Say hello to our homemade chocolate peanut butter ice cream! We combined rich, smooth chocolate ice cream with hot fudge and peanut butter swirls. Plus, mini peanut butter cups add an extra crunch that is delicious.
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Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month? To celebrate we stocked the freezer with a few yummy ice cream treats like ice cream tacos and homemade ice cream!
I always thought no churn ice cream was the easiest to make. But last month I got brave and made strawberry ice cream and cookies and cream ice cream. I discovered that making homemade ice cream is surprisingly simple.
There are no eggs and no cooking involved in this easy chocolate ice cream recipe. If you have a bowl, a whisk, and an ice cream maker, you are ready to get started.
Why Make Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups
No need to wait in line at your favorite ice cream shop or settle for low quality store bought options anymore. This chocolate ice cream is easy to make and tastes great!
- Classic Flavor Combo. Chocolate and peanut butter is an amazing combination that kids of all ages love.
- No Cooking Required. There are no eggs in this recipe, so all you have to do is whisk, churn, and enjoy!
- Simple Ingredients. This recipe is made with real ingredients that you can actually pronounce. You won't find any artificial flavors or preservatives in this creamy goodness.
Love homemade ice cream? Try this fudge swirl ice cream or this cherry vanilla ice cream.
Main Ingredients
All you need are a few ingredients, plus peanut butter cups to make this chocolate peanut butter ice cream recipe.
- Milk - A combination of heavy cream and whole milk gives it the creamiest and best tasting texture. You can use other milks, but it may freeze icier.
- Granulated Sugar - Sweetens the ice cream base.
- Cocoa Powder - Gives the ice cream a rich chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla & Salt - Adds flavor and balances out the sweetness.
- Peanut Butter Cups - We love adding a whole bag of mini peanut butter cups to each batch.
- Toppings - A swirl of creamy peanut butter and hot fudge adds such a good flavor.
BruCrew Tip: Add a cup of chopped Oreo cookies to this ice cream along with peanut butter cups. The cookies make it extra delicious!
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
An ice cream maker makes it so easy to churn your own homemade ice cream in just minutes. The hardest part is waiting for it to freeze solid, so you can dig in.
- Whisk together the ingredients. Pour the milk, cream, sugar, and cocoa powder in a large bowl. The cocoa powder will resist mixing into the cold milks, but keep whisking until you get a frothy chocolate milk.
- Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes. This allows the cocoa powder to dissolve and get hydrated by the milk. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn for 30-40 minutes or until it looks like soft serve.
- Quickly stir the miniature peanut butter cups into the soft serve ice cream. Spoon half the ice cream into a large freezer safe container. Drop half the peanut butter and hot fudge on top and swirl gently. Repeat the layers.
- Place a piece of wax paper directly on the ice cream, then add a lid. Place in the freezer for a few hours or until hard.
Ice Cream Topping Ideas
The biggest decision you will need to make is what mix-ins should you add to your ice cream. There is really no bad idea!
Open the pantry and take out half opened bags of cookies, candies, and sprinkles to add to your ice cream creation.
- Cookies - Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Nutter Butters, animal cookies, graham crackers
- Candy - peanut butter cups, M&M's, Reese's Pieces, gummy bears, Butterfingers, Snickers, cookie dough bites
- Toppings - strawberry sauce, peanut butter, hot fudge, caramel, marshmallow fluff, whipped cream
- Other - sprinkles, chocolate chips, pretzels, nuts, brownies, cereal
Storage Recommendations
Keep the churned peanut butter cup ice cream in a tightly sealed container in the freezer at all times. A metal loaf pan works great too. Place 2-3 layers of plastic wrap around the pan to keep it from getting freezer burned
It will keep for 1-2 months if tightly sealed. Although, it never lasts that long in our house.
Tips and Tricks
- Prep your ice cream machine. To use an ice cream maker with a freezer bowl, freeze the bowl for at least 24 hours before using it. If you are using a compressor ice cream maker, refrigerate the bowl 15 minutes prior to churning.
- Use good quality cocoa powder. A better quality will give you a better taste. For a richer, darker chocolate ice cream, use a dark chocolate cocoa powder.
