There's nothing better than refreshing homemade ice cream. But, even though the homemade vegan ice cream is fantastic, finding good vegan ice cream recipes isn't easy.
That’s why I decided to share some of my favorite ice cream recipes. Below you’ll find anything from the classic chocolate ice cream to some crazy ice cream twists.
Keep reading to discover your favorite new delicious ice cream!
“Ice cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn’t illegal.” — Voltaire
The Wild Ones
You don’t have to sell your soul to the dairy and egg devils to enjoy some snickers and brownies. Here are three crazy twists on ice cream.
1. Vegan Snickers Ice Cream
The recipe requires easy-to-find ingredients.
All you need is:
- 2 13.5oz cans full-fat coconut milk
- ½–¾ raw sugar (adjust the measurement to your taste)
- ½ cup vegan caramel sauce
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup roasted and salted peanuts
- 2oz dark chocolate
- A pinch of xanthan gum (optional)
- Chocolate flakes
Instructions:
Warm up the milk over medium heat, add sugar, stir, and bring to a boil. Then, stir for two more minutes. Remove from the stove, add vanilla extract and xanthan gum. Refrigerate the mixture in a glass bowl until entirely cool. You can cover it with cling film once it cools down a bit. This will ensure the surface doesn't create a crust.
Then transfer the mixture to the ice cream maker. When the ice cream is nearly done, add the rest of the ingredients and wait just a bit more for the rich, creamy deliciousness to be done. Soft serve the ice cream or put it in the freezer to harden.
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2. Creamy Vegan Mint Brownie Ice Cream
This ice cream is cashew-based, so it's incredibly thick and creamy.
For the ice cream, you'll need:
- ½ cup fresh mint
- 1 ½ cup raw cashews (soak them for eight hours and drain them)
- 14oz can full-fat coconut or any other non-dairy milk)
- ½–¾ peppermint extract (adjust the amount to your taste)
- ¼ cup of cane sugar
- ¼ cup agave or maple syrup
- 3tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1tsp vanilla extract (optional)
For the brownie:
- 1 cup pitted dates (soak them in warm water for 10 minutes if they’re dry)
- 1 ¼ cup of raw walnuts (or a mixture of almonds and walnuts, or other nuts)
- ⅓ cup cacao or cocoa powder
Instructions:
Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Or, you can liquefy the ingredients. Taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness and mintiness. Add everything to your ice cream maker and churn for some 45 minutes.
While the ice cream is churning, blend the ingredients for the brownie. Form the mixture into a “brick,” wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and chill in the freezer. Once the ice cream is done, break the brownie into small pieces and pour them over for the ultimate enjoyment.
3. Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
If you crave cookie dough, here's how you can make vegan ice cream with a few ingredients.
For the ice cream, you'll need:
- 1 ¼ cups raw cashews (soak overnight or for 6 hours)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup agave or maple syrup
- 14oz can of full-fat coconut milk (save some for the cookie dough)
- 2 ⅕ tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1tsp vanilla extract
For the cookie dough:
- 3 tbsp vegan butter
- ½ peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1–2tbsp coconut milk
Instructions:
Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth. Churn for some 45 minutes for a soft serve. Chill it in the freezer for more thickness.
While the ice cream is churning, mix the dry ingredients for the cookie dough. Combine them, and then add the wet ingredients. Add the chocolate chips and chill the dough in a fridge or freezer.
Crumble the cookie dough over the ice cream and enjoy.
Coffee Flavored Ice Cream Recipes
Here are two incredible vegan ice cream recipes for all coffee addicts out there.
4. Vegan Coffee Coconut Ice Cream
This recipe requires:
- 2 13.5oz cans coconut milk (full-fat)
- ½–¾ cup of raw sugar
- ¾ cup brewed coffee (strong)
- 1 ½tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Pour the milk, coffee, and sugar into a saucepan. Put over medium heat and whisk until combined. This should take you about five minutes.
Remove from the stove, mix in vanilla, and leave in the fridge to cool completely.
Once cool, add the mixture in a churner, and you'll have delicious ice cream in about 15 minutes.
5. Mocha Milkshake Vegan Ice Cream
The creamy and cold mocha shake will satisfy all your cravings.
You'll need:
- 2 cups vegan vanilla coconut ice cream
- 1–2tbsp unsweetened cocoa
- ½–3/4 cup chilled brewed coffee
- 2–4tbsp almond or coconut milk (optional)
- Vegan Magic Shell or coconut whipped cream for topping
Instructions:
Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth. Add more coffee and/or milk if you want the ice cream to be creamier.
You can adjust the other ingredients, too. Put more coffee for a more robust coffee flavor or more cacao for a chocolate flavor.
Finally, you can divide the ice cream into two bowls — top one with vegan Magic Shell and the other one with coconut whipped cream.
If you're a coffee lover, you don't want to miss this awesome plant-based bulletproof coffee recipe.
