This coconut milk ice cream is creamy and decadent, full of chocolate chunks, almonds, and great coconut flavor!
Bonus: I’m sharing my Almond Joy variation. Totally optional. The simple recipe works great for creating the ice cream flavors you love.
Cold full fat coconut milk works great for Coconut Milk chocolate pudding and Coconut Whipped Cream (a great substitute for whipped cream!)
Being dairy-free doesn’t seem to be terribly hard until it comes to having ice cream. So many of you are in the same boat…you miss regular ice cream!
This creamy coconut milk ice cream isn’t exactly the same as the full-fat version. But it’s really really good and for those of you, like me, that can’t have the real thing…you will find the creamy texture AH-MAZ-ING!
Saying I’m excited about this recipe is an understatement. A huge, ginormous understatement. I’m freaking excited to share this with you!
Not that non-dairy ice cream doesn’t exist or isn’t available to me. It totally is. In fact, there is an abundance of great choices at the grocery store! However, they can be expensive and frankly, not that tasty. PLUS…they seem to put far more sugar in them then I would like.
It’s hard to make good homemade ice cream with anything other than fatty milk products. The final results are just not good. And vegan ice cream can be even more difficult. Use this recipe as a base for mixing in your favorite flavors.
I’m giving you the optional Almond Joy recipe. Which is one of my favorite flavors. And almond joy and coconut go together like peas in a pod. Amazing!
Coconut milk ice cream is a great, simple recipe for dairy-free and vegan diets!
Ingredients List for Coconut Milk Ice Cream:
- Full-fat coconut milk. Coconut milk gives a lovely creamy texture that can be hard to find in a dairy-free ice cream. Using almond milk or cashew milk will give you more ice crystals than you want because of the lower fat content in it. Coconut milk is the only thing that consistently works for me as a great alternative to heavy cream.
- Can of coconut cream. Cream of coconut is different than coconut milk. If you can’t find it, feel free to skim the thick top part of full-fat cans of coconut milk, instead.
- Sugar. You can substitute pure maple syrup, if your prefer. Cane sugar also works perfect!
- Vanilla paste or extract. You’ll love the great flavor from vanilla paste. But vanilla extract works perfectly well.
- Optional: Toasted coconut. Toasting the coconut brings out their flavor and makes the coconut flavor show up in the ice cream.
- Optional: Roughly chopped almonds. Leave them a bit chunky for optimal flavor.
- Optional: Roughly chopped dark chocolate bar. Dark chocolate works best because of the nice bitter flavor with the sweet ice cream. Even chocolate chips, to keep it easy, work great.
Try different flavors by changing the mix-ins you use. Have fun with this simple recipe and create the different flavors you love!
Method for making coconut milk ice cream:
- In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar into the coconut milk, it will take about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut cream, vanilla extract, and optional mix-ins.
- Pour the coconut goodness ice cream mixture into freezer bowl of the ice cream maker.
- Let it mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Transfer to a loaf pan or bar pan, cover with foil and freeze.
Tips for Coconut Milk Ice Cream:
- The trick to good coconut milk ice cream is the use of cream of coconut in the recipe. This helps to replace the milk fats that you don’t get from coconut milk but is found in traditional dairy products.
- Keep a can or two of coconut milk in the fridge for using in this ice cream. Starting with cold coconut milk helps it freeze faster.
- Tip: Freeze coconut milk ice cream for 4-6 hours and then set it out at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving. If needed, use a warm ice cream scoop to scoop.
- Be sure to put your ice cream maker into the freezer the night before you want to make the ice cream (not the whole ice cream machine, you know…the metal part).
Life has a bit more sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns in it now that I have this recipe perfected. Ice cream does that, doesn’t it? Especially for those of us that have been missing ice cream!
Those of you that, like me, can’t tolerate dairy all that well…give this coconut milk ice cream recipe a shot. I bet you get a little skip in your step, too!
Did you know that I have been dairy-free for well over a decade. And in that time I am amazed at the amazing variety of alternative products I can find at my grocery store that allow me to enjoy many of my favorite recipes without much change in flavor or texture.
If you are also dairy-free and looking for ideas, drop my a line [janel@nelliebellie.com] and let me know what you struggle to find. I would love to help!
4 Ingredient Coconut milk ice cream (with Almond Joy option)
Ingredients
- 2 cans coconut milk if there isn’t a dairy allergy I would recommend using 1 can of coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream for a better consistency
- 1 can cream of coconut
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla paste or extract
Mix-ins (optional)for the Almond Joy Flavor
- 1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut
- 1/3 cup almonds roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate bar
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer and on low speed combine the coconut milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved-about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut cream, toasted coconut, and vanilla, if using.
- Turn the machine on; pour coconut mixture into ice cream maker.
- Follow your ice cream makers instructions.
- Gently stir in the chocolate and almonds.
- transfer to a loaf pan, cover with foil and freeze for 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Our Recipe Tester says…
This was quite good and easy to make. Didn’t require any cooking.
I expected it to be overly sweet with sugar and coconut cream.
very good. Making it for xmas eve. flavor is excellant.
I use coconut shavings. Good luck!
Do you use desicated coconut or coconut shavings?
Many Thanks!