This homemade cookies and cream ice cream begins with a silky custard base that’s churned with chopped sandwich cookies in an ice cream machine.
When my husband surprised me with a Cuisinart ice cream maker for my birthday, I immediately fell in love with making ice cream at home. The texture is incredibly creamy and rich, and I love knowing it’s made from simple, real ingredients like cream and eggs from our own hens.
I started testing classic flavors right away and developed a custard-style base that produces consistently smooth, scoopable ice cream. I use that base for many variations, and it’s the foundation of this cookies and cream version.
If you love cookies and cream, this recipe delivers a perfectly balanced sweet vanilla custard studded with crunchy cookie pieces. Warning: once you taste homemade, store-bought will never be the same.
What you need to make the best cookies and cream ice cream:
Ingredients
- Whole milk – Provides a creamy mouthfeel; you can use 2% for a lighter result, but whole milk gives the richest texture.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar to sweeten the custard.
- Egg yolks – Create the custard base and add body and silkiness.
- Heavy whipping cream – Essential for a dense, creamy ice cream.
- Vanilla extract – Adds classic vanilla flavor to the base.
- Chocolate sandwich cookies – Use Oreos or any similar sandwich cookies, chopped to your preferred size.
How to make machine-churned cookies and cream ice cream
Prep: In a medium saucepan whisk 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup granulated sugar until the mixture lightens slightly in color and is smooth.
Heat the milk: In a separate small saucepan, warm 1 cup of milk over medium-low heat until it begins to steam and just reaches a simmer.
Temper the eggs: Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg and sugar mixture while whisking constantly to gently raise the egg temperature without scrambling.
Cook: Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly and reaches about 165ºF (74ºC). Remove immediately from heat.
Chill: Pour the custard into an airtight container and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 4–6 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.
Finish the base: Once chilled, stir in 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Add the cookies: In the final few minutes of churning, add about 1 cup of roughly chopped cookies so they get evenly distributed without becoming too soggy.
Tips for success
To serve: Serve the ice cream straight from the churn for a soft-serve texture, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least one hour for a firmer scoop. If frozen solid, let it sit a few minutes at room temperature for easier scooping.
To store: Keep leftovers in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container for best quality up to one month.
Variations: Chop the cookies into large chunks for a chewy contrast or finely crush them for a more uniform cookies-and-cream texture. You can also fold in swirls of chocolate or caramel if you like.
Substitutions: Swap sandwich cookies for chocolate chip cookies or small pieces of edible cookie dough for a different twist.
Why you’ll love this ice cream
- Rich, thick and luxuriously creamy texture.
- Homemade flavor that outshines most store-bought options.
- A great way to use extra egg yolks if you keep chickens or bake frequently.
- Simple ingredients and no unnecessary additives, so you control what goes into your dessert.
FAQ about this cookies and cream ice cream
Do I need an ice cream maker?
An ice cream maker gives the best texture, but you can still make this without one: freeze the chilled custard in a container for about two hours, then beat it with electric beaters until smooth and return to the freezer. Repeat if necessary until evenly frozen.
Can I make it without eggs?
This version relies on eggs for a custard base. If you need an egg-free alternative, look for a no-cook cream-based or dairy-free cookies and cream recipe that uses cornstarch or a frozen custard substitute.
How long does churning take?
Churning time depends on your machine, but most electric ice cream makers take around 20–40 minutes to reach soft-serve consistency.
What happens if you over-churn?
Over-churning can cause the mixture to become grainy and allow larger ice crystals to form, which reduces creaminess. Stop when the ice cream reaches thick, scoopable soft-serve texture.
How long does homemade ice cream last?
For best flavor and texture, enjoy homemade ice cream within one month when stored in an airtight, freezer-safe container. It can keep up to two months but quality will decline over time.
Best containers for storing homemade ice cream
Use airtight, freezer-safe containers. Shallow, wide containers freeze and thaw more evenly than very tall ones. Glass or BPA-free plastic both work well.
More homemade ice cream recipes
- Old Fashioned Chocolate Ice Cream
- Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
- Snow Ice Cream
- Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Pin these steps to try later. Tag @athomeontheprairie on Instagram to share what you’ve made!
Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
1 quart
20 minutes
4 hours 30 minutes
4 hours 50 minutes
This homemade cookies and cream ice cream begins with a silky custard base that’s churned with chopped sandwich cookies in an ice cream machine.
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sandwich cookies, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add the 4 egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar to a medium saucepan. Whisk until smooth and slightly pale.
- In another small saucepan, heat 1 cup whole milk over medium-low until it just begins to simmer.
- Slowly add the warm milk to the egg mixture, stirring constantly to temper the eggs.
- Return the mixture to medium heat and stir until it reaches about 165ºF (74ºC). Remove from heat immediately.
- Pour the custard into an airtight container and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate 4–6 hours until fully chilled.
- After chilling, stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into your ice cream maker and churn per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- During the last few minutes of churning, fold in the chopped cookies so they are evenly distributed.
Notes
To Serve – Enjoy right from the machine for soft-serve texture or freeze at least one hour for firmer scoops. If frozen solid, let sit a few minutes before scooping.
To Store – Keep in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container up to one month for best quality.
Variations – Adjust cookie chunk size to your liking or crush cookies for a finer texture.
Substitutions – Swap in chocolate chip cookies or edible cookie dough pieces if preferred.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 329
Total Fat: 19g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 129mg
Sodium: 135mg
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 27g
Protein: 5g