Up until last year, I didn’t own an ice cream maker. (And the only reason I have one now is that I won one in a giveaway.)
But, I would always envy people who had one. “Ugh, those people with their ice cream makers. So fancy and cool, making their ice cream all the time. Ugh.”
In their defense, it’s totally worth it. Since winning mine I’ve been putting it to extensive use: exhibits A, B, C, D, and E.
But, fear not. I hear the cries of the people, of you who are weary of one more appliance; the cost, the space, the time it takes to pull it out of that dusty corner cabinet, etc. And I answer with this:
Let not your lack of ice cream maker stand in the way of enjoying delicious, creamy, full-fat ice cream at home. Behold: No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream with all the richness, flavor and creaminess of the real thing, no ice cream maker required.
Here’s the deal. If you make coconut whipped cream and sweeten it with dates, good things happen. Such good things, in fact, that it makes the perfect base for creamy, dreamy ice cream, no churning required.
The magic happens with the full-fat coconut cream, the vigorous whipping, and the mysterious date and its amazing ability to resist freezing (a fact I discovered when making 5-Ingredient Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles). The result is an amazingly versatile ice cream base with tons of air incorporated sans churning.
Throw in some cocoa powder and BAM: a fluffy chocolate mousse-like base that freezes up beautifully.
What’s more? This recipe requires just 5 ingredients:
Coconut Milk or Cream
Cocoa Powder
Almond Milk
Dates
Vanilla
That’s it! And prep time is only 30 minutes. The difficult part is the waiting for it to freeze. And if you’re impatient like me you poke your finger in the freezer every 15 minutes to see if it’s ready. Patience, young one. It’s worth the wait.
This ice cream is kind of amazing! It’s:
Creamy
Rich
Chocolatey
Fluffy
Perfectly Sweet
Scoopable
Refined sugar free
Natural
& Seriously simple
Plus, it’s extremely customizable! Though I’ve yet to try other flavors, I can only assume that the base would work well with peanut butter, strawberries, and perhaps even dairy-free yogurt! Oh man, the possibilities are endless. I can’t wait to experiment.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We love seeing our creations come to life in your kitchens. Cheers!
P.S. Stay tuned! There are more uses to come for this recipe this weekend.
- 2 14-ounce cans coconut cream OR ful- fat coconut milk, chilled overnight in the fridge (I like Trader Joe's coconut cream, or Thai Kitchen coconut milk)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder powder
- 14-16 ounces pitted dates (if not sticky and moist, soak in warm water for 10 minutes then drain)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 ounce espresso, cooled
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Cacao nibs
- Place a large mixing bowl in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, add moist, pitted dates to a food processor and process until small bits remain. Then add hot water a little at a time until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.
- Without tipping the cans, scoop out the coconut cream from the cans of coconut cream OR coconut milk, reserving the clear liquid for other uses. Place in chilled mixing bowl.
- NOTE: If you're using coconut milk, you'll likely use less sweetener because there's less volume.
- Using a mixer, whip until creamy and smooth. Then add cocoa powder, vanilla, almond milk, and half of the date paste. Whip until fully incorporated.
- Taste and adjust flavors as needed. I ended up adding most of the date paste and a little more cocoa powder.
- Transfer to a parchment-lined freezer-safe container and cover loosely with plastic wrap, then foil to help freeze.
- You can take this out in a couple of hours for a chilled mousse-like ice cream. Freeze overnight for a firmer ice cream.
- Set out for at least 20 minutes prior to scooping, and use a scoop warmed under hot water for a proper scoop.
- Will keep in the freezer for up to one week, but best when fresh.
I don’t have an ice cream maker and we have zero space for one so I’m always on the look out for no churn recipes – this sounds amazing!
I have considered this concept before, wondering if it would work, and now I know it does. I have an ice cream maker but hate using it, so this recipe will definitely be put to good use!
Dreena Burton has a very similar recipe for a no-churn chocolate ice cream with coconut cream and dates which is utterly wonderful.
http://plantpoweredkitchen.com/chocolate-gelato/
I haven’t invested in an ice cream maker yet either so it’s great to have no-churn recipes which work!
This looks AMAZING!!! I don’t have an ice cream maker. I did have one, but sold it in a garage sale because it was so big (and I need that freezer space for bananas, vegetables, berries, leftovers, cookies, muffins…)
What’s up with all this science-y stuff going on here? Oh man, does the flavor of the coconut cream come through in this recipe so it’s kinda like eating a Mounds bar (or Almond Joy if you add almonds)? If not, I suppose some grated coconut would also do the trick…Oh man the possibilities!
I was wondering about the coconut taste too- does it get masked by the cocoa and vanilla? (I despise coconut :P)
thats what i’ve been wondering someone please answer!!!
The coconut flavor is present, but I don’t find it overwhelming. Anytime you combine chocolate with coconut it doesn’t at strong!
Is it possible to substitute coconut cream or milk with soya, rice or oat cream or would that affect the consistency of the ice cream?
I suppose I could also use a soya dessert mousse or yoghurt if it does affect the consistency, I always use Alpro Soya.
I just made a batch and depending on how big a cup is in your house since I have no official measuring cups and have to rely on a coffee mug lol the coconut is very well masked.
haha nice. Glad you enjoyed it, Cat!
No , thanks goes to you, this recipe is a real hit in my house, we all love it . <3
I was never one to love coconut and I found myself surprised. Using 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk (13.5oz cans, including the water in the can) to make chocolate peanut butter fudgsicles.. 2 tablespoons of chocolate, 3 tablespoons of all-natural peanut button, 1tbps of regular vanilla or Torani sugar-free syrup, and 1-2tsps of Stevia Glycerite… and there’s absolutely no overwhelming coconut. You can still taste *something* in the base, something beyond the chocolate & peanut butter, and that’s something you’d label as “oh that’s the coconut milk.” But it’s not to the point where you’re describing one of the flavors as coconut.
