Thin Mint Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Let's take a moment to talk about this ridiculous snowstorm/icestorm/blizzard/apocalypse-now-situation going on outside right now here in Minnesota. It should be warm. I should be wearing a sundress and walking around in my Birkenstock sandals in a park. I should be sitting outside, eating ice cream, and not frantically playing catch-up with all the work I left behind in this cubicle.

Let's be honest. I should just be working. But I really want ice cream.

I bought an inordinate amount of Girl Scout cookies for a single lady-- as in, eyebrows were raised when I placed the order. Don't question my cookie quantity-- it's for a good cause!

Well, I bought eight boxes... and let them sit there. For weeks. That's willpower, right?

But then I had to go and make them even worse for me. I had to entertain the idea of summer, even if it's not here yet. I had to make ice cream, goshdarnit!

A peppermint base, coupled with thin mint cookies? Win. These have a whole sleeve of cookies in a quart of ice cream, which may be overkill to some.

Then I added chocolate chocolate chip cookie dough... NOW it's overkill!

Don't wait for summer. Get your ice cream maker out. Eat a giant bowl while a foot of snow rains down around your house. I won't judge, as long as you share.

Thin Mint Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 sleeve Thin Mint cookies, roughly chopped
Any cookie dough of your choice (you can use store-bought-- I used leftovers)

Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until light in color. Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat milk and sugar until just at boiling point. Slowly pour half of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Again whisking constantly, pour egg mixture back into saucepan.  Add peppermint extract. Cook mixture until it holds a line across the back of a wooden spoon (~8-10 minutes).

Pour custard into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of  any eggy bits. Chill mixture for 2-12 hours.

Prepare ice cream in your ice cream maker per the manufacturer's instructions. Add in thin mint cookies and dough towards the end. Transfer to a storage container, and place in the freezer to firm up.