly without curdling, so having to heat three separate times really was cumbersome. Still, planning all the steps out ahead of time and being extremely cautious with the milk made the process flow pretty easily. I did manage to get egg lumps in the final step, but it tasted fine after I strained those out.

    The base turned out far thicker than I was expecting after it chilled. It went from the consistency of chocolate pudding when it was hot to being more like ganache out of the fridge. My ice cream machine actually sounded like it was struggling to churn. And this is despite using 2% milk rather than whole milk. I think if I make this again, I’ll cut a few eggs out of the mix.

    1. Sofia says:

      I’ve been looking for a recipe just like this! I was just wondering if I wanted to use peppermint extract or mint extract instead of fresh mint how much should I use? I know fresh mint is obviously preferable but if I want to make in a pinch with ingredients I already have….

    2. Maryanne Cabrera says:

      I would start with 1 teaspoon of mint extract. Taste then, adjust accordingly. Depending on which brand of extract you use, the mint flavor may be very strong.

  3. Ryan Wilson says:

    How important is it for the final mixture to mature in the fridge?

    1. Maryanne Cabrera says:

      Allowing the mixture to rest in the fridge lets the flavors meld together. It is not necessary, but highly recommended.

  4. Jade Dean says:

    So, I was reading this article, and mint chocolate ice cream was equated to mint chip, and they’re not the same. I prefer to not have hard, chunky bits in my ice cream, and Publix has a fantastic mint chocolate ice cream with the barest hint of a soft fudge ripple, and no chips. Unfortunately, due to this pandemic, all the locations near me are out, so I thought I’d try making my own. Obviously, I know that with whichever recipe I find, I can just not put in the chips, but I took extraordinary offence to the aforementioned equation. Sorry for unloading.

    Force quit/rant.exe

  5. Julie says:

    Can you make the mixture ahead of time and refrigerate for a couple of days? I wasn’t sure how long it would be good if kept refer.

    1. Maryanne Cabrera says:

      You can make the mixture up to 48 hours before spinning the ice cream. I do not suggest letting the mixture sit in the fridge for longer than 48 hours.

  6. Mino25 says:

    I’m sorry, but t’s too much hassle for this. Put on the stove, take off, put it back. It tastes great, it’s true, but you can have the same taste with a simpler recipe. By the way, what’s with the finely chopped dark chocolate? It takes two minutes for it to melt when adding hot milk even if it’s big chunks…just mix it a bit….way too cumbersome.

  7. Laura says:

    I’m assuming for step one, you bring the milk and cream to a boil, not mint and cream? This sounds amazing!! Can’t wait to try it :)

    1. Maryanne Cabrera says:

      Thanks for catching that Laura! I’ve fixed it. Yes, bring the milk and cream to a boil :)

    2. Bernadette Furey says:

      How can this he done without an icecream maker?

    3. Maryanne Cabrera says:

      This specific recipe requires an ice cream machine. If you are interested in a non-churn ice cream recipe, I recommend this espresso dulce de leche or almond mocha.

  8. dina says:

    this sounds divine. i love rich dark chocolate ice cream. and the fresh mint sounds wonderful!

    1. Maryanne Cabrera says:

      Thank you, Dina! The chocolatey the better!