Vegan Ice Cream (5 ingredients)
This Vegan Ice Cream is rich, creamy, and incredible easy to make with only 5 ingredients! I share a ton of useful tips to make this your best homemade ice cream!
Ice cream. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who doesn’t like it. A creamy custard spun magically into a thick, creamy, cooling, sweet dessert of all flavours? Yes yes yes. I’ve made many vegan ice creams over the years: strawberry, chocolate, mango, even blueberry! Yes somehow, I never made my favourite flavour: vanilla bean.
Yes friends. I’m that girl who loves vanilla ice cream. In a world of over 1,000 ice cream flavours, I’ve chosen vanilla bean. Something about that classic flavour gets me every time. I love seeing the vanilla bean dots throughout. I mean, I’ll try ALL the flavours – but this one just gets me. Today I’m sharing a really simple vegan vanilla ice cream that’ll rock your world.
Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream Ingredients
This ice cream is a cashew and coconut cream based ice cream. The two flavours come together in such a way that you don’t even end up tasting either of them, just a delicious ice cream flavour. All the ingredients are important in here, so I want to get into each of them:
Cashews: cashews are the base of this ice cream, along with coconut milk. The two are combined to make like the ultimate cashew milk that make this the kind of ice cream that Gav scooped directly into his mouth from the container. You want the best possible quality, so I recommend doing the most. Soak your cashews overnight. Use the best quality you can find. This is my favourite brand.
Vanilla Bean Paste/Vanilla Bean Extract/A Vanilla Bean: Vanilla Bean Paste is my go to for this recipe. I use the one from Nielssen Massey which I go through at alarming rates because what’s a dessert without vanilla extract? You can also use a few vanilla beans or vanilla extract of equal amounts.
Coconut Milk: I use canned full fat coconut milk. Surprisingly, you don’t have to separate the liquids here. Since I had to make a kind of cashew milk anyway, I decided to use the liquid from the canned coconut milk as the “water” of the cashew milk. It takes it over the top, you don’t have to try and separate it, and you get amazing ice cream.
Sugar: ⅔ cup goes a long way in this recipe. If you want a slightly less sweet ice cream, use ½ cup instead. I used regular cane sugar, but you can use brown sugar or white sugar.
Sea salt: a pinch of sea salt always acts as a flavour enhancer, and balances the sweetness.
Ice cream making Tips & FAQ
- I used an ice cream maker to make this recipe that was gifted to me by my bestie Kellie. Needless to say, I’ve made ice cream way SO many times now that I know how easy it is to make with an ice cream maker! Ensure your ice cream maker freezer base is ready! It can be tempting to shorten this time but it’s necessarily to get the mixture cold enough to turn it into ice cream. I just leave my base in the freezer, which means it’s always ready!
- It’s important to use full fat coconut milk. Don’t use lite. Also remember we are using the full can of coconut milk. Also, do not substitute coconut milk powder. It isn’t creamy enough and will result in icy ice cream.
- Don’t rush your ice cream base (the actual mixture) chilling time. I made it after 10 minutes in the freezer, and after a few hours in the fridge and after whole night in the fridge. The last two were far more creamy, set much faster in the ice cream maker, and were much easier to scoop. I highly recommend chilling the cashew cream for the right length of time.
- If you live in a hot climate (like I do) I recommend doing this in the coolest part of your house or turning on your AC if you have one. This ensures the mixture solidifies properly.
- Always cover your finished ice cream as per the recipe, otherwise ice particles will form in it and result in some small ice chunks.
- If you’re not using an ice cream maker; follow my tips from my chocolate avocado ice cream to get the best texture.
This vegan ice cream is:
- Creamy
- Smooth
- Easy to make
- Incredible flavour
Okay friends, let’s get to making ice cream!! Enjoy so much!!
Enjoy friends! If you make these Vegan Ice Cream, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Ice Cream (5 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in water overnight, drained
- 2 cans of full fat coconut milk , (two 13.4 ounce cans)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste , or extract or 1 vanilla bean
- 2/3 cup cane sugar , or other granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Ensure your cashews are completely soaked from before. Also ensure your ice cream maker freezer base is in the freezer for at least 7 to 24 hours before (preferably 24 hours) . If you just keep it in your freezer, then it’s always ready!
- In a high speed blender, blend the soaked cashews, coconut milk, vanilla bean paste, cane sugar and the sea salt together until completely smooth, about 2-4 minutes on high speed depending on your blender. You want to ensure it’s 100% smooth, so feel free to blend longer until you’re sure all the cashews are blended out. If that means you need to blend longer, definitely blend until fully smooth.
- Pour mixture into a bowl, container or leave in the blender and cover. Sometimes the mixture can get hot while blending. Place it in the fridge for 4 hours in the coldest spot, up to 2 days if you don't plan to make the ice cream immediately.
