Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream with just 5 grams of fat per serving? Yes! And it's made with simple ingredients and is impossibly creamy and delicious! This healthy pumpkin ice cream is vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, oil-free, and made without coconut milk. But I promise the flavor and creaminess will impress!
My excitement for this new method of making vegan ice cream is so over the top, I don't think I can write this post without sounding like a cheesy, overly enthusiastic infomercial person! I mean, just look at it. So melty and thick and creamy.
This trick of using blended oatmeal isn't my original idea. So indulge me for a moment while I give credit to Miyoko.
Update: I have a NEW way of making vegan ice cream that has me just as excited! Check out this nut-free Chocolate Chickpea Ice Cream!
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The Inspiration
After falling in love with this Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Pie, I was deciding what type of pumpkin dessert to make next. I wanted to keep it healthy-ish, and realized the pumpkin pie filling itself would probably translate really well into ice cream.
Later that night I was reading through Miyoko Schinner's The Homemade Vegan Pantry, and I spotted her recipe for luscious, low-fat vanilla oat gelato. The pumpkin pie filling also uses oats. Intrigue was building!
In the instructions she mentions that the texture of the ice cream might seem stretchy or gummy after churning, and not to be put off by it. And that was the light bulb moment. If you've ever made oat milk, you know how challenging it can be to prevent the dreaded oat slime.
Well, slimy milk is definitely not ideal, but guess what... with ice cream, after you freeze it, that gooey oat stuff becomes creaminess. That Miyoko is a genius, I tell you!
I couldn't wait to get a batch of pumpkin ice cream going. I tested it (and we ate it) twice over the next two days, and I was so excited to share share the recipe.
Then, while thumbing through her book again a couple of nights later (yeah, I read cookbooks before bed), I flipped to the page after the vanilla oat gelato, and saw a recipe for chocolate gelato. Cool, that sounds yum, but in small print at the bottom of the page was a variation for Pumpkin Oat Gelato.
My first thought was, "Oh no! Now I can't share my pumpkin ice cream because our recipes are so similar." (They're not exactly the same, but close.)
I'd planned to credit her vanilla gelato recipe for inspiring this one, of course, but I certainly didn't want it to seem like I'd just copied the pumpkin version from her book.
I'm always very mindful of following proper blogger etiquette, giving credit to those who inspire our recipes and never stealing someone else's work!
I thought about it some more and I came to the conclusion that it would be okay for me to share this vegan pumpkin ice cream for two main reasons:
a) this is Miyoko Schinner we're talking about. She's running a vegan creamery empire and really isn't impacted by this at all (unless maybe I can actually help sell a few copies of The Homemade Vegan Pantry by telling you how amazing it is - because it really is!).
And b) I truly did test this ice cream twice before seeing her variation.
So, I decided to share this story with you and get some awesome, low-fat, life-changing vegan pumpkin ice cream into your hands. And really, ALL pumpkin desserts contain pretty much the same spices in similar amounts, so these things are inevitable!
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
- unsweetened non-dairy milk - such as soy, oat, cashew, or almond
- canned pumpkin - or home-cooked pumpkin puree
- coconut sugar - or substitute maple syrup, brown sugar, or a combination of brown and regular cane sugar.
- raw cashews
- old fashioned rolled oats
- pumpkin pie spice
- ground cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- salt
SO many vegan ice cream recipes call for coconut milk, including this one of mine. I love coconut, but sometimes you don't want the flavor of coconut mucking up the other flavors, you know?
Sometimes it's nice to have vanilla that just tastes like vanilla, or coffee ice cream that tastes like coffee.
And then there are the people who really want to enjoy dairy-free ice cream recipes but are allergic to coconut. There are also a lot of folks who try to avoid the saturated fat in coconut for health reasons.
I imagine they're all pretty tired of clicking on recipe after recipe online and seeing coconut milk every time. This is why I'm SO excited to know we can use a small amount of oatmeal to replace the fat content of coconut milk!
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream
If using an ice cream maker with a freezable canister, be sure to put it in the freezer the day before.
