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.
No Churn Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 14-ounce cans coconut cream OR full- 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
OPTIONAL ADD-INs
- 1 ounce espresso (cooled)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Cacao nibs
Instructions
- 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.
miriam says
too much cacao powder. next time i will try 1/4 cup. thank you for the recipe!
Delta says
Omg this is a 10/10! Really easy recipe but fantastic results. It’s my first time making my own ice cream and after tasting this, I can’t wait to try different flavors and mix ins.
I used 1 can coconut cream and 1 can light coconut milk because that’s what I had already and for me that was perfect.
Whoop! Thanks so much for sharing, Delta! xo
Melissa says
Hello,
This ice cream looks amazing and I look forward to trying it. I do have one question though about blending the coconut cream. Would it work using a food processor or emulsion blender as I do not own a hand blender?
Thank you.
Melissa
Hi Melissa, we haven’t tried that and aren’t sure whether it would work. Of those two options, we would think an emulsion blender would be better. Let us know if you give it a try!
Mia maikowski says
Hi! I’ve loved making this ice cream so much! I’m currently somewhere I don’t have a stand mixer. Can u use a vitamix instead to whip it?
Thank you 🙏
That should work! Let us know how it goes. You could also use a handheld mixer instead?
Mia Maikowski says
It worked super well! Nice to know you can use other tools if you don’t have exact. Such a hit with my kids and all the grownups too :)
Great! Thanks for sharing, Mia!
Pri says
Late on the bandwagon of homemade ice cream. Oh my God! My kid and I luvvvvvvvvv your ice cream recipe. A real winner of our hearts ♥️. So creamy and delicious and worry free indulging without worrying about the ingredients. We did the no churn method and still no crystallization. The only tweaks I did are adding peanut butter and instant coffee powder.
Next time, my kid wants to try beet purée with this recipe. Hope it turns out good.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing, Pri!
Lex Robert says
Hi! How could I make this recipe strawberry ice cream instead?! Thank you
Strawberries get quite icy when they freeze, so I don’t think it’d be a good 1:1 swap. We do have a strawberry ice cream recipe in our cookbook though if you’re interested!
Wayno says
Added 4 egg yokes and one vanilla bean instead of extract. Used a Breville Mixer with ice bowl attachment and whipped for 15 minutes. Rich and creamy, almost like custard. 2nd time, added 6 drops of mint oil and made your chocolate brownie chunk recipe. Amazing. Thanks!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing!
Jen says
How much is in one serving? Thanks.
I would estimate about 1/2 cup.
Eduardo De Agosti says
Dates don’t freeze due to their high sugar content. The sugar acts as an anti-coolant.
Eduardo De Agosti says
Hope this clears up the mystery behind the date and its ability to not freeze :)
heather says
how do I get rid of the little lumps of the coconut cream? They don’t seem to blend and it looks chunky.. should I have heated the coconut cream first? It was a little hard when I poured it
Hi Heater, keep whipping and scraping down the sides, and add some of the reserved liquid from the can to soften the mixture and create more air! Hope that helps!
Heather says
I tried that but I got little balls of coconut, even when it was out of the freezer it was grainy tasting in texture..The taste was amazing!! DO you think I should use a whisk instead?
Hmm, might be worth a try!
Rebekah Jennings says
In my experience some brands of coconut milk stay grainy no matter what, like Thai kitchen or even Trader Joe’s. My favorite brand is 365 Organic (that’s from Whole Foods or Amazon), it is always smooth!
Kirsten C. says
Oh my goodness
This vegan ice cream is perfect I swear!
I love making food on my own rather than store bought, and this was THE perfect recipe to do so. I’ve already made the chocolate and I’ve adapted the recipe to make a raspberry version. Can’t wait to make dozens of other flavors! Thanks for the help–mostly because I was looking for recipes without use of a ice cream maker. It’s so much creamier, and honestly cheaper than store bought!
Brenna says
I tried this last night! So good! I made it with full fat coconut milk from trader joes and left in the liquid in the can too! I used dutch cocoa, which made it super rich and dark. I just dropped everything (including the whole pitted dates) in the blender and blended for a minute or so. It was delicious without freezing too, almost like a mousse! So yummy! Thanks for a great recipe!
Danielle says
I halfed the recipe and used the full fat coconut milk option, but when i drained it out there was only a tiny amount of solids in the can! I slowly incorporated a bit of the “milk” to thin it out. Now its chilling in the freezer and Im crossing my fingers. Should I have only added the solids? Thanks for the great recipe, as always! xoxo
Lina Montecalvo says
This recipe looks delicious! I’m wanting to make it for a vegan ice cream cake but was wondering, with 12 servings how much ice cream is in each serving?
Approximately one scoop each!
Michelle says
I made this today and it was SO good! I didn’t have any dates, so I just used maple syrup and instead of almond milk, I just used the coconut cream water that had been left behind in the can! It worked like a charm. Thanks for sharing this!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Michelle!
Susan says
I dont have dates either….how much maple syrup did you use? Thanks!
Adelle Jones says
Wow just wow! Absolutely delicious thank you for such a fabulous and simple recipe
Uma Fa Leung says
Hi, this recipe looks so delicious, but how can i substitute for the dates? Could i use organic sugar cane crystals? If so how much?
Hi! You can supplement the dates with a liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup or agave. Or, powdered sugar. As for amounts, we are not sure as we haven’t tried it but if you test it out, report back!
Tanielle says
Can I try xylitol?
We haven’t tried that and aren’t sure whether it would work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Gloria Clements says
I absolutely love coconut and chocolate! I have two questions, however. How much honey would be a good substitute for the dates? Can soy milk be used in place of the almond milk?
Soy milk should work! I would recommend substituting with 14-16 ounces of honey. Hope this helps!
