I know. It’s still technically winter, you guys. But in the Northwest, it’s practically spring! There are literally trees blooming outside our window. I could faint from excitement.
Plus, you know how I feel about dessert. Thus the reason we must ice cream.
Yes, ice cream is now a verb. Get on board.
This ice cream was inspired by the best vegan ice cream on the planet, which happens to be scooped up right here in Portland at Salt and Straw.
If you’re ever in the area, you must try their coconut caramel ice cream with chocolate candy chunks. It’s what vegan ice cream dreams are made of.
The best part about this recipe? It requires only 7 ingredients, and it’s naturally sweetened!
I opted to forgo the chocolate candy bar pieces because I’m a purist (or lazy). But in my opinion, it’s so close to the original that if blindfolded I may not be able to tell the difference between their version and mine. I think this is love.
I was half tempted to try a sugar-based vegan caramel sauce, but I realized my sea salt date caramel was a very good thing. Date caramel is entirely natural, quick, easy, and requires just 2 ingredients. TWO.
Add bourbon at your own discretion. But c’mon. A little won’t hurt.
This ice cream is delicious like WHOA. It’s:
Creamy
Luxurious
Perfectly sweet
Salted caramel-infused
Rich
Satisfying
SIMPLE
& Seriously amazing
I have another recipe coming soon that utilizes this ice cream to recreate one of my favorite desserts of all time. Any guesses? I gave you guys a sneak peek on Instagram a couple weeks ago and can’t wait to share! Sit tight to see what I came up with. It’s gonna blow your dessert-loving mind.
If you try this ice cream, please let us know! Take a picture and tag us on Twitter or #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers!
Sea Salt Caramel Coconut Ice Cream
Ingredients
COCONUT ICE CREAM
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours in cool water, or 1 hour in very hot water, then drained)
- 1 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (sub light with less creamy results)
- 3 Tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (sub up to half with cane sugar)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
SALTED DATE CARAMEL
- 14 whole dates (pitted // if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1-3 Tbsp warm water (optional // for thinning)
- 1 Tbsp bourbon (optional)
Instructions
- The night before, place your ice cream churning bowl in the freezer to properly chill. Also, make sure you soak your cashews overnight OR the next day for at least 6 hours. Be sure to drain before adding to blender.
- Add soaked, drained cashews, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt to a high speed blender and blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Use the “liquify” setting if you have it. You want it to be completely creamy and blended.
- TIP: For best texture, chill mixture for at least 4-6 hours or preferably overnight. If you’re in a rush, pop it in the freezer for 1-2 hours before adding to ice cream maker. Otherwise, proceed without chilling – it will just take longer to churn and may require extra chilling (see next step).
- Add chilled mixture to ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions – about 45 minutes. It should look like soft serve. If it wasn’t chill enough, it may not firm up during the churning process. In that case, pop it back in the freezer (still in the churning bowl) and freeze until mostly firm. Then churn once more.
- In the meantime, prepare caramel by adding dates to a food processor or blender and blending until creamy and smooth, adding warm water to encourage it along if it needs extra help. Season with sea salt (and bourbon if desired) and blend once more to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed. Set aside.
- Once churned, transfer the ice cream to a large freezer-safe container and spoon in desired amount of caramel (I used it all, but you can reserve it for other uses) and use a spoon or knife to swirl. Add a pinch more salt for even more salty-sweet contrast if desired.
- Smooth top and cover well. Freeze for at least 4-6 hours or until firm.
- Set out for 10-15 minutes before serving to soften. Will keep for up to 1 week, though best when fresh.
Notes
*Prep time does not include soaking, chilling, and freezing.
Jane says
We made the Sea Salt Caramel Coconut Ice Cream and this recipe does NOT work as written. We chilled the mixture over night and it was very thick when we put it into the ice cream maker. So thick it would not churn!
What a waste of ingredients. Try chilling a few hours, swirl in the date mixture then freeze. So frustrated I will not even try again.
Hi Jane, sorry to hear this recipe didn’t work for you. Did the mixture end up churning after it had thawed slightly? We’re also wondering if you happened to make any modifications to the recipe? Thank you for your honest feedback!
