Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Vegan)

An ice cream scoop resting in a pan of coconut ice cream sprinkled with toasted coconut.

Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Vegan)

Prep Time 10

Churn & freeze time: 4

Total Time 4 10

Servings:10 servings

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

This 5-ingredient coconut ice cream is luxuriously smooth, creamy, decadent, and SO easy to make! No cooking or extra steps - simply blend and churn. The sweet coconut flavor is delicious on its own and serves as a great base for all of your favorite ice cream mix-ins and flavors.

Ingredients
US Customary | Metric

1 (14 oz) can full-fat coconut milk - see Note 1
1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut cream - or an additional can of coconut milk
⅓ cup sugar plus 1 Tablespoon
3 large pitted medjool dates, optional - or 2-3 additional tablespoon sugar, to taste
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons powdered sunflower lecithin, optional - emulsifier; serves as an egg replacer

Instructions

For no-churn instructions, see recipe notes. If using an ice cream maker with a removable canister, be sure to place the canister in the freezer at least 24 hours before making ice cream.
Shake the cans of coconut milk before opening. In a high-speed blender, combine the coconut milk/cream, sugar, dates, vanilla, and salt. (Note: if not including dates, a standard blender is fine.) Blend on high speed for about 1 minute or until the dates are fully blended. Add the lecithin, if using, and blend again.
Churn the coconut ice cream mixture according to the directions for your ice cream machine. Once it reaches soft-serve consistency, enjoy now (it's difficult not to!), or for scoop-able ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container or individual-serving containers, cover, and freeze for about 4 hours. Let soften at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

**Find helpful tips and information in the Ingredient and FAQ sections above.**

Note 1: I use Goya coconut milk and Good & Gather (Target) coconut cream. Note that coconut cream is the same as coconut milk, just with a higher concentration of coconut. It's not the same as cream of coconut, which is sweetened.

No-Churn Instructions - 2 options:

1. Standard Method

After blending the ice cream mixture, pour into a shallow, freezer-safe container. Place in the freezer and whisk vigorously every 45-60 minutes (this incorporates air and breaks up the icy parts). Repeat until the ice cream is the desired consistency, usually 5 to 6 hours for soft-serve.

2. Freeze & Blend 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. You'll need to add a splash of non-dairy milk. This breaks up the ice crystals and creates a thick soft-serve consistency.

Store coconut ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. Soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition