Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream
Posted May 28, 2018, Updated May 27, 2024
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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!
Vanilla ice cream transcends the seasons. Of course it’s refreshing when enjoyed on a hot summer day or over a fruity summer dessert, but it also takes fall and winter desserts to the next level.
I created this paleo vanilla ice cream because I wanted to make a healthier, dairy-free vanilla ice cream for my family to enjoy.
Made with only 5 ingredients, this recipe is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo with no refined sugar!And it only takes 5 minutes to prepare.
I am all about ultra-creamy dairy-free ice cream. The absence of dairy doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice texture or taste! Using a liquid sweetener and adding almond butter, makes this paleo vanilla ice cream irresistibly creamy.
Serve it on top of these fudgy paleo brownies (or these flourless brownies) or these paleo chocolate chip cookies for a delicious dessert.
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 be less creamy.
- Almond butter: Any nut or seed butter can be used in this recipe. Besides almond butter I recommend cashew butter.
- Honey. This dairy-free vanilla ice cream recipe calls for honey or maple syrup as the sweetener! Both of these sweeteners yield a delicious and creamy ice cream, but the maple syrup will impart a slight maple flavor.
How to Make Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream
Let’s discuss how to make this dairy-free vanilla ice cream, and as always don’t forget to watch the video.
Blend! Use a Vitamix or regular blender and blend the ingredients together until smooth.
Thoroughly blending the Almond Butter into the coconut milk not only ensures that the flavors are distributed evenly, but it also helps create a creamy texture.
Next, churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker. Make sure to turn the machine on and pour the vanilla mixture into the machine as it is turning.
This will prevent the ice cream from getting frozen to the sides immediately, which prevents the machine from turning.
Non-ice cream maker instructions:
If you don’t have an ice cream maker. Simply pour the 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!
Freeze
I recommend letting this dairy-free vanilla ice cream freeze for at least 3 hours before serving. It will get very hard when it’s completely frozen. So you will need to let it sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before scooping.
Serve
There are so many uses for this paleo vanilla ice cream. Here are some of our favorites:
- Serve it on top of brownies: like the best fudgy paleo brownies, flourless brownies, or black bean brownies.
- Serve it on top of these paleo chocolate chip cookies – or use the cookies to make paleo cookie ice cream sandwiches!
- Use it to make paleo cookie dough ice cream.
- It’s also delicious on this healthy berry crisp!
Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe FAQs
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.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the 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!
It stays fresh for up to 2 months in the freezer.
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Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream (Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 14 ounces full-fat coconut milk (or coconut cream)
- ¼ cup honey (maple syrup for vegan)
- ¼ cup creamy almond butter (or cashew buter)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a high-powered blender in the order listed.
- Blend on high for 30 seconds, or until smooth and mixture is homogenous.
- Turn on an ice cream maker with the frozen base inside.
- 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.
Video
Notes
- 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 be less creamy.
- Almond butter: Any nut or seed butter can be used in this recipe. Besides almond butter I recommend cashew butter.
- Honey. This dairy-free vanilla ice cream recipe calls for honey or maple syrup as the sweetener! Both of these sweeteners yield a delicious and creamy ice cream, but the maple syrup will impart a slight maple flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Is there any other milk or cream you can use to make this if someone is allergic to coconut?
This is a perfect recipe.easy to double and very versatile.I made chocolate peanut butter using it as base.Then I made coconut icecream and swooned.Next was raspberry.All I did we add a handful of freeze dried raspberries and it was best of all.Finnaly for fairness I made vanilla.I used a lavender honey and I may never eat any other ice cream.iI am not vegan.I love cream and sugar and eggs but my family wants to be dairy free and this is perfect.I was acc
used of not leaving out cream and sugar.Thats success!
Woo hoo!!!! Ice cream successes are the best kind!
Used organic peanut butter and it was soooooo good!
could I use Date Paste in this recipe instead of Honey or maple syrup?
This might sound like a dumb question…but I never used a ice cream maker. Do I need to chill the “ice cream container” first?
I was reading the box for it, and it said to freeze for about 8 hours then put in “maker” and add the “ice cream” mixture. Does this sound right? Thanks! 🙂
Yes! The container of the ice cream maker needs to be frozen!
Does the Almond Butter give it an overwhelming “nutty” flavor, or does the vanilla shine through?
Does this ice cream taste like coconut at all?
There is a slight coconut taste, yes!
I love this recipe! I’m breastfeeding my son who can’t have dairy or eggs so this is perfect! So many recipes call for like 5 egg yolks which he just can’t handle. I love that it’s ingredients I always have on hand and there is no cooking and cooling involved. Super easy and super delicious!
YES! I totally understand cutting out dairy when breast-feeding! I’m so glad that this recipe has been helpful for you! Momma needs ice cream!
I’ve never been a huge homemade ice cream fan. In the past it was always so watery and not very creamy. Decided to give it one more try and made this for Father’s Day yesterday. Wow! Seriously the best ice cream ever. It was so creamy and had so much flavor. My only complaint is I wish we had more !!
This recipe was a total lifesaver! My 10-yr old daughter was diagnosed with hashimoto’s recently and it has been so hard to find auto-immune friendly alternatives to her favorite food…icecream! She couldn’t get over how good this was, and said she liked it better than any other “regular” icecream she’d had. Thanks so much!