Michelle says
Is it possible to use your other vegan Carmel recipe or will it get too hard in the cold ice cream?
Hi Michelle, we haven’t tested that, but think it would be fine. Let us know if you try it!
Kara says
Is it possible that I could overblend the ice cream? I havent poured it yet into the ice cream maker but it looks like it split…
Any thoughts or suggestions? I will put it in the ice cream maker anyway but it doesnt look creamy right now. Do you think it will cream up if I chill it and then put it ice cream maker?
Oh no! So sorry we didn’t see this sooner. Did you happen to make any modifications to the ingredients? We’re anxious to hear how it went when/if you put it in the ice cream maker!
Georgia says
OMG… this is the best ice cream, vegan or not. My daughter and her fiancé are vegan so I wanted to make something they can enjoy. I am also on keto and I just fell in love with this recipe. I did change a couple things. I used 3/4 C cashews and 3/4 C pecans. I also used 1/3 C of
sugar free maple syrup and 3 T of the golden sukrin to keep it low carb & more of a butter pecan flavor. I also used Watkins caramel extract in lieu of the vanilla. I like nuts in my ice cream so I added chopped & roasted walnuts and pecans. I have to admit I used my keto caramel sauce recipe so I can’t speak for this caramel sauce. But this ice cream base is delish. Thank you for sharing.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Georgia! xo
Kali says
I added half a frozen banana to my ice cream mixture and it added a really yummy little something extra to the flavour! Plus, less sweetener needed.
I don’t have an ice cream maker, so I had to stir it every few hours and it takes a bit longer to defrost. But it tastes sooooo delicious!!
Wowee! Love that idea! Thanks for sharing, Kali!
Courtney Johnson says
When you mean ‘full fat’ coconut milk, do we separate the liquid from the solidified milk in Aroy – D? Like, scoop it out.
You can just use the whole can as long as it’s full fat! Even the extra liquid. Hope you love this ice cream! It’s my favorite.
Chantelle says
Can I substitute pink Himalayan salt for the sea salt in the caramel sauce?
Sure!
Kristine Angelo says
Hello , I would love to make this exquisite recipe but I cannot eat cashews! Is there a possible substitution or can I just leave them out?
I have noticed that a lot of vegan recipes call for cashews unfortunately. I am not vegan but have a casein intolerance in dairy, so I want to make coconut ice cream as I find the taste and texture is far better than almond milk ice cream.
Thank you!
Hi Kristine, we’d suggest taking a look at this recipe instead: https://minimalistbaker.com/vanilla-bean-coconut-ice-cream/. Hope that helps!
Ivy says
I did not like this recipe. I made my own caramel but followed the ice cream recipe and it tasted awful. I added chocolate and sugar to fix it but I would definitely not use this recipe again. 100% do not recommend this recipe.
Hi Ivy, we’re sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it! Did you use our caramel recipe? It should be quite tasty! We wonder if something went wrong?
Mary says
This is so good I’ve made it three times in the last month! It is a really good base recipe too. The first time I made it as directed with the date caramel and it was divine. The next time my daughters made it and doubled it. They swirled in homemade blackberry pie filling instead of the caramel and it was perfect for the Fourth of July. The third time I just left it plain to make little ice cream sandwiches and it was a huge hit with teens and their moms. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Mary! All those variations sound amazing- thanks so much for sharing!
Nancy D. says
I made this last weekend. First the caramel is amazing and mandatory. I saved the extra for my morning yogurt.
I chilled the ice cream base for about 6 hours and it was almost solid-diffilcult to pour into the machine. I think the ice cream maker was not able to churn effectively. The flavor was amazing, just not the smoothest consistency. Next time I will only chill for 1-2 hours.
Thanks for sharing, Nancy!
