Chocolate Ice Cream – Easy McDonald’s Copycat

This homemade McDonald’s Chocolate Ice Cream copycat is a churned custard-style dessert that’s rich, smooth, and full of nostalgic chocolate flavor. It’s not exactly quick, but it’s 100% worth it — budget-friendly, fridge-stable, and way better than waiting for a broken drive-thru machine to maybe work.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: 15 mins
• Cook time: 20 mins
• Flavor: rich, velvety, deep chocolate
• Great for: cravings, resets, late-night coping

Why I Like This Recipe

I made it thinking it’d be fun. Ended up kinda obsessed. It’s the only chocolate ice cream I’ve made where the texture’s actually like soft-serve… but deeper, smoother. I honestly hide the container from people now.

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream (divided)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• ¾ cup sugar
• ⅛ tsp sea salt
• 3 egg yolks
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

How To Make Chocolate Ice Cream

1. Boil the cocoa + cream: Whisk 1 cup cream with cocoa powder in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, simmer 30 seconds. It’ll get thick. This is normal.
2. Melt chocolate in: Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Add the other cup of cream. Set aside.
3. Set up a strainer: Strain the chocolate mix into a big bowl. Place a fine mesh strainer over it. This will catch any custard clumps later.
4. Prep the yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks. Don’t overthink it.
5. Warm milk + sugar: Heat milk, sugar, and salt until warm — not boiling. Slowly pour a little into the yolks while whisking. Then pour it all back into the pot.
6. Cook the custard: Stir with a spatula over medium-low heat until thick enough to coat it. Don’t let it boil. You’ll know it’s ready when it sticks to the back of the spoon.
7. Strain into chocolate base: Pour through the strainer. Stir everything together. Add vanilla.
8. Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (or overnight). You can use an ice bath to speed it up, but honestly? It needs the cold.
9. Churn it: Use an ice cream maker, about 30–40 minutes. It’ll look like soft serve when done.
10. Freeze to firm: Transfer to a container and freeze for at least 6 hours for scoopable texture.

Tips for Success

• Strain your custard — it removes cooked egg bits
• Don’t skip chilling — it affects texture when churning
• Use good chocolate, not baking chips
• Watch the custard closely — one boil and it’s ruined

Storage and Reheating

• Freezer: Store in a lidded container for up to 3 months. Put tape on it that says “mine.”
• Reheat: Uh… it’s ice cream. Please don’t.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I skip the egg yolks?
  Not really — this is a custard base. They make it creamy and rich.
• Can I use milk chocolate?
  You can, but it’ll be much sweeter and not as intense. I prefer semisweet.
• What if I don’t have an ice cream maker?
  You can try the freeze-and-stir method every 30 mins, but it won’t be the same texture.
• Can I use low-fat milk?
  Whole milk is best. Anything less and you’ll lose creaminess.
• Is this like soft-serve?
  Fresh out of the machine — yes. After freezing, it scoops like regular ice cream.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Scrambled custard: You probably added egg yolks too fast or heated it too high. Go slow with both.
• Not chilling before churning: Warm base = icy, not creamy. Chill it fully or the texture suffers.
• Using low-quality chocolate: It’ll taste flat. Use something you’d eat by itself.
• Forgetting to strain: You’ll end up with tiny bits of cooked egg in your final ice cream. Just strain it.
• Rushing the churn: If you stop early, it won’t thicken. Let it go the full time — 30–40 mins.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 304 kcal
• Total Fat: 23g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Cholesterol: 105mg
• Sodium: 45mg
• Potassium: 140mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 24g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 21g
• Protein: 4g

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