Prepare to indulge in the ultimate homemade treat: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream! This egg-free recipe uses secret ingredients to create an incredibly easy, creamy, and flavorful ice cream that truly surpasses expensive store-bought brands.
My biggest problem with cookie dough ice cream has always been the lack of actual cookie dough
I almost want it to be cookie dough with a side of ice cream! This recipe solves that, delivering huge chunks of soft, chewy cookie dough nestled in a rich, perfectly balanced ice cream base.
Inspired by gourmet ice cream shops, this recipe incorporates brown sugar and malted milk powder for a depth of flavor that goes beyond mere sweetness, all without any artificial additives. And the best part? No eggs or cooking involved in the ice cream base!
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unbeatable Flavor: Rich, creamy, and bursting with sweet butterscotch notes from brown sugar and malt powder.
- Generous Cookie Dough Chunks: Loaded with big, soft, and chewy pieces of edible cookie dough.
- Easier Than Custard: A simple, egg-free ice cream base that doesn’t require cooking.
- Superior to Store-Bought: Achieves a gourmet taste and texture that rivals premium brands.
- Customizable: Easily adjust the amount of cookie dough or add other mix-ins to your liking.
📜 A Brief History of Cookie Dough Ice Cream
The concept of cookie dough ice cream is a relatively recent, yet wildly popular, innovation. It is widely credited to Ben & Jerry’s, who, in 1984, received an anonymous suggestion on their flavor suggestion board to add raw cookie dough to their vanilla ice cream.
This seemingly simple idea revolutionized the ice cream industry, tapping into a universal love for both ice cream and the irresistible taste of raw cookie dough. Before this, eating raw cookie dough was often discouraged due to concerns about raw eggs and flour.
However, with the development of edible, egg-free cookie doughs and methods to heat-treat flour, cookie dough ice cream became a safe and beloved treat. It quickly rose to become one of the most popular ice cream flavors globally, a testament to its unique texture and comforting, nostalgic appeal.
🛠 Tools You’ll Need
- Mixing bowls (large & medium) 🥣
- Whisk & rubber spatula 🍴
- Measuring cups & spoons 📏
- Ice cream maker (recommended, but alternatives available) 🍦
- Airtight freezer-safe container 🧊
- Instant-read thermometer (for heat-treating flour) 🌡️
🥄 Key Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: For the rich, flavorful cookie dough. 🧈
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and a deep, caramel-like sweetness to both dough and ice cream. 🍯
- Heavy cream & whole milk: Essential for a rich, creamy ice cream base. 🥛
- All-purpose flour: The base for our edible cookie dough (must be heat-treated!). 🌾
- Malted milk powder (optional): Enhances the butterscotch flavor of the ice cream. 🍂
- Corn syrup (optional): Helps prevent ice cream crystallization, resulting in a smoother texture. 💧
- Vanilla extract/paste: For classic flavor in both dough and ice cream. 🍦
- Fine sea salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all flavors. 🧂
- Miniature semisweet chocolate chips: The classic cookie dough addition. 🍫
🍦 How to Make Irresistible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Heat-Treat Flour: To make the flour safe for raw consumption, spread the all-purpose flour on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes, or microwave in 30-second bursts until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Let cool completely. This step kills any potential bacteria. 🌡️🌾
Prepare Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, combine melted unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar. Stir in heavy cream, corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Add the heat-treated flour, malted milk powder (if using), and fine sea salt. Mix until just combined, then fold in the miniature semisweet chocolate chips. Pat the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze until firm (about 30 minutes). Once firm, chop into small chunks and return to the freezer until ready to use. 🍪🍫
Prepare Ice Cream Base: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cold whole milk, cold heavy cream, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, corn syrup (if using), fine sea salt, and vanilla bean paste (or extract) until the sugars are dissolved. 🥛🍯
Churn Ice Cream: Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. Ensure your ice cream maker bowl is completely frozen before churning. 🍦🌀
Combine & Freeze: Once the ice cream is churned to a soft-serve consistency, transfer it to a bowl or an airtight freezer-safe container. Fold in the chilled cookie dough chunks and any additional mini chocolate chips you desire. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least 2 hours, or until firm and ripened. 🧊✨
Serve: For perfectly scoopable ice cream, place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving to allow it to soften evenly. Enjoy!
💡 Tips for Success
- Heat-Treat Your Flour: This is a crucial step for food safety when consuming raw cookie dough. Don’t skip it!
- Keep Ingredients Cold: For the ice cream base, ensure all dairy ingredients are very cold before churning for the best creamy texture.
- Corn Syrup is Your Friend: A small amount of corn syrup helps prevent ice crystals, resulting in a smoother, softer ice cream.
