You will not believe how smooth and creamy this homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream is! Plus it’s packed with plenty of toasted almonds and marshmallows.
It’s an unbeatable ice cream recipe that you don’t want to miss.
Rocky road ice cream has always been one of my favorites. The toasted almonds are my favorite part, and some store-bought varieties don’t have many of them. This recipe has plenty of toasted almonds, so I love it!
This happens to be one of my all-time favorite ice cream recipes. It is custard based, and it also has a box of pudding in it, so it is extra creamy! It’s not as quick as some of my other ice cream recipes, but trust me, it is worth the extra time!
We think it has a perfect chocolate flavor, but you can add more cocoa if you like darker chocolate. I of course love it with lots of almonds, but you can use less if you prefer.
Just make sure you toast them!! That is an absolute must for great flavor.
Every bite of this ice cream is creamy, crunchy, and perfectly chocolatey. If you like Rocky Road candy, you will love it!
This recipe makes a large batch, so you can serve it to a crowd, or just save the leftovers to enjoy later. I have to freeze three batches in my Cuisinart, so an extra freezer bowl comes in really handy.
HOW TO MAKE ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM
Rocky Road Ice Cream Ingredients:
- granulated sugar
- cocoa powder (I use regular Hershey’s cocoa.)
- eggs (I use large eggs.)
- evaporated milk (Adds creaminess, you can substitute whole milk in a pinch.)
- heavy cream
- sweetened condensed milk (Thick and sweetened with sugar, not the same as evaporated milk.)
- vanilla extract
- instant chocolate pudding mix
- milk (I use 2% milk, but any kind should work. The higher the fat, the creamier the ice cream.)
- mini marshmallows
- roasted almonds (You can use plain roasted almonds or salted roasted almonds.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a large pan, whisk together the sugar and cocoa. Add the eggs and evaporated milk and whisk till smooth. Heat over medium heat till thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.
- As soon as the chocolate mixture barely starts to boil, remove from the heat and place in a sink filled with ice water. Keep the top of the pan above the ice bath, and keep stirring till the mixture is chilled.
- Add cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, pudding mix, and milk and mix till smooth. If the mixture appears to have any lumps, you can strain it in a fine-meshed strainer.
- Chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Stir in almonds and marshmallows. Pour into an airtight container and freeze for 2-3 hours.
WHY DO THEY CALL IT ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM?
Legend has it that when Dreyer’s invented the ice cream in 1929, they wanted a name that everyone could relate to. Times were tough with the Great Depression, and they wanted to give people something to smile about.
WHAT IS IN ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM?
Typically it is a chocolate-based ice cream with marshmallows and nuts. The original candy had walnuts, but now the ice cream most often contains toasted almonds.
Are you a fan of homemade ice cream?
Here are a few more unbeatable recipes:
- Tin Roof Sundae
- Burnt Almond Fudge Ice Cream
- Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream
- No-Churn Mud Pie Ice Cream
- Butterfinger Ice Cream
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Blueberry Ice Cream
- Mud Pie Ice Cream
- Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Strawberry Ice Cream
Best Rocky Road Ice Cream Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 eggs beaten well
- 24 oz evaporated milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3.4 oz box instant chocolate pudding
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 2 cups toasted chopped almonds
Instructions
- In a large pan, whisk together the sugar and cocoa. Add the eggs and evaporated milk and whisk till smooth. Heat over medium heat till thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.
- As soon as mixture barely starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and place in a sink filled with ice water. Stir till chilled.
- Add cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, pudding mix, and milk. Whisk till pudding is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Pour through a fine meshed strainer to remove any lumps.
- Cover and chill in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Stir in almonds and marshmallows. Pour into an airtight container and freeze for 2-3 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
With crunchy almonds and fluffy marshmallows, this homemade rocky road ice cream is pure deliciousness in a bowl. It’s a perfect summer treat, but it’s so tasty you will want to make it all year round!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Just enter your email and get it sent right to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!
Does this make a gallon? It says 16 servings but it doesn’t say what size the servings are.
Yes, it makes about a gallon.
Does this use instant chocolate pudding mix? Not sure what to purchase oh so looking forward to making this 🙂
My parents are really picky about homemade ice cream, as they often complain about the “icy texture”. They LOVED this one so much that they requested me to make it for their birthdays every year! Now I get an old ice cream pail and fill it up with this recipe and gift it to them. AMAZING, so creamy, tastes way better then store bough in my opinion.
My kids said this Rocky Road ice cream tasted just like Blue Bell brand. ????
They don’t sell Blue Bell ice cream where I live, but I’ve heard from my brother in Texas that it’s amazing. Happy to hear this recipe measured up! 🙂