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Chocolate Ice Cream made the no churn way is rich, scoopable, and unbelievably creamy, with no ice cream maker required. I whip up a batch on hot summer afternoons, and the kids beg to lick the spatula every single time. It is just as easy as our no churn mint chocolate chip ice cream, with double the chocolate.
Whisk melted chocolate and cocoa into sweetened condensed milk, fold in fluffy whipped cream, and freeze for the creamiest homemade chocolate ice cream.
Chocolate Ice Cream Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 441kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Deep, rich, double chocolate
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, no ice cream maker needed, like our coconut ice cream
Quick Answer
Melt chopped chocolate and whisk it with cocoa powder, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until smooth and glossy. In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream to stiff peaks, then gently fold it into the chocolate base until no streaks remain. Pour into a loaf pan, cover, and freeze at least 6 hours for rich, scoopable no churn chocolate ice cream.
Jump to:
- Chocolate Ice Cream Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Chocolate Ice Cream
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Chocolate Ice Cream FAQs
- Other Recommended No Churn Ice Cream Recipes
- No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- No ice cream maker needed. Whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk do all the work for a soft, scoopable texture.
- It is deeply chocolatey. Real melted chocolate plus cocoa powder gives it a rich, double-chocolate flavor.
- It stays creamy, not icy. The sweetened condensed milk keeps ice crystals from forming, so every scoop is smooth.
- Only five ingredients. A short, simple ingredient list means you can make it any time a craving hits.
- It is fun to customize. Stir in chocolate chunks, swirls, or candy before freezing to make it your own.
- It is a make-ahead treat. It keeps in the freezer for weeks, ready to scoop whenever you want a sweet bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is rich, creamy, and packed with deep chocolate flavor, all without an ice cream maker.
- Just five simple ingredients and about ten minutes of hands-on time before it goes in the freezer.
- It is a no churn treat like our cookie dough ice cream, but extra chocolatey.
Key Ingredients
Here is everything you need for rich, creamy no churn chocolate ice cream.
- Heavy Cream: whipped to stiff peaks, it gives the ice cream its light, scoopable body. Use it very cold.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: the secret to no churn ice cream. It sweetens the base and keeps it creamy, never icy.
- Chopped Chocolate: melted into the base for real, rich chocolate flavor. Use a good-quality semisweet or dark.
- Cocoa Powder: deepens the chocolate flavor and color for a true double-chocolate scoop.
- Vanilla: a splash rounds out the chocolate and adds warmth to the base.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This chocolate ice cream is easy to make your own.
- Add mix-ins: fold in chocolate chunks, chips, or chopped cookies before freezing.
- Make it mocha: stir a teaspoon of espresso powder into the base for a coffee-chocolate twist.
- Swirl it: ripple in caramel, fudge, or peanut butter as you transfer it to the pan.
- Go mint: add a little peppermint extract, like our mint chocolate chip ice cream.
- Top it off: serve with hot fudge, sprinkles, or a handful of chopped nuts.
How to Make Chocolate Ice Cream
- Melt the chopped chocolate, then whisk in the cocoa powder, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until the base is smooth and glossy.
- In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream until it holds stiff peaks.
- Gently fold about a third of the whipped cream into the chocolate base to lighten it.
- Fold in the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain, transfer to a loaf pan, cover, and freeze at least 6 hours before scooping.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use very cold heavy cream so it whips up fast and holds stiff peaks.
- Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before whisking it in, so it does not deflate the cream.
- Fold gently to keep all that air in the whipped cream for a light, scoopable texture.
- Press plastic wrap onto the surface before the lid to prevent freezer ice and crystals.
- Freeze at least 6 hours, or overnight, for the best firm, scoopable consistency.
- Let it sit a few minutes at room temperature before scooping for the creamiest serve.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
No churn chocolate ice cream is perfect in a bowl or a cone, topped with hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry. It is the ultimate easy summer treat.
Build a sundae bar with sprinkles, chopped chocolate covered pretzels, and a drizzle of caramel. It is also delicious sandwiched between two cookies.
Serve it alongside other frozen favorites like our ice cream bars and coconut ice cream for a cool dessert spread the whole family will love.
Chocolate Ice Cream FAQs
No, this is a no churn recipe, so no machine is needed. Whipped heavy cream folded into a sweetened condensed milk base gives you the same soft, scoopable texture as churned ice cream, with just a bowl and a hand mixer.
Icy ice cream usually means the cream was not whipped to stiff peaks, or air was lost while folding. Whip the cream until firm, fold gently, and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface before freezing to keep it smooth and creamy.
Stored in an airtight container in the freezer, it keeps well for up to two to three weeks. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface and seal with a lid to protect it from freezer burn and ice crystals.
A good-quality semisweet or dark chocolate gives the richest flavor. Chop a bar so it melts smoothly into the base. The added cocoa powder boosts the color and deepens that true double-chocolate taste.
Absolutely. Fold in chocolate chunks, chips, chopped cookies, brownie bits, or a swirl of caramel or peanut butter just before transferring it to the pan. Add them last so they stay evenly distributed through the ice cream.
Sweetened condensed milk is the key to no churn ice cream. It sweetens the base and its thick, sugary texture prevents large ice crystals from forming, which keeps the ice cream soft, creamy, and easy to scoop straight from the freezer.
Craving more frozen treats? Scoop up our no churn cookie dough ice cream next.
For a cookie-packed no churn scoop, make our Cookies and Cream Ice Cream with crunchy chocolate cookie chunks.
No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 4 ounces good quality chocolate chopped
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Heat the chopped chocolate in a small, microwave safe bowl until melted. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla until well combined and smooth.4 ounces good quality chocolate, 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream on medium speed until it forms stiff peaks– about 2 minutes.2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Add the chocolate mixture to the whipped cream and fold it together gently– you don’t want to deflate it!
- Once the mixture is fully combined, transfer it to a silicone ice cream tub (or a metal loaf pan, either works) and place in the freezer overnight to chill.
- Once the ice cream has hardened, enjoy with your favorite toppings!
Notes
- The higher quality of chocolate you use in this the better, we use 60% Ghirardelli Chocolate baking bar.
- You can also use high quality chocolate chips and melt those as well.
- Add in your favorite mix-ins to this, see some of my ideas above.
- This is best to freeze overnight for the best results.
- Let defrost on the countertop slightly before serving.
- This melts quickly because of the ingredients in it.
Nutrition
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