If you’re a dessert lover with a soft spot for nostalgia, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is the ultimate treat. This creamy, dreamy dessert combines two all-time favorites—classic vanilla ice cream and irresistible chocolate chip cookie dough. It’s the perfect mix of smooth and chewy, sweet and buttery, cool and indulgent. Whether you’re beating the summer heat or just indulging in a midnight craving, this ice cream hits all the right notes. The best part? You can make it right at home without any complicated ingredients or fancy equipment. The homemade version tastes even better than store-bought, and you control everything—from the cookie dough to the creaminess of the base.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Ice Cream Base:
🍦 2 cups heavy cream
🍦 1 cup whole milk
🍦 ¾ cup granulated sugar
🍦 1 tbsp vanilla extract
🍦 Pinch of salt
For the Edible Cookie Dough:
🍪 ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
🍪 ½ cup brown sugar
🍪 ¼ cup granulated sugar
🍪 2 tbsp milk
🍪 1 tsp vanilla extract
🍪 1 cup all-purpose flour (heat-treated)
🍪 ½ cup mini chocolate chips
🍪 Pinch of salt
You can also add a swirl of hot fudge, caramel ribbons, or even cookie crumbs for extra flavor and texture.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Start by preparing the edible cookie dough. Heat-treat your flour by microwaving it for 1 minute or baking it at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes to eliminate any harmful bacteria. Let it cool. In a bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, milk, salt, and the cooled flour. Mix until a dough forms, then stir in the chocolate chips. Roll into small bite-sized balls and refrigerate while making the ice cream base.
To make the ice cream, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions—usually about 20–25 minutes. Once the texture resembles soft-serve, gently fold in the chilled cookie dough bites. Transfer to a loaf pan or airtight container, smooth the top, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can use the no-churn method. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form, fold in the sweetened condensed milk (instead of whole milk and sugar), add the vanilla, and finally fold in the cookie dough pieces. Freeze until set.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
🍪 Always use heat-treated flour for the cookie dough to ensure it’s safe to eat
🍪 Don’t skip chilling the cookie dough balls—it helps keep their shape during mixing
🍪 Add the cookie dough when the ice cream is soft but not melted for the best texture
🍪 Use mini chocolate chips—they’re easier to chew when frozen
🍪 For extra richness, drizzle in fudge or caramel during the final mixing
Homemade ice cream may take a little time, but these small steps make a huge difference in texture and flavor. The result is a scoop that’s ultra-creamy, not icy, and packed with chunks of cookie dough in every bite.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
🍦 No preservatives, artificial flavors, or store-bought shortcuts
🍦 Packed with buttery, chewy cookie dough pieces
🍦 Creamy and soft texture that melts perfectly on your tongue
🍦 Customizable—make it as rich or as light as you like
🍦 Kids and adults alike can’t resist it!
You’ll love how versatile this recipe is—you can swap the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips, add walnuts for crunch, or even use gluten-free flour to cater to dietary needs. It’s a freezer-friendly dessert that always brings smiles.
The Science Behind Its Creamy Texture
The magic behind smooth, scoopable ice cream lies in the balance of fat, sugar, and air. Heavy cream and whole milk provide the fat content that gives the base its rich mouthfeel. Sugar not only sweetens but also lowers the freezing point, preventing icy texture. Churning introduces air, making the final result light and creamy. Cookie dough, on the other hand, brings a contrast—chewy bits that stay soft due to the fat content from butter. Mixing them in at the right time (soft-serve stage) helps evenly distribute them without them hardening too much. The balance of creamy and chunky is what makes this ice cream so addictive.
The Magic of Cookie Dough in Ice Cream
There’s something uniquely satisfying about biting into chunks of sweet, buttery cookie dough while enjoying a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The nostalgia of licking cookie dough off a spoon as a kid combines with the grown-up luxury of homemade ice cream. Edible cookie dough is made without eggs and with heat-treated flour, making it safe and delicious. Mini chocolate chips add the perfect burst of texture. Once frozen, these pieces soften just enough to give you that chewy center you crave, without being rock-hard or gritty. It’s dessert synergy at its finest.
Equipment You’ll Need
🧁 Mixing bowls
🧁 Hand or stand mixer
🧁 Whisk
🧁 Measuring cups and spoons
🧁 Ice cream maker (or electric hand mixer for no-churn method)
🧁 Freezer-safe container or loaf pan
🧁 Ice cream scoop
Having these tools ready makes the process smooth and stress-free.
FAQ: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Can I use store-bought cookie dough?
Only if it’s labeled as safe to eat raw. Many store-bought doughs are not safe due to raw flour and eggs.
How long does it last in the freezer?
For best texture and flavor, enjoy within 2 weeks. Always store it in an airtight container.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Yes! Use full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream and milk, and vegan butter for the dough.
Is this gluten-free?
It can be! Use a gluten-free 1:1 flour for the cookie dough and check that your chocolate chips are gluten-free too.
Why does homemade ice cream get icy?
Lack of fat or too much water content. Using enough cream and sugar, and not overmixing, helps keep it smooth.
Conclusion
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream is the dessert of your dreams—rich, creamy, and packed with bites of sweet, chewy cookie dough. 🍪 Whether you’re hosting a summer party, celebrating a birthday, or just need a pick-me-up after a long day, this homemade treat always hits the spot. Plus, it’s fully customizable and safe to enjoy thanks to the eggless dough and heat-treated flour. Making it from scratch is easier than you think and way more satisfying than any store-bought version. So grab a scoop (or two), drizzle it with fudge, and enjoy every single bite of this indulgent frozen treat.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
This creamy and indulgent homemade ice cream is packed with chunks of egg-free cookie dough and mini chocolate chips. It’s the ultimate frozen treat for cookie dough lovers!
For the Edible Cookie Dough:
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (heat-treated – see notes)
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
🍦 For the Ice Cream Base:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips (for mixing in)
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (if heat-treating flour in oven). Spread the flour onto a baking sheet and bake for 5–7 minutes or until it reaches 165°F internally to kill any bacteria. Let cool completely.
- Make the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla extract and stir until combined. Mix in the cooled, heat-treated flour. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Roll dough into small bite-sized pieces and freeze on a lined tray for at least 1 hour.
- Prepare the ice cream base: In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill the base for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
- Churn the ice cream: Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions (usually 20–25 minutes) until it reaches a soft-serve texture.
- Add mix-ins: In the last 5 minutes of churning, gradually drop in the frozen cookie dough bites and the mini chocolate chips.
- Freeze until firm: Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and freeze for 2–4 hours until scoopable and firm.
- Serve and enjoy: Scoop into bowls or cones and enjoy this creamy, cookie-dough-studded masterpiece!
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Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
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Optional: Add a swirl of chocolate syrup or a drizzle of caramel sauce for extra decadence.
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Heat-Treat Flour: Always heat-treat flour before using in no-bake recipes to ensure food safety.
