This delicious cookies and cream ice cream is perfect for cooling down in the summertime. Fresh garden mint and crushed chocolate sandwich cookies come together in this ice cream to create the most amazing creamy and super minty frozen summer treat.
With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about many of my mom’s classic recipes that were childhood favorites. There were baked country spare ribs that would literally fall apart into a sauce that was studded with thinly sliced onions, wafer-thin slices of flour coated garden fresh zucchini fried in hot oil and then served with ketchup, not to mention BLTs made with warm ruby red tomatoes straight from the garden and bacon from one our own pigs. However, the one recipe that stands out most in my mind, is a dessert that my mom called Mississippi Mud Pie.
Mississippi Mud Pie was a frozen dessert that my mom would often make to take to church or picnic functions. I know for a fact, that I, and several other people, were always crazy excited to see it being escorted to a freezer nearby, carefully wrapped in foil, and patiently awaiting dessert time. Here’s the thing, in reality, that fantastic longed-for ice cream treat was probably one of the easiest recipes in the world to make, seeing as it required no actual cooking or baking and could be made with very few ingredients. Basically, you simply crush a bag of Oreos, mix them with a little bit of melted butter, press them into the bottom of a baking dish, spread softened ice cream over them, and then top everything off with tons of chocolate sauce. How much easier can dessert get?
This month, I decided to take the Improv Cooking Challenge and develop a “Cookies and Cream” themed recipe to share with y’all. Each month two ingredients are assigned for this challenge, which we as food bloggers are then asked to use in a new sweet or savory recipe. I decided to blend my love for mint chocolate ice cream with my memories of Mississippi Mud Pie to create my own unique frozen treat. In doing so, I think I’ve come up with one crazy good ice cream recipe, which not only packs a minty punch but is also overflowing with Oreo goodness. The fresh mint in this ice cream is the true secret. It leaves your mouth tingling, your stomach happy, and your spoon going back for just one more bite.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 Cups Whole Milk
- 2 Cups Fresh Mint Leaves
- 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 18 Oreo Cookies
Directions:
- Place the cream, milk, fresh mint, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour the mixture into a heat-safe glass bowl, stir in the vanilla, and then allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
- Strain the mint from the cream mixture and discard it.
- Churn the mixture in an ice cream machine until frozen. This should take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.
- While the ice cream is churning, place the Oreos in a large plastic bag, seal it, and then crush the cookies with a rolling pin.
- Combine the crushed Oreos and churned ice cream in a large bowl with a silicone spatula.
- Spoon the ice cream into freezer-safe containers and freeze it for later consumption.
Suggestions:
- If you don’t have garden fresh mint available, you may substitute 1 to 2 teaspoons of mint extract. If using extract, simply whisk together all of the ingredients except for the Oreo cookies, cover, and allow to sit for 12 hours. You will not need to heat the mixture.
- Do not overly crush the Oreo cookies. A few good whacks from the rolling pin should do it. Consider it therapy.
- Allowing the mixture to set for at least 12 hours helps the mint flavor to fully develop.
Improvements:
- Add a finely chopped candy bar to the ice cream or serve topped with chocolate sauce for an extra chocolatey treat.
- Plant mint in a large plastic container on your deck or patio. It will come back every spring and is very nice to have around. Whatever you do, do not plant it in the ground, unless you want your entire property covered in mint.
- CLICK HERE to check out all of our other delicious ice cream recipes.
- CLICK HERE to see all our great Improv Cooking Challenge recipes.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 Cups Whole Milk
- 2 Cups Fresh Mint Leaves
- 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 18 Oreo Cookies
Directions:
- Place the cream, milk, fresh mint, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour the mixture into a heat-safe glass bowl, stir in the vanilla, and then allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
- Strain the mint from the cream mixture and discard it.
- Churn the mixture in an ice cream machine until frozen. This should take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.
- While the ice cream is churning, place the Oreos in a large plastic bag, seal it, and then crush the cookies with a rolling pin.
- Combine the crushed Oreos and churned ice cream in a large bowl with a silicone spatula.
- Spoon the ice cream into freezer-safe containers and freeze it for later consumption.
PIN THIS RECIPE
Don’t let this recipe slip away. How often do you find a recipe intriguing, yet forget where to find it when you finally get the hankering to make it? Instead of digging through old posts or wandering aimlessly around on the internet, why not Pin this recipe to Pinterest where you can find it when you eventually need it? Simply Pin the image above and you’ll have it when that time comes. You can follow us HERE on Pinterest or simply click HERE to find all of our pin-worthy recipes.
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To make the dreamiest homemade ice cream this summer, we’re sharing our list of must-have supplies to get you started on your ice cream-making adventure. With these simple supplies, you can make delicious homemade ice cream that will delight both your friends and family. CLICK HERE to read more.
There’s no better time of year to enjoy a bowl of ice cream than during the hot summer months of June, July, and August. And when that ice cream’s homemade, it’s even more enjoyable. So, break out the ice cream machine and get ready to churn an unforgettably rich and creamy frozen dessert treat to help you survive the scorching summer heat. CLICK HERE for the recipes.
Please make sure to check out the other great “Cookies and Cream” Improv Cooking Challenge recipes below.
- Berry Parfait from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Cookies & Cream Brownies from Making Miracles
- Cookies & (Irish) Cream Pie from Elisabeth Jean
- Cookies and Cream Poke Cake from Cookaholic Wife
- Garden Mint Cookies and Cream Ice Cream from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Iced Ginger Cookies with Maple Cream & Bacon Bits from Culinary Envy
- Kammerjunkere Cookies from Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking
