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Homemade peppermint bark ice cream is one of my favorite holiday desserts! This festive recipe combines rich white chocolate, chocolate chunks, and crushed candy canes with a creamy no-churn ice cream base.
Reasons to Love This Peppermint Bark Ice Cream Recipe
This recipe was inspired by some fantastic peppermint bark ice cream that I fell in love with but could never find again. Since I couldn’t get that unique flavor out of my head, I decided to recreate it at home and, of course, share it with you! Here’s what makes this homemade version the absolute best:
- No churning. No-churn ice cream means exactly that: there’s no need for an ice cream maker to churn the ice cream base. Instead, this recipe combines sweetened condensed milk with melted white chocolate and whipped cream to create an easy, freezable base for the festive peppermint add-ins.
- Better than store-bought. Most peppermint ice cream I find in stores is flavored only with peppermint. I took inspiration from my peppermint bark cookies and filled this homemade ice cream with chocolate and peppermint for some fun crunch. Once you make your own ice cream, you’ll have a hard time buying a pint at the store!
- Creamy and festive. When you combine the smooth creaminess of white chocolate ice cream and the texture of milk chocolate chunks with crunchy peppermint pieces, you have THE ice cream to fall in love with, at Christmas and beyond.
What You’ll Need
The texture of this no-churn peppermint bark ice cream is unique and delicious, with a soft, fluffy base packed with crunchy peppermint candy and chocolate. You only need a handful of ingredients to make it at home. These are some notes on the ingredients, and you’ll find the full amounts and recipe details in the printable recipe card after the post.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – This recipe is “Philadelphia-style” ice cream, meaning it’s made without eggs. Canned sweetened condensed milk forms the creamy base of the ice cream, along with the whipped cream. Make sure you’re buying the right kind and not condensed milk or evaporated milk, which are unsweetened.
- Vanilla Extract – You can also up the peppermint flavor with peppermint extract, or use half vanilla/half peppermint.
- White Chocolate – We’ll melt the white chocolate to flavor the ice cream base. Use your favorite brand of white chocolate bar rather than chocolate chips. Chocolate bars melt much more smoothly.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – For the richest, creamiest ice cream, make sure to use full-fat heavy whipping cream.
- Chopped Chocolate – Chop up pieces of your favorite chocolate bars to fold into the ice cream. I used Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars. You could also use chocolate chips, mini chips, or even white chocolate chips here.
- Peppermint Candy Canes – Crushed up to mix into the ice cream with the chopped chocolate. You can replace candy canes with another peppermint candy, like Andes Mints or similar.
How to Make Peppermint Bark Ice Cream
No-churn ice cream comes together quickly at home without an ice cream machine. You just need to set aside enough time for it to chill. Once frozen, you’ve got easy, festive peppermint bark ice cream. So good! The steps below give an overview of what to expect. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.
- Prepare the no-churn base. Start by combining sweetened condensed milk with vanilla in a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat the white chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring in between until it’s fully melted. Afterward, pour the white chocolate into the condensed milk gradually, whisking between each addition.
- Add the whipped cream. In a new bowl, whip the heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Then, gently fold the whipped cream into the base by hand.
- Add the chocolate and peppermint candy. Finally, fold in the chopped chocolate and crushed candy canes, doing your best not to over-stir.
- Freeze. Now, transfer the peppermint bark ice cream to a parchment-lined 9×5 loaf pan or freezer-safe container. Cover it and place it into the freezer for 4-6 hours (I usually let it chill and freeze overnight for best results).
Tips for Success
- Whip the cream long enough. Make sure to whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks before you add it to the ice cream. Also, use a gentle hand when folding the whipped cream into the ice cream base. You don’t want to deflate all that volume and lightness!
- Don’t overmix. Be careful that you don’t continue to stir the ice cream too much after adding the peppermint and chocolate pieces. The candy canes leak color into the base, and your ice cream will turn out bright pink! It’ll still be delicious, mind you.
- Use full-fat ingredients. I mentioned it briefly, but make sure that ingredients like heavy whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk are full-fat versions. Low-fat ingredients contain more water, and not only does your homemade ice cream turn out less creamy, but it’ll be icier, too.
- Heat the chocolate in increments. Use a microwave-safe bowl and microwave the white chocolate in increments (30 seconds at a time), stirring in between each period. Do this until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. This process helps prevent scorching and overheating, which causes the chocolate to seize and become unusable.
Storage Instructions
Keep this homemade peppermint bark ice cream tightly covered in the freezer. Properly stored, no-churn ice cream lasts for 1-2 weeks in the freezer before it starts to lose a bit of its flavor and creamy texture. When you’re ready to serve, let the ice cream sit out for a few minutes first. This helps soften it up so it’s easier to scoop.
Peppermint Bark Ice Cream
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Freezer
- Cuisine: American
Description
This festive and easy homemade peppermint bark ice cream combines rich white chocolate, chocolate chunks, and crushed peppermint candy with a creamy no-churn ice cream base.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 5 (1.55 ounce) Hershey’s chocolate bars, chopped (7.75 oz chocolate)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp crushed peppermint candy canes
Instructions
- Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Melt the chopped white chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring well between each, until melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted white chocolate into the sweetened condensed milk mixture in 3 parts, whisking together until well combined after each addition. Set mixture aside.
- Add the heavy whipping cream to a large mixing bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk in two parts.
- Add the chopped chocolate and crushed candy canes and gently fold until evenly dispersed. Try not to over-stir it all or the red color of the candy canes will make the ice cream pink.
- Pour the ice cream into the prepared pan, cover, and freeze at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
