Creamy and minty with just the right amount of chocolatey goodness, this dairy-free mint chocolate chip ice cream has the smooth, rich texture of the real deal. Seriously, if you’ve tried dairy-free ice cream before and the texture felt too icy and thin, I think you’ll love this easy recipe. I’m only temporarily dairy-free as part of my healing journey, so my standards are pretty high on this.
One day I’ll get back to coffee ice cream and other cream-based favorites, but even then I’ll but even then I’ll continue mixing up batches of this deliciously decadent recipe.
It’s made with just a handful of ingredients – no polyglycerol polyricinoleate, Blue #1, Yellow #5, or high fructose corn syrup like the store-bought stuff we grew up eating. And best of all, it’s super simple to make – just prep your ingredients, blend, pour everything into your ice cream maker, and voila. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Dairy-Free Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Equipment
- High speed blender or regular blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours, see instructions)
- 14 ounces full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (here's how to make it)
- ¾ cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 3/4 cup chocolate chunks that have been chopped into small pieces)
- 1 tsp liquid chlorophyll (optional – for use as natural food coloring)
- fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place cashews in a heat resistant bowl. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and pour it over the cashews. Allow to soak for two hours before moving to step two.
- Next, prepare your ice cream base by draining the cashews and placing them in a blender. Add the coconut milk, maple syrup, peppermint extract, vanilla extract and optional liquid chlorophyll to the container. If you're using a high-speed blender, blend on high for about 2 minutes. If you're using a regular blender, blend for 3-4 minutes to make sure it is smooth.
- The mixture will become warm during the blending process, so when you're finished place it in the fridge to chill for about 30-45 minutes. (I leave mine in the blender container.)
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to your manufacturer's instructions. Add the chocolate chips during the last five minutes of churning.
- When it's ready it should have a soft serve consistency. You can devour it right away, or if you prefer a firmer consistency transfer it into an airtight container and place in the freezer for 2-4 hours. I like to use a glass loaf pan with a lid. If the ice cream becomes too firm, let it soften at room temperature for 5-15 minutes before scooping.
Notes
Nutrition
More Yummy Dairy-Free Recipes To Try
Gluten-Free, Paleo Brownies – Rich and chewy, these fudgy brownies are one of my favorite recipes from the Meals Made Simple Cookbook by Danielle Walker. They would be absolutely delicious with a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream on top!
Chocolate Avocado Pudding – This silky smooth, creamy and totally satisfying chocolate avocado pudding can be made in just ten minutes. It’s so much better than the boxed stuff sold on store shelves.
Easy Caramel Sauce – Lusciously thick and so delicious, this caramel sauce can be used as a dip for sliced apples, drizzled over coconut milk ice cream, stirred into coffee, or poured over fudgy brownies.
