Rocky Road Ice Cream is full of rich, creamy chocolate ice cream, soft fluffy marshmallows, and buttery roasted pecans. It’s pure frozen deliciousness.
What if I told you that you could make delicious homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker? And, what if there was no cooking or churning involved? Do I have your interest now?
How about if I sweeten this proposition even more and tell you there are only five ingredients and five steps to prepare this easy ice cream recipe? Yes, it’s all true. It only takes just a few minutes to combine all the ingredients and pop them in the freezer. The only hard part is waiting patiently while your freezer does its thing.
Here’s what you will need:
Only five ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, heavy cream, marshmallows, and pecans. That’s it!
Here’s how to make it:
Combine cocoa powder and sweetened condensed milk in a medium-size bowl.
Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. (This usually takes about 2 minutes.)
Add one cup of the whipped cream to the cocoa and sweetened condensed milk mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula.
Pour this mixture into the bowl with the rest of the whipped cream and carefully fold until everything is well combined. Fold in the toasted pecans and marshmallows.
Pour into a 9x5x3 metal loaf pan. Cover tightly and freeze for six hours.
Sharon’s Expert Tips:
- Traditional rocky road ice cream usually contains almonds, but since I have a freezer full of pecans, I decided to use them instead. Walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts would also be delicious. Use whatever nuts you like!
- I almost always use toasted or roasted pecans in my recipes. You can always use nuts that haven’t been roasted, but I think the toasted ones taste much better. Check out my easy recipe for toasting pecans here.
- You can easily vary this recipe by omitting the marshmallows and/or nuts and adding crushed Oreos, M&Ms, or other cookies or candy. You could also omit the cocoa powder and add fresh fruit.
- I like to take my ice cream out of the freezer about 10 minutes before I plan to serve it to make it easier to scoop out.
- I used 100% Cacao Special Dark cocoa powder in this recipe, and it was very chocolatey! Regular cocoa powder works, too, as well as Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Homemade Ice Cream Recipes:
If you love homemade ice cream and sherberts as much as I do, I know you will also love these popular ice cream recipes:
- Pecan Pralines and Cream Ice Cream
- Homemade Fresh Peach Ice Cream
- Easy No-Cook Meyer Lemon Ice Cream
- Easy Mixed Berry Sherbet, and
- Dark Sweet Cherry and Pomegranate Sherbet
- Bourbon Ice Cream
This recipe was adapted from my sister’s easy No-Churn Chocolate Butter Pecan Ice Cream recipe over at the Pudge Factor Blog. Chula also helped me make this and my Baby Back Ribs video. Thanks so much, Chula!
Rocky Road Ice Cream Recipe - No Churn
Ingredients
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans chopped
Instructions
- Combine cocoa powder and sweetened condensed milk in a medium-size bowl.
- Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. (This usually takes about 2 minutes.)
- Add one cup of the whipped cream to the cocoa and sweetened condensed milk mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula.
- Pour this mixture into the bowl with the rest of the whipped cream and carefully fold in until everything is well combined. Fold in the toasted pecans and marshmallows.
- Pour into a 9x5x3 metal loaf pan. Cover tightly and freeze for six hours.
Video
Notes
- I almost always use toasted or roasted pecans in my recipes. You can always use nuts that haven't been roasted, but I think the toasted ones taste much better. Check out my easy recipe for toasting pecans here.
- You can easily vary this recipe by omitting the marshmallows and/or nuts and adding crushed Oreos, M&Ms, or other cookies or candy. You could also omit the cocoa powder and add fresh fruit.
- I like to take my ice cream out of the freezer about 10 minutes before I plan to serve it in order to make it easier to scoop out.
If I just want to toast 1/2 cup of pecans for the ice cream, can I follow your recipe for toasting them, except making 1/2 cup & baking for the same time? Do I need to do the butter & the rest of the seasoning for the nuts for the ice cream, or can I just toast them plain? Thank you! Can’t wait to try!
Hi Janet,
Since you are only roasting 1/2 cup of pecans, the easiest way is to microwave them. Chop them up, spread in an even layer on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave in 1-minute increments for about 6 minutes. Stir in between the 1-minute increments but be careful because the plate will be hot. Taste at 6 minutes and microwave for an additional minute if they aren’t done. I hope you enjoy the ice cream!
Sharon
Can this be put in something besides a loaf pan. I.e. a locknlock with airtight lid.
Debbie
Hi Debbie, of course, you can put it in anything you like.
I hope you enjoy it!
Sharon