Last winter, my niece announced that her favorite ice cream flavor was mint chocolate chip. Not just her favorite. Her only acceptable flavor. She wore a mint green sweater to school three days in a row and demanded everything in her lunch box be green.
I knew what I had to do. I grabbed my hook and some yarn, and this beanie was born. It looks exactly like a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream, complete with dripping cream and little brown bobble “chips” scattered across the surface.
The best part? She wore it every single day until spring. If you have a mint chocolate chip enthusiast in your life, or you just want a hat that makes people smile, this crochet pattern is for you.
Why You Will Love This Mint Chocolate Chip Beanie Crochet Pattern
This beanie is pure whimsy with practical construction underneath. The design mimics a scoop of ice cream with a cream ribbed brim representing the cone or cup, a mint green body studded with chocolate chip bobbles, a cream “drip” applique that looks like melting ice cream, and a fluffy mint pom pom on top.
The construction is clever but approachable. You will start with a flat ribbed rectangle for the brim, seam it into a ring, then pick up stitches along the top edge to work the body in joined rounds. The bobbles are worked directly into the fabric as you go. The drip detail is crocheted separately and sewn on at the end.
Skill level: Intermediate. You should be comfortable with single crochet (sc), working in joined rounds, picking up stitches along an edge, and basic seaming. If you have never worked a bobble stitch before, do not worry. I will walk you through every step.
Time estimate: 6 to 9 hours including all finishing work.
Who can resist a hat that looks good enough to eat?
Finished Measurements
This pattern is written for an adult medium head circumference of approximately 21 to 22 inches (53 to 56 cm).
- Hat height from brim fold to crown (excluding pom pom): approximately 9.5 inches (24 cm)
- Brim folded height: approximately 2 inches (5 cm)
The hat is designed with 1 to 2 inches of negative ease. This means the unstretched circumference is slightly smaller than the head measurement, allowing the fabric to grip comfortably.
Size customization tips are included at the end of the pattern.
Materials Needed
Yarn:
- Yarn A (Cream/off-white): approximately 130 yards (119 meters), worsted weight (category 4)
- Yarn B (Mint green): approximately 180 yards (165 meters), worsted weight (category 4)
- Yarn C (Dark brown): approximately 15 yards (14 meters), worsted weight (category 4)
- Extra Yarn B: approximately 30 yards (27 meters) additional mint green for the pom pom
Hook: US size J-10 / 6.0 mm
Notions:
- Yarn needle for seaming and weaving in ends
- Stitch markers (at least 4)
- Scissors
- Pom pom maker (3 inch / 7.5 cm diameter recommended) or two cardboard circles
- Pins for blocking and applique placement
Yarn Suggestions
Any smooth worsted weight yarn will work beautifully. Here are three options I recommend:
- Lion Brand Pound of Love in Cream and Mint. Excellent stitch definition and machine washable.
- Paintbox Yarns Simply DK held double in Vanilla Cream and Spearmint Green. Softer drape and budget friendly.
- Cascade 220 Superwash in Natural and Mint. Beautiful stitch definition in 100% superwash merino wool.
Avoid fuzzy or textured yarns for the mint green body. The bobble chocolate chips will not show clearly against a textured background.
FYI, smooth yarn is key if you want those chips to really pop.
Gauge
16 single crochet and 18 rows = 4 inches (10 cm), worked in the round in single crochet using US size J-10 / 6.0 mm hook, after blocking.
Gauge matters here. The stitch count is calculated to produce a specific circumference. Work a swatch at least 20 sc wide and 20 rows tall, then measure the center 4 inches. Adjust your hook size up if your stitches are too tight, or down if too loose.
Abbreviations
- BLO – back loop only
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- dec – invisible decrease
- pm – place marker
- rep – repeat
- rnd – round
- RS – right side
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- WS – wrong side
- yo – yarn over
Special Stitch: Bobble Stitch (Chocolate Chips)
This is a 5-double-crochet bobble worked into a single stitch. It creates a raised bump that looks like a chocolate chip.
- Insert hook into indicated stitch, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops. You now have 1 incomplete dc.
- Without removing hook, yo, insert hook into the same stitch, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops. You now have 2 incomplete dc.
- Repeat step 2 three more times until you have 6 loops on hook (5 incomplete dc total).
- Yo, pull through all 6 loops on hook.
- Ch 1 to close and secure the bobble. This ch 1 does not count as a stitch.
The bobble will puff toward the right side of the work. If your bobble puffs inward, push it outward from the wrong side with your finger after completing it.
Pattern Notes
- The brim is worked flat as a ribbed strip, then seamed into a ring. Stitches are picked up along one edge to begin the body.
