Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (2024)

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Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (1)

Back in the day, when I used to consume dairy, I was also consumed (so punny) with the desire to perfect ice cream making. A lot of homemade ice creams end up rock hard, unscoopable, and speckled with ice crystals. I spent 2 years trying out every method of ice cream making, researching into the science of ice cream yadda yadda yadda. Eventually, I cracked it! I made perfect ice cream! I even invested in a Compressor ice cream machine because I was churning batch after batch for people who wanted to buy some of the crazy flavors I made. And then… I went Vegan. I could no longer use dozens of egg yolks to make my ice cream, well, creamy. I couldn’t use cream, milk, I basically couldn’t use my perfect ice cream base recipe anymore. Bummer.

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I had to make this Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream recipe twice because the first batch wasn’t quite right. Live and learn, buddies, live and learn. After a bit of tweaking around, I’m confident I’ve produced a very creamy dreamy Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream recipe! Scroll down for the full recipe!

Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (3)Now, just to let you know – this recipe is not one of those trendy 3 ingredient recipes.It has about 9 ingredients in it. But honestly, sometimes more is more. You get what you put into it. 9 is not that many anyway, in my opinion. Especially when the ingredients are the things most vegans already have at home. What I can guarantee you however, is that it will be some of the best ice cream you’ve had, vegan or not.

What I’ve done is I’ve converted one of my eggless non-vegan ice cream recipes into a vegan version with a slight few differences to make up for the lack of cream or milk in it. I use homemade Cashew milk, Coconut Cream, Coconut Milk, Vanilla Extract, Xanthan Gum, Cocoa, Dark Chocolate, Salt and Instant Espresso. Then comes the magic ingredient – Cornstarch. Cornstarch, along with Xanthan Gum, makes this Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream ultra creamy and ice crystal free. It’s like magic.

Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (4)

As for the Instant Espresso and Salt, DO NOT leave this out! Chocolate recipes always benefit from a tiny bit of coffee and salt. You don’t taste either in the final result, but you will taste it when it’s not there. Chocolate without salt or coffee is like sex without foreplay. Not worth your time. Doh. Actually, sex in general is not worth your time when instead you could be shoving Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream down your gob. The pleasure of a tub of ice cream lasts for days, and you don’t have to bother with the awkward post-sex chit chat.

Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (5)Now, I make my Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream in a normal Cuisinart tabletop ice cream maker. Perhaps some of you don’t own ice cream makers, but fret not! There is a simple solution. You can make the Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream base, chill in the fridge over night and then transfer to a freezing container. Once transferred, pop into the freezer, take it out every 45 minutesand use a handheld electric mixer (or a whisk if you have arms of steel) to whizz it up. Once you’ve done that,place the containerback into the freezer. Repeat this processabout 3 or 4 times, and then leave the ice cream to set firm for a few hours after before devouring.

Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (6)

Creamiest Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

Crazy Vegan Kitchen

Creamiest Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - homemade, ultra creamy and scoopable chocolate ice cream made with cashews and coconut milk. Vegan and Gluten Free.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Cashews
  • 1 1/2 cups Water
  • 1/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
  • 1/2 teaspoon Instant Espresso
  • 2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Coconut Cream
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Milk
  • 1/2 cup Cane Sugar
  • 6 oz Dark Chocolate Vegan
  • 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

Instructions

  • In a blender, combine Cashews, Water, Xanthan Gum, Instant Espresso, Ccocoa Powder, Salt, Vanilla Extract, Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk. Blend on high till everything is nice and smooth.

  • Pour out all of this mixture into a saucepan, leaving 1 cup of it behind.

  • To the filled saucepan, add Sugar and Dark Chocolate. Stir over low heat until chocolate and sugar have fully melted and mixture is warm.

  • To the remaining 1 cup of liquid, whisk in Cornstarch till dissolved. Gradually stream this mixture into the saucepan whilst whisking non stop. Once everything has been incorporated, whisk away until the mixture comes to a soft boil. This is to cook out the cornstarch and thicken the mix. But, remember to whisk whisk whisk so no lumps form!

  • Once it has come to a soft boil, turn heat off and transfer mixture into a bowl or measuring cup. Cover with cling film and make sure to press it against the surface of the mixture so a skin does not form.

  • Cool to room temperature and then churn in ice cream maker. Alternatively, if you do not have an ice cream maker, follow steps for manual churning mentioned in my post.

  • Once out of the ice cream maker, place in an airtight ice cream or tupperware box, cover, and freeze to allow it to further firm up.

Notes

* Before churning, the mixture will be very thick - this is normal. It is just the cornstarch thickening up. Whisk to loosen up first if you think it is too solid to chuck into the ice cream maker.

