Have I ever told you I used to subsist on ice cream as a child? Because I totally did.
Imagine 7-year-old me sneaking in a twist cone every chance I got (and believe me, I got a lot of chances).
The funny thing is I was lactose intolerant for the better part of my early childhood, which means somewhere along the line I decided I was going to eat dairy anyway and I don’t think my parents had the heart to tell me no. So ice cream it was, until several years ago when my body shut the whole operation down. Sad day.
Good news, though – I don’t even miss it anymore! Especially not with dairy-free alternatives like vegan parmesan cheese, coconut whipped cream, and ice creams like this one that are classic, creamy, and undetectably vegan!
I’ve been wanting to make a vanilla coconut ice cream for a long time now, seeing as I’ve only done flavors up to this point (see all of them here).
This version is so simple and quite possibly my favorite yet! It requires just 5 basic ingredients and simple methods. There’s even an option for those of you who don’t own an ice cream maker in the notes.
I went cashew-less here to highlight the coconut flavor and stuck to the basics:
Coconut milk
Vanilla bean
Vanilla extract
Organic cane sugar
Sea salt
This ice cream just screams vanilla, infused with both vanilla bean and vanilla extract. Not only does this combination add more flavor, the extract (which typically contains alcohol) helps prevent ice crystals.
The result is the perfect creamy, dreamy coconut ice cream.
You’re going to LOVE this vegan ice cream. It’s:
Super creamy
Coconutty
Vanilla-infused
Perfectly sweet
Simple
Classic
& Delicious
This is the perfect ice cream to make when you want a basic non-dairy ice cream. It pairs well with cake, pie, would make a killer ice cream sandwich, and makes the ultimate base for vegan milkshakes.
If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment and rate it, and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
*Recipe updated June 22, 2017
Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 14-ounce cans coconut cream* or full-fat coconut milk (see notes for brand recommendations)
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (sub up to half with agave nectar or maple syrup)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 vanilla bean pod (split and scraped // or 1/4 – 1/2 tsp vanilla powder per 1 pod)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- The day or night before, place your ice cream churning bowl in the freezer to properly chill (see notes if you don’t have an ice cream maker).
- The following day, add coconut milk, organic cane sugar (sub up to half with natural sweetener), sea salt, scraped vanilla bean and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender and blend on high until completely creamy and smooth for 1-2 minutes to fully dissolve the sugar. Add more cane sugar or agave if it needs more sweetness, or more vanilla if it needs more vanilla flavor.
- Add mixture directly to chilled ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions – about 45 minutes. It should look like soft serve (see photo). See notes if you don't have a churner.
- Once churned, transfer the ice cream to a large freezer-safe container (such as a loaf pan) and use a spoon to smooth the top.
- Cover securely and freeze for at least 4-6 hours or until firm. Set out for 5-10 minutes before serving to soften – a hot ice cream scoop also eases scooping.
Video
Notes
*Because some readers had trouble with the coconut oil separating when chilled, I’ve updated the recipe to exclude it. I also recently retested to include the option to use coconut cream instead of coconut milk, and agave for up to half the cane sugar. These changes are reflected in the current recipe.
*If you don’t own an ice cream maker, you can add chilled mixture to a freezer-safe container and freeze. Once every hour, remove from freezer and stir /whisk to incorporate air. Repeat until mostly firm – 6-8 hours. Then continue freezing until completely firm before serving. It won’t yield as creamy results, but it should still work.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with Savoy coconut cream.
Lisa says
Best ice cream I’ve ever made!!!!! Thank you!!!
Lesley says
Hi!
I love your website and I especially love this recipe! My 9 year old daughter and I are going to work our way through your vegan ice cream recipes. One question for you, we noticed that the recipes vary quite a bit (some call for nuts, some call for thickeners (Xantham gum, optional arrowroot powder). We were just wondering can this recipe be adapted just by adding different flavors? Why do the other recipes require soaked cashews and almond milk, etc?
Again, the site is amazing and we love your recipes. If you have time, would love to hear more about the different ice creams.
Thanks!
Lesley
Hi Lesley, glad you’re enjoying the website! The blog is a great excuse to test out different methods of making things like ice cream! Cooking can be a puzzle and sometimes there are multiple ways to get to the same place! Cashews can add great flavor and a creamy texture that I find works well for some ice creams. For the vanilla bean coconut ice cream, I wanted to emphasize the coconut and vanilla flavors and make sure they didn’t get masked by anything else. You certainly could adapt this recipe! For example, try it with coffee or throw in baked apples and definitely let us know how it goes!
Sarah says
Your chocolate recipe seems much different yet I would think you take away vanilla bean and add cocoa and it would become chocolate. There was only one can coconut milk in chocolate . I made it. Was delicious and decadent even without added vegan chocolate just cocoa.
Sarah says
What kind of cocout cream do you use. Only ones I’ve seen are 167 ml. Can you do one can of coconut milk and a few cans of cream?
Hi Sarah, Our favorite coconut cream is Savoy. Hope that helps!
