Peppermint Crunch Ice Cream

5 from 6 votes

Creamy peppermint infused ice cream is packed with rich shaved chocolate and crunchy bits of peppermint candies, and made with no ice cream maker!

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Chill Time7

Total Time7 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade ice cream

Servings: servings

Calories: 283kcal

Add a 9x5” loaf pan to the freezer to chill. If your freezer is large enough, you can also add a large mixing bowl (for when you whip the cream). If not, just make sure it's not warm or hot.

In a small saucepan, add milk, granulated sugar, and about 1/4 cup of the crushed peppermint candies. Heat over LOW or MED LOW until sugar has dissolved and the mints have dissolved and turned the milk mixture a pink shade.

The milk mixture needs to chill, and you don't want to place a hot pan in the refrigerator. So here's what I like to do:
Fill a rimmed baking sheet or a baking dish most of the way up with ice cubes. Place the saucepan with the peppermint milk mixture on top of the ice cubes and leave it there to cool. Stir it occasionally as it cools.
Mixture needs to be room temperature, or cold. So feel free to use it once it's room temp, or add it the refrigerator to further chill it.

Add the cold heavy whipping cream to the cold large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on MED-HIGH speed until stiff peaks form. **see Chef Tips note #3 for more information on stiff peaks**

Add the peppermint milk mixture, then gently fold together. This is most easily done with a rubber spatula and stirred gently in an over-under circular motion.

Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Cover tightly, and freeze for about 2-3 hours.

Remove loaf pan from the freezer and stir in most of the remaining crushed peppermints, and most of the finely chopped chocolate.
The toppings are added during this step to help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle remaining peppermint and chocolate over the top, then cover tightly again, and freeze for another 4-6 hours, or overnight.

I use the Star Bright variety from Brach's.
Recipe makes approximately 1.5 – 2 quarts, which I’ve estimated is 12 servings (1/2 cup per serving). Of course, feel free to break this up into as many (or as little) servings as you’d like.
Stiff Peaks – When you turn the mixer upside down (with it OFF), so the beaters are facing up, the cream will stand up in a peak (like a little mountain), and not fold over onto itself. This is a great visual guide from Taste of Home.
For the best storage, I recommend a container like this one (amazon link).
Exact time needed for freezing will depend on how cold your freezer is.

Add a 9x5” loaf pan to the freezer to chill.
Add the cold heavy whipping cream to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on MED-HIGH speed until stiff peaks form.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, then gently fold together. This is most easily done with a rubber spatula and stirred gently in an over-under circular motion.
Stir in the food coloring and peppermint extract.
Add to prepared loaf pan and freeze for about an hour or so.
Remove from the freeze and stir in most of the peppermint pieces and chocolate.
Sprinkle with top with remaining peppermints and chocolate, then cover tightly and freeze for 4-6 hours, or overnight.