Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Like everything you love about an Oreo cookie, magnified by 100x.
Texture: The very. best. part. is the decadent contrast of textures. Creamy ice cream, rich fudge swirls, all studded with softened Oreo cookies (think milk-drunked Oreo texture).
Ease: The base is mixed in a blender and the fudge swirl is made in minutes on the stove. The hardest part is waiting for the ice cream to freeze before serving!
Why you’ll love this recipe: Possibly the best homemade ice cream you’ll ever have (no exaggeration).
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I’ve written a cookbook about ice cream sandwiches and a cookbook about cookie baking, so I feel especially qualified to announce this recipe to be the VERY BEST Cookies & Cream Ice Cream you’ll ever taste.
Don’t just take my word for it. Jess, the photographer who shot this recipe, texted me during the process to say, “I have to tell you this is the best ice cream I’ve ever had. Store bought, homemade, ice cream parlor, or otherwise! WOW, amazing job!”
One of my recipe testers for this recipe wrote in her report, “I served the ice cream with slices of Chewy Brownies I popped in the microwave for 20 seconds, for a gooey brownie sundae that was EPIC.” I totally condone this idea!
What Makes Cookies Chewy, Crisp, or Cakey?
My free guide reveals the ingredients and tweaks that matter.
To me, ice cream requires a contrast of textures. Mix-ins, toppings, or serving as a sundae or sandwich is necessary to create a compelling mouthfeel to really enjoy all the flavors. This recipe hits it out of the park.
Texture is why I’m (not so humbly) obsessed with my Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream and Cookie Dough Ice Cream recipes. The latter has GIANT chunks of homemade edible cookie dough!
If you’re intimidated by making ice cream from scratch, don’t worry. The box below has ALL the tips you need to all but guarantee success.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Key Ingredients for Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
- Cream Cheese – half a brick of full-fat cream cheese creates a rich, creamy texture and emphasizes that classic Oreo filling flavor. Don’t use reduced-fat, spreadable, or whipped cream cheese meant for bagels as they won’t give the right consistency.
- Heavy cream – you want a cream with around 36% fat for the best smooth and creamy texture.
- Whole milk – don’t swap with a lower-fat milk, otherwise your ice cream will be more icy and less smooth.
- Corn syrup – just a tablespoon helps to maintain a softer and creamier texture in the freezer. Note that corn syrup (like Karo) is not high-fructose corn syrup; those are two different things. You can omit this ingredient if needed, but your ice cream may be a little harder.
- Oreos – use whole Oreos (don’t scrape out the filling!). The recipe was written with regular-stuffed Oreos, but if using Double Stuf’d, the ice cream maker will be quite full. Use a spatula to gently help mix them in during the last minute of churning, if needed.
The Best Ice Cream Maker
I love my Cuisinart ice cream machine. I’ve had one for over ten years and used it to literally write a cookbook about ice cream, so you can imagine how much use it’s gotten. I prefer it to the KitchenAid attachment.
If you’re using a similar machine, make 100% sure that the freezer bowl is COMPLETELY frozen before churning – otherwise, you’ll end up with soup. That means when you shake the freezer bowl, there should be no liquid sloshing. Your ice cream mixture should also be well chilled before adding it to the machine.
If you’re using a self-freezing machine, you don’t need to worry about freezing the bowl beforehand.
How Long Does Ice Cream Take to Churn?
This will depend on your ice cream maker. The brand, motor, style, capacity, and age of your machine all play a factor. With new ones, it can take as little as 15 minutes. With older machines, it can take about 25 minutes to churn. Follow your machine’s instructions and check often.
Homemade ice cream is ready when a spoonful stays on your spoon and doesn’t melt or slide off immediately.
Can I Make This Recipe Without an Ice Cream Machine?
Although an ice cream maker really does produce the best smooth and creamy results, you can use Methods #2, #3, or #4 of my How to Make Ice Cream Without a Machine here if you don’t have an ice cream machine!
How to Store Homemade Ice Cream:
Store in an airtight container at a spot in your freezer that maintains a consistent temperature (i.e., not in the door if possible). To prevent freezer burn, press plastic wrap directly against the top of the ice cream. Do not store in the ice cream maker bowl.
If you plan to gift ice cream, I love these adorable pint containers from Amazon!
How to Scoop and Serve Homemade Ice Cream:
Homemade ice cream is more likely to harden in the freezer compared to store-bought ice cream. This is because mass-produced commercial ice cream relies on production techniques that incorporate more air into the ice cream and on emulsifiers like guar gum or carrageenan to prevent ice crystals.
To make homemade ice cream easy to scoop, place the container in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving. Placing it out at room temperature before serving results in uneven thawing, where the ice cream near the edges of your container becomes melty while the center is still hard. The fridge allows the entire container to soften more evenly. This is my favorite ice cream scoop.
