Cookie dough ice cream is nice, but red velvet ice cream with red velvet cookie dough is a whole lot more fun. This buttermilk-based ice cream is packed with cookie dough and is pretty on the eyes.
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I know reality TV is so 2002, but it's still pretty much my favorite variety of television. It's oftentimes ridiculous and indulgent, which I absolutely love. I think most of us could use a little bit more ridiculousness and indulgence in our lives and I feel no shame in getting that from my television-watching.
And from my ice cream, too. I mean, I think red velvet in general is kind of ridiculous and indulgent, but in the most fun way possible.
Turn it into ice cream and add in red velvet cookie dough (double the red velvet!) and I'm just ridiculously happy. That's what I did here and I ended up with one of the most fun ice creams I've ever made.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
If you're a red velvet fan or know someone who is, you need to try this ice cream recipe! Not only is it red velvet ice cream, but it's also packed with red velvet cookie dough.
It's such a fun Valentine's Day treat for both adults and kids and will seriously bring a smile to anyone's face!
🗒 Ingredients
There are two components to this recipe- the red velvet ice cream and the red velvet cookie dough. But they're both easy to make with fairly simple ingredients.
Here's what you need for the ice cream base (be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Heavy cream
- Buttermilk
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Large egg yolks
- Cocoa powder
- Vanilla extract
- Red food coloring
And here's what you need for the cookie dough:
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Buttermilk
- Red food coloring
- Mini chocolate chips
🍦 How to make red velvet ice cream base
I tried to keep this ice cream pretty true to red velvet, so I made it with buttermilk instead of milk and mixed in a little cocoa powder, too. I was going to do a cream cheese swirl, but started craving cookie dough and thought a little red velvet cookie dough would be even more delicious.
The red velvet ice cream is a pretty typical custard-based ice cream and I promise it's not difficult to make. It just requires a whole bunch of chilling time, so make sure you plan ahead!
To start, heat heavy cream, buttermilk, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
Stir constantly, until the mixture just reaches the point of simmer. Remove from heat.
While cream/buttermilk is heating, lightly whisk egg yolks with cocoa powder in a separate medium-sized bowl.
Pour half of the warm cream/buttermilk into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking while you do so.
Then pour the egg mixture back into the pan with the rest of the cream/buttermilk.
Continue to cook over low heat, while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir for about 3-5 minutes, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Remove the saucepan from heat.
Strain egg/milk mixture into a separate large bowl and mix in vanilla extract and red food coloring.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap, making sure plastic wrap is touching top of the liquid so skin does not form, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Once mixture is chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, mixing in pieces of red velvet cookie dough when ice cream is almost done processing.
Place ice cream in airtight containers and put in freezer for at least 4 hours to continue to harden.
🍪 How to make edible red velvet cookie dough
I'm big into making homemade edible cookie dough these days and it's super easy to do, too. Obviously there's not technically any baking required, but I do recommend heating your flour for safety purposes.
It just requires mixing all the ingredients together.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Mix in vanilla and salt and slowly beat in flour and cocoa powder until combined. Stir in buttermilk.
Add red food coloring and mix until combined. And fold in mini chocolate chips.
Refrigerate cookie dough for at least one hour before adding to ice cream.
And then try not to eat too much before you mix it into the red velvet ice cream.
Holy moly this is my idea of Valentine's Day perfection. It's so perfectly red and packed with delicious flavor and lots of chunks of cookie dough.
The buttermilk and cocoa powder add the perfect amount of red velvet flavor! It's a little bit tart, a little bit rich, and a whole lot sweet!
If you thought reality TV was indulgent, you should try eating red velvet ice cream with cookie dough on the couch while watching reality TV. But come on, you work hard and you deserve it.
⏲️ How to store
When stored properly in an airtight container, your red velvet ice cream should stay fresh in your freezer for about a month.
Just make sure the container top is on tightly so your ice cream doesn't get freezer burn.
