I got addicted to chai in college when I discovered that a local coffee shop near my university served my favorite brand of spiced chai for $1.50. And it was a large chai latte, too! Somehow now chai tea lattes cost around $4 on average, so I rarely get them. It’s just principle. I’m all for treating yourself, but when you can make the same thing at home for half the price, I can rarely bring myself to do it!
Nonetheless, my love affair with chai began and it really never stopped. Chai-infused things are just lovely. And moving into spring I’m already getting into ice cream mode. Not dairy ice cream, vegan ice cream! My body can’t handle the cream and whole milk versions anymore (waaaaaaaa). But thankfully cashews and coconut milk save the day!
This recipe is simple as it requires about 10 ingredients (give or take a spice) and doesn’t require any boiling and chilling, which saves you time. The preparation happens before you ever start by simply chilling your ice cream maker and soaking your cashews to get them blend-able and creamy.
From there the chai flavor is added with a concentrated brewed chai tea and dry chai tea spices.
The traditional spices in chai are cinnamon, ginger, clove, cardamom and black pepper. If you don’t have all of these on hand, just use what you have and let the chai tea compensate the rest of the flavor. And if you don’t have chai tea packets or loose leaf on hand, just use a black tea and add a touch more of each spice. Hopefully one way or the other you’ll be able to pull off that deep spicy chai flavor.
Exciting news! I attempted my first recipe video and am excited to share it with you guys! Let me know what you think.
Q: Do you like recipe videos? Do you find them helpful? Would you like to see more of them on Minimalist Baker? I had a blast putting it together and look forward to developing that skill to make our recipes come to life.
Once you add all your ingredients to your blender, just blend until creamy and smooth. Then transfer directly into an ice cream maker and churn until thick and creamy – about 45 minutes. Scoop into a freezer safe container and freeze until firm. Then scoop, scoop away!
Oh, I was SO pleased with how this turned out! It’s
Thick
Creamy
Sweet
Luxuriously
& Perfectly chai-spiced
The best part? It tastes so creamy and rich that you’d never guess there wasn’t an ounce of cream or whole milk inside. Vegan recipes for the win! Enjoy.
Vegan Chai Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours or overnight, then drained)
- 1 cup light coconut milk (or sub another dairy-free milk, such as almond or rice)
- 3 packets chai tea (or ~4 tsp loose leaf as original recipe is written // or sub black tea for a more subtle chai flavor)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (or olive oil)
- 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or sub honey if not vegan)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp each black pepper, ground cloves, and cardamom* (optional)
Instructions
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Set your churning bowl in the freezer the night before to chill. Soak your cashews the night before as well, or for at least 4-6 hour before blending.
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When ready to prepare ice cream, steep your chai tea in 3/4 cup boiling water (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) for at least 10 minutes. It should be very strong. Remove tea bags, squeezing out excess tea, and let cool in the fridge.
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In the meantime, drain cashews and measure out other ingredients.
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Add tea and all remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth - about 3-4 minutes, using liquify if you have the option. Taste and adjust sweetness/flavors as needed.
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Add mixture to your chilled ice cream maker bowl and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until thoroughly chilled, about 45 minutes. It should resemble thick soft serve.
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Transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover and freeze until hard - at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Will keep in the freezer for up to a week.
Notes
*If you don’t have all of the spices on hand, just add what you have and let the chai tea concentrate compensate the flavor.
*Inspired by / loosely adapted from Isa Chandra.
*Preparation time reflects hands-on preparation, not soaking cashews and/or extra freezing.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 6)
- Calories: 371
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated fat: 12g
- Sodium: 16mg
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 20g
- Protein: 5.7g
Hi
I want to try and make this recipe but do not have an ice cream maker? what do you suggest?
Hi! We would recommend two things: 1) try folding some coconut whipped cream into the batter just before freezing to add more air. And 2) double the amount of vanilla extract as alcohol helps prohibit ice crystals. However, it will not turn out the same texture and fluffiness as with an ice cream maker, just to clarify! Hope that helps!
You are one of my favorite bloggers. Thank you for these inspired recipes! Everything I make turns out great and always delicious!
I’ve always wanted to try to make vegan ice cream. Is there an ice cream maker that you can recommend?
Aww, thanks so much, Rose! Here is our favorite ice cream maker.
Thank you! Ordered and will be here by the weekend. Now I’m pinning all your ice cream recipes. Can’t wait to try them!
Hoping to find a peanut butter chocolate recipe ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hi Rose! Yay- enjoy! We have a peanut butter chocolate ice cream recipe in our cookbook.
I have your cookbook! Found it along with strawberry swirl. 😋
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try it.
xoxo!
This is the first vegan dessert recipe I have tried that works and is super delicious, so thank you! The texture is beautifully smooth and I love the chai flavour. I made sure to take it out of the freezer approx an hour before serving because it does get very solid. I also heated the coconut milk until boiling point and infused the spices in the milk before passing through a sieve so it wasn’t grainy. Other than that I followed everything exact and it is gorgeous, will definitely use again and again!
Is there a reason for the cashews? Can I make the recipe without it? I tried making it last night and used it in my maker, etc but the problem with the cashews is that they don’t smooth out in my blender. The ice cream taste was great but we hated the grittyness that came from the cashews not blending well. I use a Ninja and one of these days we will invest in a Vitamix. Thanks for your help and for the fabulous recipe!
We don’t think this recipe will work without the cashews, but we have other coconut based ice creams you may be interested in?
I made this following the recipe pretty closely, but cutting the coconut oil in half and used almond milk instead of coconut milk. I used Yogi Chai Rooibos. It was seriously the best vegan ice-cream I’ve made, and I have tried several recipes. The Yogi Chai Rooibos added such delicious subtle flavoring and combined well with the other spices. I don’t really understand the need for coconut oil when you’ve got all the fat from cashews. I might try leaving it out next time and see what happens. It did add a nice flavor but I think it would be as delicious without.
Yay, so glad you enjoyed it, Mary! Thanks for the lovely review! We find that the coconut oil helps it thicken and remain creamy once frozen.
Looks amazing! If I use full-fat coconut milk do you think I should omit the coconut oil?
Yeah, I think you could do that! We haven’t tried and can’t guarantee the results, but report back if you try it out!
**I mean substitute coconut manna + water for both the milk and oil… sorry!
Hi, i don’t have any coconut milk and i wouldn’t be too keen about using coconut oil, but i do have coconut butter/manna and would like to use it as it tastes delicious. Do you think i would be able to sub both the coconut milk and oil for the butter + water? How would it work and what would be the ratio? Do you have any idea? Thank you!
You made some clear points there. I looked on the internet for the subject and found most persons will go along with with your website.
Hello I love your recipes! How can I make this just a plain vanilla ice cream? Omit the tea and spices? Thank you
Thanks for sharing this recipe
I tried it this evening and it tasted amazing
I didn’t have time to soak the cashews overnight, so cheated by soaking them in boiling water.
Consistency was slightly granular, so next time I’ll soak overnight.
Still creamy and delicious though :-)
The ice cream came out delicious. Just remember once it’s frozen is going to get really hard. So allow time to soften before serving.
Any way to make this oil free? Just leave it out or what could I substitute?
You could give it a try! Report back on how it goes.
What an interesting ice cream. The texture is unlike any I’ve made, it’s so dense it doesn’t melt even when placed next to a warm piece of cake. The flavour is perfect with brownies. This ice cream would be great in a cone, no dripping!
The flavour was truly delicious, but the grittiness of the spices was a bit off putting; next time I’ll try steeping whole/small pieces of the spices in warm coconut mlk and straining. Thank you for a great recipe.
We’re glad you enjoyed the ice cream, Peggy!
Hello!
Is it possible to substitute the coconut milk for soy cream?
Thank you !
We would recommend almond or rice milk in place of coconut milk over soy cream!
Is it possible to do this recipe without cashews? I’m SEVERELY allergic. (To just cashews, not other nuts)
Hi Tiara! Not this recipe, but we have other coconut based ice creams you may be interested in?
Hello, i love you and i love all your recipes so much! Yesterday i tried making icecream based on coconut milk for the first time, and it didn’t end up as icecream at all because there was too little fat in it (i used one of those in cartons meant as a milk substitute and i guess they’re very low on fat) so today i tried to use coconut cream. The coconut cream tastes so weird and i’m not sure if it’s supposed to do that, i had to add espresso and chocolate to my icecream to try to hide the disflavor. It’s not done yet, still freezing, but i don’t think it’s going to be the same as the ones you’re making.
Any tips on where i should look and what i should look for when wanting to make coconut-based icecreams? Thanks alot on beforehand and keep up the amazing work!
I made this for my vegan son when he was home to visit from The UAE. It was awesome. It was creamy and I made the chai extra strong. I served it with vegan apple crisp and we topped it all off with vegan caramel sauce. Went I went to snack on some the next day, 2/3 was gone, ice cream and apple crisp! Josh said: Well I had some, and then I had some more!
I just made this and tasted it right out of the churn. It is incredibly delicious and easy to make. I love recipes that let me combine all the ingredients in a blender at one time. Thanks for this lovely recipe!
is there a substitute for cashews? i’m allergic
How do I make ice cream if I don’t have an ice cream maker?
Hi! We would recommend two things: 1) try folding some coconut whipped cream into the batter just before freezing to add more air. And 2) double the amount of vanilla extract as alcohol helps prohibit ice crystals. However, it will not turn out the same texture and fluffiness as with an ice cream maker, just to clarify! Hope that helps!
I have looked at all your ice cream recipes. I was wondering the difference between using coconut cream vs cashews? Have you ever used both in one ice cream?
Why would you use one over the other? (Assuming no allergies).
Hello! I only have full fat canned coconut milk. Is that ok to use instead of lite? Will that change the amount of coconut oil to use?
Hi! Full fat shouldn’t change it too much. Check the comments above as others have had success with it!
This was so easy to follow and so delicious! We used full fat coconut milk and the recipe worked great. It took about 15 minutes in the ice cream maker and paired well with peach cobbler. Seriously–that flavor combination was amazing!
Have just made this and it is possibly the most delicious ice cream I have ever had! So creamy, perfectly spice and sweetened. So excited to try it with your ice cream sandwich recipe. Thanks so much for another fab recipe.
Sadness: I tried it today, and it did not work. The flavor was good, but the texture was really sad–crumbly and not creamy at all. I have a few ideas as to what went wrong:
1. I used coconut milk from a can, and I am nearly positive the recipe was referring to the thinner stuff that comes out of a tetrabrik/milk carton.
2. I thought my ice cream mixer bowl was fully frozen and it wasn’t, so I put the blended mixture in the refrigerator overnight. When I took it out in the morning, it was already really thick and overwhelmed my ice cream maker. (That was probably from the thicker coconut milk too.)
3. This may or may not have made a difference, but I didn’t let the chai cool down all the way before adding it to the blender. I put it in the freezer for a few minutes, but that might not have been enough.
4. I used coconut sugar instead of cane sugar since it was all I had in the house. I have a feeling that made a difference in texture as well.
This is nothing against the recipe; I’m just posting so folks can learn from my mistakes. Will re-freeze my ice cream mixer bowl and report back on my second attempt. I might also double the spices next time, though I’ll work on getting the texture right first.
Replying to myself: the second and third attempts didn’t work either. They were better, but still not great. The flavor is delightful every time, but the texture is just so off (weirdly grainy and crumbly) and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Advice would be appreciated if anyone happens to see this who has successfully made it.
Hi Sara. It turned out well for me. I wonder if you got the cashews blended smooth enough? I can’t think of anything else that could be making it grainy and crumbly.
Maybe? I soaked them overnight and ran them in the blender as long as the motor would stand it, but that’s my best guess too. Thanks for the response.
By “light coconut milk” do you mean canned or boxed coconut milk?
Thanks :)
Great recipe! Does using an alternative to milk, such as soy or another, instead of using coconut milk, change the taste or creamy texture at all?
And what’s the difference if I use full-fat coconut milk and not light?