Adrienne says
Love this recipe. Huge hit at the office. I’m a long, long time user of the site and have made more recipes than I can count (so many favorites are memorized now). First time with this one and followed it to the letter, even “borrowing” a shot of bourbon from my boss. Only a few people knew it was vegan and refined-sugar free. But everyone said it was one of the best ice creams they’ve ever had and some, once they found out that about it being dairy and sugar free, went and had seconds. It was all gone before long. The one note is that I wouldn’t leave the base sitting in the freezer too long. My workhorse of a Kitchen Aid mixer refused to stir when the ice cream frozen overnight. A different machine might be better with the base so solid, but I seriously thought at one point that my ice cream mixing components were permanently broken. Had to give it 30 minutes to an hour sitting in the counter and then tried again. Once softened, it was absolutely straightforward from there.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Adrienne! We are so glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Tammy Rosecrans says
I’m trying the recipe out now and need some help – I used my food processor on low instead of a blender, but right before it got to the creamy texture, it started to curdle. Can I fix it!?
OK, what type of coconut milk did you use? Apparently some are more prone to curdling than others.
Tammy says
I used Thai Kitchen brand. I’ve been keeping the mix in the fridge – is there anything I can do to save it?
Hmm, I’m not sure. We actually just had someone mention their Thai Kitchen curdled which makes me think it’s a brand issue. Try Savoy or Aroy-D next time!
Ashley says
I have had this happen when blending chilled coconut milk. Try heating the mixture slightly then blend again and it should be curdle free and smooth! I learned this when making my homemade cashew coconut yogurt!
Mandrea says
I’m attempting this without an ice cream machine. When do you suggest adding in the salted caramel sauce?
Hi Mandrea, we haven’t tried it, but we would suggest adding it at the same time as if using an ice cream maker. Because it’s so thick/rich you might be able to get away without churning. We’d recommend taking it out of the freezer several times while it’s firming up and whipping it with a whisk or beater. Let us know if you try it!
Meghan Vitrano says
any update?’ i’m trying without an ice cream maker right now lol
Plisca says
Hi, I’m wondering if it would work to use cashew butter (100% cashews) instead of soaked cashews. Thanks!
Hmm, we haven’t tried that, but it might be too thick. Let us know if you try it!
Paula says
Just a quick question. Would it work to use macadamia nuts or slivered almonds in place of the cashews? I’ve done this with other baked goods like cheesecakes but not sure if it will work with ice cream.
This recipe looks amazing. I’m just not a huge fan of cashews. Thanks in advance for responding.
Hi Paula! We haven’t tried this with other nuts but it is possible that macadamia could work (we would not recommend almonds, they aren’t creamy enough). That said, the taste of cashews isn’t noticeable in this recipe, they just add a nice texture! xo
Madonna Nash says
This ice cream was delicious. The bourbon added to the caramel was a nice touch!! Paired well with your Snickerdoodle Cookies!! Yummy. Can’t wait to try the Vegan Bourbon Ice Cream.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Madonna. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
GABRIEL JAMES MURRAY says
Hi There!
Would it be possible to substitute cashew butter for the soaked cashews to get a less gritty result?
Hi Gabriel, Hmm, maybe- but it could be too dense. A high-speed blender should get them very creamy!
Megan says
Followed method to the tee, using my Vitamix. Amazing, creamy, and every who eats this asks for the recipe. I’ve found that adding a drizzle of coconut nectar, vanilla, and nut milk to the date caramel takes it to the next level. The ice cream itself it amazing as is!
Thanks for sharing, Megan!
Linda Nienhuis says
Wow, Awesome. Started making this yesterday and actually followed the directions letting it set over night. Today when I put it in my little electric Gelato maker, haha it only went 7 minutes before the motor said NO MORE. But it was done. I put it in the freezer after doing the caramel swirl and 4 hours later, just now I had to sample. May I say, Oh my goodness. I have saved this recipe for birthdays only however. 5 STARS!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Linda! Thanks for sharing!
Holly says
Hi. You mentioned you were going to try a sugar-based caramel sauce? Do you have a recipe for one that would work here? My daughter is not a big fan of dates.
How about this one? Or this one…?
Daryl says
By far the best vegan ice cream I have ever made. The texture and flavor were perfect! I added the salted date caramel into the machine when my Breville says to introduce add-ins and so there wasn’t a swirl, but it was still amazing. I will definitely make this again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Daryl! Thanks so much for sharing!
bella says
Hi, for the cane sugar sub how much of it needed for this recipe? half? thank you :)
Hi Bella, you mean adding cane sugar instead of maple syrup? Yes, 1/2 cup. Let us know how it goes!