Calli says
I just made this and it’s soooo good! I was quite impressed! The coconut taste is not overwhelming, it tastes very similar to my grandma’s non-vegan homemade ice cream recipe! I was kind of scared because I used coconut milk and I wasn’t sure if it was full fat but it worked fine. Definitely will make this again!!!
Albert Luthje says
I don’t like coconut, but decided to try this one ouy, and I LOVED it. Great recipe.
Lana says
I always use Trader Joe’s coconut cream and not coconut milk and it comes out great. I also use raw honey for the sweetener. I think that this is better for me. I do not put in coconut oil because it does not mi x well. I use my Cuisinart food processor and it works great! This is what I do and it works well: 1. put in frozen bananas and mix in food processor until formed little chunks. 2. put in at least 2 tablespoons of honey. 3. Put in 4 tablespoons of TJ’s coconut cream. 4. Put in any frozen fruit(frozen is the key). 5. mix well. Serves 2 because I have the small food processor. Double or triple the ingredients for a larger food processor. SO Good!
Thanks Lana! I recently retested the coconut oil in the recipe and it worked great.
Amanda says
I’m making this for a birthday party this weekend. Does it work OK to triple or quadruple the batch all at once in the ice cream maker? Or is it better off done in a few small batches?
You’ll need to do it in two batches!
April says
Is this the recipe you were making on Instagram yesterday?
Christina says
Was looking for a coconut milk ice cream recipe to use with my new ice cream churn and found this! Didn’t have cane sugar so tried it with regular white sugar. It was delicious! Not sure what the difference is between cane and regular white sugar. Is it sweeter?
Allison says
I made this today and it came out great! I used one can of coconut cream and one can of coconut milk because that’s what I had in the pantry. The finished product was smooth, creamy and exactly what I was aiming for! Thank you
Jo says
I just made this. I have an ice cream maker with a compressor so what I do is prepare the mixture and put it in the fridge over night. Then make it the next morning. Since it’s cold it takes very little time to do. I love this recipe, and I like the addition of the coconut oil. I was using eggs before which I really would rather not use, but the extra fat helped, the ice cream was not as hard as a rock. I also used coconut cream, not milk and I used my vanilla bean that I had infused in rum many months ago so it was sooo yummy. You get only the taste no alcohol, there’s not enough rum in it to say it’s alcoholic. I can’t wait to try it tomorrow. The taste of the liquid was amazing and I’m sure the frozen product will be just as amazing!!!
Cheryl says
Yum! This is sooo good (and so easy)! I used a little less sugar—still nice and sweet and an extra tsp vanilla extract because I didn’t have vanilla bean. Adding coconut oil to ramp up the creaminess is brilliant. Definitely making this again!
Larissa Pierce says
Thank you! This recipe is phenomenal. I tried it today, since I have a few cans of coconut milk. Even my picky 4 year old loved it! I will definitely be making this again. Thanks again.
Teri Durden says
Hi Dana,
I’ve not tried recipe yet, wondering, for some one trying to up metabolism, and not consuming sugars, or chemical substitutes, what anout raw stevia? Thanks for any help.
Soncerely, Teri
Hmm, I haven’t tried that yet but if you do, let me know how it goes!
Cole says
Hi Dana,
How can I keep the ice-cream from getting icy? Anything I can add other than extra sugar?
(nerd alert: huge fan btw)
-CJ
Hi Cole, we’d suggest trying a higher fat coconut milk/cream. You can find our brand recommendations in the recipe notes.
Lucy says
Hi!
I tried making this today but I subbed the vanilla extract for pure peppermint extract & I added a few leaves of spinach for a green color to make it like mint ice cream. I am kind of worried though because when I was scooping it into the tray it was more like watery slush instead of soft serve ice cream. I had been churning it for over an hour! Do you think my subs caused this or what else could of went wrong?
Hi Lucy, we wonder if it was the brand of coconut milk that caused the issue? We’ve updated our brand recommendations in the recipe notes, so hopefully that helps for next time!
Sarah-Jane says
Omg, yum
With a lactose intolerant 6 year old this has made her year! So light and fluffy, your getting some serious love from our house right now
Regina says
Hi!!!! Can I use coconut cream instead of the milk?
That should work!
lauren says
Hi. wanting to make this weekend for topping my blackberry cobbler. can i use 2 cans of coconut cream and can i use coconut sugar instead? thanks
Claire says
Does this recipe mean coconut cream or coconut milk? I think it means cream, because I used regular coconut milk, which has the liquid and the cream part at the top of the can, and it’s just a weird separated mess
Cheryl says
Thought I’d answer this one. Coconut milk is always separated like that because the fat rises to the top like cream does in unpasteurized milk. But the solid and liquid blend together beautifully in a blender or with a hand mixer. A hint I learned from someone: when buying coconut milk, shake the can and listen for the slosh of liquid. The less of that you hear, the more of the creamy solid stuff there is in the can.