- First, cook the oats in a small saucepan until soft. In a blender combine the milk and cashews and blend until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and blend again. Refrigerate the mixture until cold, several hours to overnight.
- Churn the mixture according the instructions for your ice cream maker. The ice cream will be very thick.
- For a firmer consistency, transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for 3 to 4 hours. Around the 4 hour mark, and definitely if left in the freezer longer, the ice cream will be hard. Allow it to soften at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping.
More Oat-Based Ice Cream Recipes
- Lemon Ice Cream
- Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- Vanilla-Maple Oat Milk Ice Cream
- Low-Fat Cranberry Oat Gelato
- Pistachio Ice Cream
Substitutions
- I tested the recipe using coconut sugar, but you can use brown and/or organic cane sugar, if preferred. Also, Miyoko's recipe calls for ¾ cup maple syrup as the sweetener, so that's another option.
- I've tested soy and almond milks as the liquid in this recipe, and both were good, though soy is creamier. Feel free to use any unsweetened milk that suits your dietary needs. Oat milk is also great.
- If you can't eat cashews and don't mind using coconut, feel free to replace the cashews with ⅓ cup coconut cream. Almond, macadamia, or pecan butter would also work (¼ cup).
Tips
Unfortunately, I haven't had an opportunity yet to test this recipe yet using the no-churn method. I'm pretty confident you won't get the same results, but it's worth a shot!
So if you don't have an ice cream maker, pour the chilled mixture into a freezer-safe container, and vigorously stir it every 30 to 45 minutes until it's as frozen as you like (about 5 hours).
If you have a handheld or stand mixer, another option is to beat air into the mixture before transferring it to a freezer-safe container and freezing for 5 hours.
I've been using this Cuisinart 2 Quart ice cream maker for years and can recommend it as a dependable option.
I hope you LOVE this Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream as much as we do! If you do try this recipe, please let us know in the comments below. You can also tag me in a photo on facebook or instagram with @myquietkitchen if you feel like showing off your yummy vegan pumpkin ice cream.
Enjoy!
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream (No Coconut Milk)
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk, divided - such as soy, oat, or cashew
- scant ⅓ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup raw cashews - if you don't have a high speed blender, sub ¼ cup raw cashew butter.
- 1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin
- 1 cup coconut sugar or ¾ cup maple syrup - sub brown sugar or a brown/cane sugar combo, if preferred.
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Planning is key! If using an ice cream maker, be sure to put the canister in the freezer the day before you want to churn the ice cream. Also note that the ice cream mixture needs time to chill before churning, and the churned ice cream needs about 3 to 4 hours in the freezer for a firmer, scoopable consistency.
- In a small sauce pan, simmer the oats in 1 cup of the milk until the oats are soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl to cool.
- In a blender combine the remaining 2 cups of milk and the cashews. Blend on high until completely smooth.
- Add the pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, and oatmeal to the blender, and blend until smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Refrigerate the mixture for several hours or until cold (overnight is fine).
- Churn the mixture according the instructions for your ice cream maker. The ice cream will be very thick. Scoop it into a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for 3 to 4 hours.
- Around the 4 hour mark, and definitely if left in the freezer longer, the ice cream will be hard. Allow it to soften at room temperature for 10 to 15 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. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Teri Taylor
Have you tried it with maple syrup? I was wondering if that would make it more runny than the coconut sugar. Thank you!
Lori
Hi Teri, it's great with maple syrup (the vanilla version also uses maple syrup, in case you haven't seen that recipe yet). Hope you enjoy!
Linda L Dale
That seems like SO much pumpkin pie spice, especially for food that isn't cooked/baked. It's not overwhelming?
Lori
Hi Linda,
No, we didn't think so. Only 2 teaspoons for the entire batch of ice cream doesn't seem like a lot to me. Keep in mind that cold/frozen temperatures actually mute flavors. We do ALL have different preferences and taste buds, though! So if you think it might be too much for your palate you can certainly use less.
