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Coffee lovers this way! With just 5 minutes of prep time, espresso powder, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk come together in this rich, creamy espresso chocolate chip ice cream. Making ice cream might sound intimidating, but this recipe makes it a piece of cake. What are you waiting for?
Ice cream and coffee…two of my favorite things. I am so obsessed with ice cream that I made a Pinterest board dedicated solely to ice cream recipes…and I am so into coffee that I practically go to bed thinking about my morning cup. Morning, noon, or night, there is something so delightful about the aroma and taste that I just can’t get enough of.
This ice cream recipe embodies all that is good in both of these favorites. The rich, creamy texture craved by any ice cream lover combined with the nutty, homey flavor dreamt of by the coffee lover come together for the perfect dessert. Mix in some chocolate chips for added crunch and sweetness and your search for the perfect ice cream might just be over.
Why You’ll Love This Coffee Ice Cream
You will be hard-pressed to find what not to love about this delicious dessert…but I’ll give you a rundown on some of my favorite things about it.
- Very little active time. So long as you think ahead and freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker 24 hours in advance, you really just have to toss a couple of ingredients together (it won’t take you more than 5 minutes) and let the ice cream maker do the rest.
- Creamy. The combination of the heavy cream and the sweetened condensed milk really lends itself to a creamy finished product. We all know the disappointment that stems from sinking your senses into a watery or icy ice cream. This recipe will not disappoint in that way. I promise.
- No cook. Many ice cream recipes that you find might look intimidating. They often require making a custard on the stovetop. This recipe requires no such fuss but tastes just as wonderful.
What You’ll Need
Just an ice cream maker and 4 ingredients. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. Here’s a basic rundown of what you’ll need but make sure to scroll to the recipe below for more details.
Tools
- Ice cream maker. I love this KitchenAid Ice Cream Attachment, but a standalone ice cream maker such as this one will do the trick as well.
Ingredients
- Heavy cream. If you are dairy free, feel free to replace the heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk with full-fat coconut milk.
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Espresso powder
- Mini chocolate chips
How to Make Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Honestly, all it takes is some measuring, a quick whisk, and a little patience while the ice cream maker churns away. Here’s how to make espresso chocolate chip ice cream. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full recipe
- Freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker for at least 24 hours.
- Combine the ingredients. Whisk all of the ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) together in a large bowl until homogenous.
- Churn. Pour the mixture into the bowl of your ice cream maker and follow the instructions laid out by the manufacturer. Add the chocolate chips halfway through the churning process.
- Freeze…again. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe bowl and let it hang out in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
Tips for Success
This ice cream recipe is quite simple. You are basically letting the ice cream maker do all of the work. That being said, there are a few crucial tips to follow in order to achieve the best outcome possible. Here they come.
- Freeze the bowl. DO NOT skip this step. It is crucial to freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker for at least 24 hours before the churning step. The chill of the bowl is the only thing responsible for freezing the ingredients, allowing them to come together into ice cream. If it is not adequately cold, you will end up with a runny finished product.
- Go full fat. Save your dieting for another day. Sufficient fat content is what keeps ice cream creamy and stops it from being icey. So please don’t try to swap the heavy cream for regular milk.
- Don’t overload the bowl. The bowl of your ice cream maker only has so much cold to go around. Overloading the bowl will make it lose its chill faster, making it so your ice cream won’t get cold enough in the churning process.
- Don’t skip the post-churn freeze. It might be tempting to dip into the ice cream just after it’s finished churning. Don’t do it. 4 hours in the freezer allows the ice cream to solidify into more than soft-serve.
What to Serve with Espresso Ice Cream
Espresso chocolate chip ice cream is divine on its own, but no need to stop there. Top it with something special or use it as a topping for your favorite dessert. Here are a few ideas.
- Whipped Cream. I prefer homemade, but store-bought will do just fine.
- Sauce. Try making your own chocolate sauce or salted caramel sauce and drizzle it over the ice cream.
- As a topping. Try plopping this delicious ice cream on top of your favorite baked good. It goes great with my Fudgy Dirty Chai Dark Chocolate Brownies, this Espresso Chocolate Mug Cake, or even this Salted Caramel Molten Lava Cakes for Two.
- As a float. Think rootbeer float, but replace the rootbeer with hot chocolate or a mocha and plop a scoop of ice cream on top.
