Chunky Monkey Ice Cream Recipe

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This Chunky Monkey Ice Cream Recipe combines a sweet cream base with bananas, toasted walnuts, and chocolate chunks. The result is a classic ice cream that’s incredibly creamy, bursting with texture, and oozing with decadence.

A rectangular pan with chunky monkey ice cream and an ice cream scoop.

Jerry’s Chunky Monkey Ice Cream

As Jerry says, “We monkeyed around with bunches of test batches until we had a winner: the nuttiest chocolatey-chunkiest concoction-gone-bananas you’ll ever go ape for!” He’s referring to HIS chunky monkey ice cream recipe while I’m merely making a copy cat recipe. Whoop!

Why This Recipe Works:

SIMPLE RECIPE – We start with a sweet ice cream base and add in bananas, walnuts, and chocolate.
EXTRA CREAMY TEXTURE – Thanks to the ratio of dairy ingredients, we have a creamier ice cream than many.
BEST FLAVOR – We love homemade banana bread (I mean, who doesn’t?) and the banana mixture adds incredible flavor.
THE PERFECT SCOOP – Chunky Monkey Banana ice cream makes the perfect scoop. This indulgent ice cream really does have the best texture – a little bit creamy and a little bit chunky – just like Ben & Jerry’s!

Side view of a waffle cone of chunky monkey ice cream with banana slices on a plate.

What You’ll Need:

Simple ingredients for a fantastic recipe!

Dairy – An equal ratio of whole milk to heavy whipping cream.
Eggs – We’re using four egg yolks for this ice cream.
Sugar – An equal amount of brown sugar and granulated sugar is used.
Bananas – The banana flavor is key to chunky monkey ice cream taste. It’s also a great way to use up over-ripe bananas.
Vanilla – Some vanilla extract adds incredible flavor, as usual. We love Watkin’s brand.
Toasted Walnuts – We love crunchy walnuts in this homemade ice cream recipe.
Dark Chocolate – You’ll add some chunks of chocolate to the churned ice cream.
A pinch of salt – You may want to add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.

The ingredients for the chunky monkey ice cream recipe.

KitchenAid Ice Cream Flavors

So tell me, which kind of ice cream do you want to make next? The following amazing ice cream recipes all use a KitchenAid Attachment (but a Cuisinart can be used in its place).

Something fruity? Peach | Blueberry | Strawberry | Creamsicle
Chocolatey? Chocolate Peanut Butter | Nutella
Classic? Vanilla Bean | Butter Pecan | Mint Chip | Oreo | Caramel Swirl
Something different? Peppermint Stick | Pumpkin | Coffee Toffee | Reese’s PB
PLUS, you should try our Easy Hot Fudge Sauce and add it to your favorite ice cream!

Or head to a round-up post of ALL my KitchenAid Ice Cream Recipes!

Step 1
Temper eggs. Combine the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the whole milk to a saucepan and heat over medium heat to a temperature of 165 degrees. (Do not boil.)

When the milk is hot, pour 1/2 cup at a time into the eggs/sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Then pour the egg mixture back into the pan and heat to 165 degrees.

a pan of the tempered egg mixture with a whisk.

Step 2
Cook bananas. Combine the over-ripe bananas and brown sugar in a saucepan. Cook until the bananas break down, about 5-10 minutes. Then process them in a food processor until creamy.

The ripe bananas plus brown sugar in a pan.

Step 3
Combine sweet cream base. In a large measuring cup, combine the tempered eggs, cooked bananas, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Stir well.

Step 4
Chill. Chill the ice cream mixture in the refrigerator until VERY cold.

Step 5
Toast walnuts. Add the chopped walnuts to a nonstick pan over medium heat. Cook until nuts are fragrant and remove to cool.

Step 6
Chop dark chocolate. Use a sharp knife to chop the chocolate into small pieces.

A bowl of chopped chocolate and a bowl of chopped walnuts.

Step 7
Churn ice cream. Start your 2-quart ice cream maker (I use a KitchenAid Attachment with a stand mixer – linked below.) and pour the chilled ice cream mixture into the bowl (the attachment) while it’s running. Churn Chunky Monkey ice cream until it becomes thick and creamy.

You’ll see the ice cream start to thicken and rise toward the top of the bowl. The mixer may slow down slightly. (This should take 25-35 minutes or so.)

An ice cream base with the banana ice cream after churning.

Step 8
Add mix-ins. Pour the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Add the mix-ins (toasted walnuts and chocolate chunks) and stir well.

A pan of banana ice cream with walnuts and chocolate on top.

Step 9
Freeze. Place the airtight container in the freezer to set up further. Initially, the ice cream will be very soft so freezing it for a couple of hours helps firm it up.

Step 10
Serve. Serve the ice cream with some extra nuts, chocolate, and/or banana slices.

Side view of a pan of ice cream with an ice cream scoop inside the pan.

Recipe FAQs:

What is Chunky Monkey ice cream?

Chunky Monkey is a popular flavor of ice cream created by Ben & Jerry’s, an American ice cream company. It is a combination of banana ice cream, fudge chunks, and walnuts. While Jerry’s version uses real fudge, mine uses chocolate pieces instead.

Should I temper eggs for ice cream?

Tempering eggs for ice cream is an important step in the ice cream-making process that helps to ensure a smooth, creamy texture and prevent the formation of scrambled egg bits in the final product.

Are tempered eggs important for health reasons?

It is important to note that consuming raw or undercooked eggs can pose a risk of foodborne illness, as they may contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella. This is why it is important to cook eggs to the recommended temperature of 160°F (71°C) to ensure that any potential bacteria are killed.

Tips for using a KitchenAid Ice Cream Attachment:

Freeze the bowl ahead of time: The Kitchenaid ice cream maker attachment comes with a freezer bowl that needs to be frozen before use. Make sure to freeze it for at least 15 hours prior to making your ice cream.
Chill your ingredients: Before making your ice cream mixture, make sure to chill all the ingredients, including the milk, cream, and any mix-ins you plan to use. This will help the mixture freeze faster and prevent ice crystals from forming.
Don’t overfill the bowl: Make sure not to overfill the freezer bowl with the ice cream mixture, as this can prevent it from churning properly. Leave about 1 inch of space at the top.
Start the mixer on a low speed: When you’re ready to start churning your ice cream, begin with the mixer on a low speed. You can gradually increase the speed as the mixture thickens.
Be patient: Churning ice cream can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the recipe and the consistency you’re looking for. Be patient and don’t be tempted to stop the mixer too early, as this can result in a soupy texture.
Add mix-ins at the end: If you plan to add any mix-ins, such as chocolate chips or nuts, wait until the ice cream is almost fully churned before adding them in. This will ensure that they’re evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Transfer to a container and freeze: Once the ice cream is fully churned, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for at least 4 hours, or until it’s firm enough to scoop. Enjoy your homemade ice cream!

A chunky monkey ice cream cone with a rectangular pan of ice cream in the background.

Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)

xoxo ~Sue