How to Master a Summer Classic: Mint Chip Ice Cream

In need of cooking inspiration? Look no further! Our inventive community creates fabulous recipes. To share your favorite recipe with the Kitchen Stories community, simply upload it to our app and don't forget to snap a photo!

The least you can do in the midst of this summer heat wave is make a refreshing ice cream to cool down. Luckily, we’ve found one that’s as cooling as the breeze you’d rather be having, let’s say, on a Caribbean beach. The flavor: Mint choc-chip ice cream! Refreshed body, satisfied soul!

Needless to say, the variations of this reigning ice cream flavor are endless, but thanks to our community member Grant Pedersen, we're giving you a homemade version, with a special step that amps up the mint notes.

What is so special about this recipe?

This isn’t just mint flavoring here, this is made with the real deal. Ditch the bottle of extract and hit the farmers market or your own garden for some fresh mint leaves. It gives the ice cream a fresh, cooling flavor that no processed flavoring could replicate.

We couldn't agree more with the recipe author, Grant, who claims that it has just the right amount of minty flavor. Expect every single bite to be creamy, minty and sweet with a pop of crunchy chocolate.

Natural goes a long way with the color as well, and in our case results in a pastel green that is vibrant enough to fit the summer party mood. Convinced to put on your apron yet? Wasn't hard, right?

Why we love this recipe?

Besides the vital ingredient for a sensational scoop—fresh mint—here’s the secret to top-notch flavor.

Time and patience are key steps for the best outcomes in life, right? Well, it’s no different when it comes to homemade ice cream. The equation is fairly basic too, since ice cream = life, anyway. The secret to getting all that minty flavor is steeping freshly picked mint stalks and leaves in the milk and cream mixture for a good amount of time, as well as letting the custard set properly over night before putting it in the ice cream maker.

We know you’re in a rush to spoon it all out of that bowl but remember—the best thing is yet to come the next day. Our entire office can confirm the wait was well worth it.

A few of our tips and suggestions

Play with the amounts: Naturally, there will be variations in strength and color depending on the mint that you use. Choose the one you are familiar with and feel free to add more for added minty flavor, or of course, reduce the quantity if it’s subtlety you’re after. That’s the charm of homemade—just adjust the recipe accordingly.

Tips for a lighter version: Make it lighter, eat it more! If that’s your thing, try making it with 1.5 % fat milk. It will be a bit less creamy, but it will feel lighter on your stomach so it’s a good tip if the heat tends to makes you lose your appetite.

Think about your favorite chocolate: Feel free to improvise and fold in any kind of chocolate chips you want. Dark or milk chocolate are the safer options, but you could also go a little wild and choose some Oreos, crumbled brownies, or even find space for finely chopped choc-mint cookies. We took the safer road with a regular chocolate chip whereas the author originally used mint chocolate chip.

Experiment with the serving: Sure there’s the standard scoop in a bowl but why not go ahead and try putting it in a popsicle mold or on a waffle cone? If you’ve got enough left over, put it in a blender with extra milk and whizz up a choc-mint milkshake.

Let us know which variation you think is the winner or share you own ice cream creations in the comments!

If you’re not so fond of mint, here are more of our favorite ice cream picks: