Recipe

Top 3 Easy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes You Need to Try

By Jennifer Campestrini at Florida International University

Like millions of other people, ice cream is one of my favorite desserts in the whole world. It's sweet, creamy, and delicious. And you can have any flavor combination you want! There is truly nothing like it. One of the best ways to enjoy it is to avoid looking at the nutrition label at all costs. It may taste heavenly, but it's got devilish contents: high in fat and refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors and preservatives...it's no wonder eating ice cream for breakfast is looked down upon.

So maybe traditional ice cream isn't the greatest for your health. But, there are alternatives that are healthy, delicious, and could absolutely pass for real ice cream. And the greatest part is, you can easily make it at home. With these top 3 easy vegan ice cream recipes you need to try, you can make and enjoy ice cream fully, knowing it's doing your body good.

Each of these three recipes include a fruit as the star of the ice cream recipe. If you had not known the recipe beforehand, however, you may not have even been able to tell. That's what makes these easy vegan ice creams so spectacular In texture, flavor, consistency, and appearance, they are incredibly similar to traditional, store-bought ice cream. On top of that, all 3 of these recipes are fully vegan and they're gluten and dairy-free. Find all three delicious recipes down below.

Coconut Cream Ice Cream

  • Prep Time: 4 hrs
  • Total Time: 4 hrs
  • Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 3 cans full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp imitation coconut extract optional

Step 1

Once purchased, store cans upright and limit movement. When ready to prepare ice cream, open cans from the top and scoop out the top portion of the solidified coconut milk fat into a bowl. Scoop until you reach the liquid portion. (Store the liquid for use in another recipe).

Step 2

Combine the coconut milk fat with all other ingredients, and pour into a container.

Step 3

Freeze for at least 4 hour or overnight.

Step 4

Remove container, allow to thaw for 5 minutes.

Step 5

Scoop out contents into a serving bowl and enjoy!

The Coconut Cream Ice Cream was great. But it was definitely more of a plain flavor. It reminded me a bit of traditional vanilla ice cream: delicious, but could be better with some extra flavors. I think this recipe would be great if you customized it with additional flavors to your liking. For instance, you can add chocolate and/or peanut butter to this easy vegan ice cream for a more decadent flavor combination or fruits for a lighter and brighter flavor burst.

Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream

  • Prep Time: 4 hrs
  • Total Time: 4 hrs
  • Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • 1.5 medium avocados
  • 1/2 cup young coconut meat
  • 1/8 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp coconut milk

Step 1

Cut avocados into cubes and freeze at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 2

Remove avocado and allow to thaw for 3-5 minutes.

Step 3

Place avocado and all other ingredients into blender. Blend until homogenous mixture achieved.

Step 4

Scoop into a serving bowl and enjoy!

The Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream was surprisingly excellent! I say surprisingly because, who knew avocado would make good ice cream? As seen in the video above, as soon as I tasted it, I had a major flashback to my childhood. It tasted almost identical to a Jell-O chocolate pudding cup, just with a healthy twist. Definitely a need to try recipe. This Chocolate Avocado easy vegan ice cream is easy to make and a delicious experience to enjoy.

Nice Cream

  • Prep Time: 4 hrs
  • Total Time: 4 hrs
  • Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • 4 spotted bananas
  • 2 Tbsp water or almond milk optional

Step 1

Cut ripe bananas into slices, place into a container, and freeze at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 2

Remove bananas from freezer and allow to thaw for 3-5 minutes.

Step 3

In a blender add bananas and blend until fully blended. (If necessary, add water or milk to aid blending process).

Step 4

Scoop into a serving bowl and enjoy!

Nice Cream is the all-time favorite. It's as simple and as easy as it gets: a single healthy ingredient, minimal effort, and maximum enjoyment. Nice cream is super sweet, smooth, and creamy and the consistency is by far the best; it is almost identical to that of traditional, store-bought ice cream.

Nice cream definitely does however, taste much like banana, which is absolutely fine by me. But, if it's not exactly the flavor you're in the mood for, the beauty of this ice cream and the other two easy vegan ice cream recipes is that they're homemade so you can tweak them however you'd like to. You can add any flavors inside by just mixing another ingredient in or topping it onto your ice cream. Some of my favorite flavors and toppings include: peanut butter, granola, strawberries, bananas, berries, and coconut whipped cream. 

Hopefully these ice cream recipes make you as happy as they made me! And if you're looking for other awesome flavors of vegan goodness, here is a recipe for a magical, colorful, fruity vegan ice cream that will blow your mind.