Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

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Smooth and nutty, this chocolate hazelnut ice cream is delightful. It has toasted hazelnut and chocolate flavor in every spoonful – the perfect sweet treat!

a bowl of homemade chocolate hazelnut ice cream topped with chopped roasted hazelnuts sitting on a marble countertop surrounded by more ice cream and hazelnuts

Whole Hazelnuts

We skip the chocolate hazelnut spread, filled with added oils, and opt for whole hazelnuts in this ice cream recipe. First we roast the hazelnuts to bring out their delicous nutty, toasted flavor. Then we soak the hazelnuts in milk and blend until smooth, allowing the hazelnut flavor to be fully incorporated into the ice cream base.

Cocoa Powder

You’ll typically find two cocoa powder options at the grocery store: natural and Dutch-processed. I tend to gravitate towards Dutch-processed cocoa powder because I find it has a deeper, more rounded taste. That’s what I chose to use for this recipe, but you can choose to use either.

a bowl of rich chocolate hazelnut ice cream on a marble countertop surrounded by an ice cream container and hazelnuts

Toppings and Mix-Ins

This recipe is for a smooth chocolate hazelnut ice cream, with no mix-ins. If you like an added crunch, you can certainly add some chopped roasted hazelnuts near the end of the churning process. You can also add a chocolate ganache swirl, some chocolate chips, Nutella swirl, etc. – the possibilities are endless.

This ice cream is delicious on its own and needs no special toppings. If you’re wanting to add something, however, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, hot fudge, and whipped cream are always good choices.

Looking for More Ice Cream Recipes?

I love keeping a variety of homemade ice cream in the freezer, ready to go for any occasion. Here are a few more delicious ice cream recipes to try:

Scooping Tip

When you’re ready to enjoy this ice cream, it’s best to let it sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes before scooping. This makes scooping much easier.

two bowls of creamy chocolate hazelnut ice cream on a marble countertop surrounded by an ice cream container and hazelnuts

Equipment

I use an ice cream maker to churn this ice cream. The one I currently use, and some other options, are linked below:

Don’t have an ice cream machine or not ready to buy one? Check out my post: How to Make Ice Cream Without a Machine.

a bowl of homemade chocolate hazelnut ice cream topped with chopped roasted hazelnuts sitting on a marble countertop

Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

Brookside Kitchen
Smooth and nutty, this chocolate hazelnut ice cream is delightful. It has toasted hazelnut and chocolate flavor in every spoonful – the perfect sweet treat.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling & Churning 16 hours
Course Dessert
Yield 1 quart

Equipment

  • Ice Cream Machine

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup roasted hazelnuts
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 6 egg yolks
  • ¾ cup sugar

Instructions
 

  • Add milk and toasted hazelnuts to an air-tight container and soak overnight in the fridge, or for at least 8 hours.
  • Add egg yolks and sugar to a medium bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Set aside.
  • Blend hazelnuts and milk in a high-speed blender until very smooth. If your blender won't get the mixture super smooth, strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any hazelnut pieces.
  • Add the hazelnut milk, cream, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt to a pot. Place over medium heat, stirring frequently, until warm and beginning to steam.
  • Slowly pour some of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, while whisking constantly to temper the egg yolks. Continue until all of the milk has been added.
  • Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon well.
  • Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (optional) into a heat-safe container. Cover and let cool slightly at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then, place in the fridge and chill overnight, or until completely cold.
  • Churn ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions.
  • Transfer to an air-tight container, cover, and freeze until firm.

Notes

Roasted Hazelnuts – If your hazelnuts are not already roasted, you’ll want to do so to bring out their flavor. To roast: spread a single layer of hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake in a 350℉ oven for 10-15 minutes. Check on them periodically. You’ll know they are ready when they are golden brown and fragrant. Hazelnut skin can be a bit bitter; to remove them: after roasting, lay out a clean kitchen towel and pour the warm hazelnuts onto the towel. Fold the towel over the hazelnuts and rub them around to remove the skins. You don’t need to get all of the skins off, but you want to remove a majority of them.
Prepare Your Ice Cream Machine – If your ice cream machine has a bowl that needs to be frozen, remember to freeze it in advance so it’s ready when you need it. I prefer to freeze it overnight to ensure it’s fully frozen before using.
Incorporating the Hazelnuts – You’ll want to blend the hazelnuts and milk until super smooth, which may take several minutes. If your blender won’t allow the mixture to get super smooth, optionally strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth to remove the hazelnut pulp.
Can I soak the hazelnuts with the milk and cream? – Soak and blend the hazelnuts with the milk only. Blending the cream with the hazelnuts may separate the cream into butter and buttermilk, which is not what we want when making ice cream.
Cocoa Powder – You can use natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder for this recipe. I personally enjoy using Dutch-processed.
Tempering the Egg Yolks – This step is important because it allows the eggs to heat up slowly, so they don’t curdle and cause little egg lumps in your ice cream mixture.
Cooking the Ice Cream – When cooking the ice cream, you’ll know it’s done when it coats the back of a spoon well. If you want to use a thermometer, it should reach this point around 170℉.
Strainer – Pouring the cooked ice cream base through a strainer or fine-mesh sieve is optional, but it ensures that you don’t end up with any lumps or pieces of cooked egg yolk in your mixture.
Chilling the Mixture – I prefer to chill the ice cream base overnight to ensure it’s fully cold and allow everything to meld together. If you don’t want to wait that long to churn your ice cream, you can move onto the churning step once the ice cream base is fully cold.
Serving – If the ice cream has been in the freezer for an extended period of time, you may want to let it sit out on the counter for a few minutes to allow it to soften slightly before scooping.
Churning without an Ice Cream Machine – If you don’t have an ice cream machine, I show an alternate method for churning ice cream here (https://brooksidekitchen.com/how-to-make-ice-cream-without-a-machine/).

If you try this recipe, I’d love to see it! Please leave a comment with a rating and tag @BrooksideKitchen on Instagram with the hashtag #brooksidekitchen

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