Brace yourselves, s'mores lovers. You're about to meet your dream ice cream. Loaded with rich chocolate flavor, toasted marshmallows and crushed graham crackers in every bite, this s'mores ice cream is one nostalgic treat that's perfect any time of year.
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Why You Need to Make This Recipe
You know what I love about s'mores, besides the fact that they're gooey, chocolatey and utterly delicious? No matter the time of year, s'mores are always in season.
During the spring and summer months, s'mores make for the perfect camping dessert, and when the weather cools in the fall and winter, sitting around a fire with a toasty marshmallow covered in slightly melted chocolate makes my soul happy.
On top of my s'mores love, I could eat ice cream every day of my life whether the outdoor temperature is 100 degrees or 0 degrees. Naturally, it only makes sense to combine these two favorite desserts into one s'mores ice cream recipe, right?
For my s'mores ice cream recipe, I made a dark chocolate base and mixed in crushed graham crackers and toasted marshmallows. This ice cream was quite the hit in our household. Matt even said it was his favorite ice cream I've made to date. Honestly, it's hard for me to pick a favorite homemade ice cream, but I think he's on to something.
Ingredients
Before we start, let's gather our ingredients. Here's everything you need to make this s'mores ice cream.
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Sugar
- Dark chocolate cocoa powder, aka Dutch process
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla extract or paste
- Graham cracker sheets, lightly crushed
- Mini marshmallows
Eight ingredients for the tastiest ice cream of your life -- not too shabby.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now let's walk through the steps.
Step 1: We start by whisking together heavy cream, milk, sugar and cocoa powder in a saucepan. At first, the mixture will look clumpy (photo 1), but keep whisking and it will smooth out (photo 2). We continue to cook the mixture until it reaches a simmer (photo 3) and then turn off the heat and let it cool for just a few minutes.
Step 2: While the chocolate mixture cools, we constantly whisk together a ridiculous amount of delicious egg yolks with vanilla extract or paste (photo 4). I like to do this for about three minutes, which also gives the cream mixture the necessary cooling time.
Step 3: Now let’s ladle a small scoop of the chocolate mixture into the eggs (photo 5) and stir. We continue to repeat this step until we incorporate about half the chocolate mixture into the eggs (photo 6) and then pour the eggs into the saucepan with the remaining chocolate mixture (photo 7).
Step 4: We’re now ready to fire up the stove once again and cook the custard base until it's thick enough to coat a wooden spoon (photo 8).
Step 5: Now we pour the custard base into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the custard’s surface and refrigerate overnight (photo 9).
Step 6: The next day, we're ready to churn, but let's first prepare our toasted marshmallows. For this step, we spread the marshmallows on a sheet pan (photo 10) and broil until toasted (photo 11). We then use a spatula to move the marshmallow to parchment paper to set (photo 12).
Step 7: Now we churn the chocolate mixture according to the ice cream maker manufacturer's directions. In the last few minutes of churning, we add the crushed graham crackers and toasted marshmallows to the ice cream maker (photo 13). When the ice cream finishes churning, pour half of the ice cream into an air-tight container and freeze until firm.
And just like that, we have one delicious s'mores ice cream in a few hours. Lucky us. Now we grab a spoon and dig in.
Bonus: If you love this chocolate ice cream, I bet you'll also enjoy my chocolate-amaretto ice cream and Oreo ice cream!
Recipe FAQs
If you don't have an ice cream maker, I'm a huge fan of Cuisinart's ice cream maker. It’s worked well for me for nine years, and it makes the churning process so simple.
Yes, this is an important step, so please don't skip it. If the ice cream base is not cold, it will not set up properly. Homemade ice cream does take a little planning, so keep this step in mind.
Expert Tips
- When cooking our milk and cream mixture, do not let it come to a boil. It can break the milk.
- Do not skip the step where we mix a scoop of warm cream into the eggs. This gently cooks the eggs and prevents the custard from turning into scrambled egg ice cream. I love eggs, but that’s a hard no for me.
- I don't recommend putting the parchment paper in the oven with the marshmallows under the broiler. Parchment paper can catch on fire in little time at that heat.
- I just want to set expectations that working with the toasted marshmallows will be a little messy. Toasted marshmallows are gooey and sticky. There's no getting around that, but you will be rewarded with the most delicious flavor. Trust me -- it's way better than untoasted marshmallows.
Perfect Pairing
You can't go wrong with a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with this s'mores ice cream. The residual sweetness makes barrel-aged beers delicious with desserts, and I love how the slight char from the bourbon barrels pairs with the toasted marshmallows. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout is an incredible option, and I'm sure you can find other delicious ones from your local breweries.
When wine calls, reach for a tawny port. The caramel-like nutty notes of tawny port are the perfect match to the graham cracker crumbles and the toasty marshmallows.
For those times you're craving a new twist on one of the most classic desserts, I hope you try this s'mores ice cream recipe. It will be your new favorite ice cream and a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Cheers!
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📖 Recipe
S'mores Ice Cream
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Ice cream maker
- Large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- 7 graham cracker sheets lightly crushed
- 2 ½ cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Whisk together the heavy cream, milk, sugar and cocoa powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to whisk periodically to help dissolve the sugar and incorporate the cocoa powder. Once it simmers, turn off heat. Do not bring to a boil as this can cause the milk to separate.
- Whisk egg yolks and vanilla until pale, about three minutes. Temper about ¼ to ½ cup of warm cream mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat this step a few times.