I’m so happy to have found these types of recipes. Especially the most recent ones with coconut milk, heavy cream, and sugar free Torani. It’s going to be lovely to be able to make mocha Irish Whiskeyvanilla popsicles. :)
Dates are so amazing. I think they are in line with other ingredients like coconut milk, cauliflower, zucchini, etc in being so versatile and creative.
sounds delicious!!
I was seriously JUST looking for a vegan chocolate ice cream recipe and then THIS popped up on my Bloglovin’ feed today. Awesome! I can’t wait to make this recipe this weekend for my brother and sister that are lactose-intolerant.
xoxo
Taylor
Do you think it would work ok with low fat ingredients. The fat content concerns me, it’s quite high.
I don’t, unfortunately! It won’t be as creamy :D
coconut oil/fat is a very good fat 0%cholesterol the fats from seeds like sunflowers etc should be avoided.
How many dates is 14-16 ounces would you say? Would love to try this!
I’ve found that in the 16 ounce packs I buy, I get about 1 .5 – 2 cups of dates that have been pitted and tightly packed. But it’s flexible, so just add enough dates according to how sweet you prefer it. You can also supplement with a liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup or agave. Or, powdered sugar. Hope that helps!
Totally helps! Thanks for such a thorough response! Love your blog:)
I’m glad someone asked this! I was worried that without the proper number of dates, it wouldn’t hold together, but as I like my chocolate on the darker side, I might try with a little fewer dates.
Can I replace the dates with honey 1:1?
You sure can!
Thank you ! It’s so good. I did have a nice cream maker but we couldn’t ” get along together ” always looking for something like your recipe . Regarding the peanut butter , it will be a substitute of the dates ?
Thank you !
Not a substitute but an addition. You need something to sweeten it up. See the comment above for instructions/help there.
It’s like you read my mind when I was wishing for ice cream with out the maker! This looks so delicious and I can’t get over that it is only 5 ingredients! Can’t wait to make it :)
Well, if this isn’t pure genius I don’t know what is! Absolutely brilliant. I’ve done a no-churn before with condensed milk, but the coconut sub sounds even better…just divine. I love the simplicity of this, and the fact that it freezes well is a huge plus too. I can’t even begin to tell you how many ice creams I’ve made (with machine) that were riddled with ice crystals. I can’t wait to try this one :)
Hope you do, Emilie! While it’s not a complete 1:1 match with full fat churned dairy ice cream, it’s a wonderful substitute.
Ha! I laugh when you say this lasts a week, not in my house! This looks ab
Oh dear, my post got chopped in two! I was saying this looks absolutely dreamy! I have a weak spot for ice cream but dairy just is not my friend…. at all. I love the frozen banana variety but I find most store bought varieties are just meh. This, however, looks like perfection!
this really does look phenomenal. bravo, lady!
I am an avid coconut-based whipped cream, so this is right up my alley!
YAY!! Someone’s looking out for us poor non-ice-cream-maker-owning people (I have so said those same things when I run into an ice cream maker recipe)! :) This looks so yummy, and I’m sure will go on my list of “Dana-treats-to-try”. Oh, BTW, I ventured out into trying dates again and made your PB Caramel Truffles…oh, my, I think I fainted in pleasure!! Such a scrumptious treat, and now I am squarely in the (Medjool) date fan club…looking forward to making all those nummy recipes I passed over because I thought I didn’t like dates. ;) Thanks for winning me over! Please keep those awesome recipes coming! XO
Yay! SO glad it worked out. Those truffles are BOMB. Thanks for sharing, Hannah!
Awhhh man! This looks amazing!
It does looks DELICIOUS!! I can see myself watching football Sunday with a chocolate ice cream cone!
Oh golly, Dana. I can’t stop laughing…your sentence about Ugh, people with their fancy ice cream makers…ugh……well, that cracked me up for some reason. I bought an ice cream maker at Tuesday Morning over a year ago…very nice, simple, reasonable price. I’ve used it…are you ready…once. My dad loved the ice cream, at least. It was plain old vanilla…wanted to start simple. Will be trying your recipe.
Can you use vanilla almond milk? I imaging it would just make it sweeter, right?
Yes! Correct.
Whoa! YOU are magic.
This looks amazing! Recently had to go dairy and gluten free for health problems, so this is exactly what I need!!
WHAT?! This is the ice cream of my dreams!
This looks DEE-licious! I’ve been craving ice cream for the longest and kept putting off making it because I just knew it wouldn’t be quite the same without an ice cream maker, but this stuff looks dreamy! I can’t wait to try it!
Question: will this recipe work well sans the cocoa for a nice vanilla flavor?
Just thought I’d let you know that this is like the third time today I’ve clicked on this page just to look at the ice cream photos. I can practically taste it!!! This stuff looks amazing.
Ahh this is so genius!! I can’t get over how creamy this looks. I need this ice cream! You guys are awesome!
O.M.G!!! ‘Nuff said!
You just made all my dreams come true.
As I don’t have an ice cream maker this recipe is perfect for me.. love that the recipe is vegan too. Thanks for sharing it, Pinned!
I have no ice cream maker and I’ve been wanting so badly to make my own ice cream, but all the recipes I’ve tried never were quite the same… but this one looks fabulous! I am going to make this as soon as possible, even if I have to make a couple substitutions. It looks so delicious!
just moved from italy to mauritius, and here no vegan (soy/rice…) icecream exists! i could die!!!
so i will make my own, with this amazing recipe like… everyday!
coconut milk/cream is so cheap here compared to italy. thank you thank you thank you. i am a new woman
Whoa! This looks awesome… I don’t have an ice cream maker :( (small kitchen… boo!) but have always wanted to make my own ice cream! Thanks again for this awesome recipe you guys! I just love your site!
Ohhhhkay, srsly having some dairy-free ice cream envy ova here. Also, I’ve got some dates I’ve been meaning to use so I’m making this over the weekend FOR SURE!
I’m really glad this doesn’t require an ice cream maker! In our little apartment my roommates and I have already used up our counter space real estate with a toaster, toaster oven, panini press, food processor, and donut maker (necessary), so we and our stomachs appreciate getting to make ice cream without sacrificing any more space!
“I hear the cries of the people, of you who are weary of one more appliance; the cost, the space, the time it takes to pull it out of that dusty corner cabinet, etc. ”
I totally picture you standing on a stage yelling this out at a huge crowd and everyone chanting “NO MORE CHURN!”
Seriously, this looks awesome. Love the usage of dates!
LOVE this!! Can’t wait to try it.
Too good for words and so easy! Added some maple syrup though.
So this ice cream turned out AMAZING…photos to post soon….but I was wondering, what uses ARE there for the liquid left over from the coconut milk cans?? Can I use it like coconut oil? Just curious….
I’ll take two scoops please.
This looks delicious! Dates are my favorite dessert! I wonder if anything could be used in place of the coconut products? I do not tolerate coconut well. Leads to awful stomach aches! But also lactose intolerant so can’t sub in dairy products…would live to try this though! Any thoughts?
If you can handle cashews, that may be a good substitute! However, cashews kind of need churning, otherwise they can get icy.
You had me at No Churn! This looks fantastic and I’ll definitely be trying this one. I recently got some PBP and was looking for just the right recipe to incorporate it in… this will do the trick! Thanks and I love your site and photographs.
My friend made this recipe last night for our girls night and it was SO good! I plan on making a batch for my own family tomorrow night. Thank you!!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe was awesome! The vegan, no churn chocolate ice cream was so creamy and it tasted just like true-blue ice cream, I would never know the difference if I hadn’t made it myself! I must use more dates, more often, the method you used made it so much easier to incorporate it into the recipe!
I just used dark unsweetened cocoa powder and it turned out fine as well!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Heather!
I could hug you for this! Xo
I just popped it into my freezer! I can already tell it’s going to be great!
I was wondering though….do you have any suggestions as to what to use the other coconut milk for? It just seems like such a huge waste!
Smoothies! Or anything else you would put coconut water in, but smoothies and juices are my favorite.
Wow! Love this recipe, and the fact that it is no churn!
Love this recipe, and the fact that it is no churn! Can I ask what type of ice cream maker you own? I am thinking of buying one, though is it worth it? I mean does it take up a lot of space?
I love this one! It takes some space, but I use it so often that it’s worth it!
Hi, do you know what would happen if I put this in an ice cream maker?! Thankyou
Hey, I put this in an ice cream maker! It’s delicious!
Oh good! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been pinning tons of soup and biscuit recipes for fall, but I’m always in the mood for ice cream! This looks great!
Wowww this looks amazing! I am thinking about doing it right now! hahaahh I am not a fan of chocolate ice cream or cacao in this case. Do you think I can skip the cacao and date paste , and just whisk the coconut cream with vanilla (for a vanilla ice cream) perhaps with some fresh mint leaves so than I can add some raw chocolate brownies like your Vegan Mint Chocolate recipe?? Or even add peanut butter cookie dough <3 aughhhh and wait to make this! I really appreciate your response. thank you!!
Loved this! Have an ice cream maker but wanted to try this. Creamy and flavorful. Easy to make. I actually liked it before it really froze completely. Takes forever for it to soften…even an hour out of the freezer sometimes barely makes a dent!
I think mine is going to come out more like a frozen smoothie :'( When I opened the cans of coconut cream they looked like coconut milk, they were soooo liquid and not creamy or anything like yours . I still decided to give it a try , whipped it with the date paste and vanilla…. added some mint and now put it in the freezer in the loaf pan but it just looks like frozen coconut milk :'(
How much coco nut crean do i need 2 oz? 3 oz? 2,14 oz?
Approximately 2.5 – 3 ounces! I would recommend adding 2 ounces first, then adding more in in smaller increments until desired chocolate flavor is achieved.
thanks!! i love your blog!!
I love this recipe and plan to try it, however, I’m not a big chocolate fan. How can I make this vanilla ice cream? Thanks!
Hello :) I’m gonna make it for sure! One question although, do we need ice cream maker?? Because I haven’t got one :/
Wow, that looks so delicious! And innovative. I’ve never tried anything beyond bananas, thank you!
I made this tonight- It is incredibly rich! I’ve made ice creams this way before, but never have they tasted this good. Perfect combination of ingredients. Thanks! :)
Would I be able to throw the ingredients into an ice cream maker instead of mixer… Yes, I am one of those people with an ice cream maker. P.S. I love your recipes. Making the Peanut Butter Cup Pie tonight. (:
i made this with a food processor and i only had coconut milk, will it still work?
this sounds so effin good.
This looks absolutely delicious! I’ve been thinking of how you could make a good vegan ice cream. Thank you for the insight about the dates!
Could you omit the unsweetened cocoa powder from this recipe?
Yes, just sub it with another flavor or it might taste a little bland.
I made this last night and left it in the freezer i went to see how it turned out this morning and it was rock hard :( Do you have any tips on how i could fix it or what to do next time in order for it to not do this?
Hi! Can coconut cream be whipped in a Vitamix or with an immersion blender? I find myself sans mixer. Thanks!
I’d think a vitamix would be best! But an immersion should work, too! Just make sure your coconut cream is chilled and firm!
Another stunning recipe from the best good blog on the web!! This ice cream is actually far better than so much of the ice cream out there. Can’t get over how good it is, I’ve already eaten most of it and I only made it this morning. Thank you, thank you!!
Definitely going to have to try this because DAIRY FREE! Wondering, could lactaid milk or vanilla soy milk be sub for almond milk? I’ve never tried almond milk and I would hate to have to only buy it to make ice cream every now and then!
I subbed the almond milk with soy milk. (is what i alreaddy had) and it worked too.
Would you happen to have a no-churn recipe for non-dairy Butter Pecan ice cream or is there away to convert this recipe? Looks great and super user friendly!
This recipe came out amazing!! So rich and easy to make! Thanks a ton for giving me my new favorite treat!
can you substitute almond milk for something like coconut milk? I can’t eat almonds, but I would really really REALLY love to try this!
also can you swap cocoa/cacao with vanilla bean or other flavours?
thanks! :)
Folks, while this does look amazing, don’t be fooled by words “vegan” and “natural sweeteners”. That is a heck of a lot of dates. If 1/2 a cup of this ice cream is 242 calories thats twice the calories, twice the saturated fat and almost twice the sugars of a dairy chocolate ice cream. Its great if you’re looking for something vegan, but don’t think that you’re getting something healthier.
Hi, would this come together using full fat raw milk instead of the coconut and almond milk? Thanks!
Hi all,
I put my coconut cream in the fridge over night and it was hardened but when i tried to whip it it just turned back to watery milk, how can you avoid this?
Since you use coconut milk, does it taste like coconut?
This recipe sounds amazing and photos are drool worthy, but I don’t like the taste of coconut. If it does taste like it, are there any alternatives?
Cheers,
Korri
Your website and recipes look amazing! I cannot wait to try this recipe and I also included it in my latest blog post! Thanks;-)
I’m lying in bed after a great night entertaining guests. I wanted to comment on the recipe before calling it for the night. IT WAS AMAZING! A total hit. Thank you so much for the recipe. Greetings from The Netherlands.
Yay yay! How wonderful you’re following from the Netherlands. So jealous!
Is there a way to replace the dates in this recipe with something else?
She said honey will work!
Hi! Just wondering, can I use regular cream/milk instead of coconut cream and almond milk to create this recipe? Would love it if you could answer that !! Thank :)
Should work!
How many onces of coconut milk before you scoop the water out?
I just made this and it is in the freezer now…
I used the separated coconut milk/date paste base along with the method for preparation for this recipe and borrowed the proportions from the “green tea coconut ice cream” recipe to make this a no churn green tea ice cream :) (no chocolate).
It tastes great already (I licked the spoon!).
We will see how it sets up!
Thank you for the recipe!
If I wanted to make this strawberrie flavor,, how should I go about it without changing the texture?
Could you help me out, I made this, it was delicious, but oh so hard to scoop out. It was more like ice cream shavings. It wasn’t pliable until sitting out for a couple hours and who has time for that??? Did I do something wrong?
Next time, let it thaw for 20-30 minutes before scooping! And use a hot scoop.
OMG cant wait to try this. Can I half the recipe and make it since its just my husband and I and we have an occasional sweet tooth? Thanks.
I have never had any luck with making vegan ice cream at home before, (except with frozen bananas) but this! THIS!
I somehow managed to let it freeze overnight, and when I tried some in the morning, my eyes rolled to the back of my head and I was in love!
I cannot believe how amazing this tastes. It’s the hottest day of the year so far in the U.K, and I am going to have fun fun fun in the sun sun sun.
Thank you.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!!
Hi there! I just made this and am looking forward to tasting it tomorrow after it freezes :) The recipe was pretty easy and quick!
I do have one question—is there a reason you recommend only keeping it in the freezer for up to a week?
This seems like such a short life for anything in the freezer, especially ice cream. And with this being such a rich, high fat content ice cream, I can’t imagine eating the whole thing in a week! I even halved the recipe but it still yielded a large amount.
It will keep for longer, but it just tastes better the younger it is!
Fantastic! I just had a wonderful thought—this ice cream would be PERFECT as a popsicle! Because it doesn’t get soft quickly, I feel like this on a popsicle stick would be the most perfect summer treat. I’ll have to try it next time :)
Made this earlier. So good! I subbed half the coconut milk for oat milk ’cause I only had one can coconut milk at home. I added both cocoa and espresso and oh my! Just had this now, after my work out and oh, I did not want to stop eating! Thank you!
Can this be made without adding any dates at all? Thanks!
she said honey works!
Can I use more Almond milk in the place of coconut milk?
I adore this ice cream recipe. So simple, smooth and delicious. Thank you for sharing this little bit of heaven!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Lauren! xo
I think I will dispense with my fancy ice cream maker and just use this recipe!! It is creamy, healthy, and the most delicious ice cream I’ve had in a long, long time! And it’s so easy, using the coconut cream as the base. My whole family fell in love with it! I made a few substitutions and adjustments, like using a thick syrup made from a stevia mix instead of date paste, and adding a tablespoon of creme de cacao, and using a special dark cocoa powder blend of cacao and dutch processed cocoa. I think next I will try some peaches and cinnamon to this. Definitely going to be a staple and “go-to” recipe in my repitoire!
Hey I added to much milk to my ice cream and have no more coconut milk to add is there another way to make it thicken
More dates or cocoa powder?!
Hi sweetie. Can you give me the amounts of each ingredient for the coconut and date ice cream please. I’m waiting with bated breath to try it. Just made a Honey and Ginger ice cream for the first time making ice cream and it was scrummy. ttfn. Pat x
OK…It would be soooooo great if these recipe blogs would have a ‘SORT’ feature and a check box so people could check the box if they have ACTUALLY MADE the recipe and I could find those responses easily instead of sorting through mounds of people writing ‘yum’ or ‘looks delish!’. Am I missing it?? At least people might try to use the rating stars. Sorry…its just frustrating because blog photos all look phenomenal but sometimes the results are less than stellar. Wasting cans of coconut cream and other organic ingredients gets awfully pricey to use on experiments. Just a thought.
Anyway…..Yum! It looks so delish! I cant wait to try it!! (j.k)
I made this yesterday for my son’s birthday today and it turned out beautifully. I will definitely be keeping this recipe on hand for other special occasions as it was so simple to make and works for my family with all our tricky dietary intolerances. I hope you have the same success as I did if you try the recipe out yourself.
I am allergic to dates, would this still be good without them?
So, I just plopped the mixture in the freezer and it tastes delicious already! Unfortunately, my chilled coconut milk cans did not yield nearly as much as your photos, so I am thinking next time I will chill an additional night. Can’t wait to taste it once it’s nice and frozen!
This recipe was so incredibly simple and the end result was delicious. Thank you for sharing it. I made one small tweak on account of having forgotten to buy the almond milk – I used some of the liquid left over from the separated coconut cream. 6 thumbs up from our little family.
Forgot the stars :)
Hi Dana,
Fantastic recipes and website! I simply turned this into straight vanilla (I don’t particularly care for chocolate), but I still have one question: how do I prevent ice crystals from predominately in this ice cream? As it melts down, after having left it out for 30-60 min., it tastes like ice milk, delicious but slightly crunchy. What am I doing wrong?!
Please help me!! I need this for ice cream (MS, now eating dairy-free, wife is casein-allergic).
PLEASE respond.
Thank you so much,
Charla
Hi Charla,
It’s possible that you didn’t chill the coconut milk/fat enough before whipping it up… I actually did the same thing as you… I didn’t want to go the chocolate route, I just went the more plain vanilla date version.
It’s also possible that your coconut milk wasn’t whipped up enough before you put it in the freezer. (I actually put the coconut milk from the cans in my mixer bowl directly in the freezer & left it there for 1 hour… Or until parts of the fat was freezing on the sides of the bowl. Then I whipped it until medium peaks started forming in my mixer.
It’s also possible that you didn’t purée the dates enough (I processed the crap outta mine). ?
I hope these might help!!
I’ve made it and it’s in the freezer – the mousse is YUMMY! I didn’t have any almond milk so I just used some of the leftover coconut milk. It looks exactly like yours, and tastes amazing! Wondering what effect that will have on the result. What does the almond milk do??
hello do you think this would work with soya milk instead of almond milk as im not keen on it also havnt made many vegan sweet foods but this ice-cream sounds delish!
I was just wondering if you could substitue the almond milk with rice milk? Thank you!
Hello, I just made this recipe today. No churn choc vegan ice cream. It was kind of like a powdery taste when I ate it. Really disappointed, would it be the dates? Or something else. Just didn’t taste creamy. I used 2 tins of full fat coconut cream. I whipped it. Should I have put it in my vitamix? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks Nikki :)
Oh my goodness!! I’m so glad there’s someone like you in this universe on the web!!!
My sister had learned that she was allergic to dairy & intolerant to gluten a couple years ago, so giving her the sweet things has been more than a little challenging. I’m a pastry chef that got out of school a year ago so I’ve been really trying to learn more about alternative baking styles for the intolerant & allergic… I was mostly taught the basics but we dabbled a little in gluten free vegan things.
Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I used a couple of your recipes… Not just this one.
I made a rocky road snickers ice cream cake.
I wish I would’ve taken pictures of it before it was devoured by her & her friends as for it was her bday cake.
I used your no churn recipe (as I’m too poor still to buy my own ice cream machine): & just didn’t add the cocoa in it… Sorta like your snickers sea salt ice cream recipe with the dates & vanilla.
I then made a vegan brownie:
Melt over double boiler & keep warm:
-5 bars of vegan 70% choc (I think they were 12oz ea.) I used organic nectars.. Pretty good
-4 tablespoons coconut spread (pretty much coconut oil)
Whip:
-5 tablespoons honey
-1 &1/2-2 cups almond milk
Mix dries:
-2&1/2 cups gf King Arthur AP flour
-a pinch of Xanathum gum
-a 1/4 tsp salt
Baked @350F
—-
Chilled a 6″ cake pan lined with parchment
Alternated in layers of icecream, brownie bits, halved vegan marshmallows, vegan caramel (see below), roasted salted peanuts, & cocoa nibs.
date caramel with a little maple syrup, honey & puréed date. Cooked in pot over medium/high for 8 minutes (or until a darker Amber color)
Everyone loved it (even the gf, vegan haters)
Thank you again for this no churn recipe!!! I don’t think I could’ve pulled this off without this part! Lol
Will be stalking you like cray cray! ??
Happy sweeting!?
Yay! Thanks for the kind words and for sharing your experience, Meredith! xoxo
this is amazing- swirled peanut butter and chocolate chips into it..this could be served as a mousse and be wonderful that way as well in a parfait glass with a bit of the whipped coconut cream in between layers of mousse – my husband and i had a hard time putting into the freezer-we wanted to eat it right out of the mixing bowl!!!delicious!
I love you.
No really. New to veganism. And I didn’t win an ice cream machine yet…. ;) So I am so happy to have found you!.
Ha! Love it. Thanks for the sweet words, Emily!
Look soooo nice! I would like to know if I can use more Coconut milk in stead of the Almond Milk. I Am allergic to most nuts.
Are you allergic to deez nuts? ;D
Hi, I tried the recipe but for some reason my one went completely wrong. When I took it out of the processor, it had separated the liquids from solids, it was all chunky with the liquid lying at the bottom…I did follow the instructions carefully…Do you have any idea what could have caused the problem?
Most food processors are for solids only. Use a blender to mix liquids and solids together, use the pulse button.
Thank you x 3, this recipe is the BOMB. I rate this 6 stars :-)
I made this “ice cream” the other night and was so excited before I put it in the freezer. It was delicious and so creamy and smooth. Then it went in the freezer. Not sure what I should have done differently, but the frozen texture is grainy. The flavor is still awesome, just not velvety smooth anymore. Also, some observations from a complete novice…The recipe says to make the date paste in a food processor. Follow the instructions. I thought my almighty vitamix would be fine and eventually it was, but it was a lot of work and I don’t think the vitamix was happy about it. Secondly, getting the coconut cream out of the can requires muscle. And lastly, if using a stand mixer, make sure you scrape the bottom a couple of times. You end up with a few small solid slabs of coconut cream if you don’t. I will definitely make this again and hope to improve on my technique. Any suggestions are appreciated. Glad to have found this site. Thanks.
I’m wondering if the reports of graininess has to do with the type of coconut cream/milk used. Many of the canned varieties add a thickener/binder (?) that seems to keep the coconut milk from changing texture, which if not present could mean that when cooling the texture goes from creamy to grainy. Not sure, but I’m going to try this with coconut milk from a tetra pak and see how it goes (no binders or thickeners present).
As far as the making of the date paste – I recommend soaking the dates in a little warm water beforehand. If you know in advance you’ll be making the ice cream, you can even toss them in a jar with water and stick it in the fridge overnight. Any time I make desserts with dates that require blending, I do this. It makes ALL the difference!
Me and my husband just made this ice cream, I can’t get enough of that flavor! Once it was put in the freezer I licked every thing the stuff touched, haha, I needed something sweet! I can hardly wait until it is ready to eat! This was a great recipe and I will be making it again! (soon)
Does it taste like coconut?
not very strongly. it mostly tastes like chocolate
About 2 hours after I’d put this in the freezer it was delicious. Then I left it overnight, and the next day it was rock hard. We have to leave it on the side for a couple of hours, before it was soft enough to serve. Any tips?
Mine turned out more like a mousse, it won’t melt :( I don’t know if anyone else had this problem or not? The flavor is wonderful though, don’t get me wrong.
I saw where you noted that you may not need as many dates with coconut milk as you would with cream…but only after I already had the days soaking so I tossed in another can of coconut milk. Maybe that’s what’s up with the texture? I’m just sad that it’s not melting x’D I also added in 1/2 tsp of almond extract.
Will it work with dates syrup? I live in Qatat and dates syrup is really easy to get.
I am never sure what one is supposed to do with leftover liquid so I just went for it, and whipped up the entire tin (after about half an hour in the freezer – I live in the tropics but that was still fine). I then added the date paste, cocoa powder and some agave nectar (as that’s all I had on hand). The result was a delicious sauce, that became a yummy mousse and this morning is an ice-cream my kids are begging for. My eldest commented that it was a little ‘bitter’ but still cleaned his dish. My younger son just asked for the eldest’s bowl to lick. Says it all really.
Thanks for the recipe, which I adapted. I substituted 1 banana for half the quantity of dates. I also added some dark agave and used 2 x small cans coconut cream which was very thick and delicious. Yummy. The chocolate was strong and rich enough to make it taste like chocolate ice cream with a tang of banana and coconut rather than the other way around.
Looks amazing! Can you use rice milk in place of almond milk? X
Can i use the coconut water instead of the almond milk?
Yummy! I definitely put the pan in hot water to let it soften more quickly.
I much prefer the cold bits rather than the mousse-like parts, BUT still delicious.
Perhaps putting them in a Popsicle mold, or ice cube tray, would be a better alternative to the pan (stick vs. scoop). At least for me. :)
Thanks Dana for such an incredibly delicious recipe!
That’s healthy too. ;)
I accidentally double clicked, so the stars didn’t make it ~
Question: Your recipe calls for 14-16 ounces of dates, is that correct? It seems like a lot.
Hint: After the can of coconut cream is cold, open it from the bottom and pour off the liquid. This makes it much easier to get out the cream.
Mine is in the freezer right now. I cannot wait to share it with my family!
Dana,
Recipe sounds great, BUT I’m highly allergic to coconut products. Is there a way to make it almond milk and something else to substitute for coconut richness and fat? And if so, in what proportions?
Thanks!
I have the same problem (coconut allergy), so I would also like to find suitable substitutes. If anyone has any ideas, I’m sure we would both appreciate it!
Lovely! My main problem with ice creams without machine is the freezing temperature. I guess my deepfreeze runs too hard and turns everything into a mass of ice which eventually leaves us staring at your lovely pictures with smooth ice cream rather than enjoying ours. Does anyone have tips for ideal temperature to keep such an ice cream?
Thank you
Stir every 1-2 hours to keep air in the mixture. Worth a try.:)
Is there any way of using the same instructions on making a no churn vegan ice cream with a different flavor?
Hmm, I haven’t tried that, but I’ll add it to my list!
Thank You Dana!
I just finished making this recipe.
I used Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla flavour milk, TCC Premium Coconut milk (can), Van Houten Cacao powder, Medjool Dates and Rum extract/essence. While cleaning up, I licked my batter spoon once and immediately I wanted to eat all of it! It’s tasty when creamy, then it’s going to be amazing as ice cream.
Mine turned out grainy like somebody else previously said. This has happened to me before when working with cocnut cream. I’m not sure if my mixer isn’t powerful enough to really “whip” the cream or if I should have just done it for longer? Maybe it could even be a temperature issue? I’m not sure. Any advise? Flavor was amazing, loved the recipe.
My brother is allergic to Almonds and we didn’t have any other type of milk so we just left it out completely and gave it a shot. It’s only been in the freezer for about an hour but it tastes amazing. So creamy and delicious. It’s kinda like a thick chocolate moose at the moment and I’m not sure if it will turn into an ice cream consistency with out the almond milk.. But it still tastes great.
This looks amazing, but I have an anaphylactic allergy to coconut. :-(
Can you suggest anything that might work as a suitable substitute for the coconut cream? (I am fine with all other nuts.)
Thanks in advance and looking forward to your reply.
