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!
What is Masala Chai?
Masala chai is a creamy, spiced tea that’s most popular in India but is increasingly enjoyed around the world. The primary difference between chai and masala chai is that masala chai includes spices, while chai is simply tea and milk.
Chai is typically made with four components:
- Black tea (we prefer bagged or loose-leaf, decaf when possible)
- Milk (we went dairy-free with coconut and/or cashew )
- Sweetener (we went for a little maple syrup)
- Spices (ginger, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, black pepper)
The spices vary depending on the recipe, but our favorite combination is cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, and ginger.
For a more authentic recipe and to learn more about this delicious Indian tea, see this video from Bhavna’s Kitchen.
This Indian-inspired 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 (learn more about its origins here). 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
- 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.
- 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.
- In the meantime, drain cashews and measure out other ingredients.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Video
Notes
*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.
Kiran says
I am excited to try this. Which ice cream maker do you use?
Hi Kiran, we like this one.
Emagene says
Would soaking roasted cashews work for this recipe?
Hmm, we haven’t tried it with roasted cashews, but would recommend raw if possible as it may impact the flavor. Let us know if you try with roasted though!
Kristen says
I’m not a big fan of anything coconut- milk or oil. Could I sub the coconut oil here for something else?
Hi Kristen, We find that the coconut oil helps it thicken and remain creamy once frozen. But another oil might work!
Charis says
Really creamy and delicious! Used dates as the sweetening and it worked well! Had to soak them first though.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Charis! Thanks for sharing!
Jamie Bono says
I can’t wait! I have cashew milk from the store- can I use that?
Hi Jamie, we think you could use cashew milk in place of the coconut milk, but we wouldn’t recommend using it in place of the cashews because it wouldn’t provide enough substance.
Jenny says
Lovely flavor but it froze to hard to eat
Sorry to hear that was your experience, Jenny! What type of non-dairy milk did you use? Did you make any modifications?
Jenny says
I followed the recipe but I used rice milk instead of coconut milk
Ah! That’s likely the issue then. It has a higher water content and lower fat content, which will cause it to be more icy.
Briana says
This recipe was so creamy and spiced flavorful, without being overwhelming! That was a bit concern for me in the beginning being over powerful spiced, but don’t have to worry about it now!! I used cashew milk, because I don’t like coconut milk, and it became my new favorite ice cream!!! It’s a keeper!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Briana! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Bri says
Delicious! Super Creamy and Chai flavorful, without being over-powerful. I used cashew milk because I’m not a fan of coconut milk, and it worked out AMAZING! This recipe is a keeper!
Emma says
This is AMAZING! I have made this ice cream 3 days in a row.?
My dad LOVES this (he was addicted to non-healthy ice cream before) and everyone I’ve allowed to try it has said it tastes like ice cream.
I wanted less of a coconut flavor so I have substituted other dairy-free milks (milkadamia milk, almond milk, and oat milk) and it tastes amazing. I also have been trying to avoid refined sugar, so I use monk fruit sweetener — and again, it tastes amazing.
The best part is I never feel bloated after eating it. I just feel happy. ? Thank you so much for this recipe!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Emma. We are so glad you enjoy this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Rita Brengle says
This vegan ice cream exceeded my expectations. Smooth and creamy, luxuriously Chai! I did use white pepper (common in chai) instead of black, and honey (also common in chai) instead of maple syrup.
Wonderful – thanks for sharing!
Miguel says
Hello I wanted to know if I can make this ice cream but a different flavor. I don’t want to use the tea, could I change that for strawberry or cacao?
Thank you,
Miguel
Hi Miguel, we haven’t tried either, but maybe? We have a great recipe for chocolate ice cream though here.
sandip bains says
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!
Rose says
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.
Rose says
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.
Rose says
I have your cookbook! Found it along with strawberry swirl. ?
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try it.
xoxo!
Live Better Lucy says
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!
Sonia J Steinbach says
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?
Mary says
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.
Jocelyn says
What are your thoughts on hiding sweetened almond milk? (I have a half gallon I need to use!) Could I eliminate the sugar completely? Thanks!
We would say maybe use half as much sugar?
Jocelyn says
Thanks! In the meantime, I gave three milk to my neighbor :). I have everything I need to make it as written.
