Chocolate S'mores Ice Cream
Inspired by the now-retired Tillamook Fireside S’mores, this ice cream layers smooth chocolate ice cream with graham crackers, marshmallow fluff, and chocolate ganache. It’s decadent, surprisingly easy to make, and the ultimate summer dessert.
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I’m fairly certain I’ve complained about Tillamook discontinuing their Fireside S’mores ice cream a few times. But I mean, why would they get rid of the most quintessentially summer ice cream out there? It was just SO good!
So, I decided to make my own and it’s actually amazing. I don’t have the machinery to swirl the mix-ins the way they do, but otherwise, this tastes just like my beloved favorite ice cream and makes my s’mores loving heart so very happy.
Why this recipe works
My favorite part about this ice cream is that nothing in it is labor intensive or difficult to make. You can actually make it a no-churn ice cream (see notes below) to speed up the process. While you wait for the custard to chill (about an hour) and then churn the ice cream (unless doing the no-churn option), you can make the marshmallow fluff and the ganache and crumble some graham crackers.
The ice cream base uses eggs—but don’t let that scare you! It’s very, very simple to make as long as you can whisk quickly. This creates the creamiest possible ice cream. In fact, when the custard is chilled, it’s almost mousse-like and is so silky and rich. Additionally, the use of cocoa powder and melted chocolate chips in the ice cream gives an incredible depth of chocolate flavor and creamy texture.
Surprisingly, the graham crackers, marshmallow fluff, and chocolate ganache all retain their texture after freezing. Keeping the graham crackers somewhat large prevents them turning soggy. And letting the ice cream sit on the counter for 5 minutes before scooping is just enough time to slightly soften the fluff and ganache, making them smooth and luscious.
Key ingredients
Egg yolks. Don’t be intimidated! Using egg yolks is fairly quick and makes the ice cream just so, so creamy and delicious.
Sugar. Granulated is used. When you whisk it with the yolks, it will be lumpy at first, but keep whisking, as the sugar will melt and become fluffy.
Whole milk. Try to use regular whole milk instead of nonfat. You won’t actually save very many calories per serving using nonfat here, and it’s much creamier with whole.
Cocoa powder. Use unsweetened, since you already have plenty of sugar here.
Vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla, not imitation.
Chocolate chips. You can also use chopped baking chocolate.
Heavy cream. This goes into the ice cream (obvs) as well as the ganache swirl.
Graham crackers. You can use your favorite kind, but I prefer plain honey grahams for that classic s’mores taste.
Marshmallow fluff. You can also use store bought, but homemade is just sooooo good. Plus, you need 3 egg yolks in the ice cream and 3 egg whites in the marshmallow fluff, so it’s a perfect pairing!
How to make chocolate s’mores ice cream
1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy. At first it’ll be goopy and lumpy and seem like it can’t be whisked. Just keep going and the sugar will melt then it’ll all turn fluffy and pale. You should be able to pull the whisk up and create ribbons that stay visible for a few seconds.
2. Heat milk, vanilla, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium, until steam comes off and bubbles begin to form along the edges.
3. Temper the milk into the eggs. I always temper all of my milk to be safe. Pour slowly and whisk the eggs quickly. Then pour it all back into the saucepan.
4. Heat until thickened. It should be able to coat the back of a spoon (meaning if you run your finger on the custard on the back of your spatula, it leaves a distinct line that doesn’t fill in). I usually cook it until it resembles instant pudding before it’s been chilled.
5. Melt in chocolate chips. Stir well so they’re fully melted.
6. Chill. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the custard to prevent a film forming while it cools. It needs at least an hour to chill.
7. Make the marshmallow fluff. You can also use store bought, but the homemade is SO good and also uses up the 3 leftover egg whites from the custard.
8. Churn custard and heavy cream. Stir the two well then churn according to your manufacturer’s directions. Be sure you have enough ice or have frozen it long enough, per direction. (*See note below for making this without an ice cream maker, i.e. no-churn.)
9. Make ganache and crush graham crackers while ice cream churns. You want the ganache cooled slightly before using, but still pourable, so give it about 15 minutes to cool while the ice cream churns. You can also make it ahead and reheat it to a pourable consistency.
10. Layer ice cream, marshmallow fluff, graham crackers, and ganache. Make three layers of ice cream followed by fillings. You can use a bread loaf pan or an actual ice cream container.
11. Freeze. It needs at least 3-4 hours to freeze, ideally overnight.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
*How do I make this a no-churn ice cream?
It’s so simple! Instead of combining the custard and cream then churning, you’ll beat the cream to soft peaks then fold it into the custard in three additions. It will basically be a mousse at this point, so you’ll have to freeze it, unlike slow-churned ice cream that is a soft serve consistency when freshly churned. However, you’ll have to freeze it with the mix-ins, so either option works just fine.