More Homemade Ice Cream Recipes:
Cookies and Cream Fudge Swirl Ice Cream
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Ingredients
For the ice cream:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups (415 grams) heavy cream, cold
- 1 cup (237 grams) whole milk, cold
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) corn syrup*
- 15 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)**
For the fudge swirl:
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (89 grams) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
Make the ice cream:
- In the pitcher of a blender, pulse all the ice cream ingredients except the Oreo cookies a few times, until smooth. Don’t overblend. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Make the fudge swirl:
- In a small saucepan, heat the cream, butter, and sugars over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Let sit for 3 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Let cool to room temperature before using. You can make the fudge swirl ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.
Finish the ice cream:
- Pour the chilled cream mixture into your ice cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.*** As it churns, the mixture will thicken and expand. To check if it’s ready, scoop a spoonful—if it stays on the spoon for a few seconds, it’s good to go. If it slides right off, it needs more time.
- In the final minute of churning, gradually add the chopped Oreo cookies and churn just until evenly combined.
- Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container in layers, dolloping the fudge swirl in between each layer in a swirled pattern. Press plastic wrap against the surface of the ice cream and freeze until it is firm, about 3 hours, before serving.
- Store for up to 2 weeks. If the ice cream has become too hard to scoop, place in the fridge for 30 minutes before scooping and serving.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
Learn the sweet SCIENCE of cookie baking in a fun, visual way to customize your own recipes frustration-free. Plus, my best 50+ homemade cookies!
This recipe was originally published in 2014 and updated with recipe improvements, new photos, and more tips. Photos by Jess Gaertner.
Loved this recipe! Creating the base in a blender was very easy. After churning & freezing overnight, the ice cream was very smooth! I have to say that the homemade fudge swirl made the recipe. I used oreo thins instead of regular oreos.
This dish is a masterpiece! The ingredients are so fresh, and the presentation is stunning. It’s clear a lot of care went into preparing this incredible meal.
This is so tasty! Everyone loved it. However, when I scooped it out and placed it on the cone, the ice cream fell apart. It was hard to get it to scoop out nicely. The texture was more on the icey side instead of smooth. Any suggestions?
Hi Theresa, thanks so much for your feedback! We’re so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it. 🙂
As for the texture, we didn’t experience the ice cream falling apart during testing, but that’s usually a sign of too little fat or something going off during the freezing process. Did you happen to make any substitutions or leave anything out?
The icy texture could also be due to how the ice cream was frozen. Home freezers tend to freeze more slowly, which gives ice crystals more time to form. We recommend placing the container in the very back of your freezer (the coldest spot) and avoiding the door. The corn syrup also plays a role in keeping the texture smooth and preventing crystallization, so if that was omitted, it could be part of the issue.
Do you remember how the texture was right after churning, and how long you churned it for? That can help us troubleshoot more specifically. I’d love to help however I can!
So delicious! I really loved the cream cheese flavor in the ice cream. I’m going to try the strawberry cheesecake ice cream next.
Could I make this using a mixer for the first part instead of a blender? Also, why don’t you mix the fudge swirl into the mixture while it’s being churned? Is it a matter of taking up too much space?
Looks so good!! I can’t decide if I’m making this ice cream or Death By Chocolate ice cream this weekend. Either way, it will be delicious.
Hi Barbara! If you don’t have a blender, you can absolutely try using a mixer—just be careful not to overmix. As for the fudge swirl, we add it after churning because if it goes in during the churn, it’ll blend right into the ice cream base. And trust me—you want those thick, fudgy ribbons throughout! 🙂 This ice cream truly is textural heaven. You really can’t go wrong with either flavor though, and we can’t wait to hear which one you choose. Enjoy!
Thank you. Yes, I do want those thick, fudgy ribbons!
This was the most delicious ice cream I’ve made yet!! So so good!! It rivals my favorite, which is Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy, but without all the chemicals. SO GOOD!!!!
Is it possible to make this using the ninja creami?
We haven’t tried that, but please let us know how it goes if you do!
After blending, a good portion thickened and basically became butter. What could have happened and what should I do next time?
Hi Leslie! It’s so hard to know exactly what went wrong without having baked alongside you, but when heavy cream (+ other ingredients) turn into butter, it’s usually from over-whipping/mixing. Was your blender on for an extended period? Next time, I would recommend just pulsing the mixture in very short bursts until just pureed and combined, and no longer. Hopefully that will help! Good luck! 🙂
Make this guys! It’s soo good. This is a keeper for me
So happy to hear that, Aruna!!
This is the best ice cream I’ve ever made – you make it easy!
Hooray!! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Hi..can I make it without an ice cream machine?
Hi Tessa! Could I make this using the 2 step method without an ice cream machine?
2 ingredient*
Making it tomorrow for a dinner invite ✌…hope it comes out as good as yours