Other Vegan Recipes You Can Check Out:
- 5 Super Easy Vegan Protein Balls Recipes
- 4 Delicious Vegan Protein Cookie Recipes
- Vegan Big Mac Recipe You Need to Try
The Classics
On the days you crave something more traditional, you can try out the following recipes.
6. Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
Nothing beats chocolate ice cream! This vegan version will impress you.
All you need is:
- 15oz can coconut milk (full-fat)
- 2 cups almond milk
- ⅓ cup tapioca starch
- ½ cup cacao
- 1–4tbsp maple syrup
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- ¼–1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Then, pour everything into a saucepan, put it on the stove, and bring to a boil. Make sure you mix frequently.
Keep it on the stove for 2–3 more minutes after it starts boiling, so it can thicken. Place it in a fridge to cool.
Once it’s completely cool, put the mixture in the maker and let it churn for about 2–3 hours.
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7. Two-Ingredient Strawberry Vegan Ice Cream
You can make this one in a food processor. You’ll need only two ingredients. Yes, two, I’m not kidding.
You’ll need a bag of frozen strawberries and a can (13.5oz) of coconut milk.
Instructions:
Add the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.
Pause from time to time to scrape down the sides. It should take you about five minutes to get a smooth, creamy texture.
You can serve it immediately as is — it reminds you of a sorbet. Or, you can put it in the freezer for some three hours.
8. Vanilla Bean Coconut Vegan Ice Cream
Vanilla ice cream is a classic that everyone loves. Luckily, I have an excellent dairy-free version.
You’ll need:
- 2 14oz cans coconut cream or milk
- ½ cup of organic cane sugar
- A pinch of sea salt
- 1 vanilla bean pod (split and scraped) or ¼–½tsp vanilla powder
- 2tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
Add the ingredients to a high-speed blender. Vitamix would be great for this. Blend everything until smooth and give sugar a couple of minutes to dissolve completely.
Chuck in another vanilla pod if you want a more vanilla-y flavor and put the mixture in a churner.
This vegan vanilla ice cream recipe requires the mixture to be churned for some 45 minutes before you can indulge.
Fresh and Fruity
I also have a couple of recipes for all fruit-loving people. Chocolate is fantastic, but let’s face it — nothing brings such refreshment as fruits do.
9. Vegan Mango Ice Cream
If the mango is your favorite fruit, this recipe will delight you.
You'll need:
- 24oz frozen mango (it’s best to cut it in chunks)
- 1–2 5.3oz containers almond dairy-free yogurt
- 10oz frozen raspberries
Instructions:
Take the mango chunks out of the freezer and let them thaw for about five minutes. You need them to be frozen but not rock hard.
Add one container of the dairy-free almond yogurt and mango to a blender. Once the mixture is smooth, put it into a bowl, and serve as is. Or, put it in the freezer to harden.
You can also blend the raspberries and the other container of dairy-free almond yogurt. Put a layer of this mixture over mango ice cream. You can also use the frozen raspberries to top the mango ice cream.
10. Cherry Pie Vegan Ice Cream
You read that right — cherry pie in vegan ice cream! Now, this one needs a bit longer prep time, but the final ice cream flavor is worth it.
Here's what you'll need for the ice cream:
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews (soaked overnight, or for at least six hours and drained)
- 13.5oz can coconut milk (full-fat)
- 3tbsp melted coconut or olive oil
- ¼ cup agave or maple syrup
- ¼ cup of organic cane sugar
- 1tsp pure vanilla extract
- A pinch of sea salt
For the cherry filling:
- 3 cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries (pitted and halved)
- 1–2tbsp water or orange juice
- 1–2tbsp maple syrup, organic cane sugar, or coconut sugar
- 1tbsp flour for thickening (or arrowroot, or cornstarch)
For the pie crust:
- 1 ¼ all-purpose flour
- ¼tsp sea salt
- 6tbsp vegan butter
- 2–4tbsp ice cold water
Instructions:
Ice cream base instructions: add all ingredients to a blender and mix until you get a smooth texture. Transfer it to a loaf pan and chill in the freezer for 1 ½ hour.
Cherry pie instructions: add all the ingredients to a saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Smash the cherries with a wooden spoon and let the mixture simmer on low for another 3–5 minutes. Leave aside to cool down.
Now, preheat the oven to 350℉. Add the flour and salt to a blender and pulse to combine. Then add cold vegan butter and mix everything until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add water, one tablespoon at a time. Roll out the dough and put it in a pie pan. Add the filling and bake for 44–47 minutes.
Finally, add the ice cream mixture and one slice of the pie to a churner. Your ice cream should be done in about 20 minutes.
For those looking for other great recipes, here are the best vegetarian cookbooks to add to your collection.
Which Vegan Ice Cream will You Make First?
Vegan ice creams are my favorite snack. They’re sweet and satisfy my cravings, but they’re healthy. I love that I can control what goes in the ice cream and use only high-quality ingredients. These ice creams are the ultimate healthy dessert you can indulge without feeling guilty. Which one will you make first?
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