* Try to not cut down the amount of sugar in the recipe - ice cream needs a certain amount of sugar to inhibit it from freezing rock solid.

*If your freezer is really really cold, your ice cream may need to sit out for 10 minutes on the counter to soften up so that it is scoopable. My freezer is set to a higher temperature, so I do not need to do that.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (7)

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Comments

  1. Lorena Tuinenburg says

    Hi Amrita,I want to try this recipe, but I'm trying to lose weight and counting calories. Is the calorie content correct? Is it really over 3,000 calories per serving?

    Reply

    • Amrita says

      Hi Lorena, thanks for stopping by! Ah no, it's 3000 calories for the ENTIRE recipe :) Sorry, the nutritional information counter is a little glitchy sometimes. I hope this helps :)

      Reply

  2. Christina says

    HiI’ve have a few more questions after making this once.How many mls are labelled on the tablespoons of cornflour used? (Some say 15 and others 20ml)How long did you churn the icecream in your machine? Did you press the mixture into the freezer container or did you just scrape it in? Where your coconut cream and coconut milk left at room temp when measuring them out? Did your coconut cream and coconut milk have any stabilisers in them like guar gum? Many thanksChristina

    Reply

    • Amrita says

      Hi Christina, I am currently using US cups and spoons, so it will be 15ml. I churned for about 30 minutes or until the machine stopped as the mixture was too thick. I used a spatula to press the mixture into the freezing receptacle. The coconut cream and milk were measured out at room temp straight out of the can, and they were pure so no stabilisers in them :) I hope this helps and I'm sorry for the delayed response!

      Reply

      • Christina says

        Thank you so much Mine was pretty hardEven sitting out on bench for 15 minutes with hot scoop, it gave me a serious work out. I don’t know if me:-Using 20 ml tablespoon for cornflour -Churning for only 20 minutes only cusiniart machine - using coconut milk with guar gum - using only the top part of refrigerated coconut cream Lead to it being so hard ?

        Reply

  3. Christina says

    Did you use white cane sugar or could I use about her type of less refined sugar? Also, did the tins of coconut milk and cream have any thickners like guar gum in them?

    Reply

  4. Heather says

    Hi You say in your notes that you use home made cashew milk but in the recipe it says to blend the actual cashews. Please tell me if I have to make cashew milk first or just blend everything as per the method. I'm a bit confused. Thanks

    Reply

  5. Dee says

    Oh. My. GAAAWWWWDDDDD!!! We've been eating So Delicous cashew milk ice cream for years as our daughter has a severe dairy allergy. She's also allergic to peanuts and wheat. I was CRYING in the grocery store last week (yes, literally) because So Delicious changed ALL of their recipes and added PEA PROTEIN (which many kids, including mine, who are allergic to peanut will cross-react to). I immediately ordered an ice cream maker (I'm also mildly allergic to dairy- hehe. I'm not TOTALLY selfless! :P) and whipped this recipe up. UNBELIEVABLY GOOD!!!! It hasn't even been in the freezer for 5 hours yet (about 3.5) and it's already ridiculously good! Now I'm SO EXCITED to use the "base" recipe and play around with other flavors! Oh! And I only had "safe" semi-sweet Enjoy Life chocolate chips on-hand (no dark), so when I transferred the ice cream to the container, I layered in Torani dark chocolate sauce. YUM!!! Thanks so much for sharing this!!!

    Reply

    • Amrita says

      WOOOOOO!!! SO HAPPY TO READ THIS! So glad you enjoyed this, it's made my day!

      Reply

  6. Chloe says

    Amazing divine ice cream- luckily I realised that in advance and made double the recipe- THANKYOU SO MUCH. Not that it’s proba ever needed, but do you have recipes for any other flavoured vegan ice cream?

    Reply

    • Amrita says

      Hey Chloe!! I'm working on a vanilla and coffee one at the moment, stay tuned! <3

      Reply

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Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (8)

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Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream - Foolproof Recipe – Crazy Vegan Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan chocolate ice cream made of? ›

The base is comprised of water, cocoa powder, rich coconut cream, and organic cane sugar, which is whisked together. Then comes the deep chocolate flavor: from plenty of vegan dark chocolate.

What replaces milk in vegan ice cream? ›

Kaminsky says that you'll get the best results from dairy-free counterparts that are higher in fat such as canned coconut milk. She typically uses almond milk as her base, but other non-dairy milks can work (steer clear of rice milk because it tends to be too watery).

How do you thicken vegan ice cream? ›

Plant-based fats are the best way to thicken vegan ice cream. Coconut cream, full-fat coconut milk and coconut oil will give the creamiest and thickest results. Cornstarch and tapioca starch can also be used to thicken but the end result will be a little more icy and a little less creamy.

