Rocky Road Ice Cream – Barefoot in the kitchen

Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream is creamy chocolate and almond flavored ice cream that’s loaded with chewy marshmallows, crunchy almonds and chocolate chips.

Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream

Did you know that Rocky Road was one of the first ice cream flavors to add additional ingredients? I’m so glad this became a thing because I’m addicted to jam packed ice creams.

Rocky Road has been one of my top 5 favorite ice cream flavors since I was a kid. Although that might not say much because I also loved bubblegum ice cream and just the thought of it makes me cringe now.

Seriously, who doesn’t love ice cream with marshmallows? I can take or leave marshmallows in many other recipes, but in creamy chocolate? They are chewy sweet perfection.

If you’re a fan of Rocky Road flavors, you should also try Rocky Road Fudge and Rocky Road Chocolate Bark!

Ice cream is the perfect way to celebrate the approaching warmer days of summer. (In direct contrast to the fact that the end of summer was the more exciting reason to celebrate when we lived in the desert.) Regardless, do we even need an excuse to pull out the ice cream maker and make something new?

The most popular question I get is if it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is yes. You can make ice cream without a machine. Full directions can be found here!

If you’re new to homemade ice cream and all the deliciousness that awaits you, I recommend starting with the recipe for the best and easiest ice cream. It is perfect for both ice cream machines and making ice cream without a machine.

What’s in Rocky Road Ice Cream?

Are you an ice cream nerd like me? want a funny story Rocky Road ice cream was created almost a hundred years ago when William Dreyer of Dreyer’s Ice Cream (aka Edy’s if you live east of the Rocky Mountains) used scissors, cut up marshmallows and walnuts and placed them in a bowl of chocolate ice cream.

As the story goes, he liked it so much that it became a flavor for his ice cream brand. Finally, shortly after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the strain was dubbed Rocky Road “to give people a smile in the middle of the Great Depression.”

Wondering what happened to the walnuts? They were replaced with almonds shortly after the flavor was officially named. I’ve made this with both walnuts and almonds and the almonds work for me personally too.

While there is some dispute over its origins (isn’t it with almost everything?), this is the story I’ve heard the most, and it still makes me smile.

Rocky Road ice cream ingredients

For this recipe you need the following ingredients:

• Sugar
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• Salt
• whipped cream
• milk
• vanilla extract
• almond extract
• semi-sweet chocolate chips
• sliced ​​almonds
• Mini marshmallows

Rocky Road Ice Cream Recipe

1. Whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add cream and milk, stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, vanilla and almond extract. Stir to dissolve the chocolate. Allow to cool and then place in the fridge for at least 6 hours until cold.
3. Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
4. When it’s ready to stir, transfer to an airtight container, add the marshmallows and almonds, and stir to combine. Cover and freeze until ready to serve.

Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream

This Rocky Road recipe can be made with regular, dutch processed, or extra dark cocoa powder. Feel free to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.

I make this ice cream with a mix of whatever chocolates I have on hand or are craving. I’m a big fan of extra dark chocolate, so the combination of dark cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips makes me grin.

My kids prefer the semi-sweet and more traditional Rocky Road flavor. However, we can all agree that the almond extract makes it extra special here. (And now whenever we buy a box of Rocky Road, it feels like something’s missing!)

And as you probably already know, I could never have enough ice cream in my life. For more jam-packed ice cream recipes, check out our current favourites:

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Sweet chunks of edible cookie dough fill each scoop of this rich and creamy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream. Is there anything more irresistible than a spoonful of cookie dough? I know I can never resist this.

Rich chocolate and peanut butter ice cream with mixed chocolate and peanut butter chunks is an ice cream lover’s dream come true. The candy pieces have just the right amount of dark chocolate and peanut butter to mix into the ice cream.

Swirled with chunks of peanut butter and loaded with cookies, Monster Cookie Ice Cream is a perfect balance of salty and sweet. Every time you make it, you’ll be craving just one more bite.

{originally posted 8/20/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 4/28/23}