Karen says
Dear Dana,
I made your vanilla bean coconut ice cream, following updated instructions, but encountered similar problems as previously reported. The ice cream had a curdled appearance and the texture was grainy. I even used my vitamix to blend mixture. However, your vegan chai ice cream recipe worked perfectly – I have made it twice
Karen
Amy says
Oh my goodness! This stuff is like crack, it is so addictive! Even my daughters, who aren’t big fans of coconut, loved this. I like it better than dairy vanilla bean ice cream, and I’m a long time vanilla bean ice cream aficionado! Just an amazing recipe! Thanks so much!
Jackie says
Hi- I replaced the sugar with stevia as I can’t have any sugar right now due to Lyme and Candida. My ice cream was really soft out of the machine- softer than soft serve, but then it froze like a brick. I tried making it again and kept it in the ice cream maker for longer so it was soft serve, but then it froze like a brick and was dry as it melted…almost like it was too aerated? Does the sugar keep ice cream soft? Any input would be appreciated- the flavor is awesome, whish I could have the sugar :)
Costas says
Hi Jackie
Hope you don’t mind if I stick my oar in here. To your questions:
1. Too much air? Not possible using any machine made on planet earth. Air in any ice cream makes it lighter, smoother (as in smaller ice crystals), fluffier and softer (as in easy scoop), etc., and certainly not a rock solid hard brick. So you’ll need to look elsewhere for an explanation.
2. Stevia? Hmm……well, yes, that could well explain your experience. You are quite right to surmise that sugar has the effect of keeping ice cream soft. Like salt, it lowers the freezing point of any liquid, but it’s highly unlikely that stevia has the same effect. I have two suggestions for you that might help next time around:
a) Check your freezer temp. It shouldn’t be lower than -18C, and
b) Try xylitol instead of stevia. Not only will it lower the freezing point of your ingredients (just like regular sugar), but it is also a proven bactericide, and is free of the ‘aftertaste’ that some ppl complain of when stevia is used.
Oh yeah – good luck.
Costas says
@ Susane – Read my comments just above yours about using cream instead of oil – it will solve your lump problem, and give a better result to boot.
@ Kifah – Not only should you use coconut cream & coconut milk, but if you like it with ‘bits’, you can also dissolve 3 x 50g coconut bars in the milk over gentle heat for added coconutiness. Again, refer to my comments just above yours.
Kifah Al-Zadjaly says
Could I use coconut cream with coconut milk?
Susane says
THANK YOU for the recipe! One question though – we left the ingredients to chill overnight and the next morning there was a separation of a thin hardened layer on top and trapped liquid on the bottom. Is that normal? We ended up just breaking up the top layer into pieces and churning it all but even after the churning process there were still some mini bits of the frozen layer even after the churning… still delicious though!!! Just checking to see what the consistency of the ingredients should be after chilling it! Appreciate any feedback thank you!
Costas says
My first comment failed to appear for some reason, so here is my 2nd & last attempt – sans link, (just in case that was the cause) and much modified.
To all those who have been disappointed with the results, try coconut cream instead of oil. Google it for sources in your country. I made it with Sainsbury’s coconut cream – rated as one of the best of its kind – and it worked fine. It made a superb, smooth, creamy ice cream, no lumps, and I didn’t even use heat or an ice cream maker. The missus loved it – one of her favorite flavors.
I can’t rate the recipe, coz I didn’t follow it. I knew from experience that using coconut oil was asking for trouble. Not only is it solid at room temperature, but freezing makes it practically rock-hard, and integrating it with the other ingredients requires a chemistry set and a couple of industrial processes that are best avoided.
I hafta admit, it remains a complete mystery to me how anybody managed to get a good result from this recipe.
Costas says
PS I should also add that coconut cream has a stronger flavor than coconut oil, which is quite bland by comparison. In fact, I’m hard pressed to come up with a single reason for using oil in this recipe. Cream whips it in every department (pun intended), and I hope that Dana will take note and amend her recipe accordingly, if that’s at all possible.
Jackie says
My ice cream is rock hard after being in the freezer for a day- dos I leave it in the ice cream maker too long, or did I take it out too soon? It only took 10 minutes to get to a soft serve consistenc an. Delicious flavor on day one though!
Tenley says
The coconut oil ruins it. There are hard chunks of oil that never incorporate into the ice cream :(( Wasted ingredients.
I’ve updated the recipe with a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating, which I never experienced! However, I believe the changes will fix any separation. Sorry for the confusion!
Jackie says
I have hypothyroidism so I generally try to avoid all canned foods – do you think it would be possible to make the ice cream using homemade coconut milk (desiccated coconut + water, then strained?), or would it not be creamy enough?
Any tips?
Hi Jackie, we think you would need to make it really thick (use less water) for it to work, but it might! Let us know if you try it!
Megan says
I am trying to reduce/eliminate refined sugar. Do you think date paste would be a decent sub for the sugar?
You are my “go-to” site for fabulous recipes – ALWAYS!! I’m entertaining beginning my own blog & it’s because of your inspiration – you’re amazing!!!
Thank you!!!
Hi Megan, the sugar adds a textural element that we’re not sure would work. But perhaps sub up to half of the sugar with date paste?