- Add tempered egg-cream mixture back to the pot. Whisk constantly over medium heat and bring back to a simmer. Again, do not boil. Cook until mixture thickens and covers the back of a wooden spoon. Turn off heat.
- Pour into a large mixing bowl, and then directly cover the top of the custard's surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least four hours to ensure proper churning, though I like to chill overnight to really make sure it's cold.
- Spread mini marshmallows on a broiler-safe sheet. Broil a few inches from the heating unit until the marshmallows are brown and toasty. Keep a close eye on this. It won't take long for the marshmallows to toast. Use a spatula and move the toasted marshmallows to parchment paper to set. This will get a little sticky, and the marshmallows won't hold their shape -- that's totally fine (see blog for a photo).
- Pour custard in an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. In the last five minutes of churning, add the crushed graham crackers and globs of toasted marshmallows to the ice cream maker. The marshmallows will be a bit sticky.
- Pour the churned ice cream into an airtight container. Freeze for several hours before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Prep time does not include chilling or churning as that can vary based on manufacturer.
- When cooking our milk and cream mixture, do not let it come to a boil. It can break the milk.
- Do not skip the step where we mix a scoop of warm cream into the eggs. This gently cooks the eggs and prevents the custard from turning into scrambled egg ice cream. I love eggs, but that’s a hard no for me.
- I don't recommend putting the parchment paper in the oven with the broiler. Parchment paper can catch on fire in little time at that heat.
- I just want to set expectations that working with the toasted marshmallows will be a little messy. Toasted marshmallows are gooey and sticky. There's no getting around that, but you will be rewarded with the most delicious flavor. Trust me -- it's way better than untoasted marshmallows.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
Recipe originally published in September 2018 and republished in March 2020.
Geetanjali Tung says
This was truly delicious! Everyone of my family enjoyed. Thanks!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I'm so glad to hear that!
Erin Gierhart says
Oh yes! This ice cream is a dream!
Michelle says
This S'mores Ice Cream was so Yummy! We enjoyed it greatly!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
That makes me happy! It's my husband's favorite of all the homemade ice creams I've made.
Erin says
I’ve been on an ice cream making rampage. This is the 2nd recipe of yours that I’ve used. The Baileys and now this. Both are excellent. I only wonder if I didn’t do the marshmallows correctly. They stuck to the parchment paper and so I did another batch but sprayed the paper with cooking oil first. They were crunchy. Is that the way yours turned out too? Otherwise 5/5 for the flavour. Yum yum. I made this for my kids as I’m on a clean eating meal plan right now. I still had to try a sample 🙂
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Hi, Erin! First of all, thank you so much for trying another ice cream recipe! That means a lot. I would describe the marshmallows more as chewy, but I bet that would depend on just how toasted they are. I’m so glad you enjoyed this one too!
Fred says
I'm an Ice Cream lover and this recipe made me smile. I love ice cream so much my wife had to ban it from the home , so now I eat it once a month. Smore ice cream will be a good excuse to get my fix :). Thanks for sharing!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Haha, it can be a little dangerous in the house. Finding self-control around ice cream is never easy. Hope you enjoy it!
Stephanie Simmons says
This sounds delicious - and easy to make too! I love eating ice cream year round, and it's still pretty warm here so I'll definitely try this out!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Never a bad time for ice cream as far as I'm concerned. Hope you love it!
Linda says
I'm a fan of s'mores, and you really get me at dark chocolate. This needs to happen soon while summer weather is still around.
Catherine Brown says
Oh, wow! This looks so rich and chocolatey! We love s'mores, so this is going to be perfect. I bet this would make a great ice cream cake too... with a graham cracker crust! Can't wait to try it.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Ohhh, I love the idea of this as an ice cream cake! That would be delicious.
Arjhon says
I love s’mores ice cream, it is one of my favorite dessert specially in summer. combining the dark chocolate base and mixed in crushed graham crackers and toasted marshmallows made me can't resist trying this one. Definitely adding this to our weekly menu plan for dessert. Thanks for sharing.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You're welcome! Hope you love it.
Stine Mari says
I was just thinking about s'mores, trying to decide which season it 'belongs to' and I ended with the exact same conclusion as you! Perfect for summer camping and soul warming in the cooler months. This looks absolutely FANTASTIC!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you! It really is perfect any time. ?
Jacqui says
I agree , s'mores are always in season - you just can't get tired of them! And your pictures in the recipe are astonishing - I am definitely going to try your recipe very soon. Thank you!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Awww, thank you so very much!
Adriana Lopez Martin says
How lovely is this! I enjoy ice cream and smores so this is a must do dessert to enjoy at home. Your food photography and the styling used it is so cool, all your food pictures always incredible. Great job!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you so much for the sweet comment!
Kelly Anthony says
My daughter is going to go crazy for this smores ice cream. I can't wait to make this for her. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You're welcome! I hope you both love it.
Jere Cassidy says
I secretly love marshmallows and that means smores are the best thing ever. Can't wait to make this ice cream.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Totally! S'mores really make me happy. Hope you love it!
Gloria says
Well ice cream lovers rejoice. This you cannot buy in the store. I think my grandkids would love this....and the flavour is perfect all year round too. What a great treat for Halloween, and Christmas too!!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I definitely think this would be fun for the grandkids. I think that's the other great part of s'mores. It's such a nostalgic food that takes me back to childhood. Hope y'all enjoy!