Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Recipe
Posted May 07, 2021, Updated May 27, 2024
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The best chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream recipe! A creamy homemade vanilla ice cream is loaded with cookie dough chunks so there’s a piece in every bite.
I adore ice cream, and in my opinion no ice cream shop or store-bought option even comes close to being as delicious as homemade.
When you make your own, like this chocolate ice cream or chocolate peanut butter ice cream, you control the quality of ingredients, amount of add ins, etc. Which is why I created this recipe for the best cookie dough ice cream ever.
In this homemade cookie dough ice cream the vanilla ice cream base is absolutely loaded with cookie dough so there is a piece in every bite. No searching through a sea of plain vanilla ice cream to find the few chunks of dough in there as you do in store-bought varieties.
The vanilla base is creamy and tastes like cookie dough itself, which makes this cookie dough ice cream recipe the whole package.
Cookie Dough Ice Cream Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
As always, I recommend making this recipe exactly as written for the best results, but here are some notes on the ingredients & substitutions.
Ice Cream Ingredients
- Half and half/heavy cream. This recipe calls for 3 cups of liquid dairy. You can change the ratios of half and half : cream if desired, as long as the total amount equals 3 cups. You could also substitute some of the liquid with whole milk.
- Light brown sugar. The brown sugar gives the ice cream base a cookie dough flavor (different than my regular vanilla bean ice cream). I don’t recommend making substitutions.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar works well in place of white granulated sugar.
- Egg Yolks. There is no substitution for egg yolks in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract. Pure vanilla extract yields the best flavor, I don’t recommend using imitation.
- Sea Salt. A pinch of sea salt goes a long way. Any fine salt works well in this vanilla ice cream recipe.
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter works well in this recipe.
- Milk. In this recipe I use whole milk because it is what my family buys! Any liquid dairy (half and half, whipping cream, 2% milk, etc.) will work well! To make it dairy-free, substitute your favorite non-dairy milk.
- Flour. I recommend using an unbleached, all-purpose flour to make this cookie dough! To make it gluten-free, use an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour! Oat flour also works! See this edible cookie dough post on heat-treating flour.
- Chocolate Chips. Mini chocolate chips are the best in this edible cookie dough because they are small and melt in your mouth with every bite. However any size chocolate chips or chopped chocolate work well in this recipe! You can get fancy with other mix-ins like peanut butter cups, white chocolate, nuts, coconut etc.!
Ice Cream Making Tools
I adore homemade ice cream and make it all the time. These are some of my favorite ice cream making tools that we use often!
- Ice cream maker: this is my favorite: Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker
- Storage container: I store our homemade ice cream in a glass tupperware with a lid. There are also great containers that are made for storing ice cream, like these 1-quart storage tubs and this jumbo 2.5 quart container (for larger batches).
- Ice cream scoop: I like using a large cookie scoop. The shape of this scoop makes it easy to serve ice cream.
How to Make Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Let’s jump into how to make this cookie dough ice cream recipe, we’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video!
Make the Vanilla Ice Cream
Begin by making the vanilla ice cream base since it has to chill completely (preferably overnight), before churning the ice cream.
Warm the half and half, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
Next, beat the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl. Then, add ½ cup of the warm half and half mixture to the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Once combined, pour the mixture into to the half and half on the stovetop.
Then, cook the egg mixture over medium-low heat stirring constantly until it thickens slightly and just barely coats the back of a spatula.
Next, add the heavy cream to a bowl. Put a fine mesh strainer on top of the bowl and strain the custard into the heavy cream. Discard the residue on the strainer.
Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine, then transfer the cookie dough ice cream base to an airtight container and cool it completely in the fridge (preferably overnight).
Make the Edible Cookie Dough
If you’re interested in more detailed instructions on making edible cookie dough – check out my full edible cookie dough post.
In a medium bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with a hand-held mixer (or standing mixer) until well combined (about 60 seconds). Be sure to start on low speed and increase it as the ingredients begin to stick together.
Add 4 Tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until combined.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat to combine.
Why add Leavening Agents?
Some people ask why I add the leavening agents to the dough if I’m not going to bake it. My answer is – it gives the most authentic, cookie dough taste!
Once the dough is ready, stir in the mini chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.
Note: the cookie dough should be soft. This way it is still easy to eat when it’s frozen.
Shape the cookie dough for ice cream in one or two ways:
- Roll the cookie dough into balls, then freeze. You may need to chill it first if you do this.
- Preferred method: Spread the cookie dough evenly on the prepared baking sheet, then place it in the freezer to harden. Once hardened, cut into chunks with a sharp knife. Then keep frozen until ready to add to the ice cream.
Assemble
Once the vanilla ice cream base is completely chilled, turn an ice cream make on and pour mixture into it while it’s turning. Churn until thick and frozen, then transfer to a freezer-friendly container.
Add the cookie dough pieces to the churned ice cream and stir until evenly combined.
Transfer to the freezer to freeze until hardened (about 3 hours).
Serve
Remove from the freezer 3-5 minutes before serving to soften. Then scoop and enjoy. We love using it as one of the layers in this ice cream cake recipe!