Ali says
I have been waiting to try this recipe until we purchased an ice cream maker and was a little disappointed in the result. Like other comments on this post, we experienced a hardened wax surface after chilling the mixture in the refrigerator. It did not break apart in the ice cream maker and as a result, we had hardened coconut oil in the ice cream. Ours also did not look as white or creamy as the photos suggest and we used full fat coconut milk as called for…
I’ve updated the recipe with a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating, which I never experienced! However, I believe the changes will fix any separation. Sorry for the confusion!
Elsie Hensley says
I have tried many times to make coconut milk ice cream, but whenever I put the mix in the refrigerator to cool, a hard waxy layer forms on top. If I go ahead and put this in the ice cream maker, there are unpleasant chunks of hardened coconut milk in the ice cream –yuck! Do have any solutions to make the mixture stay mixed while cooling enough to put into the ice cream maker?
I sure would appreciate your advice
Thanks,
Elsie
Hi Elsie, we’ve updated the recipe with coconut cream/milk brand recommendations and a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating. Hope that helps for next time!
karl says
hi, I wonder if I can skip the vanilla bean (don’t have right now), and can I use alcohol infused vanilla, the alcohol will not have interference with the freezing. I am not a fan of gelato, so I am looking for harder consistency. otherwise I love this recipe, and would love to make it!!! (like tonight)
To replace the vanilla bean, you can try doubling the vanilla extract. We used a bourbon vanilla extract, so yes, that should be fine! For a creamier consistency, we would recommend using coconut cream. Hope that helps!
Annabel says
Much obliged to you such a great amount for a formula without cashews. My children are allegic to all nuts, and I was considering how I could make a vanilla frozen yogurt with coconut. Your mango raspberry coco sorbet has as of now been a colossal hit in our home, can hardly wait to attempt this one.
Mandy says
We made this last night and my husband raved about how good it was. He can’t eat dairy or gluten, so we frequent your blog. We also love your gluten free pizza crust. Thank you for your simple, delicious recipes!
Ashley R. says
Like some others, the coconut oil separated from the coconut milk while in the fridge. I thought it may have been caused by me adding solid coconut oil to the mix on the stove, so I decided to try again. I strained the solids from the liquids, melted the solids, used an immersion blender to whisk while slowly adding the liquids to attempt to emulsify the two, placed the mixture back into the fridge and the solids still rose to the top. I won’t be adding coconut oil to my next batch.
This is the first recipe of Minimalist Baker that has not met, or exceeded really, my expectations. I am sad!
I’ve updated the recipe with a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating, which I never experienced! However, I believe the changes will fix any separation. Sorry for the confusion!
jessicaray4 says
Annalisa, I didn’t make this formula, however a comparable one that did not call for coconut oil. I utilized full fat coconut milk, pure sweetener, and included cocoa powder for a chocolate frozen yogurt base. Mine still turned out grainy without including coconut oil. It might be the brand of coconut milk (Chaokoh) that I utilized… I’ve utilized it once before as a part of frozen yogurt and I couldn’t have cared less for the grainy surface it gave in the wake of solidifying. Later on I might take a stab at utilizing an alternate brand of coconut milk….
We’ve included updated brand recommendations in the recipe notes. Hope that helps for next time!
Marie Pierce says
This formula is great, the main objection I have is including the coconut oil… putting the blend into the cooler in the wake of warming it up on the stove top makes the coconut oil set in the refrigerator and results in huge surface pieces when it chills off in the ice chest before adding it to the dessert creator… .I wound up scooping them out before adding to my frozen yogurt churner. I think in future with this formula I won’t include the coconut
Keysi says
This recipe looks amazing. I’m definitely trying this tonight. Kind of a newbie here but when you say to use a vanilla bean pod, do I used the whole vanilla bean stick? Thanks!
Hi Keysi, no, just the beans inside the pod!
d says
Do you use an electric or manual ice-cream maker?
Electric
Haley says
I have never liked ice cream (as a vegan or not), but I am surrounded by people who love ice cream. I have made this vanilla ice cream twice now and both times it has been not only the most delicious ice cream I’ve ever had, but also an ice cream I can truly get down with. An ice cream I can crave. But then again, so is the chai ice cream from your blog (which I also love). Love them both, and hope to try more of your ice cream recipes in the future.
Mel says
This recipe is good, the only complaint I have is adding the coconut oil…putting the mixture into the refrigerator after heating it up on the stovetop makes the coconut oil solidify in the fridge and results in big surface chunks when it cools down in the fridge before adding it to the ice-cream maker….I ended up having to scoop them out before adding to my ice-cream churner. I think in future with this recipe I will not add the coconut oil.
I’ve updated the recipe with a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating, which I never experienced! However, I believe the changes will fix any separation. Sorry for the confusion!
Barbara says
Can I let it cure in the ice cream freezer
Taylor says
Hi Dana! I make tons of your recipes, and I love them all – especially the vegan ice creams!
My fiancé has been begging me to add protein to your ice cream mixes, so I was considering adding a few scoops of vanilla flavored vegan protein powder to this recipe in particular. Have you ever tried adding protein powder to ice cream? I’d love your opinion!
Thanks again for consistently filling my kitchen with delicious vegan recipes!
Hi Taylor, we’ve never tried that! Our concern is it may make it gritty. Let us know if you try it!
Ivy says
Hi Dana,
I have some coconut cream left over from another recipe. Can I use them up with combination of the coconut milk required?
Regards, Ivy.
Yes!
Ivy says
Great. thank you!
Have a glorious Christmas and wonderful New Year! ;-)
Nadia says
Hi!
I was just wondering- I’m looking into purchasing an ice cream maker to make coconut ice cream and other dairy-free gelati and sorbets. I am aware that there is quite a difference between a ‘gelato’ maker and an ‘ice-cream’ maker in that ice-cream makers incorporate a lot of air into the churning to make it firmer and thicker, whereas gelato makers ensure no air gets into the mixture at all to make it creamy and rich. Do you think this would make a difference in the effectiveness of making dairy free ice-creams, specifically coconut milk ice creams? I don’t want to buy a gelato maker and end up with coconut slush! And at the same time, I don’t want to buy an ice-cream maker and end up with an icy frozen block of coconut!
Any insight you may have would be incredibly helpful! I’m not exactly sure how the coconut milk would react to these ice-cream making methods.
Thank you in advance!
Dana, not Shultz says
Nadia, if you haven’t already invested in an ice cream maker, Cruisinart has 1 that has an ice cream paddle as well as a gelato paddle. In Dec of 2015 it was about $300. It has a compressor so no need to freeze bowls in the freezer. I love mine but have never used the gelato paddle so am unable to advise on its’ effectiveness.
Andrea says
I just made this and I love the flavor! It is a little oily – what is the purpose of the coconut oil? Just wondering if this is something i could omit next go around :) Thanks!
I’ve updated the recipe with a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating, which I never experienced! However, I believe the changes will fix any separation. Sorry for the confusion!
Annalisa says
Also, what is the purpose of the coconut oil? If to make the ice cream creamier, can I put 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum instead? :)
Annalisa says
Is the coconut oil necessary? I read in the comments that the ice cream made from some of the other people turned out gritty from the coconut oil not emulsifying with the coconut milk. To avoid this can I just leave it out? Can you also answer this in the time span of 12 hours, haaha thanks!!
Camille says
Annalisa, I did not make this recipe, but a similar one that did not call for coconut oil. I used full fat coconut milk, cane sugar, and added cocoa powder for a chocolate ice cream base. Mine still turned out grainy without adding coconut oil. It may be the brand of coconut milk (Chaokoh) that I used…I’ve used it once before in ice cream and I didn’t care for the grainy texture it gave after freezing. In the future I may try using a different brand of coconut milk.
I’ve updated the recipe with a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating, which I never experienced! However, I believe the changes will fix any separation. Sorry for the confusion!
C says
Dana,
I followed this recipe right perfectly, but it just never…turned to the churned, soft serve stage. I used premium full fat coconut milk. I stuck it in the freezer, hand churned every 1 hour for six hours, but it turned completely solid. :(
SO weird! I’m sorry it didn’t work out. So many others have had success! What brand of coconut milk did you use?
Hannah K says
C – I had the same problem. I did it without an ice cream maker the first round. I tried again with the ice cream maker the 2nd time and still came out with a solid chunk with a fat layer on top! Not sure if maybe I didn’t churn it correctly??
amy says
is there anything I could use instead of cane sugar?
Try substituting coconut sugar, or maybe even brown rice syrup. I haven’t tested these options, but they would be my top next choices!
Kea says
I use honey in all my ice cream recipes!!! Honey adds a bit of water, but I don’t find it makes a huge difference – and if you add it in at the end you get honey swirls =D
Also, thanks for this recipe, It was a good confirmation on using coconut oil in my ice cream. (otherwise i really barely follow recipes =P )
joe says
Hi am trying this recipe without using sugar as I am intolerant to it. You use honey…how much do you use? Tks
Mimi says
I made this using about 6 tbsp brown rice syrup and 1 tbsp Xyla (xylitol granules), to make this fructose-free and it worked great! Thanks so much for giving the technique for doing this by habd–I just picked a night ahen I was having a Downton Abbey marathon and so could remember to whisk it once an hour! It turned out really well. Tonight I’m going to try a version with coffee and cocoa nibs, and I also plan to try a version with lavendar. So excited to have found this recipe, I can’t tell you!
Tracey says
Without an ice cream maker, so could you freeze into a ice cube tray. Then blitz in a thermomix?
Yes, you could do that!
Lisa says
The ice cream turned out perfectly delicious. I love your recipes, Dana!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Karen says
Made this for Thanksgiving….was perfection! Thank you for sharing!
Whoop! So glad you enjoyed it, Karen!