- Don’t Skimp on Cookie Dough: Feel free to double the cookie dough recipe if you love extra chunks!
- Patience is Key: Allow the ice cream to ripen in the freezer for at least 2 hours for optimal flavor and texture.
🆘 Ice Cream Troubleshooting Guide
Problem: My ice cream is too hard/icy.
Likely Cause: Not enough fat, too much water, or lack of corn syrup/alcohol.
Solution: Ensure you’re using whole milk and heavy cream. Consider adding the optional corn syrup or a splash of vodka (which doesn’t freeze) to the base to improve texture. Make sure your freezer bowl is completely frozen before churning.
Problem: My cookie dough chunks are too hard.
Likely Cause: Dough was frozen too solid, or not enough fat in the dough.
Solution: Ensure the cookie dough is soft and pliable before freezing. You can also make the chunks smaller. The dough in this recipe is designed to stay soft in the freezer.
Problem: My ice cream is not creamy.
Likely Cause: Over-churning, or not enough fat in the base.
Solution: Follow your ice cream maker’s instructions for churning time. Use full-fat dairy products for the creamiest results.
👩🍳 Pro Chef Tips
- For an even richer flavor, brown the butter for the cookie dough before melting it.
- Experiment with different chocolate chips in the cookie dough, such as dark chocolate or white chocolate.
- Add a swirl of hot fudge or caramel to the ice cream when folding in the cookie dough for an extra treat.
- Make a double batch of cookie dough and store half in the freezer for future ice cream cravings.
☕ Perfect Pairings: What to Enjoy with Your Ice Cream
This decadent ice cream is a treat on its own, but here are some ideas for an even more delightful experience:
- Classic Comfort: A warm, freshly baked brownie or a slice of chocolate cake. 🍰
- Beverage Bliss: A rich cup of coffee, a creamy milkshake, or a cold glass of milk. ☕🥛
- Fruity Freshness: A side of fresh berries or sliced bananas to cut through the richness. 🍓🍌
- Extra Indulgence: A drizzle of chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, or a dollop of whipped cream. 🍫🍦
📦 How to Store
•Freezer: Store homemade chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in a very well-sealed airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent ice crystals. It will stay fresh for up to 1 month. The flavor will deepen over time, but it may become harder.
•Serving Tip: For perfectly scoopable ice cream, transfer it to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving to allow it to soften evenly.
🍰 More Recipes You’ll Love
🍫 Mini Chocolate Lunchbox Cakes (With Cute Messages!) 🎀
🍪 The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever
Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 🍪✨
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Irresistible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream: Better Than Store-Bought! 🍦🍪
Description
This homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is a dream come true for any dessert lover. Featuring a rich, creamy, egg-free ice cream base generously studded with large, soft chunks of edible chocolate chip cookie dough, it offers a superior taste and texture experience compared to store-bought versions. The addition of malted milk powder and brown sugar elevates the flavor profile, making every spoonful a delightful indulgence.
Ingredients
For the Edible Cookie Dough:
For the Ice Cream Base:
Instructions
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1.Heat-Treat the Flour: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the all-purpose flour evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or microwave in 30-second intervals until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Let the flour cool completely before proceeding. This step is essential for food safety.
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2.Prepare the Edible Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, combine the melted unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, corn syrup, and pure vanilla extract. Add the cooled, heat-treated flour, malted milk powder (if using), and fine sea salt. Mix until just combined, then fold in the miniature semisweet chocolate chips. The dough will be thick. Pat the dough into a flat disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until firm. Once firm, chop the cookie dough into small, bite-sized chunks and return them to the freezer until ready to use.
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3.Prepare the Ice Cream Base: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cold whole milk, cold heavy cream, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, corn syrup (if using), fine sea salt, and vanilla bean paste (or extract) until all the sugars are fully dissolved. Ensure the mixture is well combined and smooth.
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4.Churn the Ice Cream: Pour the prepared ice cream base into your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This typically takes about 20-30 minutes, or until the ice cream reaches a soft-serve consistency. Make sure your ice cream maker bowl has been frozen for at least 24 hours prior to churning for optimal results.
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5.Combine and Freeze: Once the ice cream is churned, transfer it to a large bowl or an airtight freezer-safe container. Gently fold in the chilled cookie dough chunks and the additional miniature semisweet chocolate chips. Mix until the cookie dough is evenly distributed throughout the ice cream. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Cover the container with a lid.
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6.Ripen and Serve: Place the container in the freezer for at least 2 hours to allow the ice cream to firm up and ripen. For the best scoopable texture, remove the ice cream from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving. This allows it to soften evenly. Scoop and enjoy your delicious homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream!