This Homemade Cinnamon Ice Cream is a cozy and healthy dessert recipe that’s packed with soothing spices (it’s also dairy-free and vegan).
With this dessert recipe, I exclaimed “THIS IS SO GOOD” as soon as I took the first bite! Of course, Alex, a little less emotional than me, just nodded and continued eating: which was just as impressive. This homemade cinnamon ice cream with apple cider reduction blew our minds as an easy and cozy dessert recipe that’s also inherently vegan. Read on for the cinnamon ice cream recipe and a little more about apple cider reduction!
How to make a cider reduction
Cider reduction is a great and original way to use cider. Alex originally conceived this idea as a fall version of our Peppermint Ice Cream and Hot Cocoa Affogato, where hot cocoa is poured over peppermint ice cream, much like a root beer float. We tried a Hot Cider Float which, as you can imagine, turned into a white, watery mess (and yes, we were serving guests… luckily the taste made up for it!). For the rest of the cider, we decided to reduce it a bit and ended up with a caramelized, gooey sauce that could only be described as the “essence of cider.” It is of good quality.
To make a cider reduction, all you have to do is let the cider simmer until it’s reduced to a thick, gooey sauce, about 30 to 35 minutes. Watch the last 10 minutes carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn or scorch. Take it into a separate container and let it cool too much, which should thicken it considerably. Then use it to drizzle over your ice cream!
How to make homemade cinnamon ice cream
Alex and my ice cream method are a bit unconventional: it’s actually vegan ice cream! While we’re not 100% vegan ourselves, we love making vegan ice cream because it’s a little quicker to make than regular ice cream and it’s suitable for people of all diets. Also, regular ice cream can sometimes be hard on the stomach, while vegan ice cream goes down easier! Either way, making cinnamon ice cream vegan is easy: just mix chilled coconut milk with maple syrup, a vanilla bean, and cinnamon and pour into an ice cream maker. The resulting ice cream is creamy and flavorful, perfect for topping with cider reduction!
Looking for vegan dessert recipes?
Aside from this cinnamon ice cream with apple cider reduction, here are some of our favorite vegan dessert recipes on A Couple Cooks:
This recipe is…
This homemade cinnamon ice cream with apple cider reduction is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened.
The description
This Homemade Cinnamon Ice Cream with Apple Cider Reduction is a cozy and healthy dessert recipe that’s packed with soothing spices. It’s also naturally vegan!
For the homemade cinnamon ice cream
- 141 ounce whole coconut milk, chilled
- 14-oz can of light coconut milk, chilled
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 teaspoons Cinammon
- pinch of kosher salt
For the cider reduction & for serving
- 3 cups cider
- Pecan chunks, if desired
- Make the Homemade Cinnamon Ice Cream: In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and maple syrup.
- Halve the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife. Scrape out the seeds with a knife, then add to the bowl with the coconut milk and maple. Add cinnamon and kosher salt and whisk vigorously.
- Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker (make sure the mixture is cold before freezing). Eat the ice cream immediately for a chewy texture, or freeze for about 2 hours for a harder texture.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cider reduction: In a saucepan, heat the cider over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture thickens and turns a caramel color, but before it burns or sets, 30 to 35 minutes. Watch the last 10 minutes carefully to make sure you get the timing right. Pour into a separate container and let cool (it will thicken as it cools). Reheat if needed before serving.
- To serve, top cinnamon ice cream with apple cider reduction and garnish with pecan chunks, if desired.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frozen
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Cinnamon ice cream, homemade cinnamon ice cream, apple wine reduction, dessert, vegan, gluten-free,