Chari says
I am due with our second child (literally any day now), and since our last kiddo had a horrible milk allergy, I have gone dairy free. After a couple $7(!) pints of dairy-free ice cream, I went looking for another option and stumbled upon your website to find this recipe. I finally made it today, and it is wonderful. I couldn’t leave well enough alone, and added some melted diary-free chocolate (with some coconut oil) while it was churning so it has some “chocolate speckles”. I love it. My kiddo loves it. Real winner. Thank you! (Didn’t have any issues with separation either like some mentioned. Very creamy!)
So kind! Glad you enjoyed it, Chari! Thanks for sharing and best of luck with your new kiddo!
Katie says
My try also resulted in the coconut oil solidifying on the top after being chilled. This didn’t surprise me when I saw it, as coconut oil, like most fats, does this (you know when you get a casserole or a curry out of the fridge, the solidified fats are always on the top and only melt when heated?) I wondered if maybe the icecream maker would break it all down but sadly no…it’s all in there at the moment churning around with great big chunks of hard coconut! The flavour is beautiful though.
I’ve updated the recipe with a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating, which I never experienced! However, I believe the changes will fix any separation. Sorry for the confusion!
Margaret Lowry says
If this tastes anything like your sea salt caramel coconut ice cream I will be in heaven! Can’t wait to try it.
It’s like that but more pure! Hope you love it, Margaret!
Suesanne says
What kind of Vanilla Powder do u suggest to use?
Thank You
Suesanne
I got mine at Whole Foods! But a scraped vanilla bean would also work well!
Autumn says
What size ice cream maker do you use?
Find it here!
Bakeca Donne Milano says
I like your recipe, thanks !
Jose says
hi Dana!
Do you use the water of the coconut milk can too or just the meat?
Thanks!
Stacy S says
This is my very same question too! Do we use the liquid part in the can too? Please let us know!
Either works, but if you want a creamier consistency, just use the cream portion.
Stacy S says
I found this great article on using the ice cream maker that others might find useful too.
http://icecreamscience.com/cuisinart-ice-30-ice-cream-maker-review/
It explains reasons one might get “grainy” ice cream.
Kristin says
OMGoodness vanilla bean and coconut = amazing! Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to try this!
Neeli @ Neeli's Unique Creations says
This ice cream looks perfect, creamy, and rich. I don’t have an ice cream maker, but I do have a good hand mixer. I’ve used it to make ice cream in the past.
Grace says
Would this work with fresh coconut milk? I scooped out the inside meat of a fresh coconut and blended it with water. It’s in my fridge now with a thick layer on top and thin liquid on bottom. Would it work the same as canned coconut milk?
I’ve never tried that! But if you do, let me know how it goes!
Jess says
This looks so good! I will need to invest in an ice cream maker! Do you think this would work with home made cashew milk instead of coconut milk? Definitely plan on trying this! Thank you for the recipe!
I think so! Let me know if you give it a try!
Liz says
Would this work with TJs coconut cream or would that be way too rich? Our local TJs has been out of coconut milk for months…not that I can’t grab a different brand at giant :)
That would actually be perfect!!
Liz says
All in all, this is an awesome recipe. Super simple, super quick, highly customizable and turns out great. Really creamy, very scoopable, and no ice crystals in sight! (Scoopable is what other dairy free recipes seem to mess up, in my experience — it really feels like you’re just scooping regular cows milk ice cream.)
Holy cow this stuff is creamy! I ended up using two cans of Thai kitchen coconut milk, and it’s crazy how much the chilled, pre-ice cream form of this tastes like actual custard. It kind of blew my mind.
I did run into a problem with the coconut oil — I brought everything to a simmer, removed from heat, whisked thoroughly, etc., but after chilling ended up with a thin, hard, semi-opaque layer on the top of the custard base. Pretty sure this was the coconut oil, which hadn’t combined fully with the coconut cream and sugar, and because I didn’t have time to reheat and rechill, I used an immersion blender and hoped for the best. I kind of knew this wouldn’t work but you never know?
It — predictably — didn’t emulsify entirely, and ended up effecting the end result. Still a super creamy ice cream, but with a sort of underlying grainy mouthfeel — It was subtle enough that no one mentioned it but noticeable enough that I want to keep experimenting.
In the future, because I’m totally trying this again next week, I’ll either eliminate the coconut oil from the recipe, or be sure to let it simmer for five minutes before taking it off the heat.
I added chocolate ‘magic shell’ (chocolate+coconut oil, obviously…) and the end result was pretty incredible. Thanks for the awesome recipe — my dairy-free friends were thrilled!!!
Hmm, that’s so odd! I haven’t ever had that experience when adding coconut oil to frozen desserts. Perhaps leaving it on the heat a little longer and really whisking vigorously will help! Glad you still enjoyed it.
Liz says
Yep, I think that’s exactly where things went wrong for me — but, easy to fix! Can’t wait to give it another go :)
Maggie says
Would you use the whole can? I know in certain situations you skim off some parts and only use other parts. I was looking to use a can of TJs coco cream and a can of coconut milk. I am considering making this in compliment to your one bowl chocolate cake for my birthday on Saturday. Thanks! :-)
Hi Maggie, Either works, but if you want a creamier consistency, just use the cream portion.
