I’ve spent years perfecting no-churn ice cream in my own kitchen, and this Blue Monster Ice Cream might be my most fun batch yet! No ice cream maker, no eggs, no cooking required. Just a whipped cream base tinted with real blue spirulina (no blue dye) and loaded with three kinds of cookies. Let’s dig in!
The BEST Cookie Monster Ice Cream Recipe
Can’t you just see Cookie Monster hovering over this ice cream, saying, “COOOKIE, cookie, cookie, cookie.” This one is for cookie cravings! My hubby and my son are both certifiably obsessed with this Cookie Monster ice cream recipe. After taste-testing more batches than I’ll admit to, they declared there’s no such thing as too many cookies. I personally disagree! That’s why I give you a range of 12 to 20 Oreos and 8 to 15 chocolate chip cookies, so you can dial in exactly how much cookie you want swimming in your ice cream.
Every bite has a cookie in it, and I mean every bite! Whether it’s crunchy cookie pieces or creamy swirls of cookie dough batter (I used my edible cookie dough). It’s truly a cookie lover’s ice cream!
For that true Cookie Monster blue, I skip the food coloring bottle and used blue spirulina instead. It’s an all-natural blue-green algae powder that gives this ice cream its vivid color without any artificial food dyes. It’s more expensive than a bottle of gel dye, but I think it’s worth it! Just a note: if you have a shellfish allergy, you’ll want to stay away from spirulina, use gel dye, or skip the dye entirely. I used this organic blue spirulina.
If you love no-churn ice cream recipes as much as I do, you have to try my Circus Animal Ice Cream and my Moose Tracks Ice Cream, too! Or just dream your way through all of my ice cream recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Blue Cookie Monster Ice Cream
- No machine needed. This is a true no-churn ice cream recipe, so you just need a mixer and a freezer, no ice cream maker required!
- Triple cookie power. Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, and edible cookie dough balls give you three textures in every bite. Bring on the cookies!
- Naturally blue. Blue spirulina gives this ice cream its color, no artificial dye needed.
- Customizable. I give you a range of cookies to add, so you can make it as cookie-packed (or as ice-cream-forward) as you like.
- Kid-friendly and make-ahead. Get the kids involved in mixing and folding, then let the freezer do the rest.
What is Cookie Monster Ice Cream?
Cookie Monster debuted on Sesame Street in 1969, and oh, how I loved that blue, googly-eyed, cookie-obsessed monster as a child. “C is for Cookie” became iconic for a reason.
The ice cream started appearing at local shops in the early 2010s. No one shop invented it, it just evolved. What launched it was Instagram. That bright blue color photographs like a dream, and soon it was all over food feeds. Which means I am late to the party, as usual!
One fun detail: Cookie Monster’s on-screen cookies were always chocolate chip, but Oreos crept in over the years, so most versions include both. In researching this recipe, I found that most of the originals had all three mix-ins anyway, so the cookie dough stays. You can always leave it out if you want to keep things simpler!
Blue Monster Ice Cream Ingredients
- Heavy Whipping Cream: The base of any good no-churn ice cream! Make sure it’s cold before whipping so it holds stiff peaks.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Adds flecks of real vanilla and rich flavor. Vanilla extract works too.
- Blue Spirulina: This is what gives the ice cream its natural blue color. A little goes a long way, so add it gradually. Blue gel food coloring is a fine substitute if you don’t have spirulina on hand. Do not use liquid blue food coloring as it will water down the ingredients too much.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Sweetens the ice cream and gives it that creamy, scoopable texture without any cooking.
- Oreos: Roughly chopped. Any chocolate sandwich cookie works here. Or chocolate cookies for that matter.
- Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies: I like a sturdier, crunchier cookie so it doesn’t turn to mush once frozen. Tate’s is my go-to, but Chips Ahoy works too for chocolate chip cookie pieces. If you want to go more homemade, make up a batch of my chocolate chip cookies and bake them a few minutes longer for crispier cookies.
- Edible Cookie Dough: Optional, but it’s what pushes this into true “cookie monster” territory. Just make sure the pieces are small so they are easier to chomp on when devouring this blue ice cream.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Helpful Tools for Monster Ice Cream
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Loaf pan (parchment-lined) or a 2-quart freezer-safe container
- Plastic wrap
- Ice cream scoop
How to Make Cookie Monster Ice Cream
Watch how easily this comes together. That blue color gets me every single time!
Step 1 | Make the edible cookie dough if using (skip if not!)
This will take a few extra minutes, but can easily be done ahead of time and is a great recipe for kids to help with! Head on over to the post on how to make edible cookie dough and follow along.
Step 2 | Prep the Mix-ins
Break your Oreos and chocolate chip cookies into roughly ¼-inch pieces. Set aside a small handful of each cookie (plus a bit of cookie dough, if using) to decorate the top later.
Step 2 | Whip the Cream
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, and blue spirulina until stiff peaks form. Start with 1 teaspoon of spirulina and add more until you reach your desired color; the peaks should stand up straight without curling when you lift the beater out.
Step 3 | Add Condensed Milk & Cookies
With the mixer on low, beat in the sweetened condensed milk until fully incorporated, adding a touch more spirulina or food coloring if you want a deeper blue.
Step 4 | Freeze & Serve
Spoon the mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan or a 2-quart container, smooth the top, and press the reserved cookies and cookie dough into the surface. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight for a firmer scoop.
Let the ice cream sit on the counter for 10–15 minutes before scooping so it softens just enough. Serve in a bowl, piled onto a waffle cone, or straight out of the loaf pan. Every sweet scoop is better than the last.
Blue Cookie Monster Ice Cream Variations
- Food coloring instead of spirulina: Use 1 teaspoon of blue gel food coloring (gel holds up better than liquid, which can thin out the base).
- Swap the cookies: Any sandwich cookie or crisp chocolate chip cookie will work in place of the specific brands used in this homemade cookie monster ice cream recipe.
- Churned version: If you’d rather use an ice cream maker, add about 1 cup of milk to the batter to get a true churned texture, then process according to your machine’s instructions.
- Gluten-free: Swap in your favorite gluten-free sandwich cookies and chocolate chip cookies, and make the edible cookie dough with gluten-free flour.
- Dairy-free: Use a plant-based heavy cream substitute (whipped according to the recipe) and a coconut sweetened condensed milk in the same amount as called for. Note: non-dairy sweetened condensed milks typically come in smaller cans; it might be just fine; I haven’t tried it.
- Skip the cookie dough: If preferred, leave it out, this sweet cream ice cream will be ready even faster, you could always add a ½ cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter if you wanted.
How to Store Blue Cookie Ice Cream
Store this cookie monster ice cream tightly covered with plastic wrap, or in an airtight, freezer-safe container, for up to 2 weeks for the best flavor and texture. But, I’m pretty sure the ice cream police won’t come knocking if you have some that lasts longer than that.
Pressing a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly onto the surface before sealing the lid helps prevent ice crystals and freezer burn. Let it sit out for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cookie Monster ice cream is typically a vanilla or sweet cream-based ice cream dyed a vivid blue, mixed with two or three kinds of cookies, usually chocolate sandwich cookies and chocolate chip cookies, sometimes with cookie dough pieces folded in too. The original version had all three, so I went original, because you go big or go home, right?
Cookie Monster ice cream is blue purely to match Cookie Monster’s blue fur from Sesame Street! The ice cream itself is usually just a vanilla or sweet cream base.
Blue spirulina itself is a type of algae and isn’t related to shellfish, but it’s sometimes processed in facilities that also handle shellfish or seafood, so cross-contamination is possible. Always check the packaging for allergen warnings, and if your allergy is severe, look for a brand that specifies dedicated processing or use food coloring instead, or just leave it out.