- Buy fresh ingredients. Keep in mind that cocoa powder looses its potency over time. If your container has been open for quite some time, it may be time to replace it.
- Try other milks. You can use whatever milk you have on hand. Whole milk and heavy cream will give you the creamiest and richest texture.
- Add toppings and mix-ins. Have fun choosing your extra toppings to swirl into your homemade ice cream. Do not over mix because you want big swirls of the toppings when you scoop out the hardened ice cream later.
- Freeze to harden. You can serve the ice cream right out of the ice cream maker. Although, it will be very soft and melt very quickly. If you want the ice cream to have a store-bought texture, freeze it for a few hours.
FAQs
This depends on what ice cream maker you are using. Some models will be done in 20-30 minutes, while others could take as long as 30-45 minutes. Keep churning until it reaches a soft serve consistency.
This depends on your preference. You can eat it as soon as you churn it, but it will be very soft. Freeze the ice cream for at least 3-4 hours in a freezer to get it to a solid state.
Not having enough fat content in the milk you use will cause it to be icy. Using a lower fat milk or half and half is usually the issue. Whole milk and cream will give you a rich and creamy texture.
More Easy Ice Cream
- Pineapple Dole Whip
- Cookie Dough Ice Cream
- Brownie Batter Ice Cream
- Chubby Hubby Ice Cream Pie
- Fluffernutter Ice Cream
- Coffee Ice Cream
- Cappuccino Ice Cream
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Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Say hello to our homemade chocolate peanut butter ice cream! We combined rich, smooth chocolate ice cream with hot fudge and peanut butter swirls. Plus, mini peanut butter cups add an extra crunch that is delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch coarse sea salt
- 1 - 7.6 ounce bag miniature peanut butter cups
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup hot fudge
Instructions
- Freeze the container for your ice cream maker ahead of time if necessary.
- Whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, cocoa powder, extract, and salt until it looks like chocolate milk. It may take some time to get the cocoa powder mixed in. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
- Stir the milk mixture again and pour into the prepared ice cream maker. Churn for 30-40 minutes or until a soft serve consistency. This will depend on your model.
- When the ice cream is almost finished, heat the peanut butter for 20 seconds in the microwave to melt it enough to stir in easily.
- Quickly stir the peanut butter cups into the churned ice cream. Spoon half the ice cream into a large freezer safe container.
- Drop half the melted peanut butter and half the hot fudge into the ice cream and swirl with a knife. Repeat with the rest of the ice cream and toppings. Place a piece of wax paper directly on the surface, then add the lid and freeze for 3-4 hours or until hard.
Notes
- Prep your ice cream machine. To use an ice cream maker with a freezer bowl, freeze the bowl for at least 24 hours before using it. If you are using a compressor ice cream maker, refrigerate the bowl 15 minutes prior to churning.
- Use good quality cocoa powder. A better quality will give you a better taste. For a richer, darker chocolate ice cream, use a dark chocolate cocoa powder.
- Buy fresh ingredients. Keep in mind that cocoa powder looses its potency over time. If your container has been open for quite some time, it may be time to replace it.
- Try other milks. You can use whatever milk you have on hand. Whole milk and heavy cream will give you the creamiest and richest texture.
- Add toppings and mix-ins. Have fun choosing your extra toppings to swirl into your homemade ice cream. Do not over mix because you want big swirls of the toppings when you scoop out the hardened ice cream later.
- Freeze to harden. The ice cream can be served fresh out of the ice cream maker. Although, it will be very soft and melt very quickly. If you want the ice cream to have a store-bought texture, freeze it for a few hours.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 483Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 3gSugar: 35gProtein: 9g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*This post was first published July 2019. It was updated and republished July 2023.
Emily
How much does this make and can I sub the whole milk for fat free or 1%?
Jocelyn
It makes about 4 cups of ice cream. You can use whatever milk you have on hand, but whole milk and heavy cream will give you the creamiest and richest texture. I hope you enjoy the ice cream!
ColleenB.-Tx.
OH Yum.
This looks so good and refreshing right now; especially with the hot temperatures we are having.
Thank you