Samantha @ThePlantedVegan says
YUMMMMM! I thought I’d miss dairy after giving it up, but like you said…it’s hard to miss it when there are incredible dairy alternatives out there!
Sarah | Well and Full says
You are the ice cream queen, girl!! These recipes are making me seriously consider getting an ice cream maker….
DO IT. Seriously! Best purchase ever!
jennifer says
I can stop looking at the pics, so nice and delicious.
Jennifer says
Hi Dana, Please what ice cream maker did you use here or do you recommend for someone (me) who has never used one and would love to get one to start making nice treats such as this. I’d greatly appreciate a response. Thank you!
Find it here!
Jennifer says
Thanks so much Dana!!!
Sally says
Do you still add ice etc to ice cream maker? Duh, I suppose I do but just for sure………
I love coconut and hope to try it. I will have to rate it after making it
Nicole H says
Easy to make and delicious. I could not wait for it to chill for 4 hours and since my bowl was already in the freezer, I just mixed it right away…soooooo good :)
Angelica Martin says
Hi Dana! So inspired by your cuisine choices and food styling. Will definitely try the non-machine version of the recipe and see how I do.
I am practicing my photography and want to know how you get those nice, colorful flat backgrounds? Is that something you do in post or have on “set?”
genevieve @ gratitude & greens says
Coconut milk ice cream is the best! I had to giveaway my ice cream maker when I was moving but I recently bought myself another one and I love it so much. Adding this to the list of ice creams I want to make before it gets cold!!
tantefrancine says
My system cannot tolerant uncooked milk. I don’t really understand it, because the milk has been pasteurized. Anyhow, I found out that I can consume milk if it has been heated, boiled. So I can consume ice cream that is made when the milk has been boiled. I cannot eat soft ice cream nor milk shake. They just go through me within less than 15 minutes. Maybe this is of some help to those who have the same problems like I do but does not know that they can drink or consume milk when the milk has been boiled. If you want to make ice cream cream without an ice cream machine, you can use the old fashion ice cube maker. I used to make them all the time. We call them ice-blokjes (diminutive ice blocks).
Liz Slesinski says
This recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it.
Have you ever tried making Fruchteis? It’s something that I can find in almost every gelato shop I’ve visited in Germany, usually in several fruit flavors. It’s delicious and has the best consistency, but it’s amazingly dairy-free!
We haven’t tried it, but will have to try it if we ever come across it. Thanks for sharing!
Anna says
omg looks so creamy and delish :D
Sarah says
Hi Dana, I just recently discovered this blog, and I love it! Like many of us I struggle with long recipe lists and complicated directions but you make it all look so easy and want me go to prepare this ice cream right now. Coconut is my old time ice cream flavor favorite, so this is definitely a plus! Thanks for sharing with us.
sneha says
Heyya.,You guys really do have amazing content and valuable products to offer. I look up to you guys as a rookie. You’re post on standing out through the noise has given me a lot to think about… and someday I hope to be as cool as you! Thanks again! :)
Cassie Tran says
Oh mannnnnnn this looks sinful!
Liv Faye says
Hi Dana! Your recipes are always mind-blowing but when you make creamy anything the world just stops. You make magic I swear. Thanks so so much for the recipe!
PS. your image says “exract”.
Clover says
I made this today and the flavor is great but when I took the mix out of the fridge there was a hard layer on top. Probably the coconut oil and some of the coconut milk. I tossed it in my vitamix but the ice cream had a grainy texture once made. What’s your thoughts?
Korrie says
I had the same problem- hard layer- I assume from the coconut oil- and large chunks in the ice cream. Next time I won’t add the oil. I was wondering why it was in there…
So odd! I always add coconut oil to my recipes and it never turns out chunky. Did you blend it well? Was it melted?
Eric says
If this happens, can the mixture be reheated before churning to make it smoother? My ice cream maker has a compressor so I don’t have to chill the mixture or freeze a bowl before churning.
That should work! However, I’d chill it again once more if you have to reheat it, otherwise, it likely won’t freeze when churning.
I’ve updated the recipe with a new method as several people had trouble with the coconut oil separating, which I never experienced! However, I believe the changes will fix any separation. Sorry for the confusion!
Kathy says
I am making this right now, and as it is churning it has chunks of frozen fat all throughout… it tastes good, but isn’t appealing to look at and the texture is like fat mixed with ice cream. I’m not sure what I can do to salvage this – any suggestions? Thanks
Irene says
Heat it in a double boiler until it almost boils! This will smooth out any big chunks.
Brenda says
Unfortunately I just tried this recipe and the whole lot split in the blender into a horrid mess. I threw it all away. What a waste of ingredients. Any ideas where I went Wrong? Thanks
Brenda
That is so strange! Some people have mentioned having trouble with the coconut oil separating but I never have, despite rigorous testing. Perhaps leaving that out next time would help. Sorry it didn’t work out this time!
Emily says
I had the exact same issue. Split completely as soon as it was in the blender. I have warmed it up to melt the solids so hopefully it’ll work out this time. I’ve put it in the freezer now so we shall see!