Store
Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Cookie Dough Ice Cream FAQs
This cookie dough is technically “raw” (unbaked), but it’s safe to eat because the eggs are replaced with milk. I can’t recommend putting raw cookie dough containing eggs in this recipe.
In this recipe, chocolate chip cookie dough is in the ice cream. However, you can use other cookie dough recipes (like peanut butter cookie dough, double chocolate cookie dough, etc.) and replace the eggs with milk (about 2 TBS per egg) if you’d like to make different flavors.
This ice cream stays fresh in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Dough Ice Cream:
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Edible cookie dough
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 4 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream
- In a medium saucepan, warm half and half, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt over medium heat.
- Beat egg yolks in a small mixing bowl, add ½ cup of the warm half and half mixture to the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Once combined, pour the mixture into to the half and half on the stovetop.
- Cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly until the mixture thickens slightly and just barely coats the back of a spatula.
- Put the heavy cream into a bowl, then place a fine mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
- Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Discard the residue on the strainer.
- Add vanilla extract and stir to combine.
- Transfer to an airtight container and cool completely in the fridge (preferably overnight).
Make the Cookie Dough
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper, set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with a hand-held mixer (or standing mixer) until well combined (about 60 seconds). Be sure to start on low speed and increase it as the ingredients begin to stick together.
- Add 4 Tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and mix, starting on low speed and increasing to medium-high, until all ingredients are combined.
- Add mini chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.
- Spread the cookie dough evenly on the prepared baking sheet, then place it in the freezer to harden.
- One hardened, cut into chunks with a sharp knife. Then keep frozen until ready to add to the ice cream.
Churn & Assemble the Ice Cream
- Once the vanilla ice cream is completely chilled, turn an ice cream make on and pour mixture into it while it’s turning. Churn until thick and frozen.
Freeze & Serve
- Transfer to a freezer-friendly container.
- Add the cookie dough pieces to the churned ice cream and stir until evenly combined.
- Transfer to the freezer to freeze until hardened (3-4 hours).
- Remove from the freezer 3-5 minutes before serving to soften. Then scoop and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Half and half/heavy cream. This recipe calls for 3 cups of liquid dairy. You can change the ratios of half and half : cream if desired, as long as the total amount equals 3 cups. You could also substitute some of the liquid with whole milk.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar works well in place of white granulated sugar.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. Vanilla be paste can be used in place of extract.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter works well in this recipe.
- Milk. Any liquid dairy (half and half, whipping cream, 2% milk, etc.) will work well!
- Flour. I recommend using an unbleached, all-purpose flour to make this cookie dough! To make it gluten-free, use an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour! Oat flour also works! See this edible cookie dough post on heat-treating flour.
- Chocolate Chips. Mini chocolate chips are the best in this edible cookie dough because they are small and melt in your mouth with every bite. However any size chocolate chips or chopped chocolate work well in this recipe!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I was struggling with coming up with a cookie dough recipe on my own, then Laura pointed me to hers in a comment on another flavor here. The brown sugar in the base is exactly the right flavor I was searching for to help the taste “transition” from the base to the mix-in. Speaking of mix-in, if anyone out there is wondering whether or not there’s enough cookie dough, don’t worry! There’s PLENTY! The recipe is so generous with the mix-in that if you feel there still isn’t enough, you might as well eat the dough by itself and skip the ice cream! 😉 To keep the cookie dough frozen and the little chunks separate, I worked it in 3 separate sessions of a few minutes each. The end result was worth it.
I have to admit cookie dough isn’t a flavor in my wheel house of preferences (less so than chocolate used to be, but after trying the chocolate recipe here that’s COMPLETELY changed). I made cookie dough by request. That being said, the cookie dough ice cream base is STELLAR! As mentioned the brown sugar makes it really pop, and when I tasted the base after straining and combining I thought “oh, yea! that is ON POINT!” It’s the perfect preparation for when a chunk of cookie dough comes your way. I tasted the cookie dough right after it was made. Despite no egg, it has that “mom, can I lick the beaters when you’re done?” taste profile. Next time I make this I might buy pasteurized eggs and see how it works out.
Anyway, between the base and mix-in taste profiles, this recipe is an absolute HIT and got RAVE reviews from my cookie dough fanatics. That brown sugar base is the PERFECT complement for the mix-in. They also loved how much mix-in there was (again, very generous and FAR better quality than commercial brands put in their ice creams from the times I’ve had them). If I were making it for myself, my taste preference would be to use about 1/3rd to 1/2 of the mix-in as I like a more “occasional” pop of cookie dough with this delicious base. Of course, that’s the beauty of making ice cream yourself from a quality recipe like this- I can segregate a pint with a mellow amount of mix-in for me then go all-out on the mix-in for those who are hardcore. 🙂
Absolutely no question though… 5 stars for sure! Thanks Laura! I’ll be making this again for sure.
