Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Rich chocolate and peanut butter ice cream with chocolate and peanut butter chunks mixed throughout is a dream come true for any ice cream lover.

The candy pieces are just the right amount of dark chocolate and peanut butter to mix into the ice cream.

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

The first time I made this chocolate ice cream and filled it with peanut butter cups, I stashed it in the freezer for a few days before sharing it with my boys.

I knew without a doubt that they would flip over this ice cream. (Yes, I enjoyed it daily. There just wasn’t the right moment to share it initially. You do believe me, right?)

I’ve been making this ice cream for almost nine years now and this is still one of our favorite ice creams. It tastes just like a smooth, creamy chocolate peanut butter cup!

I don’t know if I’ve ever had as many ice cream related questions from readers as I have this past week. So many people are making Homemade Ice Cream and looking at Ice Cream Makers too.

For more great recipes to try, don’t miss our whole collection of ice cream recipes! Fresh Mint Ice Cream is like no other mint ice cream you’ve tried in the past, and it is one of our current favorites.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

There aren’t very many ice cream recipes on this website that require cooking the base mixture over the stove, but this one? It is absolutely worth a few minutes of stirring and the lengthy chill time before churning. And when I say it’s worth it? I mean it.

I’d choose this chocolate and peanut butter ice cream combination over anything store-bought!

Just a heads up: As much as I love this ice cream fully loaded with peanut butter cups, I need to caution you that adding too much candy to this ice cream will make it far less creamy and more likely to crumble apart.

It’s absolutely delicious that way too (as evidenced by some of these photos) but it won’t be as pretty or scoopable if it’s fully loaded with chocolate peanut butter chunks.

And for what it’s worth, this ice cream is absolutely lovely without any additional candy mixed in to it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Recipe

Start by combining all of the ingredients except the peanut butter and the chocolate chips in a large saucepan. Whisk to combine and then heat over medium heat, stirring continually, until it comes to a full boil. (If you are impatient like me, increase the heat, but continue stirring non-stop. Do not step away at this point.)

When the mixture begins to foam, remove it from the heat and stir in the peanut butter. Whisk it together until it is fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to two days.

Process the mixture according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. When the ice cream is almost finished, stir in the chocolate pieces of your choice,  if desired. Transfer the finished ice cream to a freezer-safe container.

If you’re looking for an ice cream recipe with even more crunchy candy pieces, Nutty Bars Ice Cream is a rich peanut butter ice cream loaded to the absolute max with chunks of Little Debbie’s classic Nutty Buddy Wafer Bars.

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

If you don’t happen to have peanut butter cups in the house, but you do have chocolate and peanut butter, you might want to try your hand at Homemade Reese’s Cups too.

originally published 7/26/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/16/24

recipe inspired by Jen at My Tiny Oven