E says
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!
Vitoria says
**I mean substitute coconut manna + water for both the milk and oil… sorry!
Vitoria says
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!
zvodret iluret says
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.
Anne-Margaret says
Hello I love your recipes! How can I make this just a plain vanilla ice cream? Omit the tea and spices? Thank you
Clifford says
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 :-)
Hopkintonrunner says
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.
melissa says
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.
Peggy says
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!
Alicia Fabbri says
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!
Tiara says
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?
Hanna says
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!
Kathleen Dobbs says
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!
Patti J. says
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!
ellen says
is there a substitute for cashews? i’m allergic
Kristine says
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!
Graceread says
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).
Whitney says
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!
Jennifer says
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!
Penny says
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.
Sara says
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.
Sara says
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.
Peggy says
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.
Sara says
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.
Natalie says
By “light coconut milk” do you mean canned or boxed coconut milk?
Thanks :)
Dalila says
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?
Renie B says
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!
Peggy says
I used cocoa butter. I like the mouthfeel it has, closer to butterfat, and it is delicious too.
Sarah says
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
Erica says
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!
Todd Kelly says
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!
Aidan says
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
Sarah says
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
Kristin says
Absolutely wonderful Dana. Thank you for yet another vegan version of something I adore. You’re brilliant in the kitchen!
Todd says
why does the ice cream only last 1 week in the freezer? What happens after a week?
Emily G. says
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. (:
Riley says
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!
Lea says
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?
Patricia says
Hi ! I’am wondering if I can do this without ice cream maker ? Thank you very much !!!
It just looks amazing ?
Steven says
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.
Esther says
Hi,
I have done exactly the same but my ice cream turn hard as rock ! What is the problem ?
Thank you !
Colleen says
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!
JISANN says
I love you for this recipe!!!
Margith says
Anyone who made this WITHOUT an ice cream maker? Let me know :-D
Silvia says
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.
Cliff Mossey says
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
VeganFamily_Mama says
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
Danielle says
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.
Heidi says
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!!!
Rachel says
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?
Cassie says
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.
Jennifer says
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!
Melinda says
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!
Tricia says
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!!
Cary says
How much (quantity) do you end up with once it’s churned? It looks so great!
About 3 cups!
Nirmanie says
Loved the video!!! For someone who had zero video editing/making skills, that was awesome stuff!
Kuljeet says
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!!
Claire says
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?
Sheila says
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!
katie says
what kind of ice cream churner do you use? is it just an actual ice cream maker?
Find that info here!
AJ says
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.
fedz says
I think I want to try this.. Thanks for sharing!
Kat says
Thank you. Being a very visual learner, I really appreciate the beautifully filmed video! Made it so much easier to make myself ; )
Risa Raye says
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!
Dana says
If cashew milk is used instead of the coconut milk, then is it necessary to add the cashews?
Marc says
This was a major hit at a vegan potluck I attended last night!
Anonymous says
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.
Gundula says
Thank you for this recipe. Just tried it and it is amazing. So creamy and smooth
Alandria says
Could I use homeade cashew milk or maybe coconut milk thats in a carton instead?
Risa Raye says
I used cashew milk & it was still so good~
Fiona says
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!!
Michaela says
Could I use this recipe as a vegan vanilla ice cream base by eliminating everything chai?
Elisa Dore says
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.
Kathy Sturr of the Violet Fern says
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!
Belenda says
can I sub dates and/or xylitol for the agave and cane sugar? If so would it be 1:1?
Misty says
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
Ellen Lederman says
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.
Gabby says
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!
Sasha says
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!
alice says
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?
meaghan says
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?
meaghan says
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!
meaghan says
pumpkin seed butter totally works! yum!!!! i used just less than a cup
Kelly says
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 :)
Pang@circahappy says
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!
Ivana says
I would love to see more videos !
Stephanie says
I used almonds instead and it turned out just as great!!
James says
Really enjoyed the video…what program did you use to create it?
Just Adobe Premiere :D
Jill says
Can you make this without an ice cream maker??
Jason says
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?
Cynthia G says
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
Verena says
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!
Sarah says
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?
Kristen says
Just saw the other comment – Sorry!
Kristen says
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.
Rachel says
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?
Katya says
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!!