This vegan eggnog ice cream is full of the festive flavors of the season and irresistibly creamy thanks to oats, oat milk, and cashews. Only 9 ingredients and no coconut milk! No-churn option included.
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I recently shared a creamy oat milk eggnog recipe, and around the same time, I decided to splurge and upgrade my ice cream maker. So obviously, vegan eggnog ice cream was in order! And let me tell you, friends, it is SO good.
This recipe uses a vegan ice cream base similar to my homemade oat milk ice cream, with spices and bourbon added to give it that festive, eggnog flavor. It's creamy, sweet, perfectly spiced, and totally irresistible.
We devoured two batches in record time, and honestly, I'm ready to make another. With nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and maple syrup, I think you're going to love it, too!
Ingredients
- non-dairy milk - Oat milk's neutral flavor and creaminess work really well for vegan ice cream, but soy, almond, cashew, or coconut may also be used. One thing to note: fat is very important in ice cream, and this one already has less fat than most recipes. So for the best results, I recommend using a store-bought, classic oat milk, such as Oatly (regular or full-fat). Or if you use my oat milk recipe, definitely include the additional fat.
- raw cashews - Cashews work well because of their neutral taste and creaminess and are important for the overall consistency of the ice cream.
- rolled oats - Using oatmeal in vegan ice cream is a trick I learned from Miyoko Schinner's book The Homemade Vegan Pantry (I now have 7 ice cream recipes made this way). I've experimented with other methods in an effort to create vegan ice cream without coconut milk (because so many recipes rely on it). And without turning to various oils and gums, nothing works quite as well as oats.
- pure maple syrup - Sugars and syrup are important for the overall texture of any type of ice cream, but especially when you're creating a dairy-free ice cream base that's low in saturated fat. You could probably substitute a homemade simple syrup here, or agave syrup, but then you'll miss out on the lovely maple flavor.
- vanilla extract - We're not going for big vanilla flavor here, so you only need about 1 teaspoon.
- spices - Typically, nutmeg is the only spice in eggnog, but I thought the ice cream would taste great with cinnamon and cloves, too. We enjoyed it so much I decided to stick with it! Feel free to play around with the spices, if you like.
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
How to Make Vegan Eggnog Ice Cream
Oatmeal is our secret ingredient, so that's how the recipe begins. Simmer the oats in 1 cup of non-dairy milk until soft. Then set the oatmeal aside to cool.
Blend the cashews in 1 ½ cups of milk until smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients, including the oatmeal, and blend again. Transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker, or for no-churn, pour into ice cube trays or other freezer-safe container.
Once the eggnog ice cream is thick and has reached a soft serve consistency, transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 4 to 5 hours for a firm, scoop-able ice cream.
More vegan ice cream recipes:
Tips for Serving
Once the ice cream has been in the freezer for 4 hours or more, it will be fairly hard. Let it sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping and serving.
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Aside from being easier to scoop, it also tastes best as it's just getting melty. This is when the oats really show off their magic! The consistency is SO creamy.
No-Churn Instructions
If you don't own an ice cream maker, that's no problem! There are two different methods you can use to make creamy vegan ice cream at home.
- Standard No-Churn Method
- After blending the ice cream mixture, pour it into a shallow, freezer-safe container.
- Place it in the freezer until the ice cream mixture begins to freeze around the edges, about 45 minutes. Whisk it vigorously, and return it to the freezer.
- Repeat this process every 30 to 45 minutes until the ice cream is the desired consistency. It takes about 5 to 6 hours to reach soft-serve state.
- Ice Cube Tray & Food Processor Method
An easier, less hands-on method involves freezing the ice cream mixture in ice cube trays, and then blending the cubes in a food processor until creamy. This breaks up the ice crystals and creates a thick soft-serve consistency.
Enjoy as-is, or transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze as described in the main recipe.
Thoughts on Ice Cream Makers
If you enjoy homemade ice cream, investing in an a good quality ice cream machine can be both practical and a lot of fun. If you're thinking about purchasing one but not sure where to start, I've shared a few key points here based on my experience with two of the most popular machines.
For nearly 14 years, we used this Cuisinart 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker. When we bought ours the price was around $60. Now, it's double that amount.
The Cuisinart works very well and makes amazing ice cream, but freezing the canister can be a hassle. It's either always taking up freezer space, or you have to remember to freeze it 24 hours in advance. And after making ice cream, you'll need to freeze the canister again before you can make another batch.
This is why I finally decided to upgrade to a machine with built in compressor. And now that I have, I wish I hadn't waited so long! Basically, it has a mini freezer inside, so it freezes AND churns the ice cream. I chose the Whynter upright 2.1 Qt for its smaller footprint as compared to their other standard model.
I've used the Whynter machine three times so far and am very happy with it. It's also quieter than the Cuisinart.
When I purchased the Whynter ice cream maker a few weeks ago, just after Thanksgiving, the price was $289. Now, a few days before Christmas, I see it's up to $315. But there are other models from Whynter that are less expensive, as well as other many other brands that are highly rated and frequently on sale.
Considering the current price of the Cuisinart machine is $125, if you have the budget and plan to make ice cream fairly regularly, I personally think it's worth spending more for a machine with a built in compressor. Being able to simply plug it in and churn back-to-back batches of vegan ice cream is so convenient, especially for a recipe developer like myself.
FAQs
We are huge fans of oat milk for ice cream, with the addition of cooked oatmeal for an extra creamy mouthfeel. Soy, cashew, and coconut milk are also great, but keep in mind that they may impact the flavor or your vegan ice cream.
Since we're not using eggs or dairy to create our eggnog ice cream, the key ingredients and flavors are nutmeg, bourbon, and vanilla.
Yes, but keep in mind that other sweeteners won't add the same flavor as maple syrup. You can use regular granulated sugars or a strong, homemade simple syrup. Keep in mind that sugars are important to the consistency of ice cream. So I don't recommend reducing the amount.
I hope you enjoy this vegan eggnog ice cream! If you give it a try be sure to leave a comment below. And if you’re on instagram, tag a photo of your eggnog ice cream with @myquietkitchen. I love seeing what you’re making!
More Vegan Christmas Desserts
Recipe
Vegan Eggnog Ice Cream
Equipment
- ice cream maker - optional
Ingredients
- 3½ cups unsweetened oat milk (preferably not a low-fat variety) - or a combination of soy, cashew, or oat
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1¼ cups raw cashews - If you don't have a high speed blender, sub ½ cup raw cashew butter
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 Tablespoons bourbon (1.5 fl oz) - see Notes
Instructions
Planning:
- For no-churn instructions, refer to the section above. If using an ice cream maker with removable canister, be sure to freeze the canister for at least 24 hours before you plan to make ice cream. Also note that the ice cream mixture needs time to chill before churning (about 1 hour), and the churned ice cream needs several hours in the freezer to reach a firm, scoop-able consistency.
Make the ice cream:
- In a small sauce pan, combine 1 cup of the milk and the oats. Bring to a simmer, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- In a blender combine 1½ cups of milk with the cashews. Blend on high until completely smooth. Add the remaining 1 cup milk, oatmeal, maple syrup, vanilla, spices, salt, and bourbon. Blend until smooth, and refrigerate until chilled.
- Churn the ice cream mixture according manufacturer's instructions for your machine. Once it has reached a soft-serve consistency, you can obviously enjoy some now, or scoop it all into a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for about 4 hours.
- Around the 4 hour mark, and definitely once the ice cream has been in the freezer overnight, it will be fairly hard. Let it soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Jen says
This eggnog ice cream is delicious! I mixed it up about a month ago and it's been in a ninja creami container in the freezer ever since. We "spun" it and ate it tonight and it was wonderful. Your ice cream recipes are great.
Ann says
We are nut-free over here at my house. Do you think 1/2 cup of sunflower butter (to sub for cashews) would be acceptable?
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Ann - Yes, definitly. Since sunflower butter is roasted, it will add a roasty flavor, which could be really tasty. Raw sunflower seeds are another option.
Jen says
Blended this in my Vitamix (after simmering the oats in homemade soymilk). It's now in a Creami container in the freezer. I licked the spoon and it tastes delicious. I'll let you know what we think after we make it in the Ninja Creami (but I know it will be good).
Grant says
This looks amazing! We are going to try it this weekend!