Danielle
This ice cream is heaven! I made it with the oat milk that I make… wow! The texture is perfect, ma husband was raving about it too! 🥰 Now I am making your pumpkin ice cream made with oat milk too… for tonight. I will make again the oat vanilla ice cream, but I will also experiment with my fruit powders (strawberry, raspberry, banana, pineapple)… for next time, I am pretty sure it will be perfect.
I would have put more stars, but therexwere only 5… 😅. Really good, thank you so much, I will make it often, it’s the no guilt ice cream also because much more healthy, no cholesterol and hardly any fat and so so good.
Molly Nolan
I just stumbled upon this. Vegan ice cream recipes with no coconut! I will be working my way through every non coconut recipe you have. Thanks!
Ginny Bates
I haven't tried this yet, but will next time we want ice cream. I very much like the idea of using oats for creaminess. I once tried (from another site) a vegan ice cream made with homemade oat milk. The oat milk was not slimy but it tasted raw to me, unpleasantly so. Good thing the sweeteners and flavorings covered that up. I have searched your site for a recipe for oat milk and haven't found one. I use a commercial brand in my coffee and cereal, but as I said, my homemade tastes raw. I'd like to be able to make a good oat milk at home. Any suggestions? Thanks so much. I love your site!
Lori
Hi Ginny,
Thanks so much for the kind words! Well, I probably won't be much help with oat milk (yet). I've been experimenting a lot with it recently, but for making yogurt. So I haven't actually consumed it plain and am not sure about the raw taste you mentioned. I have noticed I prefer the uncooked oat aroma and flavor of some of the batches of milk I've made, instead of the ones that I heated, which made it smell like oatmeal.
When I've used oat milk to make ice cream it's been store-bought (plus the cooked oats listed in the recipe). For the most neutral flavor in ice cream store-bought is probably the best bet!
Nina Windhauser
This ice cream was pure heaven! Loved that it wasn't full of cashews!
Lori
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Nina! 😀
Christine
This ice cream is outstanding! I used Silk oat milk, brown sugar, and only 1 t of cinnamon (no pumpkin pie spice…just my personal preference).
It’s sooo good! I’ll be making it often! Thank you! 😁
Krista
When I first saw the headline, I was overjoyed because I'm highly allergic to coconuts, but then I see coconut sugar and I'm just so betrayed. I'm very annoyed by humanities obsession with this fruit(?); I can't buy most lactose free ice cream because that's the primary ingredient. Anyway, I know it probably didn't occur to you that it would attract people like me but if your next recipe/headline could state possible allergens and not bait me into thinking I can make a less calorie ridden ice cream, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Lori
Hi Krista, the recipe clearly states several sweetener options. Brown, regular, date, maple, any can be used. Baiting and disappointing was certainly not intended.
Debbie
I’m wondering if anyone has tried this recipe in the Ninja Creami? I’m thinking that I could mix it all up as per the instructions and then freeze it and when I’m ready put it in the Creami? I love that it has no coconut milk in it!
Lori
Hi Debbie, yes. I recall someone said they made the vanilla version in their Ninja Creami and it turned out great.
Destini
I just made the vanilla in my ninja creami. It was absolutely mind blowing. I have the pumpkin version in the freezer now.
Linda Dale
Krista, I don't use refined sugars of any kind, so whenever I come across a recipe I want to try, but it calls for coconut sugar, I just substitute pitted Medjool dates. Dates aren't just sweet, they actually have a rich flavor that is perfect in ice creams.
Anthea
I CAN'T wait to try this!!! I've been looking for an easy coconut free ice cream!
Lori
Oh good! So glad you’re excited about it, Anthea. I would love to hear your thoughts after you try it! 😀
Denise Castillo
I have a”Yonana” ice cream maker, that uses frozen fruit to make the ice cream. Can I freeze the mixture in an ice cube tray, so I can use them to make ice cream in this machine?
Lori
Hi Denise, I've heard of Yonana machines but haven't used one. (I use a food processor to make banana/fruit ice cream.) So, you probably know much better than I whether that could work. 🙂 If the cubes were fully frozen (rock hard), I'm afraid it would be tough on the machine, and I definitely wouldn't want you to damage it. Wish I could give you a more definitive answer. If you do experiment with it I would love for you to come back and let us know!