How to Store Homemade Ice Cream
After the ice cream has been churned and allowed to freeze for 4 hours, enjoy it right away or transfer it to a freezer-safe, airtight, plastic container and place it in the freezer. You can also press it into a loaf pan, cover it in wax paper, and wrap the whole pan in saran wrap. Store your homemade ice cream in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
More Easy Ice Cream Recipes:
Espresso not quite your thing? No problem! There are so many other delicious ice cream recipes out there. Here are some of my favorites.
- No Churn Oreo Fudge Ice Cream
- Black Sesame Ice Cream (No-Churn)
- Fig and Honey Mascarpone Ice Cream
- Pistachio Ice Cream
- Mocha Latte Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies
Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream
- 7 ounce (199 ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 2-3 tablespoon espresso powder, depending on how strong of a coffee flavor you want
- ½ cup (90 g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker for 24 hours.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cream, condensed milk, and espresso powder.2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream, 7 ounce (199 ml) sweetened condensed milk, 2-3 tablespoon espresso powder
- Pour the contents into the bowl of the ice cream maker then freeze the ice cream in the bowl of the ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Halfway through the churning process, add in the chocolate chips.1/2 cup (90 g) mini chocolate chips
- Once the ice cream is done churning, mine only took about 20 minutes, transfer to a freezer-safe bowl and freeze in the freezer at least 4 hours.
Nutrition
Photographs by Eat Love Eat
I am so in love with this recipe! It doesn’t make very much though, so I doubled it and it gave me just the right amount for my kitchen aid ice cream attachment. That was perfect because I was able to use the entire can of sweetened condensed milk instead of half. Also I wanted a different crunch for the chocolate, so I melted dark chocolate chips and spread the chocolate in a thin layer and froze. Then after the ice cream was churned I broke the chocolate up and stirred it in. I can’t thank you enough for posting this recipe.
have a cuisinart 70-ice icream maker that makes 2 quarts. how much does this recipe make?? Thanks
Less than 2 quarts. I want to say about 1.5 quarts!
Do you brew the espresso? I made it without brewing the espresso and it never mixed in
No, I didn’t brew the espresso. My espresso powder is really fine so it pretty much dissolved in the liquid. If yours doesn’t, you could brew it with the other liquid on low heat to dissolve it and then churn it.
You need to use instant espresso powder, not ground coffee.
I found your recipe and made it last night for a church event and won first place!!!! Everyone loves it. If you like a coffee flavor this one is for you. Thanks for the recipe
This was outstanding, Julie, and so easy! I used it as the base for another coffee ice cream recipe that called for lots of egg yolks and making custard. I added 2Tbsp Meyer’s Rum and, towards the end of the churning time, 8-10 crushed Oreos. Divine! I did make the base the day before so it was chilled to start. The fat free condensed milk worked fine. Thanks, also, to commenters who reviewed the recipe so I knew it would be great. I’ll be using the cream/sweetened condensed milk base again, for sure.
Hi, just wanted to ask if you have any issues with using raw egg yolks. Thanks
Have you tried other varieties with this same basic recipe? Strawberry perhaps?
Yup! I have. I actually the strawberry version on the blog: https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/strawberry-ice-cream/
So I wanted to let you know that I made this ice cream this morning and we just finished our after-dinner treat. This tastes exactly like the Edy’s brand espresso chip ice cream I used to buy years ago but this is better because I know exactly what’s in it. My hubby couldn’t believe I made it! Thank you so much for this recipe…..my freezer will never be without it! :))
That’s awesome!! Glad to hear it :)
I just came across this recipe through Pinterest and am going to make this tomorrow!! My hubby bought me an ice cream maker a couple of years ago and the bowl has been sitting in my freezer, feeling neglected, for about a year. Now, however, I have a feeling its going to start working overtime!! I was wondering if you could give me some ideas as to what other ingredients I could add to the base? Although I do think coffee and chocolate is one of the best flavor combos along with peanut butter and chocolate! :)
Nuts, maybe? Like hazelnuts!
Sorry, my question may have been confusing. When I said ingredients I was actually referring to other flavors but that’s okay, I’ll do a google search. I know you’re busy. :))
If u don’t have an ice cream maker is there any other way you can do it? Looks delish. Maybe I should get married again. As long as I can marry the same guy.
I haven’t made this not in an ice cream maker but I know you can usually just put it in an ice cold glass pyrex dish or something and freeze it!
Julie thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Kezia, it looks like you can make an ice cream with condensed milk and heavy cream without an ice cream maker. Look at this link: http://www.eaglebrand.com/recipes/creamy-espresso-ice-cream-7217.
Instead of using espresso powder, what about (ground fresh) brewed espresso?
I think that’d be ok. Enjoy!
I wonder,though if the water would make the ice cream freeze too hard and form ice crystals?