🎉 Variations on recipe
I highly recommend making this recipe just the way it is! But there are also a lot of things you can do to jazz it up even more or suit it to your and your loved one's tastes. Here are some ideas:
- If you don't want to make your own cookie dough, you can purchase a store brand. I love Ben and Jerry's edible cookie dough, which can be found in your grocery store's freezer section. But this M&M cookie dough would also be perfect.
- Add cream cheese swirls for even more red velvet appeal. You could even take this a step further and add chunks of cheesecake instead of cookie dough.
- Adding swirls of raspberry or strawberry sauce and/or chopped fresh berries will add a fruity flavor and complement the colors of the ice cream.
- If you love white chocolate, use white chocolate chips in the cookie dough or add them right into the ice cream.
- Nuts would be a delicious addition to this dessert. I especially recommend chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Top the red velvet ice cream with conversation hearts to give it an even more fun Valentine's Day look.
- Add a marshmallow swirl or caramel swirl to the ice cream.
💕 More red velvet recipes
If you love making red velvet recipes during Valentine's season, check out some of my other favorites:
👩🍳 More cookie dough recipes
I'm also clearly a huge fan of edible cookie dough and have lots of recipes that feature it! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Red Velvet Cookie Dough Bars (yes, this fits into both categories!)
- Funfetti Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
- Lemon Cookie Dough Bars
- Coconut Flour Cookie Dough (gluten-free)
- Cookie Dough S'mores
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cups
- Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Bars
- Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- Eggnog Cookie Dough Bars
- Pumpkin Cookie Dough Cake (from The Cupcake Chronicles)
This red velvet ice cream has become a must-make in my house every Valentine's Day season!
It's fun to get bites of red velvet cookie dough and obviously looks pretty in a cone. All very important things when it comes to ice cream, in my opinion!
I'm sure this won't be the last ice cream you'll see around this blog this summer. Let me know if there are any flavors you've been dreaming of that you'd like to see me whip up!
Are you a reality TV fan, too? Or just fun, indulgent ice creams?
📖 Recipe
Red Velvet Ice Cream with Cookie Dough
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8-10 drops red food coloring
- ⅓ cup Red Velvet Cookie Dough, broken into pieces (recipe below)
Red Velvet Cookie Dough:
- ½ stick (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon buttermilk
- 3-4 drops red food coloring
- 2 tablespoon mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat heavy cream, buttermilk, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir constantly, until the mixture just reaches the point of simmer. Remove from heat.
- While cream/buttermilk is heating, lightly whisk egg yolks with cocoa powder in a separate medium-sized bowl.
- Pour half of the warm cream/buttermilk into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking while you do so.
- Then pour the egg mixture back into the pan with the rest of the cream/buttermilk.
- Continue to cook over low heat, while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir for about 3-5 minutes, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Remove the saucepan from heat.
- Strain egg/milk mixture into a separate large bowl.
- Mix in vanilla extract and red food coloring.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap, making sure plastic wrap is touching top of the liquid so skin does not form, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Once mixture is chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, mixing in pieces of red velvet cookie dough when ice cream is almost done processing.
- Place ice cream in airtight containers and put in freezer for at least 4 hours to continue to harden.
Red Velvet Cookie Dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Mix in vanilla and salt.
- Slowly beat in flour and cocoa powder until combined. Stir in buttermilk.
- Add red food coloring and mix until combined.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate cookie dough for at least one hour.
Michelle Lahey says
I'm a little too obsessed with all of the Real Housewives series...ugh.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Totally need this, like, asap!! This is a dream ice-cream, Sues!! Genius!
Nora L. says
Oh wow, I'm loving this so much. Such a great color! And yes..... I'm all about bad reality tv all the time!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
I'd never make it in reality TV for the same reason as you. As much as I enjoy watching the drama on TV I HATE it in real life! But I love this ice cream :). The addition of cookie dough has me swooning!
