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This single serving chocolate ice cream is rich, smooth, and full of chocolate flavor. It’s easy to make with just a few ingredients. No eggs and no ice cream maker needed.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No Ice Cream Maker Needed: This no-churn recipe is easy to make.
- Rich, Creamy Texture: Heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk create a smooth, creamy base.
- Bold Chocolate Flavor: Cocoa powder and melted chocolate deliver deep, chocolatey taste.
- Made with 5 Ingredients: Simple, pantry-friendly ingredients.
- Single Serving: Perfectly portioned when you want just one scoop.
We truly love this simple chocolate ice cream and hope you’ll give it a try. It’s rich, creamy, packed with chocolate flavor, and made without eggs or an ice cream maker.
It comes together quickly with just a few ingredients, and it’s the kind of treat that always feels special. If you’ve never made homemade ice cream before, this is the perfect place to start.
Looking for more ice cream recipes for one or two? Try our single serving vanilla ice cream, small batch butter pecan ice cream, single serving mint chocolate chip ice cream, small batch key lime pie ice cream, small batch pistachio ice cream, small batch toasted coconut ice cream, or small batch strawberry ice cream.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch chocolate ice cream recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Heavy Cream: Creates a rich, creamy base. Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream—either works. Do not substitute with milk. Use any extra in a single serve nanaimo bar, banana pudding for one, mini French silk pie, or fettuccine Alfredo for one.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds sweetness and smooth texture. This recipe won’t work without it. Use leftovers in a single serving key lime pie or mini mango lemon pie.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Provides deep chocolate flavor. Use dark cocoa powder for a bolder taste.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavor.
- Chocolate: Adds richness and extra chocolate flavor. Use good-quality chocolate like Baker’s (1 oz or 28g). Leftovers work great in a mini flourless chocolate cake or small Boston cream pie.
Recipe Variations
Customize your single serving chocolate ice cream with these simple mix-in ideas:
- Mint Chocolate: Add a few drops of mint extract and chopped mint chocolate.
- Peanut Butter Swirl: Fold in melted peanut butter before freezing.
- Nutella Swirl: Swirl in Nutella for a hazelnut flavor.
- Chocolate Cherry: Mix in chopped dried cherries.
- Cookies and Cream: Fold in crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Rocky Road: Add mini marshmallows and chopped nuts.
- Salted Caramel: Swirl in caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt.
How To Make Chocolate Ice Cream
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make one scoop of chocolate ice cream. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Melt the Chocolate (Choose One Method):
- Double Boiler: Bring 2 inches of water to a gentle boil in a small pot. Place a heat-proof bowl on top (water shouldn’t touch the bowl). Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted.
- Microwave: Place chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 15-second intervals, stirring each time, until melted.
Set aside to cool.
- Mix Base: In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, cocoa powder, and the cooled melted chocolate.
- Whip the Cream: In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Combine: Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until fully blended.
- Freeze: Pour into a freezer-safe container (a 10-ounce ramekin works well). Cover and freeze:
- 2 hours for soft-serve texture
- Overnight for a firmer scoop
- Serve: Scoop and enjoy straight from the freezer!
Expert Tips
- Fold Gently: Preserve the light texture by folding the whipped cream in slowly.
- Use Cold Ingredients: Cold cream and condensed milk whip and combine more easily.
- Freeze Fully: For a firm texture, freeze for at least 4 hours.
- Softer Texture: For soft-serve, freeze for 2 to 3 hours.
- Cover When Freezing: Always cover the container to keep the ice cream fresh and prevent freezer burn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade ice cream is best enjoyed within a week.
Yes, you can easily double it for a larger portion.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serve chocolate ice cream recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Chocolate Ice Cream For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ounce semi sweet chocolate (I use Baker’s brand—1 ounce = 28 grams or 4 small squares)
- 2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 ounces heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Melt the Chocolate (Choose One Method):Double Boiler: Bring 2 inches of water to a gentle boil in a small pot. Place a heat-proof bowl on top (make sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl). Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted.Microwave: Place chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted.Set the melted chocolate aside to cool.
- Mix Base: In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, cocoa powder, and the cooled melted chocolate.
- Whip the Cream: In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Combine: Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until fully blended.
- Freeze: Pour into a freezer-safe container (a 10-ounce ramekin works well). Cover and freeze:2 hours for soft-serve textureOvernight for a firmer scoop
- Serve: Scoop and enjoy straight from the freezer!
Notes
- Fold Gently: Preserve the light texture by folding the whipped cream in slowly.
- Use Cold Ingredients: Cold cream and condensed milk whip and combine more easily.
- Freeze Fully: For a firm texture, freeze for at least 4 hours.
- Softer Texture: For soft-serve, freeze for 2 to 3 hours.
- Cover When Freezing: Always cover the container to keep the ice cream fresh and prevent freezer burn.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
As a chocoholic this is a great recipe for me. Just enough to enjoy but not pig out on. LOL Thanks for posting.
This will be perfect in my Dash ice cream maker. It’s great that I don’t have to do a full pint.
So glad you added chocolate ice cream, along side of your vanilla ice cream.
Thank you! We’re excited about this one too.
Excellent recipe.