Just made this. The chai spice flavor is great but the texture is so fatty and greasy that I can’t get over it. It tastes like eating frozen whipped lard. I followed the recipe to a T with the exception of using Silk original soy creamer because I didn’t have any other nut milk- I wonder if that upped the fat content too much versus coconut milk or other plant milks? I also can clearly taste the coconut oil which gives the ice cream a cooking oil flavor. Will try again with coconut milk and fresher coconut oil, but the greasy mouthfeel of this batch makes it inedible.
Hi Renie! I would bet that the greasy texture was due to using the Silk Soy Creamer! Better luck next time!
I used cocoa butter. I like the mouthfeel it has, closer to butterfat, and it is delicious too.
Hi there – love the video and I have two questions about equipment – what blender and churner do you use? And what volume does the churner produce?
thank you
Sarah
what is the purpose of the coconut oiil/olive oil?
Hi! The oil helps the ice cream stay creamy and prevents it from fully freezing in the freezer!
Could you use cashew milk or full fat coconut milk instead of light?
Hi! I have not tried it with cashew milk or full fat coconut milk but if you do, let me know how it goes!
Hi.
I made this two different times and both times were a fail. It doesn’t come out creamy. It crumbles the second Iattempt scoop itit. This happened both times. I don’t understand what I did wrong, I followed the instructions to a t and the I prepped it for an extra amount. What did you do to not make it crumbly?
Aidan
perhaps it doesn’t scale well? I’ve found that with jams and baking – sometimes best to make two or three batches instead of one giant one
Absolutely wonderful Dana. Thank you for yet another vegan version of something I adore. You’re brilliant in the kitchen!
why does the ice cream only last 1 week in the freezer? What happens after a week?
Hello!
Anyway to substitute the cashews? I’m watering at the mouth wanting to make this but do not have any cashews on hand :(
Thanks! Love your recipes btw. (:
This looks unreal! Though I don’t have an ice cream maker/churning bowl. Are there any brands/specific ones you recommend? (Without breaking the bank! – not sure how much they cost usually)
Thanks!
This one!
Hey! I really want to make this and I dont have an ice cream machine, is there any way I could make it without the machine?
Hi ! I’am wondering if I can do this without ice cream maker ? Thank you very much !!!
It just looks amazing ?
Hey! I tried your recipe and it didn’t work! It didn’t freeze at all. Ice cream maker or freezer. Just stayed liquid and gooey.
Hi,
I have done exactly the same but my ice cream turn hard as rock ! What is the problem ?
Thank you !
WOW! Just made this, OUT OF THIS WORLD AMAZING. I love ice cream SO MUCH, and this TOTALLY satisfied my ice cream craving. I could honestly replace this with dairy ice cream and be happy for life! thank you!
So kind! Thanks Colleen!
I love you for this recipe!!!
Anyone who made this WITHOUT an ice cream maker? Let me know :-D
I made the ice cream last week. These are comments from my non-vegan friend:
The chai flavour is good. It tastes similar to a “Canada Food Network Contest” winner’s ice cream that they had at Canadian Superstore for a limited time.
The cashew texture is a bit odd at first because regular ice cream melts away but the cashew butter doesn’t melt so it stays on your tongue like peanut butter. It’s also a bit more grainy than regular ice cream or water based sorbet due to the cashew.
After a few spoonfuls I got used to the difference between this and regular ice cream.
The overall frozen texture is good if you let it sit for a bit.
I think it’s a good homemade ice cream alternative for people who are lactose intolerant, or want to avoid dairy for health or ethical reasons, and as long as they do not have nut allergies (even though cashews are scientifically a drupe). I should have let Amar try it because she is always looking for healthy alternatives for her and her son. Unfortunately she was not here yesterday.
I don’t think it will replace ice cream for people who can eat ice cream because part of what makes ice cream decadent is that it has a unique quality that is hard to duplicate with replacement ingredients. It’s cold, creamy, and melts away. I probably would not serve it at your daughter’s birthday party with kids.
A sorbet or Italian ice (which does not have dairy) would be mainstream alternatives if you are serving a frozen dessert to both vegans, and non-vegans.
I’m wondering if you could substitute at least some of the cashew which makes it a . I think you need the cashew to keep it creamy texture but if you add a bit more sugar (which prevents ice crystals), and maybe use some silken tofu, or a nut oil, I wonder if it will make it closer to an ice cream texture where it melts away?
So: good flavour (I ate it all), but texture is a bit odd for mainstream people who eat ice cream, but a good alternative for people who can’t eat dairy.
Hi I am looking for an ice cream base to use in my ice cream store. We have many lactose intolerant customers. Do any of these recipies scale up to 5 gal batches?
Any suggestions would be helpfull?
Thanks
Cliff
Videos DEFINITELY help make it easy to see the whole picture and clarify confusing points or help with the beginners (like me!). Please make some more. Thank you! <3
Can you substitute something in place of the coconut oil? We mostly follow a whole-food, plant-based diet which uses little to no oil.
When you say light coconut milk – do you mean like So Delicious coconut milk (the kind you drink, not the high fat that you would whip into whipped “cream,” that comes in a can? Maybe it’s the cashews that create the cream, not the coconut milk – can’t wait to try!!!
Thank you for posting this great recipe, Dana. I have a question about sugar substitutes, can you use a substitute like Stevia (liquid or powder) in this recipe, or is it best to stay with the suggested agave, maple syrup, or honey?
I tried making this and I put it in the freezer overnight after churning it and now it’s solid rock hard. Why isn’t it this creamy goodness you succeeded to make. D:
Hmm, did you change anything about the recipe? You do need to thaw it after freezing for about 15 minutes and use a hot scoop.
How do you think almonds would be in this? We have a cashew allergy in our house.
Unfortunately, I’ve tested almond ice cream and the results weren’t good. Perhaps try subbing all full fat coconut milk instead of cashews!
I am totally going to dig out my ice cream maker and try this out! I am addicted to chai also and love anything chai flavored. Thank you!
God. That video is incredible. Really anything you create is so crisp and perfect looking. I know as a creative myself when anyone says “you’re so talented” or “you’ve got vision” or whatever it gets a little annoying because there is also alot of hard-work and research behind what you do. BUT seriously you are clearly gifted ;D
Is there anything I can replace the oil with? I stay away from eating oil due to skin issues (eczema). Another kind of vegan fat maybe? I wanna make the chai icecream sandwich you posted using this icecream!!!!
Also while I’m commenting I’ve made many I’ve your recipes and they’re all so wonderful. THANKYOU!!
How much (quantity) do you end up with once it’s churned? It looks so great!
About 3 cups!
Loved the video!!! For someone who had zero video editing/making skills, that was awesome stuff!
I’m about to try this recipe out right now!! I absolutely LOVE your website, Dana!! Thanks so much for providing easy, quick vegan recipes that anyone can try out!!
This recipe looks lovely. My one question is this: did you refrigerate the coconut milk and skim off the creamy part at the top, or just use it as-is out of the can?
This was super straightforward and easy to make! It even worked with my mothers old ice cream maker from the 80s. I’d say to others that if you want a more pronounced chai flavor, steep the tea for longer than 10 and even add a 4th bag. Also blend the ice cream custard for 3-4 mins as suggested. I thought mine was smooth after one minute and it’s a bit grainy. Still super delicious!
Thanks for the feedback!
what kind of ice cream churner do you use? is it just an actual ice cream maker?
Find that info here!
I made this recipe a few days ago, and while I enjoyed the taste initially, I have two issues with it. First of all, the cashews make the ice cream have an almost gritty flavour, which put my boyfriend off enough that he refused to eat any. And secondly, after only one night in the freezer, the ice cream was so hard that it had to be chipped away at to eat. It actually crumbled when chipped at too, like it was extremely dry.
I think I want to try this.. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you. Being a very visual learner, I really appreciate the beautifully filmed video! Made it so much easier to make myself ; )
This was delicious. I made it last night & just wanted to thank you for the super clear instructions. I added dark chocolate chips at the end just because – but this ice cream was just fantastic as described. Thanks so much.
Also- in case anyone is curious, i just used cashew milk instead of the coconut milk that was called for. I had a few extra cashews soaking and i just blended those with water to make the cashew milk. It worked great!
If cashew milk is used instead of the coconut milk, then is it necessary to add the cashews?
This was a major hit at a vegan potluck I attended last night!
OHHHHHH YUMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!
I really want to make this sometime this summer!!! Correction…I want to make it NOW!!!!
Please make more recipes for tea flavored ice creams!! Y.U.M.
Thank you for this recipe. Just tried it and it is amazing. So creamy and smooth
Could I use homeade cashew milk or maybe coconut milk thats in a carton instead?
I used cashew milk & it was still so good~
I just made the ice cream and it is DELICIOUS. Do you think you could make vanilla by just taking out the spices and chai tea?
I do!!
Could I use this recipe as a vegan vanilla ice cream base by eliminating everything chai?
Hi, I’m a writer for the University of Tennessee’s Spoon University chapter and I was wondering if I could feature your recipe and use your photo in my article about chai recipes. I’ll credit you and link back to your recipe if you grant me permission.
Yes! Just be sure to follow our recipe sharing guidelines and you should be good! Thanks, Elisa.
I have been enjoying your recipes! Especially the roasted red pepper pasta and recently the easy vegan meatballs (my new favorite)! I don’t necessarily need a video but I did enjoy yours. It was fun to watch and I really want to make this ice cream, I scream!
can I sub dates and/or xylitol for the agave and cane sugar? If so would it be 1:1?
Thanks so much for the post and the video! I love love love the clean and simple look of the video as well as its straightforwardness! Can’t wait to try out the vegan Chai ice cream, my mouth drools. :-)
Thanks Misty!! xoxo
YUM! Perfection. I added the option of extra spices since I like stuff zingy and flavorful. Had it an hour after churning to experience it more like soft serve. Will have again in a couple of days as regular ice cream.
Utterly fantastic. Thanks so much. I thought you were the Granola Queen, but looks like you are also the Ice Cream Queen (a bit odd, considering the name of your blog—and ice cream is the antithesis of baking, but hey, I’m not about to quibble over that—just so grateful that you develop these recipes and share them with us, with great writing and photography.
This looks very tasty! I don’t have an ice cream maker, but I do have Popsicle mold, do you think it would be similar in that? I want to try it so badly but I am afraid of them becoming rock solid! Thanks!
Wow, that video rocked. I love how clean and simple it is :) Great video quality, but then again, I expected nothing less, considering how incredible your photos are!
I’ve come across several recipes that require a cashew cream. However my blender isnt very powerful and I cant get it smooth. But I do buy kilo tubs of silky smooth cashew butter (cashews only ingredient) has anyone tried making a cream with this?
I have a severe allergie to all nuts! would some type of seed (like a sunflower seed) or tahini spread work instead of the cashews? Lots of allergies so i was super exited till i saw those in the recipe :'(
Hmm, not sure! I would think macadamia might work OK?
I have an allergy to all nuts :/ but being fall i decided to try a pumpkin chai tea mixed with a cocoa chai tea from davids tea. it turned out super creamy with lots of flavour. definitely glad i purchased an ice-cream maker
Oh yay! Glad it worked out!
pumpkin seed butter totally works! yum!!!! i used just less than a cup
Thanks for letting me know! My oldest is severely allergic to all nuts and sunflower seeds, but I was wondering about pumpkin seed butter. Now I’m even more excited to try it :)
I want to buy an ice cream maker just to make this one… oh-it-looks-so-yummy!!!
It’s totally worth it JUST for this recipe! I may be biased, but it’s true!
I would love to see more videos !
I used almonds instead and it turned out just as great!!
Really enjoyed the video…what program did you use to create it?
Just Adobe Premiere :D
Can you make this without an ice cream maker??
Because cashews are used in several recipes and i’ve heard that they should be consumed sparingly, I’m interested to know what their purpose is. Are they just a fatty nut that contributes to emulsifying?
We just made a batch of this and my husband and I both were licking the churn before we got it into the freezer for dinner
haha, yes! A great sign of success :D
Hey, your ice cream looks totally delicious! :D
What kind of ice cream maker do you use? I’ve found one on amazon which looks a bit like the one in the video but I’d like to be on the safe side before buying it ;)
Thanks and best wishes!
I use this one!
Hi! First, I want to say the my husband, 15 month old daughter and I LOVE this recipe. I made it non-chai be replacing the tea with more coconut milk and subbing xylitol for the agave. It turned out absolutely amazing and SO creamy! We are addicted. My question is….I made a single batch the first time and it turned out perfect and smooth. I doubled it the second time and the texture is definitely not as smooth. I’m not sure what happened. Have you doubled successfully or have any ideas why the texture would not be as smooth?
Just saw the other comment – Sorry!
Awww – I so want to try this, but there’s that horrible issue of being SEVERELY allergic to cashews. Have you had any experience with any other nuts such as peanuts or almonds?
maybe sub half macadamia nuts and then up the amount of coconut oil? Not sure how well almonds would work, especially with their skin.
This might seem like a silly question and I looked through other comments but I couldn’t find the answer. What do you soak the cashews in? Just water or something else?
Hi;) my boyfriend has an allergy on cashews. Any chance I could try to make it almond-based?
I wouldn’t go for ALL almonds, but rather, a mix of macadamia nuts and almonds, if he can have them. I don’t know how creamy almonds would get on their own. Hope that helps!!
WOW. This was delicious. I served this after a super-light farmer’s market supper of grilled vegetables. My 26-year-old daughter went nuts! “I love my life!” she said, and had another spoonful. The only challenge is that it gets pretty hard when it freezes completely, and who wants to wait for it to thaw! :) Thanks so very much for a keeper of a unique dessert!
My mom is a tea fanatic and has this KILLER coconut chai loose tea with pieces of real coconut in it. It’s amazing and would be perfect in this ice cream!! Yummy. It’s from David’s Tea, which is Canadian but they ship to the US :). It makes perfect lattes with a touch of maple syrup and some homemade almond milk. Heaven.
Lovely video! I would love to see more. Your ice cream looks so creamy and scrumptious. I need an ice cream machine, ASAP! What brand of ice cream maker do you have?
Thanks Lauren! I love this one.
Dear Dana,
I don’t even have words to thank you for such an amazing page! You are so creative, talented, and on top of all that, you share the goodness with us!!! Thanks so much.
Just wanted to share, I became vegan for spring BECAUSE of my spring allergies. I was a vegetarian already but included dairy in my diet, after becoming completely vegan, I have experience tremendous improvement in my allergies.
Being vegan is difficult, so your page is really helpful. I have made the banana/chocolate chip pancakes several times (but excluded the chocolate chips, so it was just banana pancakes lol), and they are just delish, so much that even my carnivore boyfriend loves them!
Can I ask you, what kind of ice cream maker do you use? It will be my first time buying an ice cream maker (churner?) and I am clueless as to what to look for.
Many thanks in advance!
Alejandra! Thanks so much for the sweet words. I know of many people who’ve seen drastic improvements in their health by going vegan, OR just by eliminating a food group that’s troublesome for them. Good luck on your new journey! As for the ice cream maker, I won this one in a giveaway last year and love it. Cheers!
This ice cream looks awesome. I love the taste of coconut milk Ice cream, but I don’t seem to be able to tolerate the coconut milk. If I use almond milk instead, do you think it will still be as thick and creamy?
It won’t, but it will still work! I would recommend using a few more cashews, using the almond milk, and using a bit more coconut oil.
thank you so much!
Hi guys,
I love all your recipes! I want to make this, but I don’t have ice cream maker – is there any way this can be done without it?
For this recipe, I’d say add a bit more oil and vanilla extract so it doesn’t ice up, and just put the batter in a freezer-safe container and take it out every couple of hours and stir or “whip” with a fork. This will help aerate it as it freezes. Otherwise, turn it into a “cheesecake” like ice cream using this recipe for inspiration. Hope that helps!
Soo I’m an idiot and used a food processor instead of a blender…and could NOT get the cashews smooth enough. I ended up churning it anyway and ended up with soft serve :)
The flavor is UNBELIEVABLE. I’m addicted! I’m trying it again this weekend but using my smoothie blender this time :)
Any idea how I can make a plain vanilla version (for brownies!)?
Glad you liked it! For vanilla, just omit the spices and tea and replace them with vanilla extract and more coconut milk!
Oooo I love chai tea, basically in any form- can’t get enough! <3
Quicky question, since I would love to try the recipe. Are the pecans necessary? I'm allergic unfortunately, so do you suggest anything other than pecans or nuts? Like almonds (though I 'm not exactly sure how that would taste )?
Let me know when you can :)
Jenni
the recipe calls for cashews, not pecans, so its okay :)
You are one of the few people who can take a great photos of ingredients in a blender. I’ve always wondered how to style pre-blended ingredients for photography. Anyway, great recipe, beautiful pictures, and I love that it’s vegan. Can’t wait to try this one.
I think I may have just died and gone to chai heaven.
This is in my ice cream maker now, and it smells great! I used almond milk instead of coconut, and honey in place of agave. I don’t have a blender, but my Cuisinart food processor seemed to work fine.
One question: I soaked my cashews overnight, but the mixture was still a bit grainy. Is this normal? Any suggestions for making sure the texture is smooth?
Thanks for the great recipe!
If it’s still grainy it’s an issue of your blender not being powerful enough. Did you by chance use a Ninja? Those don’t work well with cashews, I’ve found.
it’s definitely the food processor’s fault! i had the same problem, so next time i will be using my smoothie blender :)
That’s good to know! I’ll have to get a better nut blender if I make this again. The flavor was great, at least!
Making it right now! Will let you know how it turns out!!
This is absolutely GORGEOUS!
I finished making this yesterday – and I’ll definitely make it again.
I used vanilla soy milk and honey for the liquid and sweeteners, and I didn’t have cloves or cardamom, but the chai flavor is still strong.
Thank you for sharing your delicious ice cream secrets!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
Yes yes yes video recipes! Loved how it turned out, :) i wish you keep doing them
I like this idea soı much! I will try it this week. Thank you ;)
This sounds delicious! I love Booja Booja dairy-free icecream, which is cashew based, but I never thought of making my own! I’ll definitely be trying out this recipe!
Never heard of that brand! Thanks for the tip :D
I finally got to try making this BUT I had to lower the carbs due to my diet. Answer: subbed out half the cashews for 252 g silken tofu and replaced all sweeteners with 1/4 c. Truvia. I only had vanilla black tea (I use organic de-caf) so I doubled the spices. Results: AWESOME! 300 cal and just about 8 carbs plus 9 g protein. I can even enjoy a scoop in an almond flour waffle cone for 400 calories total! THANKS!!!
Yay! Glad these substitutions worked out for you!
I so love your video.. I’m so excited about this recipe.. I need more…. Already made my mixture and going to churn it tomorrow. And where can I get that background music? Love it..
Thanks for the post! I have to ask, what is the song in the video?
It’s just one I purchased on iTunes :D Nothing special but it did the trick!
I love this recipe and would love to make it but what can I substitute the cashews for when I make this for someone with a nut allergy? Any help / advice will be greatly appreciated.
I would omit the nuts and double the coconut milk. Actually, cookieandkate.com has a great recipe for coconut milk chai ice cream that might be more of what you’re looking for. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for the quick response. I stumbled upon that recipe too and will try it out. :)
Hey Dana,
First of all your recipe looks incredible so I bought all the ingredients I would need to make this delicious dessert. I bought full fat coconut milk, have you tried it with the full fat or only light? I’m also weary of using the honey I have on hand because I’ve made plain coconut ice cream with honey and it was the worst concoction I have ever tasted in ice cream. Have you used honey or maple syrup? Or regular sugar or even coconut sugar for the recipe? Thanks! I look forward to hearing back :)
I’ve just used agave, sorry I can’t be of more help! But I’m sure maple syrup or honey would be awesome. As far as the sugar goes, I’m sure any will work. It’s not too finicky (just don’t use artificial).
Hi Dana! I’m a fairly new visitor to your blog and this is the first recipe I’ve got round to making (it’s churning as I type)! Just wanted to let you know it’s taking all my willpower not to eat it straight from the ice cream maker – sensational recipe! Thank you, thank you! I love the smokiness the tea imparts and it’s properly treaty without being overly sweet.
I love the look of many of your recipes and look forward to making more.
Yay! So glad to hear you’re enjoying this so far. I know, it’s so creamy and flavorful you really do just want to eat it with a spoon straight from the maker. I won’t judge! Cheers!
Hi ! I was wondering if this would work in a Ninja type Blender ? Would one just add ice or would that probably water it down too much ?
I think it would! If it has trouble blending, just add a bit more liquid, either in the form of brewed tea or non-dairy milk. Hope that helps!
GREAT !
This looks so good! I bought an ice cream maker this week, just to make this recipe! One question, is it even a little bit possible that I could use already ground raw cashews, in place of the whole cashews? That’s all I have on hand, and my local Trader Joe’s is fresh out of raw whole cashews. Thanks!
So cool! I hope your new maker serves you well. Already ground cashews? Hmm, not sure how that would work. Perhaps you could wait for your store to restock them, or source them somewhere else?
Thank you – I’m glad I waited to get the real deal. Made this on Friday and it is SO GOOD! Used pure maple syrup for the sweetener and added extra cinnamon. YUM!
Lovely! So glad you liked this, Steph.
Amazing! Thank you so much! Making this for my brother’s birthday tomorrow, it is in the ice cream maker now. So excited and it was so simple!
this made my day! love the video :) you guys rock!
Thanks Nina! :D
chai latte ice cream! this is so amazing! I loved the video too
Your pictures and video are amazing! Keep up the great work! I do have question what brand ice maker do you use?
I LOVE how creamy this looks. And I love the video! Really cute. I think I need to buy an ice cream maker -immediately!
I think that video was fabulous. I love that it was minimalistic, no need for talking. I totally understood how to make the ice cream from the video!
Thanks KC!
Okay, for reals? I have 4 tabs open in my browser, all recipes I’m super pumped to make, all your site. On top of that, your Banana Bread Granola in baking in my oven, AGAIN, right this minute because we went through the last batch so fast. This is quickly becoming my favourite food blog because everything looks so great, and I don’t have to worry about veganizing or allergen-avoiding. Thanks so much for that!
So now a question for you: I’ve been holding off on an ice cream maker purchase. Do you like yours, and what kind is it?
Reesa, wow what a compliment! Thank you so much. So glad you’ve found value in our site.
As for the ice cream maker, yes I love mine. It’s a Cuisinart. I actually won it in a giveaway but I do recommend it to others.
Thanks for the recommend!
I’ve given up caffeinated drinks, and can happily share that red rooibos (loose leaf) tea is a great substitute for the black tea I used to drink it with. I want to try this recipe sometime, too. First, trying your 5 ingredient granola bars!
Let me know how you like the bars and hopefully this ice cream, Linda!
I was wondering if you think that soaked almonds could be substituted for the cashews? or any other kind of nuts that are raw and unsalted?
Looks amazing, as always. Have to try it! :)
I wanted to ask if you recommend any brand for the ice cream machine? With the summer approaching I’m thinking about getting one and most of them have bad reviews.
Thank you :)
Best,
Inês
As a fellow chai addict I’ll definitely be giving this a go! I’ve not made icecream before but it looks wonderful and when I’ve used chai in my own recipes its always been very tasty (and majorly impressed any guests!) :)
As a fellow Chai addict, I couldn’t go past this recipe. Just had my first bowlful and it was fantastic!! Will definitely be making this again. Keep the fabulous food coming. Thank you for this site!
Weekend priority #1 – make this. Also, the video was awesome!!! Keep em’ coming, pretty please.
Hi! Sorry to bother you but I was really really excited about this recipe because “yay vegan ice cream!!” but I’m really quite allergic to both nuts and soy substitutes. Is there anything I could replace the cashews with? Sorry again!