Karen says
My husband doesn’t like dates. Could I use honey or something else as a sweetener?
Hi Karen! You can supplement the dates with a liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup or agave. Or, powdered sugar. Hope that helps!
Reina says
yum!
Ellie DePastino says
Dana,
I love this recipe! I just put a batch in my freezer for tomorrow night, and I’ve never been more excited for a Monday. When I decided to cut out dairy and lower my added sugars, I thought I’d have to give up I’ve cream for sure. This ice cream is a lifesaver. I couldn’t resist tasting the mousse base straight out of the bowl and I literally did a little happy dance in the middle of my kitchen. I can only imagine how much I’ll like the finished product!
Thanks!
(No, seriously. Thank you!)
Natalie G says
Hi! First of all thank you for all of your amazing recipes! 👏🏻 I love the photography too ☺️📸
I am wondering two things:
– When using coconut cream for this recipe, does that also need to be pre-chilled? (Or is the chilling only necessary for coconut milk to make it separate?)
– Do you think adding peanut butter or almond butter would make it too thick in the end?
Thank you! ✨
Thanks so much, Natalie! For best results, we’d chill the coconut cream too just to make sure you are only getting the cream portion. We haven’t tried it with nut butter, but we think it’s worth a shot! Let us know how it goes!
theresa says
What are some things I can use to store it in the freezer?
Thanks <3
Any sealable freezer-friendly container will do!
Sue Key says
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!
Chetna says
Hey
Can I use soy milk instead of almond milk
Hi! That should work!
Huong shiho says
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?
Agnes de Vette says
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?
Talia says
Will it work if used this recipe to make ice lollies?
Alyssa says
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
Hope Burmeister says
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!
Frankie Batchelor says
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!
Farheen Merani says
Hi…I cant have dates because I get bad acne. Is there any alternative to that?
thanks!
Hi! You could try prunes or figs!
Mary says
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)!
Richard says
14-16 ounces of pitted dates by weight or volume?
Linda says
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
Megan F says
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!
Mary says
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!!!
Shanese says
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!
Phoebe says
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!
Tara says
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.
Mairead says
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!
Kara says
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?
Rashmi says
God bless!! This is a such a great recipe for my lactose intolerant 8year old.
Kelsey Just says
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?
Christina says
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!
Jess says
I did, and it came out fine
Tamara Haslip says
Would it work to use regular coconut milk instead of almond milk?
Jess says
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?
Jess says
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.
Lanasia says
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!
Theresa says
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
Emily says
This ice cream is amazing! I am 8 months pregnant and looking for date recipes plus I’m always craving ice cream and this was a perfect match! I have an ice cream maker so I just combined all the chilled ingredients and ended up using the whole can of coconut since I didn’t have to worry about whipping and then let it churn for 30 minutes and it came out perfect! A great dark chocolate ice cream! I will definitely make it again!
Whoop! SO glad you enjoyed it, Emily! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Rachel says
Mine christilized and didnt work
Im realy upset
Mary says
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!
G-Reg says
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!
Mary says
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!
joe says
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!
Debi Ogden Corona says
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!
Rita says
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.
Chloe Norman says
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!
Felix says
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.
Leah says
Can you substitute the dates with prunes?
Jana says
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!!
Gigi says
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!
Edi - SunCakeMom says
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!
Kiden says
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.
Susan says
What size pan pkease?
Mary Ellen says
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!
Mary Ellen says
Will do! Thanks! :-)
Yanis says
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
Erika says
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!
Alex says
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?
Alex says
Hmm, I did substitute the almond milk with a different milk because of my friend’s allergies! Will definitely try again!
Kace says
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?
Sarah says
Could I use maple syrup instead of dates?
Terri says
it says total time 30 minutes, but the recipe says to freeze for several hours… big disappoint if looking for a fast treat
Sarah says
Would I be able to modify this to make mint chocolate icecream? Would the dates be tasty with mint??
See this one!
Jess says
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)!
Mary says
This was nasty taste. Thought I was eating cocoa pepto bismal. Threw it in the disposal. Yuk!
Emily says
Could I replace the almond milk with coffee and take out the cocao powder to make it coffee ice cream?
Michelle @ Modern Acupuncture says
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 :)
FoodieMamaPro says
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?
Chelsea says
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.
Rachael says
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.
Melissa says
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.
Emily says
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!
Can says
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
Kim says
Stir every 1-2 hours to keep air in the mixture. Worth a try.:)
Nicky says
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!
FoodieMamaPro says
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!
Lisa Tonkovic says
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!
Josette says
That’s a great idea can’t believe I didn’t think of it!
Josette says
That’s a great idea can’t believe I didn’t think of it! Also was wondering how much honey or maple syrup would you use to replace the dates
Katie says
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. ;)
Helena Fleming says
Can i use the coconut water instead of the almond milk?
Zosh says
Looks amazing! Can you use rice milk in place of almond milk? X
Mel says
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.
Abena says
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.
Maria José says
Will it work with dates syrup? I live in Qatat and dates syrup is really easy to get.
Kim H says
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.
Jodie says
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?
Terri says
Does it taste like coconut?
Jodie says
not very strongly. it mostly tastes like chocolate
Jesse says
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)
Sharon says
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.
Kasssidy says
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!
Ernie says
Thank you x 3, this recipe is the BOMB. I rate this 6 stars :-)
Marju says
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?
Melissa says
Most food processors are for solids only. Use a blender to mix liquids and solids together, use the pulse button.
Maleza says
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.
Kristine says
Are you allergic to deez nuts? ;D
Emily says
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!
shoshana says
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!
Meredith says
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
Nikki says
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 :)
LC says
I was just wondering if you could substitue the almond milk with rice milk? Thank you!