Maria @ kitchenathoskins says
First, amazing photography!! Love this. Red velvet is one of my favorite flavors and this ice cream is just BRILLIANT!!!
Anita says
I love red velvet cake, and red velvet cookie, and basically, anything red velvet. In short, I need this red velvet ice cream in my life! Such a genius idea, and with red velvet cookie dough too, oh my!
Karly says
I have two kiddos who are red-velvet obsessed, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree if ya know what I mean. This is bound to be a new favorite around my house!
Vicky @ Avocado Pesto says
My boyfriend would LOVE this ice cream! And totally hear you on watching reality tv and being able to multi task and half watch yet still understand everything going on. And I too would be a producer's nightmare -- I would stay out of all the drama too and just sit quietly or cook for everyone!
Dannii says
Oh wow. The colour of this is amazing! The perfect way to cool down in the summer heat.
Kate | Veggie Desserts says
Can I just say a thousand yeses to this amazing recipe? It has EVERYTHING.
Jagruti says
Such genius idea, ice cream made with buttermilk.wow! This would be a lovely treat for little girls parties.
Ashley@CookNourishBliss says
Red velvet has long been a favorite flavor of mine and this ice cream looks awesome!! I will take a big scoop please!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
I am completely with you on the zoning-out but still know what's going on type of TV!! This ice cream is just so decadent. I would probably eat it all in one sitting!! Dangerous...!!
Reeni says
You make the most unique flavored treats! I could sit on the couch all night and eat this! Love it and Big Brother too. 🙂
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry says
My son loves red velvet cake so this is one to make this weekend for sure
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
What a deliciously decadent ice cream treat!
The Food Hunter says
Such a fun recipe for summer!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
OMG this ice cream looks amazing! And it has cookie dough! Yum!!
Amy @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
I just love the intensity of flavor here! And, I mean red velvet AND cookie dough?? Sign me up! Such a great recipe to really take that summer afternoon ice cream fix to the next level!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
This takes the cake , my friend! I love red velvet and can honestly sat I've never had it in my ice cream! This is brilliant and oh-so-pretty! 🙂
Dana DeVolk says
You had me at cookie dough, that's all I need in life!
Nellie Tracy says
Hands down the best ice cream right here! Plus it is adorable! Everyone I know that has tried it absolutely loves it!
Sara says
This looks really delicious! I can't wait to try your recipe for spring break!
Kim @ Berly's Kitchen says
Oh, my! I am craving this ice cream. It's like heaven in a cone. Red velvet is such a lovely flavor. Putting it in ice cream is genius. 🙂
Jenni says
I need to watch more mindless Tv. My husband usually gets to the remote first, and we end up watching this ridiculous drama that you have to pay total attention to or you are lost. I get sucked in every time. LOL This ice cream looks great!
Denise says
That is one beautiful scoop of ice cream! I am always on a quest for good ice cream recipes and I have never come across this tasty combination before. Looks yummy!
Swati Saxena says
Amazing photography! Red velvet is one of my favorite flavors and this ice cream is just wonderful.
Stephanie says
So pretty & it's actually warm in my area today. Perfect for one of these, and I could definitely use some indulgences in my life like this.
Kitty says
I love buttermilk in ice cream! It gives that interesting tang to the flavor. Such a pretty color too!
Jordan says
That color! Oh my gosh I bet it tastes just as good as it looks. My husband LOVES red velvet cake... I think I'll surprise him with this.
Madi says
This looks absolutely amazing! I need to make this for dessert tonight!
TaraTeaspoon says
you had me at red velvet ! your photos are adorable which makes me want to make it even more !
Kristina says
Wow, this looks delicious! Can't get enough of red velvet cake, cupcakes, cookies....well, red velvet anything!
Paige says
I totally get it on the million things part...and I fully support your decision to watch TV and eat ice cream! Looks fabulous too!
Stacey says
Everything about this ice cream is gorgeous! I love the color and the flavor combination sounds amazing!