It’s summer, and we’re all about the frozen treats in Chicago. So when my daughter asked me if we could make some homemade frozen custard, of course I said yes! Enjoy this recipe and click on my affiliate links to purchase, and this earns me a small commission.
Ok, so the conversation wasn’t an immediate yes. It started out with her asking for some obnoxious sugar laden treat at the grocery store that I couldn’t stomach. Then she decided she just wanted to make cookie dough and eat it. I mentioned we had leftover cream in the refrigerator from my cake batter frappe recipe that I wanted to use up, and suddenly I bought eggs to ensure I had enough to make homemade frozen custard. Our compromise? We decided to make cookie dough frozen custard.
To say this is pretty darn good is an understatement. My kids announced it tastes better than our favorite local custard place. They insisted we let my mom try it, but no one got to have more than a spoonful to ensure we had enough for dessert last night. It’s suddenly extremely hot and humid in Chicago, so homemade ice cream becomes a necessity – at least according to them.
If you aren’t a cookie dough ice cream fan, simply leave out the chunks of edible cookie dough. This homemade frozen custard tastes amazing on its own or as a sundae with some espresso hot fudge sauce or homemade caramel sauce ladled over it. No matter how you enjoy this, my only recommendation is to make it and enjoy.
I based this recipe off my salted caramel frozen custard that I made a few years ago. Had we not planned to add the cookie dough, I would have made the salted caramel frozen custard without the Girl Scout crunches that I can’t find anymore. Regardless, my kids think I’m the best mom ever, and we all enjoyed a perfect treat.
Best of all? I have eight egg whites left from making the frozen custard. I’m pretty sure that means I have to make homemade marshallow fluff, right? It’s another family favorite, and since strawberry season continues, we need something to dip our overabundance of strawberries in when we return from our u-pick adventure!
How to Make Homemade Frozen Custard
Make the custard
Add sugar, heavy cream, and milk to a heavy saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Whisk to combine, then leave be. Continue whisking periodically as you bring the mixture to temperature. You want this to start to steam but not come to a full boil. Remove from the heat.
Slowly pour the hot cream into your egg yolks while whisking madly to ensure the yolks don’t cook. Once the cream mixture is fully incorporated into the yolks, return that mixture to your pan and return to medium heat. Continue to whisk regularly until the mixture comes to 160 degrees, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
I like to cool my custard more quickly so fill a large bowl with ice on the bottom, add my custard to a metal bowl (better to conduct the cold) and place it in the larger bowl, then fill the sides of the larger bowl with ice. I whisk the custard, being sure no water from the ice gets into the custard until it reaches 35-40 degrees. This whole contraption goes into the fridge for another 10 minutes to ensure it’s thoroughly chilled before I start freezing it for homemade frozen custard. If you don’t care about the time, let the custard mixture cool to room temperature on your counter, then place it into the fridge for an hour to chill.
Once your custard is cooled, add it to the frozen bowl of your ice cream maker. Strain it through a mesh sieve to ensure you have no chunks from making your custard. (Remember to freeze that for 48 hours before you make your homemade frozen custard!) Turn on your ice cream maker, and let it process.
Place your storage container in the freezer to ensure it won’t melt your custard later.
Whip up edible cookie dough
While your ice cream maker runs, make a batch of edible cookie dough. Mix together softened butter with the sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla, salt, and baking soda, and mix again. Add milk and beat to incorporate. Scrape down bowl, then add flour. Stir until just incorporated. Add mini chocolate chips and mix to distribute. If too crumbly, add a touch more milk and stir again.
Cover until you’re ready to add to the frozen custard to ensure it doesn’t dry out. You can make this up to a day ahead of time if you prefer and chill it until you’re ready to add it to your frozen custard.
Finish the homemade frozen custard
After your custard finishes processing according to your manufacturer’s instructions, add it to your frozen storage container. Break off small chunks of the cookie dough and drop into your custard. Stir gently to distribute. Seal tightly, then place in the freezer for 4-6 hours. Scoop and serve straight from the freezer. This will last up to a month, but we’ve never had it last in our freezer for longer than a few days!
Have you ever made homemade frozen custard? What’s your favorite flavor?
Cookie Dough Frozen Custard
Ingredients
For the custard
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- 8 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
For the cookie dough
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- pinch baking soda optional
- 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add sugar, heavy cream, and milk to a heavy saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Whisk to combine and heat until the mixture just starts to steam. Remove from the heat.1 cup sugar, 1 3/4 cups heavy cream, 3/4 cup milk
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks together until lightened in color. Slowly pour hot cream into egg yolks while whisking. Once the cream mixture is fully incorporated into the yolks, return that mixture to the heavy pot and return to medium heat. Continue to whisk regularly until the mixture comes to 160 degrees, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.8 egg yolks, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Cool custard in an ice bath while whisking or let come to room temperature then place into fridge. If you use an ice bath, refrigerate 10 minutes. If you let cool on counter, leave in the fridge for an hour to chill.
- Once custard cools, strain through a mesh sieve into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions to process. Place a storage container in the freezer to ensure it won't melt the custard later.
- While the ice cream maker runs, make a batch of edible cookie dough. Mix together softened butter with the sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla, salt, and baking soda, and mix again. Add milk and beat to incorporate. Scrape down bowl, then add flour. Stir until just incorporated. Add mini chocolate chips and mix to distribute. If too crumbly, add a touch more milk and stir again.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla, pinch baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons milk, 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- After the custard finishes processing, place in storage container. Break off small chunks of the cookie dough and drop into custard. Stir gently to distribute. Seal tightly, then place in the freezer for 4-6 hours. Scoop and serve straight from the freezer.
- This will last up to a month in the freezer.
Equipment
Notes
- If you aren’t a cookie dough ice cream fan, simply leave out the chunks of edible cookie dough. This homemade frozen custard tastes amazing on its own or as a sundae with some espresso hot fudge sauce or homemade caramel sauce ladled over it.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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