No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream (double chocolate!)

Creamy and smooth no churn chocolate ice cream is easy to make without an ice cream maker! Add chocolate chips for double the chocolate!

As many of you know, my kids both have severe food allergies. My little lady is allergic to all nuts, and my son is allergic to nuts and sesame. Ice cream is without a doubt one of the most difficult foods to find a safe option for them (tied with cupcakes and doughnuts). Ice cream shop visits in the summer are pretty much out of the question. Those fun fro-yo bars where you can add your own toppings? Not a chance. 

It makes me feel sad, like they’re missing out on some part of their childhood, but it is what it is and we just make the best of it. One of the things I can do is make homemade ice cream as a fun treat, and this no churn ice cream couldn’t be easier to make. They are obsessssssed with all the chocolate in this flavor of ice cream. It’s creamy, melty, cold, and rich…and it’s the best taste of summer I can give my kids. 

Oh and I don’t have to haul out my ice cream maker and since I’m slightly lazy, that’s a win-win. 

How to make no churn ice cream

This no churn chocolate ice cream starts just like my other no churn ice cream recipes, the three ingredient vanilla ice cream and this yummy cinnamon ice cream. They all start with two basic ingredients: heavy whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk. You don’t even need to add sugar because the sweetened condensed milk has plenty of it. 

How can I adapt this to make it my own?

I know sometimes I’ll tell you guys how to make a recipe Whole30/Paleo/Vegetarian/Keto/Whatever, but yeah…that’s not happening here. Ice cream is ice cream and while there are some great dairy-free varieties out there (I think maybe that might be true??), this is not one of them. 

This is creamy, rich, decadent ice cream. However! I will tell you some fun add-ins to create your own twists on this.

• Rocky Road! If you aren’t a nut-allergy fam, try adding mini marshmallows and nuts. I like almonds or peanuts in rocky road, but go crazy with whatever you like! Fold them in where you fold in the chocolate chips in the recipe below.
• Fudge Swirl. Want triple chocolate? I’m with you! After you pour the ice cream into the pan, drizzle with 1/2 cup hot fudge sauce and swirl it in using a knife. This will give you big beautiful ribbons of hot fudge when you grab a scoop of the ice cream, rather than it unintentionally getting all stirred in. This method would also be great for caramel or peanut butter – just warm the peanut butter a little first in the microwave (30 seconds should do) so you can pour it. How good does peanut butter sound??? I miss it so much.
• Mocha ice cream. Add in 1 tablespoon of espresso powder when you add the cocoa powder. Yum!
• Mexican hot chocolate. Such a good combo! Add in a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a little pinch of cayenne when you add the cooca powder to the recipe.
• The world is your oyster! What would you put in this ice cream?

What does no churn mean?

This is a surprisingly common question that people have! Traditional ice cream is “churned” in an ice cream maker of some sort. There are different varieties, but most all of them have something that turns and moves the ice cream (churns it) while a frozen bowl or container chills the ice cream.

This yields that super creamy texture that you want from a good ice cream by preventing it from freezing from the outside in only, in a solid block. The movement allows the ice cream to freeze more evenly and adds lots of air, making it super soft, creamy, and smooth. The partial freezing also allows the ice cream to thicken slightly so that when you add mix-ins, they don’t all sink to the bottom.

So, with that being said, no churn means you skip that process, and you don’t need extra equipment in your kitchen. You just need a stand mixer or hand mixer to whip the cream. You can also whip the cream by hand but it will take significantly longer…I’ve done it before (I think a baby was napping), and while it’s doable….it’s not enjoyable. 

The mixture is pretty thick even before you freeze it, so you can safely add all those chocolate chips without worrying about them sinking straight to the bottom of your container. 

This ice cream is the perfect summer treat; I hope you guys try it and love it! 

More great summer treats:

 

• Yogurt Popsicles (2 ingredients!) 
• Strawberry Sorbet with Mint
• Nerds Milkshake (SO FUN)
• Funfetti Pudding Pops (also SO FUN)
• Maple Whiskey Milkshakes (for the grown-ups!) 
• Fruit Smoothie Popsicles from Lemon Tree Dwelling

 

Verdict: No churn ice cream has a slightly different texture than traditional ice cream that’s made in an ice cream machine, but I absolutely love it. It’s creamier and smoother and it’s SO EASY TO MAKE. 
Husband’s take: Everyone in my family loves it when I make this ice cream. It’s a hit with everyone. How could it not be?
Changes I would make: None are necessary, but feel free to make it your own. Add some mini marshmallows, a swirl of hot fudge, or a tablespoon of espresso powder. There are so many twists you could do on this easy ice cream.
Difficulty: I miiiiight have mentioned it, but it’s easy.