Sofia says
Hello! I would like to know, if it’s possible to make it last longer than a week. Also, I if I add guar gum would there be any inconvenience??
Yeah, if it’s covered well it should last up to 1 month. Will adjust that in the recipe! If you add guar gum that should only make it creamier! That or xanthan I’ve heard does well in ice creams to mock eggs.
Cindy Schaeffer says
I’m getting ready to make a version of this ice cream using date syrup made by D’VASH. Would you suggest a TB for each date in the caramel recipe?
AND- I only had roasted cashews- hoping they soak well and work as a sub- thoughts?
Also, I noticed someone mentioned using guar gum and I would suggest using Arrowroot (from cassava) instead as it holds well in cold and it’s similar to corn starch, which is the secret of chefs who make ice cream!
Hi Cindy! Those changes sound pretty good to us, though we haven’t tried this with roasted cashews and it might change the flavor! Let us know how it goes when you give it a try! xo
Gracia Larson says
I’m excited to try this recipe but I don’t have an ice cream maker…any suggestions on what to use instead?
Hi Gracia, because it’s so thick/rich you might be able to get away without using an ice cream maker. We’d recommend using a parchment-lined loaf pan and taking it out of the freezer several times while it’s firming up and whipping it with a whisk or beater. Good luck! Let us know if you give it a try!
Jennifer says
I love this recipe! Also use it to make my own ice cream sandwiches with pecan flour brownies as the outside layer.
Yum! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jennifer. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Tj khaw says
Hi. For the recipe. Raw Cashews is 1 and 1/2 cups or 1/2 cup? Thks
Hi TJ, it’s 1 and 1/2 cups. Hope that helps!
Frida Navarrete says
Hi, how much coconut milk is asked in the recipe i don’t understand the 1 – 15 ounce. Does it means is 15 ounces or 115?
Hi Frida, this recipes requires one 15-ounce can. Hope that helps!
Heather says
Ok I thought I might add my suggestion here about the caramel sauce! I read though all the comments before making everything. I decided to follow the instructions first with the dates and see if it worked for me because I have a Blendtec. Well mine didn’t turn out either :-( so then I thought let me try this on the stove and see what happens. So I put about 1/2 cup chopped dates with 1/4 cup almond milk and brought to bubbling. Got out my whisk and went to town! The dates started dissolving and the almond milk absorbing into this thick carmely goodness. But I still had bits of date so, I pulled out the food processor, scraped it in there and turned it on for about 1-2 min. Bingo! Carmel sauce success!
Thanks for sharing, Heather!
Natalie says
Oh my goodness, this ice cream was AMAZING! I followed the directions exactly and I’m sure that’s why it turned out so well. Thank you for this recipe!!
Graciela says
This recipe is INCREDIBLE, and I am extremely picky about ice cream! Thanks Dana for another amazing recipe… Huge crowd pleaser every time!
I make this for Thanksgiving and Christmas (as well as well as Tuesdays, bank holidays, and any other day I make up an excuse to indulge lol); and I usually have to hide some of it for the rest of the week, because it is immediately devoured every time.
My only mods are to the caramel:
I soak my dates in warm almond milk (instead of water) to soften them… This makes the almond milk so sweet and delicious and date flavored. Then I drain the dates, saving the date-flavored almond milk when I do so, and I use THAT to thin the caramel instead of water. I also add a dash of vanilla. I have found that using the date-sweetened almond milk for thinning with a dash of vanilla makes the caramel even richer and creamier than using water :)
If any is left over, I drink it or make it into a latte, because it is so amazing!
I also half the salt in the caramel to start with and add more from there… depending on the size of your dates, you could end up with way too much salt if you start out with the full 1/2 teaspoon if using smaller dates.
Happy Eating, ya’ll <3
Jonathan Coldren says
Yum!! I will have to try that!!
