Easy Chocolate Ice Cream (No Eggs) | Chew Out Loud

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream (No Eggs)

By Amy Dong
Updated May. 7, 2024

This 6-Ingredient chocolate ice cream is rich and creamy, without the hassle of tempering eggs. Homemade chocolate ice cream is yours, just the way you like it.

Chocolate ice cream in a clear dish — This easy, creamy chocolate ice cream needs no tempering of eggs.

Video: Watch Us Make Chocolate Ice Cream
Amy’s Notes
Why This Recipe Works So Well
Only 6 ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
Do you Need an Ice Cream Maker?
Easy Step-By-Step Instructions
Add-Ins, Mix-Ins, Toppings
Easy Chocolate Ice Cream (no eggs) Recipe
Commonly Asked Questions
More Ice Cream Recipes

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Video: Watch Us Make Chocolate Ice Cream

Amy’s Notes

The days are long, but the years are short. That’s how it feels when Littles turn into Bigs, and when much-awaited balmy summers come and go. Yet some things stay the same. In a home, tricycles eventually give way to cars, but bowls of creamy chocolate ice cream will forever cap off a perfect summer day.

This 6-ingredient homemade chocolate ice cream has been our family favorite for many years, and it still brings joy to family and friends, decades later – we think you’ll feel the same.

Why This Recipe Works So Well

No Eggs – There is no need to stand over the stove, fussing with the tempering of egg yolks.
Perfectly Creamy – Despite the fact that there are no egg yolks involved, this chocolate ice cream is deliciously creamy.
6 Ingredients – there are only a handful of simple ingredients you may already have on hand.
Rich Chocolate Flavor – No artificial ingredients are needed to produce a richly chocolate-y flavor the entire family will adore.

homemade chocolate ice cream in a pan — The best chocolate ice cream requires only 6 simple, pure ingredients.

Only 6 ingredients

The day our oldest asked for a sundae bar with chocolate fudge sauce was the day this magnificent chocolate ice cream was born. Egg-based ice creams are typically extra creamy. My favorite homemade vanilla bean ice cream uses tempered eggs. But for ease and simplicity, nothing beats this 6-ingredient chocolate ice cream, without eggs. It’s still super creamy and delightfully delicious.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Dutch process cocoa powder, unsweetened – your favorite popular brand will work fine.
Brown sugar – just be sure it’s fresh and hasn’t lost moisture from sitting in pantry too long.
White sugar – use granulated sugar, not powdered sugar.
Whole milk – use whole milk, to give you the creamiest results. Avoid skim milk or thinner milk alternatives.
Heavy cream – stick with pure heavy cream, for the best texture. We don’t recommend substituting with half & half here.
Vanilla extract – be sure to use pure vanilla extract vs. imitation vanilla flavorings.

Substitutions and Variations

Lactose Free – use lactose free whole milk instead of regular whole milk.
Light Brown or Dark Brown Sugar – both can be used interchangeably in this recipe.
Coffee Powder – try adding 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder or espresso powder into the mixture, for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Rocky Road – top ice cream with marshmallows and drizzle the finished ice cream with simple hot fudge sauce.

Do you Need an Ice Cream Maker?

If you plan on making ice cream more than a couple of times, it’s well worth having an ice cream maker like the one we’ve owned for years. It’ll easily churn out not only ice cream, but sorbet, gelato, and frozen yogurt as well. We have more than made up for the cost of our trusty ice cream maker with many delicious flavors.

Easy Step-By-Step Instructions

Chocolate Ice Cream Mixture ingredients in a in Bowl.

In a chilled bowl, combine cocoa and both sugars, whisking. Add very cold milk and whisk until sugars are dissolved. Stir in very cold heavy cream and vanilla.
Pour mixture into the freezer bowl of ice cream maker. Let run for 25-30 minutes, or until mixture is thick, soft, and creamy.

Chocolate ice cream being scooped out from ice cream maker.

Homemade Chocolate ice cream being scooped out from container.

Transfer to airtight container and freeze at least 2 hours or until ice cream is desired consistency.
Prior to serving, let ice cream sit at room temp for a few minutes just to soften enough for easy scooping.

Add-Ins, Mix-Ins, Toppings

This chocolate ice cream is delectable straight from the container, but here are some fun ideas for add-ins and toppings:

Add-Ins: Try gently mixing in chocolate chips, roasted chopped nuts, toasted coconut, or M&M’s after churning is done.
Toppings: Top ice cream with sprinkles, roasted chopped almonds, crushed Oreos, or your favorite type of crushed chocolate candy bars.
Stabilized Whipped Cream: Top your ice cream with our favorite whipped cream – Stabilized Whipped Cream!
Sauces: Top ice cream with 4-Ingredient Salted Caramel Sauce or Hot Fudge Sauce for the ultimate sundae treat! You can also top with a simple strawberry sauce, such as the one we use for our strawberry cheesecake.