This ice cream recipe is definitely best for coconut. But what about subbing almond milk in this or this recipe?
This looks absolutely incredible. Can’t wait to try it today; it’s supposed to be 90 degrees! Perfect opportunity for healthy ice cream on the porch :)
Could I replace the almond milk with coffee and take out the cocao powder to make it coffee ice cream?
This was nasty taste. Thought I was eating cocoa pepto bismal. Threw it in the disposal. Yuk!
I made this for a family BBQ on Saturday and it was an absolute winner! I put dark choc chips in it and the crunch really worked. Highly recommended! I used all of the date puree and the cocoa powder. Stunning and I’ll be making more. All the family couldn’t believe it was dairy/sugar free (apart from the choc chips of course)!
Would I be able to modify this to make mint chocolate icecream? Would the dates be tasty with mint??
See this one!
it says total time 30 minutes, but the recipe says to freeze for several hours… big disappoint if looking for a fast treat
Could I use maple syrup instead of dates?
Thank you! I love this recipe and I so wanted my attempt to work but my coconut cream seemed to split when I was whipping it. The result still tasted amazing but the texture was a bit grainy. Any thoughts?
I made this and it tasted great but the next day it was completely solid. Is this how it is supposed to be? Is this why you suggest we leave it outside of the fridge for 20 minutes before scooping(although mine wasn’t soft for at least an hour and a half)?
Odd! It definitely benefits from sitting out so it’s scoopable. But it shouldn’t take that long. Did you alter anything?
Hmm, I did substitute the almond milk with a different milk because of my friend’s allergies! Will definitely try again!
Thank you! Just figured out that my daughter is most likely lactose intolerant, and we had just discovered the beauty of regular no churn ice cream- will give this a go! And we eat vegan atleast once a week!
I tried this recipe a few days ago but I’m not sure what I did wrong. And I was so looking forward to this ice cream. Mine turned out a lot darker in colour than shown and with an overwhelming cocoa flavour (causing me to add sweetener in excess and watering down the mixture), and I’m 99.9% sure used the right measurements at first
Hi Dana! I’m wondering if I could substitute the coconut cream with cashew cream (water soaked cashews blended with some dairy-free milk)? Thanks!
Hi Mary Ellen, haven’t tried this one with cashew cream but I think it should! Give it a whirl and let us know how it turns out!
Will do! Thanks! :-)
What size pan pkease?
I made this ice cream and it tastes sooooooooo good! It’s chocolate-y and guilt free, wow! No refined sugar and no dairy ??
Love love love this recipe.
I’ve been experimenting with the perfect sugar free Ice cream but only succseed with the fruity ones so far. I must try this with the coconut cream!
Hi Dana,
I noticed that a your ice cream recipes are similar to your pie filling recipes, using either coconut cream, cashew cream, or both.
1. Do you think the ice cream recipes could be poured into a pie crust and either frozen or refrigerated until thickened/hardened?
2. Can cashew cream be replaced with coconut cream in the pies/ice creams?
Thanks for the great recipes!
My attempt at this recipe is currently waiting in the freezer for Christmas day to arrive..I’ve left out the cacao powder (turns out we already had too many chocolate recipes lined up – whoops!), but the spoonfuls I stole from the mix pre-freezer is promising DELICIOUS things!!
Can you substitute the dates with prunes?
Hi,
What’s the shelf life of the finished product?
Thanks!
Hi Felix! It will keep in the freezer for up to one week, but best when fresh.
Hey Dana
I want to make this for my friend but she’s also allergic to coconut. What could I substitute the coconut milk/cream for?
Thanks a million
Hmm, that’s tough. I honestly don’t know if any other subs would work! So sorry, Chloe!
This looks great! I was wondering if I can use date molasses instead of dates as I currently don’t have a food processor or a blender.
I can’t eat dates at this times. What other ingredients can I substitute for dates?
Btw, this looks amazing!
If not vegan, honey is best. Otherwise, try maple syrup!
Hello
Re coconut cream I have a packet of solid creamed coconut. How can I use this?
Hi Joe! This article may help! Good luck!
Could you make this with date sugar (which is just pulverized dates) rather than whole dates, and if so, do you have any thoughts on how much date sugar to use?
Thanks!
I figured out how to make this using date sugar (used 1/4 c and 1/3 c of cacao) and it was really good, but VERY rich. Mine froze hard as a rock and I decided I like it better kept refrigerated (it’s like a chocolate mousse!) I didn’t use almond milk, but instead just used part of the coconut water. That might be what made it freeze so hard. Still, it is quite good, thanks for sharing the recipe!
Mary, Did you use the date sugar (1/4 c) and 1/3 c of cacao in addition to the 2/3 c cacao powder in the recipe (so, 1 c cocao powder total)? Did you add any liquid to turn the date sugar into a paste? Thanks in advance!
Mine christilized and didnt work
Im realy upset
Hi, was wondering if this could be made into vanilla instead by omitting the cacoa and replacing It with more vanilla extract… what are your thoughts? Chocolate was awesome btw… this is a go to from now on ??
Hi Theresa! While we have not tried that, I think it could work! Alternatively, you might like this one :D
Hi – have you ever tried replacing coconut cream with cashew cream?
Hi! We haven’t tried this one with cashew cream but I think it should! Give it a whirl and let us know how it turns out!
Is the almond milk necessary? I have all the other ingredients but this and no access to soy/rice milk… Are there any other ingenious substitutions or can I just leave out?
Hi Jess! Coconut, perhaps?