Thank you David! I always get so happy when I see one of your ice cream reviews waiting in my queue! Thank you for so thoroughly explaining why you love it and how you made this recipe your own. I hope your cookie dough fanatics loved it too! What other flavors are your favorite? I’d love to create more delicious ice cream recipes for you! 🙂
You’re welcome Laura! I try to be thoughtful when I write a review. It doesn’t help anyone if I simply wrote “A++++++++++ BEST ICE CREAM EVAR!!!” without any explanation what was good about it. Same thing when I leave constructive feedback if something “misses.” There are times I wonder if I’m a little verbose but based on your reply I should embrace my feedback style in this case. 🙂
My personal favorites for ice cream (prior to trying your recipes) are vanilla and strawberry. I’ve had your strawberry (reviewed here but in one word: sublime!) and I’m waiting for my next batch of vanilla beans to arrive to do your version of vanilla. Something of an aside: while I am waiting for my next bean batch I was inspired to make a test batch of maple vanilla using my recipe. I subbed the 100% granulated sugar with 120ml of pure maple syrup and 50g of granulated sugar (same volume of creams as you use). It was absolutely delicious but I think my cream ratio might have been excessive to let the maple come through. After I do your vanilla recipe “pure” I’m going to try it with the maple syrup and let you know the results for both. Also inspired from your cookie dough recipe would be to sub 50g of brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar when making vanilla maple.
One other thing I was toying with was using maple syrup as the sugar for a blueberry ice cream to try and replicate a “blueberry pancakes” kind of theme. If you any ideas for that I’m all ears. Also on the experimentation front, your chocolate went over so well the better half suggested doing it again but adding some peppermint extract to taste. I made a batch with the peppermint and the better half said “it was like having Frango chocolate mints.” I likened it to a York Peppermint Patty without the “i can feel my teeth rotting in real time” sugar excess. That chocolate of yours just works!
All this being said, your version of vanilla is absolutely next on the list… I think… the better half here LOVES coffee ice cream so that might bump my vanilla experiments in the queue. OH while I’m thinking of it… your coffee recipe’s amazon link for the coffee you prefer is showing “unavailable” with no restock date. Just an FYI if you want to update it.
To circle back though to current favorites, now that I’ve had a chance to try some of yours, I would have to say its really tough to have a “favorite” now. Vanilla variants and strawberry were my favorites, but your chocolate is out of this world so you’ve singlehandedly bumped chocolate WAY up on my list. Coffee is another “must make” as well in the VERY near future. I’ll report back once I make some.
Have a good one, and thanks again!
I think you need to get a job at an ice cream chain creating flavors – blueberry pancake sounds divine! I haven’t experimented with maple syrup in recipes yet, but challenge accepted. Also, as a Chicagoan (born and raised) I love the idea of a Frango mint ice cream! YUM! Thank you for letting me know about the coffee, I will look into that!
Im writing out this recipe for my boyfriend, is the mesh strainer a necessity or can it be skipped? Thank you so much!
I would not skip straining the custard. You could end up with bits of egg in the ice cream which would not be great!
This recipe is easy to follow and makes a perfectly delicious ice cream. My husband said it was the best ice cream he’s ever had. Thank you for the great recipe!
Thank you, Eleen!
Thanks for the recipe! One thing – I get high quality pasture-raised eggs so I’d frankly be a lot more worried about the raw flour than the raw eggs. The flour needs to be toasted in the oven or heat treated some other way before consuming.
Hey Ruth! I agree! In my edible cookie dough recipe I mention how to heat treat flour both in the microwave and oven!
Just wondering why I need baking soda and baking powder if I’m not baking the dough?
It’s for the most authentic cookie dough flavor. You can omit if you wish.
This recipe is absolutely incredible! My son was begging to make cookie dough ice cream since we just got an ice cream maker. This was the first recipe we tried and it’s a huge hit!
Thank you so much Aimee!
Wow, this ice cream is crazy good! I bought pre-made cookie dough to make it easier, but i followed the ice cream recipe to a T and it came out perfect, my whole family loved it. It was also very easy, I think I’ll make this again for sure
Thank you for this amazing recipe! Our daughter has been begging lately for edible cookie dough, and our son has peanut and tree nut allergies, so finding him safe ice cream that isn’t just boring vanilla is nearly impossible. So I’ve added making homemade ice cream to the growing list of things we figure out how to do at home so he can experience all the things. This was our 8 year old son’s first taste of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and he and his sisters LOVED it! I tasted a little, as I try to minimize dairy, and it was delicious! Although I’m wondering if I could cut back some of the sugar in the custard without impacting the texture as it was quite sweet even before the chunks of cookie dough. Anyway, thanks for the recipe! I’ve also made your “Best homemade chocolate ice cream” and I’m about to whip up some of your cookies and cream ice cream! The kids are in ice cream heaven!
Hi! this recipe looks really amazing, but I do not have an ice cream maker. Is there any other way I could make this? Would using a blender work? Thanks!
Five stars. Such a detailed recipe, and I completely agree when you say nothing comes closer to homemade ice cream. I’m bookmarking this cookie dough one, and it is going in my do make a list.
Fabulous capture and I loved every detail specific click.