Can I make this without eggs?
Yes! I personally prefer the taste of egg-based vanilla ice creams, but you can make this recipe by using one 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk instead of the egg yolks, milk, and sugar (so replacing the custard). You’ll simply melt the chocolate chips and let them cool slightly stir them, the vanilla, and the cocoa powder into the sweetened condensed milk in a large mixing bowl. The replaces the custard, so you can then either add the heavy cream and churn with an ice cream maker or follow the no-churn option above.
What if my eggs scrambled?
Sometimes, the eggs scramble just a bit. If they’ve scrambled a lot, with large chunks of egg, you should start over. However, if you’re unsure or think you see some tiny egg bits, just use a large fine mesh sieve to strain the custard before chilling. It’ll remove any egg that didn’t temper properly.
What if the chocolate didn’t fully melt?
Personally, I don’t see this as a problem, since you now have teeny tiny flecks of chocolate in your ice cream. However, you can easily just strain it through a large fine mesh sieve to remove these bits. If you still see nearly whole chocolate chips or chunks, you probably need to heat it for longer to help those melt.
Split up your work
I made this over the course of two days. I made the custard and marshmallow and crushed the graham crackers one day then melted the ganache, churned the ice cream, and layered it all together the next day. However, this did mean I couldn’t eat any until day 3, since it needs several hours in the freezer before you can scoop it.
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making ice cream. Affiliate links provided.
Ice cream maker (or stand mixer or handheld mixer)
Ice cream container (or use a 8x4 loaf pan or 9x5 loaf pan)
Mesh sieve (in case some egg scrambles as you temper it)
Chocolate S’mores Ice Cream
- prep time: 30-35 minutes
- chill time: 1 hour
- churn time: 30 minutes
- freeze time: 4-8 hours
- total time: 10 hours
servings: about 12 (½ cup servings)
Ingredients:
for the ice cream
- 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk
- ¼ cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- ⅔ cup (4 ounces or 113g) chocolate chips or chopped baking chocolate
- 2 cups (480g) heavy whipping cream, cold
- ice cream maker, prepped per directions (optional–see no-churn option above)*
for the chocolate ganache ribbon
- ⅔ cup (4 ounces or 113g) chocolate chips or chopped baking chocolate
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces or 85g) heavy whipping cream, cold
to assemble
- 6-8 full graham crackers
- half batch marshmallow fluff (or one 7oz jar store bought)
Instructions:
- Follow your ice cream maker’s directions to prepare it for use, which could include placing the bowl in the freezer for up to 24 hours*.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until pale frothy, 2-3 minutes. At first it may seem thick and clumpy, but keep going until the sugar melts and it becomes pale and frothy. Set aside.
- Combine the whole milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, and pinch sea salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to steam and small bubbles begin to form along the edge of the pan.
- Temper the milk into the eggs by very, very slowly streaming the milk into the eggs while whisking the eggs very quickly. Be sure to whisk constantly and quickly as you do this to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- Once all of the milk has been added to the eggs, scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula (be sure to get to the edges and corners), until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. It should feel thicker as you stir, as well.
- Add the chocolate chips or chopped baking chocolate and stir until the chocolate is mostly melted. Remove the pan from the burner and continue stirring until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Pour into a medium bowl (the bowl the eggs were in works just fine). Cover well and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
- While you wait for the custard to cool is a great time to make the homemade marshmallow fluff, if using. It will use up the 3 egg whites you have leftover from the custard, which was unplanned but kind of perfect.
- Once the custard is cooled, combine with the heavy cream and mix well. Follow your manufacturer’s directions to churn the ice cream. Don’t overmix.
- While the ice cream is churning, make the ganache ribbon. Heat the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a heatsafe bowl either in the microwave at half power in 15 second increments or by setting the bowl over a medium saucepan with 2” water that’s been brought to a boil then turned down to low. Stir until about 75% melted then remove the bowl from the pan and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool until just slightly warm.
- Also while the ice cream is churning, crush the graham crackers into roughly dime sized pieces.
- Once the ice cream is finished, layer ⅓ of it into a 9x5 loaf pan or an ice cream container. Drop dollops of marshmallow fluff onto the ice cream, spreading it out as evenly as you can (you may need to use your hands for this part). Sprinkle ⅓ of the graham crackers on top. Then drizzle ⅓ of the chocolate ganache on top of the graham crackers. Repeat, layering ice cream and mix-ins two more times, ending with the mix-ins on top.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. You may need to let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes before scooping.
Enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container. Ice cream should last at least 1-2 months, but this can vary depending on your freezer and how well-sealed it is.