- Remove from the fridge. Set up your ice cream machine and place the ice cream maker freezer base into the machine and pour the ice cream mixture in. Prepare according to manufacturer settings, for about 20-25 minutes of churning. The mixture should be thick and smooth. If you're not using an ice cream maker, check out my chocolate avocado post for no churn instructions.
- Scoop the soft serve ice cream into a container (I use a loaf pan) and smooth down. Place plastic wrap or a reusable wrap or parchment or wax paper flat against the ice cream, then wrap the outside of the pan too. You want to ensure it's all protected from ice crystals. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours to set up, even overnight if you desire. You can also enjoy it immediately like soft serve!
- After at least 4 hours in the freezer, remove container from freezer and allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes on the counter (like you would store bought ice cream). Scoop, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Ice cream making Tips & FAQ
- I used an ice cream maker to make this recipe. Ensure your ice cream maker base is ready! It can be tempting to shorten this time but it’s necessarily to get the mixture cold enough to turn it into ice cream. I just leave my base in the freezer, which means it’s always ready!
- It’s important to use full fat coconut milk. Don’t use lite. Also remember we are using the full can of coconut milk. Also, do not substitute coconut milk powder. It isn’t creamy enough and will result in icy ice cream.
- Don't rush your ice cream base (the actual mixture) chilling time. I made it after 10 minutes in the freezer, and after a few hours in the fridge and after whole night in the fridge. The last two were far more creamy, set much faster in the ice cream maker, and were much easier to scoop. I highly recommend chilling the cashew cream for the right length of time.
- If you live in a hot climate (like I do) I recommend doing this in the coolest part of your house or turning on your AC if you have one. This ensures the mixture solidifies properly.
- Always cover your finished ice cream as per the recipe, otherwise ice particles will form in it and result in some small ice chunks.
- If you're not using an ice cream maker; follow my tips from my chocolate avocado ice cream to get the best texture.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Hi Jessica, I just found your site and recipes. I was looking for a recipe to make vegan ice cream that wasn’t too complicated and yours seem awesom. Can I use almonds instead of cashews?
Haven’t tried this yet but was wondering, can a can of coconut cream be used instead of the full-fat coconut milk? Would it make it more creamier tasting?
Yes you can use that! It would only make it even creamier in a good way! 😊
This recipe is delicious as is. No changes at all. However, I discovered that I can use this mixture, before it’s turned into ice cream, as a dessert topping. I had my container of mixture in my refrigerator and it had solidified almost like a whipped cream. I was having dessert the other night of a bowl of berries and decided to just plop some of this on top. It was fabulous! In the future I will halve this recipe and just keep it in the fridge to have on hand as a dessert topping. I can see it working well as a topping for a cream pie, too. Thanks for another great and simple recipe!
Is it possible to sub the vanilla extract for any other flavor extract to make a different flavored ice cream?
Hi Carrie,
Yes for sure!!
Thank you for your reply! if i were to use tiny chopped cashew piece instead of whole pieces, would the best way to measure it be in grams?
Hi Carrie,
Yes for sure! I do that sometimes too and measure in grams!
1 cup cashews is about 150grams
You have recipes, but you didn’t say how to make vegan ice cream. How do you prepare the ingredients?
.
Hi Helen it looks like you passed the recipe card by accident (it’s right above the comments). Alternatively just click jump to recipe at the top of this page to take you to the recipe!
Hi Jessica, do you know how long the shelf life is for this recipe?
Hi Lasie,
It all depends on your freezer and how you store it! If your freezer doesn’t cause freezer burn easily and you store it in an ice cream container you should get a good 1-2 months out of it!
Is it possible to sub the cashews with something else? Nut and dairy allergy.
Hi Elaine,
I haven’t tried it but I know Silken tofu may work well here!
I’ve been playing with my new ice cream maker and had to try this one! It is very rich and has a great texture even if it’s been in the freezer for a while. I love to just go scoop out a portion and not have to wait… and this seems to fill the bill with my freezer setting!
Thanks for a great recipe.
I’d really be interested in others without coconut milk or only partially coconut milk., too.
Hi Jessica, this sounds delicious! What do you suggest if I want to make coffee flavored ice-cream? I have both organic beans and instant.
Hi Mimi,
Thanks! Here you go:
1/4 cup coarsely ground coffee beans or 2-3 tablespoons instant coffee powder (adjust to taste)
For instant coffee powder – just blend that in and blend it in well! OR, If you’re using coffee beans, place them in a coffee filter or a mesh bag and tie it securely. Submerge the coffee filter or bag in the milk separately first. Let it steep for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the coffee filter or bag (if using beans) and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any coffee grounds or solids. Enjoy!