How to give vegan ice cream that creamy taste minus the milk? ›

Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream

The reason so many vegan ice cream recipes turn to coconut milk is that the high-fat content replicates the creaminess and mouth feel of ice cream better than any other option. If the goal is to faithfully replicate a dairy ice cream with vegan ingredients, coconut milk is hard to beat.

How healthy is vegan ice cream? ›

When compared to dairy-based ice cream, there are potential health benefits to plant-based alternatives. Chief amongst them are lower saturated fat levels and zero cholesterol. LDL cholesterol contributes to heart and circulatory diseases. Only animal products contain it.

Why is my vegan ice cream icy? ›

My ice cream is icy. This is probably the most common problem with home made ice cream. And it's caused by large ice crystals forming in the mixture as it freezes. Large ice crystals are usually the result of either too much water in the mix or excessively long freezing time.

What is the best milk for homemade ice cream? ›

This is usually due to either not freezing fast enough, or too much water forming large ice crystals. When making ice cream, you want to use whole milk and cream, rather than 2% or skim milk, because it has more fat contributing to smaller ice crystals and a better/creamier texture.

What kind of milk should you use to make ice cream? ›

Serve and enjoy your delicious homemade vanilla bean ice cream! You can certainly experiment with different types of milk, such as heavy cream, half-and-half, or a combination of milk and cream, but in my experience, whole milk produces the best results.

What dairy free milk is best for ice cream? ›

What's the Secret to Vegan Ice Cream? The secret is nothing more than coconut milk. Full-fat, creamy coconut milk.

What is the best emulsifier for vegan ice cream? ›

A common - and better - emulsifier for ice cream is soy lecithin, which can be derived from soybeans, sunflowers and rapeseed. Soy lecithin has a neutral taste, and also allows you to make egg-less ice cream.

What is the best milk for vegan ice cream? ›

The Absolute Best Dairy-Free Milk For Vegan Ice Cream
  • The Absolute Best Dairy-Free Milk For Vegan Ice Cream.
  • Coconut Milk. Known for its creamy texture and rich flavor, coconut milk is a popular choice for vegan ice cream, providing a smooth consistency.
  • Almond Milk. ...
  • LIKE SAVE SHARE.
  • Cashew Milk. ...
  • Oat Milk. ...
  • Soy Milk. ...
  • Rice Milk.

What is the best vegan thickening agent? ›

Vegan Thickening Options
OPTIONAVAILABILITYBEST FOR
ArrowrootNatural Foods StoresSauces, Baking
Cornstarch - OrganicGrocery StoresSauces, Puddings, Fruit Desserts
KuzuNatural Foods Stores, Asian MarketsSauces, Soups
Potato StarchNatural Foods Stores, Grocery StoresBaking
4 more rows

What can I use instead of heavy cream for ice cream vegan? ›

Coconut cream is a versatile ingredient that makes an excellent vegan substitute for heavy cream. While it can be purchased pre-made, it's also simple to make at home using coconut milk. Simply chill a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight, open it and pour the liquid contents into another container.

What does evaporated milk do in ice cream? ›

Dense, Fudgy Ice Cream

On top of all that, evaporated milk also happens to be the key to our super-chewy New England–style ice cream. For that you can thank its high protein content, which delivers a superior, fresh-churned texture while simultaneously limiting iciness once the ice cream is stored.

What is a substitute for coconut oil in ice cream? ›

Blends of vegetable oils (60% to 80% coconut oil or palm kernel oil with 20% to 40% of a liquid oil such as sunflower oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, or olive oil) are often used in vegan ice cream production to obtain the optimum amount of solid fat.

What is vegan ice cream made of? ›

Vegan ice cream is a category of frozen desserts made without adding dairy or animal products, like eggs or cow's milk. Vegan ice cream recipes often rely on coconut milk, coconut oil (you can opt for refined coconut oil, which has less coconut flavor), or blended nuts to achieve a creamy texture.

What is the difference between vegan ice cream and regular ice cream? ›

Most vegan ice creams are made with coconut milk, almond milk or soy milk. All of those bases come from plants, and none include anything that comes from an animal. If, however, an ice cream is made with coconut milk but contains egg, it is dairy-free but not vegan, since it has egg.

Is vegan ice cream actually vegan? ›

Commercially-produced vegan ice creams are made from soy, almond, cashew, coconut, or rice milk. These products deliver all of the delicious flavor and creaminess of ice cream without harming a single cow. Most supermarkets carry several varieties. And a good natural foods store will stock numerous brands.

Is vegan ice cream junk food? ›

Vegan ice cream can be a healthier alternative to regular ice cream in certain aspects. It is typically lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, making it beneficial for heart health. However, vegan ice cream can still be high in sugar and calories, so portion control is important.

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