{{short description|Ice cream flavor}} {{Infobox food | name = Mint chocolate chip | image = File:2020-04-27 18 23 07 A spoonful of Friendly's Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream in the Franklin Farm section of Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg | caption = Mint chocolate chip ice cream | alternate_name = | country = | region = | creator = | course = Dessert | type = Ice cream | served = | main_ingredient = Mint ice cream, chocolate chips, green food coloring (optional) | variations = | calories = | other = }}
'''Mint chocolate chip''' or '''mint choc chip''' is an ice cream flavor composed of mint ice cream with small chocolate chips. In some cases the liqueur crème de menthe is used to provide the mint flavor, but in most cases peppermint or spearmint flavoring is used. Green food coloring is often added.
According to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), mint chocolate chip was the seventh-most popular ice cream in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vanilla Reigns Supreme; Chocolate Flavors Dominate in Top Five Ice Cream Favorites Among Americans |url=https://www.idfa.org/news/vanilla-reigns-supreme-chocolate-flavors-dominate-in-top-five-ice-cream-favorites-among-americans |website=IDFA |publisher=International Dairy Foods Association |access-date=19 December 2025}}</ref> Later, in a May 2024 survey by IDFA, mint chocolate chip was ranked as America's seventh-most popular ice cream flavor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ice Cream & Frozen Novelty Trends Survey - May 2024 |url=https://www.idfa.org/resources/ice-cream-frozen-novelty-trends-survey-may-2024 |access-date=24 April 2025 |work=www.idfa.org |date=21 May 2024}}</ref>
The flavor is used in other foods such as cookies, meringues, and milkshakes. Ice cream manufacturer Baskin-Robbins has created a hard candy named "mint chocolate chip" that tastes similar to their ice cream, which is one of their "permanent flavors".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baskinrobbins.com/IceCream/| title = Baskin Robbins Permanent flavors |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010212942/http://www.baskinrobbins.com/IceCream/ |archive-date=2011-10-10 }}</ref>
In Korea, the flavor is often referred to as ''mint choco'', and is a widespread food trend with many variations including mint chocolate snacks, drinks, and a fried chicken flavoring.<ref>{{cite web|title= Green Coloured Korean Fried Chicken Tossed In Mint Chocolate And Cucumber Flavoured Sauces?! | url=https://middleclass.sg/trending/mint-chocolate-korean-fried-chicken/|date=July 2020}}</ref>
==History== The use of mint to soften the bitterness of chocolate has been around for a long time, with the practice of mixing mint and chocolate starting in the 16th century England when both began arriving through imports.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Loveman |first1=Kate |title=The Introduction of Chocolate into England: Retailers, Researchers, and Consumers, 1640-1730 |journal=Journal of Social History |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages=27-46 |doi=10.1093/jsh/sht050 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43306044?ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol |access-date=19 December 2025}}</ref>
Baskin-Robbins cites Mint Chocolate Chip as one of the original 31 flavors when they began operations in 1945<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.baskinrobbins.com/blog/baskin-robbins-mint-chocolate-chip|title=The Story Behind Baskin-Robbins' Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream}}</ref> even though there were no mint chocolate chip in their original list but mint chocolate and chocolate chip.<ref>{{cite journal |id={{Gale|A76693164}} |last1=Janis |first1=Lauren |title=At the execution |journal=Columbia Journalism Review |date=2001 |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=8–9 }}</ref>{{verify source|date=November 2025}} Howard Johnson's restaurants were serving a "chocolate mint chip" flavor {{failed verification span|text=by the early 1950s|date=November 2025}},<ref>{{cite web |title=VINTAGE HOWARD JOHNSON'S 28 FLAVORS ICE CREAM SHOP & RESTAURANT LOCATION GUIDE |url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/363739507940 |website=eBay |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-date=23 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223010135/https://www.ebay.com/itm/363739507940 |url-status=live }}</ref> which would become a common flavor into the 1960s and 70s. Previously, Howard Johnson's was responsible for inventing chocolate chip ice cream under George R. Pitman.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Let's Take a Look at Howard Johnson's |id={{ProQuest|1847831535}} |volume=143 |issue=4 |magazine=Good Housekeeping |date=October 1956 |pages=61–62 }}</ref>
In 1973, British culinary student Marilyn Ricketts entered a dessert competition for the wedding of Princess Anne and won with her "Mint Royale" mint chocolate chip ice cream.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tastingtable.com/996968/the-royal-wedding-that-popularized-mint-chocolate-chip-ice-cream/|title=The Royal Wedding That Popularized Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream |date=6 March 2023}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=November 2025}} Ricketts is also credited with the invention of the mint chocolate chip.{{citation needed|date=November 2025}}
The domestic terrorist Timothy McVeigh's last meal before he was executed in the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing was two pints of mint chocolate chip ice cream.<ref>{{cite journal |id={{Gale|A76693164}} |last1=Janis |first1=Lauren |title=At the execution |journal=Columbia Journalism Review |date=2001 |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=8–9 }}</ref>
==See also== * List of ice cream flavors * Mint chocolate * {{portal-inline|Food}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Ice cream}} {{Mint}}
Category:Flavors of ice cream Category:Chocolate desserts Category:Mint food
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