I was wondering if soaked coconut flakes can be substituted for cashews , agave syrup and sugar for stevia since I’m trying to avoid sugar and grains…..cashews as grains
Making ice cream has become a bit of an obsession for us, and this is a must-try for sure!
This looks amazing! My husband is allergic to nuts though…is there something I could substitute for the cashews?
Amazing video – would love to see more :D I need this ice cream in my life – I am finding room in my tiny apt for an ice cream maker this summer! Haha, I have resisted buying one because our cupboards are literally FULL of baking and cooking gear but I think I’ll just have to clear out some space for an ice cream maker and make this recipe ASAP! Pinned :)
I love the style of the video! It matches the aesthetic of your whole brand.
I think to improve it you could add measurements or timing or other tips that are not included in the body text. Maybe even add your wonderful list of adjectives so commonly placed in your posts.
I look forward to seeing more videos!
Great ideas! I didn’t want to crowd it too much with measurements but I suppose it wouldn’t be too much trouble to include them next time. Thanks for the feedback!
As I try to remove dairy from my life, ice cream is my downfall. I cannot find a satisfying substitute. This ice cream sounds phenomenal and I guess I’m going to have to give the cashew trick a try!
Agree with everyone else, my mouth is atering :P
I love your video, enchanting far east tuneage (music) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Keep producing them. It makes people more approachable to your site, and open to the lifestyle. When they see how easy it is to eat healthy. Im not worried about your calories I know how the body digest and uses natural foods calories, fat and sugars. Way different then processed. Well ONE LOVE or should I say TWO LOVE, since there is two of you. Dana and John. TWO LOVE.
Videos are great! I think it’d be nice, too, for a video of you (or whoever!) actually making the recipe
I love love looove the video you made. What a cool concept!
I also love your “minimalist-style” photography/cinematography. You’ve got a great website here.
Finally, this looks like a delicious recipe. I want to get an ice cream maker now!
Loved the video and loved the background music,I found it to be so relaxing!
Oh come on…why haven’t I thought about this ;-)
Chai and ice cream, such an amazing idea!!!
Love from Germany,
Elisa
Another awesome recipe! I can’t wait to try this. :-) I love the new YouTube channel, too! Just subbed :-)
Dana this vegan chia ice cream sounds (and looks) amazing!! I can’t wait to try it. :)
Your Chai Ice Cream looks so creamy and delicious! I have been experimenting with cashews lately and love the consistency. It’s a great ingredient being so easy to work with. I will have to branch out and try ice cream.
You are seriously one of my favorite people and I don’t even know you….that’s saying something. Can’t wait to make this for my chai-lovin’ guy.
Um, you are the best. Seriously. Hope you two enjoy this recipe!
absoultely in love with this recipe, can’t wait to try it out, and also loving the recipe videos, they are really helpful!
I also had a question:
-so with the cashews is it 1 1/2 cups of the dry cashew or cashew that has been soaked over night? because when I soak things like beans and chickpeas they usually expand for me?
-and with the cane sugar, if i didn’t have any around the house is raw sugar or caster sugar alright?
thanks so much, and loving your blog!!
Good questions! It’s 1 1/2 cups RAW – they will expand when soaking.
And regarding the sugar, you could even just double the agave and omit it, or sub raw. Hope that helps! Thanks for saying hi, Alethea!
Mmmmmmm I’ve yet to make vegan ice cream that doesn’t fall apart or flake funny or have a weird texture that’s not beautiful and deliciously smooth. I’ll have to give this a try, even though I’m not the biggest fan of chai. But this looks pretty good.
The video’s pretty cool. I don’t typically like the videos as much but yours I like. Good editing, good comp (you guys are the masters of composition anyway), short and sweet. I look forward to seeing more =)
Thanks Lisa! If you aren’t super into chai, just sub another tea, or omit it altogether. It really is a recipe that’s easy to customize. Also, I appreciate the feedback/encouragement on the video! We’ll be working on doing more soon. Cheers!
LOVE THE VIDEO! So awesome! I would love for you guys to be in the videos and perhaps some tutorials on how to create + edit short videos.
Great tip! It’s kind of a personal process as everyone does it differently – and I’m certainly not the best! But we’ll add it to our list of blogger resources! Thanks for the suggestion, Dianna.
Have you ever experimented with essential oils with your cooking or baking?!
I’m hosting a GIVEAWAY over on my blog of the TOP 3 essential oils if you are interested!!
It’s rare now that I have a dairy based ice cream but for the most part I’ve only tried out coconut milk. I would love to try a cashew based non-dairy ice cream as you don’t always want to taste coconut, and yours looks delicious. Love the vid!
Thanks, Katy!!
The cashews and the coconut milk add to the exotic, Indian appeal to it. Although I have to play that card and say that “chai” means “tea” in Hindi, so saying “chai tea” is redundant!
Ha! You caught me being so culturally unaware. Thanks for the insight, Shikha!
now that I am trying to get rid of dairy completely, this will be a true delight. I did try making ice cream with an maker – it worked out just fine. Now heading over to the video,I bet its awesome.
I liked the recipe until I saw that each small portion has a whopping 371 calories, and a ton of fat, carbs, and sugar! Whoever thinks this is “healthy” did not look at the nutrition information. Just because it’s vegan doesnt mean it’s good for you.
Diane, I could say a lot of things in response to this comment, but I’ll leave it to this: No, I don’t think eating desserts often is “healthy.” But I do think indulging in treats occasionally is fine and even a “healthy” practice for the sake of balance in our diets. As well, the calories, fat and carbs in this ice cream come from dramatically sources than that of traditional dairy ice creams, so I really wouldn’t fret too much about that. But if you’re worried about calories and such, I would suggest using light coconut milk, omitting the oil, and using stevia in place of the sugar. Hope that helps!
I am going to try adding the chai tea and chai spices to my regular almond milk ice cream recipe and I bet it will be delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Making this tomorrow and your reply caused me a little confusion, you suggested to previous poster to use light coconut milk, does that imply you used full fat? Just want to make sure I’m using right ingredients! I don’t mind calories ;)
she was rude
The recipe sounds delicious and I love the fun video! Hope you do more of them.