- The hat body is worked in joined rounds. The ch 1 at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch. Begin each round in the first stitch, not in the turning chain.
- Use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round to track the beginning.
- All body rounds are right side rounds. Bobbles will naturally puff outward.
- The drip applique is worked flat and sewn on after the body is complete.
- To change colors, complete the last stitch of the current color until 2 loops remain on hook, then draw the new color through both loops.
- For Yarn C (brown), cut and rejoin as needed rather than carrying long floats.
Step by Step Crochet Tutorial
Section 1: The Brim
The brim is a ribbed rectangle worked flat, then seamed into a ring.
With Yarn A, ch 13.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (12 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st across. Turn. (12 sc)
Repeat Row 2 until piece measures 20.5 inches (52 cm) from beginning, ending after a WS row. This will be approximately 93 rows.
Checkpoint: Your brim strip should be 12 stitches wide and 20.5 inches long.
Seam: With yarn needle and Yarn A, use whipstitch or mattress stitch to join the first and last rows together, creating a ring. The seam should be neat and stretchy. Weave in ends.
You now have a brim ring with two long edges. The bottom edge becomes the folded brim. The top edge is where you pick up stitches.
Section 2: Hat Body Setup Round
Hold the brim ring with the seam at one side. You will work along the top edge.
With Yarn B, join yarn at the seam with a sl st through one of the edge stitches.
Setup Round: Ch 1 (does not count as st), sc evenly around the top edge, working 82 sc evenly spaced. Skip approximately 1 row end every 11 stitches to reduce from 93 row ends to 82 stitches. Sl st to first sc to join. Pm in first st. (82 sc)
Section 3: Hat Body
All body rounds begin with ch 1 (does not count as st) and are joined with sl st to first sc. Move marker up each round.
Rounds 1 to 4: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Sl st to join. (82 sc each round)
Round 5 (Bobble Round 1): Ch 1, sc in next 5 sts, bobble in next st, (sc in next 10 sts, bobble in next st) 6 times, sc in next 5 sts. Sl st to join. (75 sc, 7 bobbles = 82 total)
Rounds 6 and 7: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Sl st to join. (82 sc each round)
Continue alternating plain single crochet rounds with bobble rounds, spacing the chocolate chips so they look randomly scattered. Keep the bobbles puffing outward for the best chip effect.
Checkpoint: After the main body rounds, the mint section should measure approximately 4.25 inches tall.
Section 4: Upper Body and Transition to Cream Top
Work a couple more plain rounds in mint, then switch to Yarn A (cream) for the top section that looks like melting ice cream.
Section 5: Crown Shaping
Shape the crown with evenly spaced decreases, creating a rounded dome. Work decrease rounds until only a small opening remains, then gather the last stitches tightly and secure on the inside.
Section 6: Ice Cream Drip Applique
The drip is worked flat, then sewn onto the hat.
With Yarn A, chain a long foundation and work a few rows of single crochet. Then create drip extensions of varying lengths so some melt further down than others. Pin the strip around the color-change line and sew it in place with the longer drips toward the front.
Section 7: Pom Pom
Using extra Yarn B, make a large fluffy pom pom about 3 to 3.5 inches across. Attach it securely to the crown so it sits like a final scoop of ice cream.
Section 8: Finishing
Weave in all ends, block lightly if needed, and enjoy your wearable dessert.
FAQ’s
Can I make this for a child?
Yes. Reduce the brim length and the number of stitches picked up around the edge. Measure the head and adjust as you go for a good fit.
Do the bobbles stay raised?
They do when worked correctly. Push them to the right side right after making each one if they try to hide inside the fabric.
Is the drip hard to attach?
Not at all. Pin it carefully first so the placement looks natural, then sew with small, even stitches. It goes on quickly.
Can I skip the pom pom?
You can, but the big mint pom really sells the ice cream look. A smaller one or none at all still looks cute if you prefer a cleaner silhouette.
How do I wash the finished beanie?
Machine wash on gentle in cool water and lay flat to dry. Smooth acrylic or superwash yarns hold the shape and bobbles best.
What if my gauge is off?
Swatch and adjust your hook. A too-loose gauge will make the hat floppy; too tight will make it stiff and small.
Wrapping Up Your Mint Chocolate Chip Beanie
There you have it—a beanie that looks like the best scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream you never have to share. The ribbed cream brim, the bobble chips, the melting drip, and that fluffy pom on top all come together into something pure fun.
IMO, the bobbles are the real stars. Once you get the rhythm of making them, they start looking exactly like little chocolate chips scattered through the mint. Take your time placing the drip so it feels natural, and enjoy every stitch.
When someone asks where you bought your hat, just smile and say you made it yourself. Happy crocheting, friend!