Chocolate ice cream in a dish — This chocolate ice cream will quickly become your family’s favorite.

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream (no eggs)

4.87 from 307 ratings

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This simple and easy chocolate ice cream is rich, full of chocolate flavor, and completely egg-free. Only 6 ingredients.

Prep Time: 5

Servings:

Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients

¾ cup cocoa powder, good quality, unsweetened
⅓ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups whole milk, very cold
2 cups heavy cream, very cold
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, pure

Instructions

In a chilled bowl, combine cocoa and both sugars, whisking to combine well. Add cold milk and whisk until sugars are dissolved. Stir in cold heavy cream and vanilla. The colder everything is, the better.
Pour mixture into the freezer bowl of ice cream maker. Let run for 20-30 minutes, or until mixture is thick, soft, and creamy. Churned ice cream should increase in volume, reaching the top of the machine's freezer bowl – if it starts to overflow, turn machine off.
Transfer to airtight container and freeze at least 2 hours or until ice cream is desired consistency.
Prior to serving, let ice cream sit at room temp for a few minutes just to soften enough for easy scooping.

Equipment

Ice Cream Maker, at least 1.5 Quart
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Notes

To chill your mixing bowl, place in freezer for a few minutes. You’ll want everything super cold so it churns successfully.
Keep ice cream maker’s freezer bowl in the freezer until ready to pour ingredients in. Follow your machine’s manufacturer instructions. We use this simple Cuisinart machine from which this recipe was adapted.
Have a container and rubber spatulas ready to transfer churned ice cream as soon as it’s done. You should have about 1.5 quarts, roughly the same amount as store-bought tubs. (Some machines make up to 2 quarts at a time.)
Each serving is approximately 3/4 cups.
Each ice cream maker is a bit different; around the 15-20 minute mark, start watching your ice cream so that it does not overflow. If ice cream has reached the top, turn machine off.
This recipe is part of our delicious ice cream collection.
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Nutrition (per serving)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Method: Freezer

Commonly Asked Questions

How is this ice cream so creamy without eggs?

Egg yolks are what typically provides the fat required for a dense and creamy texture. However, tempering eggs on stovetop is somewhat tricky. This chocolate ice cream allows you to achieve a rich and creamy texture with whole milk and heavy cream.

Can I use low-fat or skim milk?

For the creamiest and most flavorful results, we recommend sticking with whole milk for your homemade ice cream.

What chocolate is best for ice cream?

We recommend using unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder; your favorite popular brand will work fine.

How do you avoid making ice cream that turns out too “firm”?

Be sure to churn the ice cream long enough, so adequate air gets churned in to the mixture, providing a softer texture. A good ice cream maker will do the trick.

What if my ice cream mixture isn’t firming up in the ice cream maker?

Always start with super cold ingredients and be sure the bowl is 100% frozen prior to use. The colder everything is, the better your ice cream will churn.

How long do you churn ice cream for?

About 20-30 minutes is sufficient for many home ice cream makers. It’s important to follow your machine’s manufacturer directions for churning. Every ice cream maker is a little different, so we recommend to start watching at the 15-minute mark.

Do you have to freeze the ice cream after churning for it to firm up?

Most ice cream makers have manufacturer instructions that recommend putting freshly churned ice cream in the freezer for at least 1-2 hours to further set.

Why is homemade ice cream not as thick and soft as store-bought?

Store-bought ice cream often contains thickeners such as guar gum or xanthan gum. We don’t use those additives in our homemade ice cream. Once your homemade ice cream is thoroughly frozen, you can let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes if needed, and it will be wonderfully scoop-able.

More Ice Cream Recipes

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream – this one is so much better than store bought versions, and super fun to make and share!
Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream – if you’ve got a mint chip/peppermint lover, make their day with this recipe.
Snickerdoodle Ice Cream – it doesn’t have to be December to enjoy your favorite snickerdoodle flavors – this ice cream is amazing all year round.
Ice Cream Cake w/ Fudgy Crunchies (DQ Cake) – this ice cream cake is birthday-ready; use your favorite flavor combination.
Easy Vanilla Ice Cream (No Eggs) – for all the vanilla lovers out there.
Fudge Popsicles – an easy way to enjoy chocolate ice cream on a stick.