Lenna Storm says
Oh. Em. Gee. I made this ice cream for a family gathering, and it was a home run. Love the caramel sauce, but the ice cream itself is amazeballs. I actually added a teaspoon of vanilla bean powder and instead of bourbon, I added spiced rum. :) It might be too rich for every day use, so I’ll either reduce the maple syrup or the cashews. But overall, this was absolute heaven. Thanks Dana!!! You have become one of my absolute favorite sources for tasty and healthier fare. Keep up the good work!!!
Thanks so much for the review, Lenna! We are glad to hear that it was a hit!
Jackie says
This is absolutely delicious. My whole family loved it.
My ice cream maker is on its last legs and didn’t churn properly, so I put the mix into silicone push-up lolly tubes…..wonderful!!!!
Gorgeous balance of flavours…..Thank you!
Christine says
Looks so amazing, can’t wait to try it! What is the purpose of adding the additional melted coconut oil? Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk and just omit the additional coconut oil? Thanks!!!
The melted coconut oil creates a creamy texture! You could use olive oil in place of coconut oil, but I wouldn’t recommend omitting it entirely. You can use coconut cream in place of coconut milk though!
Carly says
What brand of full fat coconut milk would be the best for this recipe?
We recommend this one!
Julie Redmond says
Is it possible to make this recipe without an ice cream machine. I would love one but no room in my kitchen… Too many gadgets already. ?
Hi Julie! Hmm, because it’s so thick/rich you might be able to get away without churning. We’d recommend taking it out of the freezer several times while it’s firming up and whipping it with a whisk or beater. Good luck!
Patty says
So glad I tried this ice cream, it was delicious. The Carmel sauce is genius. My husband love it, too. Thank you.
Ashley says
I made this without an ice cream maker and it was amazing..like to die for! I just followed the freezing guides of the No Churn Chocolate Vegan Ice cream recipe! So so good! Thank you for sharing!
Susan says
Something went wrong for me, too. I blended the cashews in a Vitamix, so the texture was fine. I refrigerated the mixture overnight (as suggested in the recipe) and when I took it out it was THICK. It was as if it was congealed. So it was impossible for the ice cream freezer to churn it. It’s a cuisinart ice cream maker and I’ve made LOTS of ice cream in it in the past, but I’ve always poured a custard into it. I wonder if I poured it in directly from the Vitamix instead of refrigerating it. I had made it for company, but didn’t end up serving it.
Sarah Spano says
Hi there, just wondering if I can make this without an ice cream maker? I have a Thermomix if I could use that instead?
Hmm we have not tried making it with a Thermomix but because it’s so thick/rich you might be able to get away without churning. I’d recommend taking it out of the freezer several times while it’s firming up and whipping it with a whisk or beater. Good luck!
Don Lee says
I tried making this for my grandkids but it did not pass their taste test. I think it has to do with the flavor from the blended cashews.
Sabrina says
Hi :)
Can you also make this without an ice cream maker?
Thanks in advance,
Sabrina
Hi! Hmm, because it’s so thick/rich you might be able to get away without churning. I’d recommend taking it out of the freezer several times while it’s firming up and whipping it with a whisk or beater. Good luck!
Ashley says
Hi! I just tried this recipe for the first time and I don’t know what went wrong. I blended the mixture in my blender and put it in the fridge overnight. It was smooth when I put it in the fridge, and still smooth but very thick when I took it out in the morning. I had left it on the counter for 10 minutes while I was preparing the ice cream machine and dates, and when I looked the mixture had turned from smooth and thick, to grainy (tiny white flecks). I tried blending it again and it stayed grainy. So the end result was grainy ice cream after churning it in the machine. It still tasted decent, just a grainy texture. Where did I go wrong? Should I have immediately placed the super thick mixture from the fridge into the machine?
Penny Kingan says
So delicious. I have high speed blender so didn’t have any problems with graininess. Love swirling through the caramel at the end : ) Thanks!
Belinda says
Hi Dana,
I tried a recipe like this but the cashews tasted ‘grainy’. Any tips? Maybe I need a new blender.
Thanks, Belinda
Hi Belinda! It may be the blender yes and it may not be chopping the cashews down enough.