Vegan Mint Chocolate Ice Cream gets its richness from coconut milk and freezes beautifully. Super creamy! Super minty! Super chocolaty!
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
I have a weakness in my heart for dairy-free ice cream — and it’s not because I can’t have dairy. My family and I eat our fair share of cheese, sour cream, and yes, real ice cream, too.
If you’ve never made dairy-free ice cream before, you’ll be delighted: it doesn’t require many fancy ingredients.
I’ll walk you through making the ice base below, but first a few things you should know:
1. The recipe calls for full-fat coconut milk and there’s really no wiggle room. Neither light coconut milk nor coconut cream will work here. Other non-dairy alternatives like nut milk don’t get the same results – we need that coconut oil to make sure this ice cream is super creamy.
2. The cornstarch also does some of the heavy lifting in this recipe. It helps thicken the base and keeps the ice cream from getting icy or scorching in the freezer — something so many homemade ice creams fall victim to. (By the way, if you prefer arrowroot over cornstarch, you can substitute it 1-for-1 here.)
3. I’m using regular granulated sugar here, but I’ve experimented with both honey and agave. If you like liquid sweeteners, you can substitute those instead (the amount of each ingredient is the same). Surprisingly, the texture and overall flavor of the ice cream is basically the same no matter what sweetener you use.
One caveat: This recipe requires a bit of advance planning. When the ice cream craving hits, know that you’re in for a few rounds of chilling, each a few hours long. I always make the base the night before, stir the ice cream the next morning and pop it in the freezer so it’s completely set and ready to serve by the evening.
Other great vegan desserts to try!
- blueberry sorbet
- Gluten-free (and vegan!) Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
- Vegan date caramel dip
- Apple Pie Smoothie
- Vegan chocolate pudding
Vegan Mint Chocolate Ice Cream
Note that the FDA lists coconut as a tree nut, although many people with tree nut allergies do well with coconut. If you’re unsure if the person or people eating your cookies have a nut allergy that contains coconut, ask them before making this recipe.
ingredients
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2 (14–Ounce) cans full fat coconut milk
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1/2 cup (100G) granulated sugar
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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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2 tablespoon cornstarch
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1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
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3/4 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
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3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolatechopped into pieces (about 3/4 cup; use allergy-friendly chocolate if needed)
method
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Prepare your equipment:
The day before you want to make ice cream, place the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer compartment.
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Make the base:
Pour 1/4 cup of the coconut milk into a small bowl and set aside. Combine the remaining coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.
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Make the cornstarch slurry:
Stir the cornstarch into the bowl with the reserved coconut milk until completely dissolved.
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Add the cornstarch slurry:
Stir the cornstarch mixture into the warm coconut milk base on the stovetop and cook over medium-high heat until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture boil.
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Add Flavor:
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
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Chill the ice base:
Pour the mixture into a shallow container and let it cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Cover and refrigerate container for at least 3 hours, or up to 3 days.
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Churn Ice Cream:
When you’re ready to process your ice cream, make sure the base mix is completely chilled. Pour the base into your ice cream maker and stir according to the manufacturer’s directions for 10 to 15 minutes. You’re looking for a texture that’s soft but thick, like frozen pudding or soft serve.
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Add chocolate:
When the ice cream is ready, with the mixer still running, add the chocolate chips and process until just combined.
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Freeze until hard:
Scrape the ice cream into a loaf pan (or other freezer-safe container) and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 3 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.
Before serving, let the ice cream sit on the counter until soft enough to scoop, usually about 10 minutes.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 443 | calories |
| 37g | Fat |
| 28g | carbohydrates |
| 5g | protein |
