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Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream

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

Side view of a bowl of paleo vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of almond butter

I know many of you are singing the “Summer’s Over” blues  as your sweet kids begin a new school year…however I am not letting summer go quite yet. Don’t get me wrong, fall is my favorite season of them all! But I am not ready to give up our daily pool adventures, fresh summer produce….or ice cream…just yet!

Maybe it’s because we homeschool our kids, which means that our “back to school” looks a little different than the norm, but I’m still majorly feeling the summer vibes! So, to celebrate the continuation of summer,  I bring you 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!

Overhead view of paleo vanilla ice cream in a rectangular freezer container with the lid off and an ice cream scoop next to it

I tried adapting my Paleo Vanilla Coffee Creamer into a recipe for ice cream…but it totally didn’t work! Something about the coconut sugar just tasted off. So, I stuck with what works (because if it ain’t broke…)! Similar to this dairy-free Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream, this recipe calls for honey or maple syrup (for all my strict vegan friends out there), as the sweetener! Once I made a few adjustments, the result was some seriously delicious and healthy ice cream

!I am all about ultra-creamy ice cream. The absence of dairy should never mean we have to sacrifice texture or taste! The liquid sweetener,  as well as the addition of Almond Butter, makes this Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream irresistibly creamy! Of course I use my absolute favorite…Barney Smooth almond butter! See those delicious little flecks of almond-buttery goodness?! {Sigh}

Side view of paleo vanilla ice cream in a bowl with a spoon, plain

Why would a chocolate aficionado (like yours truly) need to create a 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 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 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?!

Side view of a bowl of vegan & paleo vanilla ice cream drizzled with almond butter

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!

Go crazy and top your Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream with some melted almond butter or some raw cocoa nibs (or both)! Eat it straight from the container or serve it on top of warm, ooey gooey brownies.

One more quick note: 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. 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!

Overhead view of two bowls of paleo vanilla ice cream drizzled with almond butter & sprinkled with cocoa nibs

Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream: Substitutions

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. Maple syrup can be used in place of honey for a vegan version!

Side view of paleo vanilla ice cream in a bowl with a drizzle of almond butter topped with cocoa nibs.

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 2 votes
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Paleo Vanilla Almond Butter 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 almond butter, blender, coconut cream, coconut milk, creamy, dairy-free, gluten-free, ice cream, ice cream maker, paleo, paleo ice cream, paleo vanilla ice cream, vanilla, vegan, vitamix
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 1 pint of ice cream
Calories 155.8 kcal
Author Laura

Ingredients

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 Almond Butter 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.

Overhead shot of paleo vanilla ice cream plain in a bowl with a spoon

So far I’ve had one of those weeks where my kids go from being the cutest little things in the history of the world, to the most disobedient children ever in 0.25 seconds flat. No matter what, I adore them and am so blessed to be their mommy. Plus…there’s literally nothing that can happen in a day that a giant scoop of ice cream on a warm fudgy brownie can’t fix! #canigetanAMEN?

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

Need some more ice cream recipes?!

Paleo Sea Salt Chocolate Ice Cream

Dairy-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Paleo Cookie Dough Ice Cream

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

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
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ahhhh, I am DROOLING!!! This looks sooooo tasty! I have seriously been craving ice cream for weeks now, so I can’t wait to give this recipe a try! I’m already so excited because you recommended the Barney almond butter-isn’t it legit the best thing ever?! Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe <3

    Reply

    • I cannot get behind the whole “nice cream” thing! I mean, I’ve made it for my kids with spinach (topped with some sprinkles, ice cream for lunch = total mom points) but it does not satisfy my ice cream cravings at ALL! This, however, totally DOES! 🙂

      Reply

  8. Praying for grace to get through the week Laura! <3 I know that God's grace is sufficient for you friend. <3

    This ice cream looks dreamy. I think coconut milk might almost make a better ice cream than regular cream. 🙂

    Reply

    • Even the hardest moments with my kids are full of joy! I love those little munchkins and am so blessed to get to stay home and not miss a second of their sweet little lives! 🙂 <3 Thankfully my husband has Fridays off (Pastor's life)! So today is going to be a great day! 🙂

      Reply

  10. This has me wishing I owned an ice cream maker! Vanilla is always my favorite go-to for ice cream; so fresh and creamy. If I ever invest in an ice cream maker, this will be my first recipe to taste test!

