Fresh Mint Ice Cream Bliss

This is your summer green light: a super creamy, clean-tasting fresh mint ice cream that actually tastes like the plant—not toothpaste. We steep real mint in warm cream and milk, make a silky custard, and churn it into the coldest, dreamiest scoop. No weird green dyes (unless you want to), just garden-minty freshness that snaps awake the second it hits your tongue.

My little family goes feral for this. The first time I made it, I swore I’d just “test a spoon” and then somehow we were standing at the counter, bowls in hand, adding chocolate shards and pretending it was “for the blog.” My husband calls it Fresh Mint Ice Cream Bliss because it’s… exactly that. It turned into our backyard-dinner-closer, our we-need-a-win dessert, and that one thing I bring to a BBQ that people text about later.

How to Make It

Grab a big handful (like, two packed cups) of fresh mint. Rinse it, shake it like a dog out of a kiddie pool, and tear it up a bit so it’s fragrant. Warm whole milk and heavy cream with sugar and a pinch of salt until steamy—not boiling, just a cozy hot bath situation. Toss in the mint, stir, clap the lid on, and let it sit. Give it 30–45 minutes to steep; longer if your mint is shy. The house will smell like a spa.

Fish out the mint or, if you want more color and oomph, blitz the warm mixture for 10–15 seconds with an immersion blender, then strain it through a fine sieve. No judgment either way—strained clean is classic, quick blend is a little extra minty. Put the minty dairy back in the pot and keep it warm on low.

In a bowl, whisk egg yolks till they look a little creamy and you feel powerful. Ladle in some of the warm mint milk, whisking so you don’t scramble the eggs (we temper, we do not make breakfast). Pour the yolk mix back into the pot and cook on low, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly—when it coats the back of a spoon, around 170–175°F. If you’re nervous, pull it sooner rather than later; curdled custard makes me cry.

Strain again (just in case), stir in a tiny splash of vanilla or a literal drop of peppermint extract if your mint was mild, and cool it down fast—ice bath or fridge. Chill it fully, like 4 hours or overnight, because churning warm custard is the road to sadness.

Churn in your ice cream maker until soft-serve vibes (about 15–20 minutes, depending). Fold in chopped dark chocolate or do a drizzle of melted chocolate in a thin stream while the machine is running for stracciatella shards. Freeze 4+ hours to firm. Makes about 1 generous quart. Try not to “taste-test” half of it straight from the container. I fail every time.

✔Ingredient Notes

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– Fresh mint (2 packed cups): The soul of the scoop. Spearmint is softer; peppermint is punchier. Use leaves and tender stems; woody stems are bitter.
– Heavy cream (2 cups): Gives that lush, scoopable texture. If you cut it too much, it’ll turn icy—ask me how I know.
– Whole milk (1 cup): Balances richness. Skim will make it sad; 2% works in a pinch.
– Granulated sugar (2/3 to 3/4 cup): Sweetens and softens the texture. Less sugar = icier ice cream. I like 2/3 cup for a fresher feel.
– Egg yolks (5 large): Silky custard magic. Four works for lighter; six is… decadent.
– Salt (pinch): Makes the mint pop. Don’t skip—flat ice cream is tragic.
– Vanilla or peppermint extract (tiny splash): Optional backup singer. A drop of peppermint goes a long way—easy, tiger.
– Dark chocolate (4 oz), chopped: Optional but highly recommended. Stir in at the end or drizzle melted for stracciatella. Milk chocolate is sweeter; still good.
– Spinach leaves (2–3 small): Optional color. Blend briefly and strain. You won’t taste it, promise.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Warm cream, milk, sugar, and salt until steamy; add torn mint and cover to steep 30–45 minutes.
2. Strain (or briefly blend then strain) the minty dairy and return to the pot over low heat.
3. Whisk yolks in a bowl; temper with warm dairy, then pour back into the pot.
4. Cook, stirring, until the custard coats a spoon (170–175°F); strain into a clean bowl.
5. Chill completely (ice bath, then 4 hours or overnight); optionally stir in a splash of vanilla or a drop of peppermint.
6. Churn until soft-serve, fold in chocolate, and freeze 4+ hours until firm.

What to Serve It With

– Warm brownies or a fudgy skillet cookie—hot/cold magic.
– Crushed chocolate wafer cookies or Oreos for texture.
– Fresh berries and a little honey drizzle.
– Espresso shot for a mint affogato (ridiculous, in a good way).
– Waffle cones because we are not animals.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Steep long enough. If your mint smells faint, go to 60 minutes.
– Don’t boil the custard. If it curdles, blend smooth and strain—you’ll be okay.
– Chill fully before churning. Warm base = butter soup.
– If it’s too white for your brain, blitz in 2 spinach leaves. No flavor, promise.
– Add chocolate at the end, not during steeping. Mint chocolate milk is lovely, but not the goal.

✔Storage Tips

Park it in a shallow, airtight container with parchment pressed on top to block ice crystals. It keeps best for 1–2 weeks, though we’ve never made it that long. If it’s hard as a brick, let it sit 5–10 minutes on the counter. Eating it cold straight from the container at 10 a.m.? Honestly, same. Breakfast of champions.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Honey or maple instead of sugar: use 1/2 cup and expect a slightly softer, warmer flavor.
– Coconut milk (full-fat) + a splash of coconut cream for dairy-free: rich and lovely; different vibe but still craveable.
– No ice cream maker: freeze the chilled base in a shallow pan, whisk every 30–45 minutes for 3–4 hours. Not as creamy, still very good.
– Mint extract only: use 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon total, taste as you go. It’s sharper than fresh mint but works.
– Matcha swirl: whisk 1–2 teaspoons into a little warm milk and ripple it in post-churn.
– Chocolate swap: go peppermint bark, cacao nibs, or crushed thin mints for crunch.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Fresh Mint Ice Cream Bliss

Silky homemade ice cream steeped with fresh mint leaves for a naturally cool, refreshing flavor—perfectly creamy and irresistibly scoopable.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1.5 cup whole milk
• ▢ 2 cup fresh mint leaves loosely packed
• ▢ 0.75 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 6 large egg yolks
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon peppermint extract optional; adjust to taste
• ▢ 2 drop green food coloring optional
• ▢ 0.75 cup chopped dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips optional; for mint chip

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Combine the whole milk, heavy cream, and fresh mint leaves in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until steaming and just starting to bubble around the edges; do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 20 to 30 minutes.
• Strain the dairy through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly on the mint to extract flavor. Discard the leaves. Return the infused dairy to the saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
• In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt until pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
• Temper the yolks by slowly whisking in about 1.0 cup of the warm mint-infused dairy. Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining dairy.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon, 170 to 175°F. Do not let it boil.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and peppermint extract (if using). Add a couple of drops of green food coloring if you prefer a minty hue. Chill the custard completely in the refrigerator, at least 3 hours or until cold.
• Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions until soft-serve consistency. In the last minute of churning, mix in the chocolate pieces (if using). Transfer to a lidded container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

Notes

For a brighter mint flavor, steep the leaves longer or bruise them lightly before heating. No ice cream maker? Chill the custard, then freeze in a shallow pan, whisking every 30 minutes until smooth and creamy. Sweetness and peppermint extract intensity can be adjusted to taste.