The creamiest homemade dairy-free vanilla ice cream ever! Made with only 5 ingredients and is vegan, paleo, gluten-free & refined sugar free! 

This post was originally published on August 11, 2016. The photos have been updated but the recipe remains the same. 

Who else is WAY excited that summer has finally arrived?! I’m looking forward to our daily pool adventures, fresh summer produce, and ice cream…lots and lots of ice cream!

So, to celebrate summer and embrace all the warm-weather vibes of the season,  I bring you this Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream! It is the best (non-chocolate) ice cream I have ever had! Made with only 5 ingredients, this delicious cold treat can be enjoyed by just about everyone! It’s vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo with zero refined sugar! Plus it only takes 5 minutes of active prep! WIN!

I am all about ultra-creamy dairy-free ice cream. The absence of dairy should never mean we have to sacrifice texture or taste! Using a liquid sweetener and adding almond butter, makes this Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream irresistibly creamy!

Uses for Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream

Why would a chocolate aficionado (like yours truly) need to create a vegan vanilla ice cream recipe?! (great question)! Well I will let you in on a little secret… there are only (and I mean ONLY) two occasions that I prefer dairy-free vanilla ice cream to chocolate.

1. When it’s on top of warm {gooey} brownies…and
2. If it’s loaded with cookie dough {pssst, get the recipe here}!

Basically, I needed to create a healthy vegan vanilla ice cream to eat on these paleo brownies, these black bean brownies, or these vegan peanut butter black bean brownies! Can you blame me?!

Now, let’s walk trough how to make this coconut milk ice cream recipe step-by-step!

How to make Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream

Step 1: Use a Vitamix 

Blend! This is another recipe creation that is made in the Vitamix! I have made so many different ice cream recipes, and the dairy-free versions always turn out the best when the ingredients are blended together!

Thoroughly blending the Almond Butter into the coconut milk not only ensures that the flavors are distributed evenly, but it also helps achieve maximum creaminess without the addition of eggs! Thus, creating a Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream that even my vegan friends can enjoy!

Step 2. Use an Ice Cream Maker

Yes it’s true, the best ice cream recipes are made in an ice cream maker. I recommend this Cuisinart ice cream maker (the one I have is just an older version of it)! You can’t beat the creaminess that comes from churning!

Step 3. Turn the ice cream maker ON!

This is a super important step. Once you put the frozen container onto your ice cream maker, be sure to turn it on so that it’s spinning when you add the vegan vanilla ice cream mixture. This will prevent the ice cream from getting frozen to the sides immediately, which prevents the machine from turning!

Step 4. Freeze & Serve

I recommend letting this dairy-free vanilla ice cream freeze for at least 3 hours before serving. Yes, it will get very hard when it’s completely frozen. Simply let it sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before scooping and you’ll be just fine!

Can I make ice cream without an ice cream maker?

Many people ask me if they can make ice cream without an ice cream maker. The answer is yes, you can churn it by hand…but I highly recommend investing in an ice cream maker if you want the creamiest, dreamiest, homemade coconut milk ice cream recipe possible. It doesn’t have to break the bank either! I bought my very first ice cream maker on clearance at Target for $7…and it served me well for many  years!

Non-ice cream maker instructions: 

If you don’t have an ice cream maker. Simply pour the paleo vanilla ice cream mixture from the Vitamix into a freezer-friendly container. Put it in the freezer and stir by hand every 15 minutes until it’s frozen. It won’t be as creamy but it will still taste delicious!

Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream: Substitutions/Ingredients 

Here are a few possible substitutions for this recipe!

• Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut cream or coconut milk can be used in this recipe with great results! Using light coconut milk will cause it to lose some of its creaminess.
• Almond butter: Any nut or seed butter can be used in this recipe. My two favorites are almond butter {obviously} and cashew butter {YUM}!
• Honey. Similar to this dairy-free Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream, this dairy-free vanilla ice cream recipe calls for honey or maple syrup (for all my strict vegan friends out there), as the sweetener!  Both of these sweeteners yield a delicious and creamy ice cream, but the maple syrup will impart a slight maple flavor!

IF YOU MAKE SOMETHING FROM JOYFOODSUNSHINE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR CREATIONS! DON’T FORGET TO RATE THIS RECIPE AND LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW! ALSO, FOLLOW ALONG WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FOR MORE RECIPE INSPIRATION AND A GLIMPSE INTO OUR EVERYDAY LIFE!

5 from 6 votes

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Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream (Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream)

The creamiest homemade dairy-free vanilla ice cream ever! Made with only 5 ingredients and is vegan, paleo, gluten-free & refined sugar free! #paleo #glutenfree #dairyfree #icecream #vegan #vanillaicecream #homemade #recipe #healthydessert #healthy 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword coconut milk ice cream recipe, dairy-free vanilla ice cream, paleo vanilla ice cream, vegan vanilla ice cream

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 1 pint of ice cream

Calories 155.8 kcal

Author Laura

Ingredients

• 1 14 oz can full-fat coconut milk or cream
• ¼ cup honey (maple syrup for vegan)
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a Vitamix (or other high-powered blender) in the order listed.
2. Blend on high for 30 seconds, or until smooth and mixture is homogenous.
3. Turn on your ice cream maker.
4. Pour mixture directly from the Vitamix into the ice cream maker while it is moving.
5. Let the ice cream churn for about 20-25 minutes until it becomes a firm ball or the ice cream maker stops rotating.
6. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container and freeze for at least 1 hour, or until completely frozen.
7. Makes about 1 pint of ice cream.

Recipe Notes

Many people ask me if they can make ice cream without an ice cream maker. The answer is yes, you can churn it by hand but I highly recommend investing in an ice cream maker if you want the creamiest, dreamiest, homemade ice cream possible.

*Nutrition information calculated based on using coconut milk, for the recipe yielding 6, 1/3 cup servings! 

Nutrition Facts

Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream (Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 155.8 Calories from Fat 86

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9.6g 15%

Potassium 8.3mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 15.4g 5%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 13.7g

Protein 2g 4%

Calcium 5%

Iron 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? Do you prefer vanilla or chocolate?! 

Here are some more Dairy-Free Ice Cream Recipes!

Paleo Sea Salt Chocolate Ice Cream

Dairy-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Paleo Cookie Dough Ice Cream