I cannot wait to make this. Super excited.
This looks unbelievably delicious! I would sprinkle some coconut shavings on there as well!
The video is awesome!! I’ve been reading through your photography course today and I’m so excited to get to the supermarket and have a play with my new camera lens. The resources are fantastic, thank you! Also is there a way to make the recipe without an ice cream maker? If there is then I’m all in :)
Oh good! I hope our resources serve you well. I provided tips on how to make it without an ice cream maker in a previous comment so check that out above! However, it will not turn out the same texture and fluffiness as with an ice cream maker, just to clarify!
I like chai anything!!
You are my hero.
That’s weird, because you’re MY hero ;D
Dana – I’ve made your coconut milk ice cream before and it was amazing. I can’t imagine how luscious it is with the addition of cashews. Must try!
Chai is the first drink I ever ordered from Starbucks, and I stuck with it for YEARS! It reminds me of being young and naive… in a good way! Loving the recipe :)
Sammi Sunshine
Love the video!
Thanks Jaycee! I LOVE your baby! Such a cutie!!
Wow, this looks great! I love finding chai things that aren’t beverages.
Fabulous video! Can’t wait to make this ice cream! Keep “churning” out stuff like this :)
Thanks sis ;D
The video is super cute but the transitions are a little slow and I’d love to see more of the things that the pictures can’t capture (e.g. taking a bite/spoonful of ice cream, adding sprinkles, putting into a cone, a few seconds of actually blending – loved the shots of the ice cream maker running). Keep it up!
Thanks for the feedback. I agree. I was mostly happy with it for my first go but I’ll try to keep transitions in mind. Thanks, Deanne!
Though I’m not a chai fan myself, this looks great! I LOVE the video. You should definitely do more of them!
nice – and love the video, well done.
did you feel it was a lot of work to make the video?
Thanks
Betty Bake
Betty, the actually filming didn’t take too long. It was the editing that took longer than I expected – probably about 4 hours total. But, if you have the time and are willing to experiment, I’d say it’s worth a shot!
I am a visual learner. Keep the videos coming. I am assuming that peanuts wouldn’t give the same flavor as cashews. What do you think? I can’t eat tree nuts.
V, I don’t think so but if you try it let me know how it goes! I’ve never tried soaking/blending peanuts!
V, did you try making it with peanuts?
Wow… the video is totally awesome!! It’s a fun and simple way to really have the recipe come to life, awesome job as always :) This vegan ice cream looks DELICIOUS!!! Yum – I don’t have an ice cream maker but I will bookmark this for when I buy one :)
I’m impressed with how thick and creamy this looks. Who needs cow’s milk or cream?! Love, love, love chai flavor, too, so I totally need to try this.
I like recipe videos much more! :) True, your pictures are to DIE for, but videos capture it so much better I think :)
Good to know! Thanks for sharing, Claire! I agree that videos goes where photos can’t. Stay tuned for more!
Ok this is seriously amazing. I, too, am obsessed with chai flavored things! I’ve see vegan ice cream with the coconut cream but not with cashews and I bet that helps it from getting too icy. Can’t wait to try this soon!
I mean this sincerely: that is the most sexiest looking ice cream I have ever seen! And it’s healthy! Woohoo! Lol
sexy sexy sexy. Ha! Thanks Brie ;D
I don’t usually go for chai flavored things, but this looks like something I could get behind! I love the vide btw, keep on doin your thang!
Hi! I too am a chai addict! ;) thanks for this great recipe, I will be testing it out today for sure!!! I love the video too!! Thanks!
Oh yay! Let me now how you like it, Courtney!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
It sounds super delicious.
I Love Ice Cream …
Have a nice day
Jutta
This ice cream looks incredible! And I absolutely love the recipe video! Very well done.
I am really wishing I had an ice cream maker right now…
Pinning!
This video is AMAZING, I love it!
Thanks Ali!!
I want this for breakfast :) Who needs chai lattes when you can have chai ice cream! pinned
Agreed! Thanks, Averie ;D
Awesome video, Dana and John! And, this ice cream? It looks so creamy and wonderful. Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Kristyn! We’re still learning but wanted to get some thoughts on our first go. Glad you enjoyed it!
This looks incredible!! I can’t wait to try my hand at some cashew ice cream soon!! I’m not a huge chai fan, but I might throw some strong coffee in instead of tea…mmm!
Cashews are seriously magic.
Mann I need this ice cream in my life. I love love love chai tea so to have it in icecream form is amazing
What if I don’t have an ice cream maker? Is there another way to compensate for it?
I would recommend two things: 1) try folding some coconut whipped cream into the batter just before freezing to add more air. And 2) double the amount of vanilla extract as alcohol helps prohibit ice crystals. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much :) I always want to make ice cream but I end up with the old frozen mashed banana because I don’t have an ice cream maker haha. Can’t wait to try this now!
I just made this today and I don’t have a churned. Mixed well in the blender and put it in a plastic bowl in the freezer. Whisk every hour till its the texture you want. Delish!!!
I’m all for videos – especially when they look as good as yours! Keep ’em comin’!
Looks amazing! I really want to try this, but I don’t have a churner. Might need to invest!
Also, as someone who watches a lot of vegan recipe videos on YouTube, I think you should make more! I love them (so long as the printed recipe is listed somewhere, too).
Thanks Liz! That encouragement means a lot! I plan to do more videos in the future :D
Looks supreme! I love coconut milk ice creams, and the coconut-chai combo sounds fantastic.
Chai lattes are my favorite afternoon drink. This ice cream sounds delicious and your photos are just gorgeous!
Thanks Emily!
Awesome job on the video, you guys!! I’ve been trying to figure out a way to do videos on my blog as well, but as someone without video editing skills, I haven’t cracked the code yet.
Thanks, Kris! I literally had zero editing skills prior to this video. I just winged it and relied on you tube and John in areas I didn’t know! I bet you can do it if you give it a shot! Hope that’s of some encouragement.