    Reply

    • I bought my first ice cream maker on clearance at Target for $7! I found my awesome one at a yard sale for $20 (with an extra freezer container too)! Keep your eyes peeled and an ice cream maker doesn’t have to break the bank!

      Reply

  16. Your Vanillla Ice Cream looks amazing, a special treat for a hot August day. Hope you are having a fantastic day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

    Reply

    • Hey Liz! you can make this without an ice cream maker, but I highly suggest buying one! Your ice cream will be more dense and less creamy without churning. You can churn it by hand (stir in the freezer every 15 minutes until it hardens) There’s truly nothing like homemade ice cream! And it doesn’t have to break the bank! I bought my first one on clearance at Target for $7!!!

      Reply

  20. Can I make this ice cream without the almond butter? If not (for creaminess sake), will the flavor of the ice cream be like almond butter (which I don’t like) or will it be unnoticeable? Thank you for a reply. I can’t wait to try this!

    Reply

    • Hey Cathy! I think the almond butter gives it a great creaminess. You could sub peanut butter (not paleo), cashew butter, or sunflower butter if you don’t like almond butter! I haven’t tried making it without some kind of added fat/creamy ingredient, but if you do report back and let me know how it goes!

      Reply

    • Hey Cheryl! I haven’t tried that variety but that sounds seriously delicious! If you give it a whirl pretty please report back and let me know how it goes! It would provide fat and creaminess…so I’m guessing it would be great!

      Reply

  28. OMG, I made this yesterday in my Cuisinart ice cream maker and it was perfection!!! It is so good and will be my go to treat from now on! Thank you so much!!

    Reply

    • Hey Giselle! I would be hesitant to use almond milk because it would take away from the ultra creaminess that the coconut cream gives. If you don’t like coconut, you could try using an almond milk creamer or something like that. But almond milk in itself (unless it’s homemade) would probably make for a more icy less creamy treat!

      Reply

  34. I am on a candida diet…I can use either stevia and/or xylitol for sweetener. What amount would you recommend if using xylitol? I can’t have honey or maple syrup in stage one of the ACD. Thanks!

    Reply

  35. This recipe came out really well texture-wise although a bit salty. I will halve the salt next time and it’ll be perfect.

    Reply

  36. Laura, I don’t have almond butter, will almonds work? Or should I make it without or wait until I can get almond butter? Thank you

    Reply

    • Hey Diane! If you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or a food processor you can use it to make your own creamy almond butter to use in this recipe! (here’s a great “how-to”)! Using whole almonds will not work because you need the creamy consistency of the almond butter! You could sub any other nut or seed butter as long as it complies with your dietary needs!

      Reply

  38. I assume the almond butter helps give it a creamy texture,but Is the almond butter present tastewise? Is it overpowering or mild?I would really like to make,so I was just wondering beforehand.

    Reply

    • I personally do not think the almond butter is at all overpowering! I think it simply makes the ice cream ultra creamy! You could try substituting a milder nut butter like cashew butter if you’re concerned!

      Reply

  39. What size of can milk or cream do you use and can you use something else to substitute for the almond butter?
    Thanks so much!!!
    Can wait to make

    Reply

    • Hey Kisha! I find that my ice cream maker can only handle one batch of this recipe at a time! If you double it and have two bowls for your ice cream maker then you can churn half at a time, one batch right after another! If you have a larger than standard ice cream maker it could handle two batches!

      Reply

  42. Do you have a preferred brand of coconut milk or coconut cream?
    Also, isn’t there some refined sugar in the almond butter?

    Reply

    • Hey Vicky! I’m not picky when it comes to brands…I usually buy the Sprouts brand or Thai Kitchen… whichever is on sale! There are almond butters with one ingredient…almonds! Barney butter and crazy Richards are two of my faves!

      Reply

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