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.
- When it’s on top of warm {gooey} brownies…and
- 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!
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Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream (Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream)
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
- Place all ingredients into a Vitamix (or other high-powered blender) in the order listed.
- Blend on high for 30 seconds, or until smooth and mixture is homogenous.
- Turn on your ice cream maker.
- Pour mixture directly from the Vitamix into the ice cream maker while it is moving.
- Let the ice cream churn for about 20-25 minutes until it becomes a firm ball or the ice cream maker stops rotating.
- Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container and freeze for at least 1 hour, or until completely frozen.
- Makes about 1 pint of ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
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
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TIFFANY RAY
Hi…Can I use a regular blender. AND I have coconut butter will that work
Laura
Hey Tiffany! Yes a regular blender should suffice for this recipe! And what are you wanting to use coconut butter in place of? It is not a substitute for coconut cream or coconut milk!
Jenny
Hi Laura,
I am looking to make a pumpkin spice paleo ice cream. Would this work as the base? Would I still use almond butter and add in 1/4 of pumpkin puree or would I substitute the almond butter for the pumpkin puree? What does the almond butter do for this recipe?
Thanks!
Laura
Hey Jenny! I would recommend adding 1/4 cup pumpkin instead of omitting the almond butter because it adds so much creaminess! Let me know how it turns out if you give it a whirl!
Macy
This DF ice-cream looks INCREDIBLE!!
Vicky Davis
Do you have a preferred brand of coconut milk or coconut cream?
Also, isn’t there some refined sugar in the almond butter?
Laura
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!
Tania
How does one churn the ice cream mix without a ice cream
Machine?
Kisha
Hi there!! I’m wondering if I double the recipe if the consistency is the same??
Laura
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!
Karwn
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
Laura
Hey Karwn! I use a 14 oz can of coconut cream or milk!
Gabby
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.
Laura
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!
Stacey
Have you ever doubled this recipe? Does it still work in the ice cream maker?
Laura
Hey Stacey! If you double this recipe make sure you have two ice cream bowl attachments frozen and ready to go for your maker. You will have to churn it in two separate batches because one recipe completely fills the bowl to capacity!
Diane Kay
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
Laura
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!
Diane Kay
Thank you SO much, Laura. That’s doable. I’ll use the second recipe and make tomorrow. National Ice Cream Day after all,
Laura
You’ll have to let me know how you like it Diane! 🙂
Chi
This recipe came out really well texture-wise although a bit salty. I will halve the salt next time and it’ll be perfect.
Carrie
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!
Laura
Hey Carrie! Unfortunately I do not use zero calorie sweeteners so I am unsure how they would work in this recipe! If you try it please report back and let us all know how it goes!
sandy
Hi Laura, did you use the whole can of coconut milk or just the cream off the top part? Thanks!
Laura
The whole can!
Ailsa @foodtofeelgood
I totally agree with you about the purposes of vanilla ice cream! This one definitely looks worth trying though, and it adds to my list of reasons to buy an ice cream maker 🙂
Giselle
Would this recipe work with Almond milk?
Laura
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!
LIndsey
Hi Laura,
Do you think that this would work with raw honey?
Laura
Absolutely I do! I use raw honey most of the time!
Yvonne van der Westhuizen
Morning.
Can I use macadamia butter in stead of almond butter?
Thanks
Laura
Hello Yvonne! I have not tried that substitution so I can’t say for certain…but I have a feeling that would be DIVINE!!!
Yvonne van der Westhuizen
Thank you. I’ll give it a go!!
Almond butter very expensive.
Laura
I understand that! Have you tried making your own? If you can find almonds on sale it’s very economical!!
Karen M.
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!!
Laura
YAY Karen!! I am so glad you liked this ice cream! 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know!
Rebecca
Hi Laura. I’m allergic to coconut and dairy, so I was wondering if I could use cashew milk?
Nicole
How long can you keep this once made??
Laura
You can keep in in the freezer for up to 3 months !