More Cool Recipes to Try
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Ferrero Rocher Ice Cream
- Peach Ice Cream
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Cookie Monster Ice Cream Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 pint, chilled well
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 – 2 teaspoons blue spirulina see notes ~ or 1 teaspoon blue gel food coloring
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12 – 20 Oreos roughly chopped (see notes)
- 8 – 15 crisp chocolate chip cookies roughly chopped (see notes)
- 20 – 30 mini edible cookie dough balls optional (see notes if not using)
Instructions
- If using, prepare edible cookie dough according to recipe (see notes for link), then shaping into slightly smaller than a marble pieces.20 – 30 mini edible cookie dough balls
- Using your hands, break your cookies apart into about ¼ inch pieces; you don't want them too big or too small. Set aside a small handful of each cookie (Oreo, Chocolate Chip) to decorate the top of the ice cream.12 – 20 Oreos, 8 – 15 crisp chocolate chip cookies
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, whip the whipped cream, vanilla bean paste and blue spirulina (or food coloring) until stiff peaks form (start with 1 teaspoon blue spirulina, adding up to 2 teaspoons until you get your desired color, the scoop I used was a 1 gram scoop, I used 3g, which equaled to about 1 ½ teaspoons).2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla bean paste, 1 – 2 teaspoons blue spirulina
- Pro Tip: Stiff peaks mean that when you pull the mixer blade out, the peaks literally stand up straight without curling or sagging. If you add too much food coloring (gel form or liquid form) this will change the texture and consistency of your ice cream.
- With the mixer on low, beat in the sweetened condensed milk until incorporated. Add additional food coloring or spirulina to get the desired color.14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- Fold in the cookies (reserving that handful if you haven’t already) and the edible cookie dough.
- Spoon into a parchment-lined loaf pan or a 2-quart ice cream container (glass or plastic), smooth the top, sprinkle and press in the reserved cookies and cookie dough, to prevent ice crystals, place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper over the top of the ice cream. Then, cover tightly with a piece of plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight for firm ice cream. After 6 hours the ice cream in the center will still be really soft; overnight, it will be hard throughout.
- When ready to serve, remove from the freezer for about 10-15 minutes on the counter to make it easier to scoop.
Notes
- Warning: Blue Spirulina can be cross-contaminated with shellfish, so if you have a shellfish allergy (I do, but mine isn’t severe), then err on the side of caution. Cross-Contamination Risk: While the algae itself is safe, commercially processed spirulina is sometimes handled in facilities that also process shellfish or seafood. Always check the packaging for manufacturing and allergen cross-contact warnings.
- If adding, I highly recommend for the most authentic cookie monster-approved ice cream, whip up edible cookie dough (see how and get the recipe here). Roll into small bite-sized balls. Reserve the rest of the cookie dough for cookie dough emergencies (stored in the fridge)
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If using blue food coloring, note two things: you will only use 1 teaspoon of food coloring, and blue gel is preferred as it won’t thin out the ice cream base as much as liquid food coloring will.
- Food coloring will stain your tongue and insides (along with everything else it comes in contact with), so eat and proceed with caution when it comes to making and enjoying it; that’s part of the fun! I struggle using large amounts of any artificial food colors, which is why I chose to use all-natural blue spirulina, but hey, every once in a “blue moon” I think it’s okay. Sorry! Not sorry! FYI, the blue spirulina powder comes off much more easily than blue food coloring. I used between 1 ½ and 2 teaspoons during my testing (2 in the final images, 1 ½ in the image of me holding the ice cream).
- Gluten-Free: You can totally make this gluten-free! Swap the cookies out for your favorite gluten-free version; I love the Gluten-Free Oreos, but any sandwich cookie will work, as will your favorite crispy gluten-free chocolate chip cookie. The edible cookie dough can easily be made with gluten-free flour (see the recipe).
- Dairy-free is a bit trickier, but can be done. Use a plant-based heavy cream substitute and whip according to the recipe; replace the sweetened condensed milk with coconut sweetened condensed milk (make sure you use about the same volume; some of the cans are less ounces)
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