Old-Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

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June 20, 2023March 3, 2023 by Mel Lockcuff

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Learn how to make the best old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream (no eggs) recipe. This is an easy, machine churned recipe filled with delicious chocolaty flavor, just like the chocolate ice cream you remember as a kid, only better.

While I love a good chocolate custard with eggs (like the kind Culver's makes), since going on A2 dairy, I've learned how to make a ton of different ice cream flavors, raw milk chocolate ice cream being one of them, along with butterfinger ice cream, raw milk ice cream, Fruity Pebbles ice cream, and mint Oreo ice cream.

this recipe

Chocolate ice cream no eggs is easy to make, and it takes me back to that good, old-fashioned chocolate flavor chocolate ice cream used to have. It's so, so good!

Why You're Going to Love It Too

Like I said, it's really easy to make with only 7 ingredients needed, most of which you likely have in your pantry.
You can eat it soft serve or firm enough to put in a cone.
It's got that good, old-fashioned chocolate flavor, thanks to good cocoa powder.
It's a quick dessert recipe you can make in 30 minutes or less.
There will beleftovers. Unless you're feeding a crowd, you'll have plenty left over. I have a family of 5, and I actually make one batch of this to last a few days. Sometimes during the hotter months it goes a lot quicker; but we always have leftovers to store in the freezer and enjoy through the week.
You don't just have to make it into ice cream. If you have a popsicle mold, you can pour the churned, soft serve ice cream into that mold and make homemade fudge bars.

Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:

What's in this homemade chocolate ice cream no eggs version? Actually, the ingredients are really quite simple…

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I like to use Hershey's cocoa powder, mainly because I like the flavor and because it's labeled gluten-free. You can also use a Dutch process cocoa powder, or even dark cocoa powder to make dark chocolate ice cream.
Cane Sugar–You can also use granulated sugar.
Light Brown Sugar – This just adds to that good, old-fashioned chocolate flavor.
Whole Milk –While I like to use raw milk, you can use store bought milk too. You can use whole milk, 2% milk, or 1% milk. I do, however, recommend sticking with whole milk, because it will make your ice cream more creamy.
Heavy Cream –Again, while I use cream I skim off our milk, you can buy heavy whipping cream at the store and substitute that if needed. You could probably also use half-and-half, but just keep in mind, your ice cream won't be as creamy as it will with heavy cream.
Vanilla Extract –My favorite vanilla isthis Mexican vanilla. It has superior flavor and makes everything I use it in absolutely delicious.
Sea Salt –While you can use regular table salt, I love the flavor and the “real” ofRedmond Sea Salt.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

Before you start to mix this up, be sure to pre-freeze the ice cream canister that goes with yourice cream maker; if you don't, your ice cream won't freeze.

I usually just wash mine after using, then store it, covered with wrap, in the freezer. That way it's always frozen and ready to go. (Oh, how I wish Cuisinart would make a lid for our ice cream canisters, don't you? It's my one wish for this ice cream maker.)

How to Mix It and Freeze It

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, and salt.
Whisk in the whole milk, mixing 'til the sugars and cocoa powder dissolve, about 1-2 minutes. (This step is important; I usually recommend extra whisking, just to make sure your ice cream isn't grainy. You want all of the sugars and cocoa powder to dissolve in the milk.)
Whisk in the cream and vanilla extract.
Turn on the ice cream freezer, and pour the mixture into the freezer bowl with the churn paddle in place.
Then place the cover on top, and let it mix 'til it thickens, about 20-25 minutes.
When the ice cream has a soft, creamy texture, it's ready. Turn off the machine, and scoop the soft-serve chocolate ice cream into bowls for serving; or if desired, scoop it into an airtight container, and place it in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm up more. Then serve when ready.

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How to Serve Chocolate Ice Cream

You can serve eggless chocolate ice cream in a bowl or on a cone. If serving on a cone, I definitely recommend putting it in the freezer to firm up more, so then you can get actual scoops to put on the ice cream cone.

Here are a few more ideas…

Serve it with toppings, likebutterscotch syrup, caramel syrup, strawberry syrup, etc.
Crumble crushed cookies or candies on top.
Put a scoop of chocolate ice cream on a warm chocolate chip cookie.
Make gluten-free ice cream sandwiches with a chocolate ice cream filling instead of vanilla.
Top scoops of ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles, or marshmallow fluff and sprinkles.

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Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ's

My expert tips would be to, again, make sure you freeze the ice cream canister beforehand.

Why is my homemade chocolate ice cream grainy?

This is where whisking those ingredients together comes in and why it's so important. When you're mixing up the ice cream, I recommend extra whisking, just to make sure all the cocoa powder and sugars dissolve in the milk. If not dissolved, this will make your ice cream grainy.

Should homemade ice cream be so soft?

When it first comes out of the churn, yes, it will be soft. However, if you put it in the freezer, it will firm up, so much so, you'll be able to scoop the ice cream into a bowl or cone.

How should I store leftover ice cream?

Of course, you'll need to store it in the freezer. But as far as containers, I found thesesuper cool ice cream containersonline, and I have 2 of them, so I can always have 1-2 containers of ice cream in the freezer for the kids. They work great, and they're easy to wash too. You can find more options in myguide filled with ice cream accessories and tools.

How long will homemade ice cream last in the freezer?

I've found that it'll generally last about 3-4 weeks, as long as it's stored in an airtight container where it won't get freezer burn.

Do I need an ice cream maker to make this recipe?

Yes, you really do. I recommend the one I have, which isthis ice cream maker. It's easy to use, and it makes 2 quarts (1/2 gallon) of ice cream at a time.

Variations and Mix-Ins to Try with This Recipe

With this chocolate ice cream recipe with no eggs base, you can do a number of different things to change it up…

Add a little coffee kick with a teaspoon or so of espresso powder. My sister ran out of cocoa powder and added a bit of this to hers, and she said you couldn't even tell it had coffee in it.
Add a teaspoon of peppermint extract to make mint chocolate ice cream. You could even chop up some leftover chocolate mint candies to add to the mixture in the last 5 minutes of churning.
Make it Rocky Road instead of chocolate. In the last 5 minutes of churning, just add a handful of mini marshmallows and nuts and let it all mix together.
Swirl marshmallow cream into the mixture at the last minute to make chocolate marshmallow swirl ice cream.

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More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

If you love this homemade chocolate ice cream, you'll love these flavors too…