Stephanie says
Hi! I’ve heard MCT oil is the way to go as it makes the ice cream softer and unlike coconocit oil it doesn’t separate. Is this new recipe soft without any oil or should I add 1 -2T mct oil?
Hi! It is already quite soft, so I’d say you’re good.
Bella B says
I adore coconut anything! I will have to try this before I put my ice cream maker away for the season.
Danielle says
What a fabulous recipe. The texture looks absolutely perfect, too! (Says a fellow ice cream connoisseur in earlier years).
Faith VanderMolen says
haha I used to be such an ice cream addict too! As in, I ate huge bowls of ice cream every night with ALL the toppings. Good thing I was a scrawny kid. Now I’m plant-based, so unless my ice cream is made with bananas I don’t eat it!! I’d eat this Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream in a heartbeat though!
Sarah @ Seriously Lovely says
This sounds delish and I love that there’s a way to make it without an ice dream maker!
Hazel says
Your ice cream looks amazing! Thank you so much for all these dairy-free recipes, I’m thoroughly enjoying the ice cream with my cow’s and soy milk allergy.
I was wondering, could I perhaps substitute the vanilla extract by one or two extra vanilla beans? Vanilla extract is nearly unavailable in my country unfortunately.
Thank you so much again! I can’t wait to try this recipe out.
cheryl says
Make your own vanilla extract by soaking vanilla beans in vodka. In about a month, you can no longer smell alcohol and voila, you have vanilla extract!
miss agnes says
Thank you so much for a recipe without cashews. My kids are allegic to all nuts, and I was wondering how I could make a vanilla ice cream with coconut. Your mango raspberry coco sorbet has already been a huge hit in our house, can’t wait to try this one.
Tara says
Hemp milk?
Esther says
YUM! And gorgeous photos. The yellow is genius.
Madeleine says
This sounds delicious! Perfect for my egg allergy and my lactose intolerant boyfriend haha x
Clover says
All your ice cream recipes come out so perfect. It makes being dairy free so delicious.
Caroline says
Looks fantastic. I have minimal cooking tools for the moment, but I definitely want to try this sometime!
Hannah Elizabeth says
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the instructions for those of us without an ice cream maker!! I don’t have one, but kind of want one, but I keep telling myself that I would make WAY TOO MUCH ice cream if I did…’cause I love ice cream and you always have the best recipes! :)
Julie says
Every day I check in here see whats new of course it is always amazing. The 1,257 I love you blog is that you never have corn in your recipes! That is hard to get a way from because 1 I can’t eat it and 2 every body uses it. Thank you Dana!
P.S.
That looks amazingly like just normal Vanilla ice cream!
Erin Williams says
Minimalist Baker,
Just want to take a minute to let you know how grateful I am for all of the education and tips you have to offer me as a beginning food blogger. I plan to take your photography course soon… and your video tutorials on setting up my website have by far been the most helpful of any other website I have navigated.
You guys really do have amazing content and valuable products to offer. I look up to you guys as a rookie. You’re post on standing out through the noise has given me a lot to think about… and someday I hope to be as cool as you! Thanks again!
PS. This ice-cream looks amazing… and the photography…. also amazing
I think I’ll tear up a little bit now ;D Thanks for the kind words, Erin! It means so much. I’m so glad you’ve found our resources helpful in setting up your blog. Best of luck with everything! Also, hope you give this ice cream a try and LOVE it. -Dana
Mel @ The Refreshanista says
I love how simple and REAL this ice cream is. Just pure, natural ingredients :) and I always enjoy your photos in your ice cream recipes! They’re so fun :)
Agreed! Hope you love it, Mel! And thanks for the kind words!
Celeste @TheWholeServing says
I just got myself a new Cuisinart ice cream maker, this is the perfect christening recipe.
Agreed!! Let me know how it goes, Celeste (beautiful name, btw).
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
haha, being an ice cream kid sounds pretty awesome, actually! Well, maybe not for your parents. I could certainly live on this flavour!
Right? Poor mom and dad. Hope you love this one, Katrina!
Liz S. says
You always have the best recipes, especially for beyond delicious non-dairy ice cream treats!
Ah, thanks Liz! Hope you love this one!
Nana says
Hey Dana! I love your recipes <3 Any idea if I could make this with coconut milk powder?
We’ve never tried that and aren’t sure! Maybe by blending with water? Let us know if you give it a try!
Rebecca contour says
hi i’m me and i’m not used to commenting. i’m no good in writing. ( probably why i got an a- in my jr. year of high school. :). anyway one thing that i’m good at is making ice cream with this delicious recipe. growing up my mom was gluten free and dairy free. Me and my 3 sisters were always trying to make delicious desserts for her. But it is clear that i’m a true baker. All i need is a delicious recipe like this and i’m set for life. Totally try this recipe. Me and my 3 siblings and mom absolutely love this. And would you too just give it a try. : )
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Rebecca! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
ruby Mariano says
great great great! left me speechless! :()
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ruby! Thanks so much for the lovely review!