So I went ahead and just tried making it…Many obstacles stood in my path. Firstly my food processor broke so I chopped the dates by hand and spent an hour squeezing them through a sieve to make a paste-all for the love of ice cream. My coconut cream (it was definitely cream) had the consistency of milk and no amount of hand whipping (I lost my electric beater!) could thicken it… after almost three fretful hours of chopping, squeezing, beating and measuring, I finally threw all the ingredients together, added more vanilla and plenty of ground instant coffee and looked miserably at my watery concoction. After adding all the dates it was a little thicker, but nothing like I’d hoped. I bunged the whole lot into an ice cream container and tasted it. It was not good (unsurprisingly!). Nevertheless I put it in the freezer. The next day I opened it up- and was amazed. Something, and I don’t know what, had happened. The surface was smooth and it had hardened. I tentatively watched my spoon scoop through the familiar texture of ice cream. I braced myself and tasted it. No clue what magic happened in the freezer last night but it was incredible. I could barely even detect traces of coconut. Due to all my mishaps it had the consistency of a dense creamy frozen mousse- but I loved it! I can’t believe the recipe still worked after all my failings and I can’t imagine how insane it must be done right! And I hate coconut! I ran around like a madperson feeding it to four non-vegans. ‘suuuree I’ll try your vegan ice cream’. They put the spoon in their mouths. Their eyes fell out. Thank yoouuu so much from a newly veganised vegetarian who was worried about missing out! Sorry for the crazy review- you have made me very happy.
Would it work to use regular coconut milk instead of almond milk?
I did, and it came out fine
Can I use vegan chocolate protein powder?
It will change the flavor a bit, but if you try it, let us know how it goes!
Hi Dana,
I have tried a few of your vegan ice cream recipes and I am having trouble with coconut milk v. coconut cream. Chilling the cans obviously helps to separate the thicker fat substance from the clear liquid, and I understand its role in the creamy-ness of the end result, but I seem to be having an issue getting the fattier portion to fully “breakdown” before putting it in my ice cream maker.
I have tried Thai Kitchen, Trader Joe’s, and Coco Lopez and all have turned out with gritty fat bits. What am I missing here?
God bless!! This is a such a great recipe for my lactose intolerant 8year old.
Looks AMAZING – I want to make this for tonight. I don’t have a mixer- can I just whip in bowl by hand with a spoon?
Could I use this method and incorporate other flavors such as your mint and brownie ice cream? I don’t have an ice cream make and am in no financial position to buy one! My dad loves ice cream and I am trying to make healthier versions of the things he loves!
I think that could work, Mairead! If you do give it a try, report back on how it goes!
I loved this recipe, and I will be making it many times over with different flavor combinations! I did notice it had a gritty texture. Has anyone else noticed this and pinpointed the cause? It was either the dates or I didn’t blend the coconut milk well enough, but I couldn’t quite tell.
I have been spending my afternoon attempting this recipe but have found that the coconut cream is too oily to incorporate any fluids. The almond milk simply won’t mix. I’m very new to using coconut in general, so any help would be appreciated!
Oh my goodness, delicious!!
My cans of coconut milk didn’t separate so I just poured everything in a bowl and let them sit in the freezer for a bit,..along with the beaters for the mixer.
For the rest of the recipe, I used:
•All of the date paste and a little maple syrup,
•Vanilla paste in place of extract
•Unsweetened vanilla almond milk,
and added a few splashes of Torani Classic Hazelnut flavoring syrup
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Thank you thank you thank you for this recipe! Now I can satisfy my ice cream cravings with something that tastes good, is vegan and sugar free, and soooo easy to make!!!
I am trying to make the recipe, but it seems to be too liquidey after blending for awhile now! Do you have any suggestions, of what I can do? There are lots of bubbles in it and does not seem to be like the stiffness that I know most icecream should have!
I love everything about the recipes, however my stomach will not tolerate coconut milk or coconut cream. Is there something else I could substitute that would work just as well? Hopefully there is please let me know thank you
14-16 ounces of pitted dates by weight or volume?
How much honey is 1:1 considering this is a date paste?
Hi Mary! 1-1 equals the same amount as the date paste (14-16 ounces)!
Hi…I cant have dates because I get bad acne. Is there any alternative to that?
thanks!
Hi! You could try prunes or figs!
I made this and it was decadent… just marvelous and I will make it again no matter what. But….
I am sure I made some error… Resulted in a fudge like substance. Delicious but it never froze.. not even days later. I suspected some error in the amount of liquids…. the almond milk or coconut cream. A review indicated this is not what happened.
The way I read the recipe, you only use the skimmed off coconut cream not the entire can. Is that correct?
PLEASE help me identify my problem. But.. hey… it was a fantastic cold fudge!
I can finally have ice cream again! I really love the flavour of this! Mine turned out pretty good, but not as creamy as I’d hoped. The consistency was quite icy and chunky. Maybe I did something wrong. How do you prevent this?
Hi Hope! It could be the type of coconut milk or cream you used or you may have not mixed it long enough! Hope it turns out better next time!
Hi i have tried three different times with three different brands to make coconut whipped cream it never happened once! Not with trader joes or thai kitchen or 365. Placed in fridge overnight scooped out the cream on top and still nothing after whipping for 20 mins! Its just chunky and gross, why do u think?): im using a hand mixer on medium high speed i have never seen fluffy coconut cream appear
Will it work if used this recipe to make ice lollies?
This sounds like a very god recipe. Recently I just got an ice-cream machine and I love to prepare this recipe with my new toy. How would it be done? Shall I just add all items or do I need some preparation for it?
Hi. I love this recipe and have made it several times. However, I just moved and there is no almond milk in my area. Can I substitute it with soy milk?
Hey
Can I use soy milk instead of almond milk
Hi! That should work!
Hiya
I would really like to turn the vegan choc ice cream in to coffee ice-cream. Do I simply replace the cocoa powder for coffee powder or use liquid coffee?
Help pleeeeeeeaase…..
Kind regards
Miss Allergic to dairy/gluten
Hi! I wouldn’t add to much liquid coffee as that will change the consistency of the ice cream. What I would recommend is adding 1 ounce espresso, cooled to achieve that coffee flavor!