Coconut Milk Ice Cream
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Coconut milk ice cream is the ultimate dairy-free ice cream, made with only three ingredients! It's rich and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness and coconut flavor. Enjoy it in a cone or scooped on top of your favorite dessert for a refreshing treat that tastes great all year round!
If you're a fan of coconut, you'll love our toasted coconut ice cream, which has chewy toasted coconut and a hint of vanilla!
This coconut milk ice cream recipe is easy, delicious, and completely dairy-free! The trick is using high-fat coconut milk to give it that rich, luscious ice cream texture. It's a versatile flavor that's mildly sweet with a hint of vanilla, and it pairs well with everything from pie to cake or sandwiched between two cookies!
Another must-try ice cream is our homemade strawberry ice cream. That one is made the traditional way with cream and eggs. If you eat those things, then you should totally try it!
Ingredients notes
You only need three simple ingredients to make this delicious homemade coconut milk ice cream:
- Coconut milk: not all coconut milks are created equal, so you'll want to read the labels. Look for cans of full-fat coconut milk that's at least 60% coconut extract, with no gums or additives.
- Coconut sugar: coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut palm trees, and has a strong caramel taste. It's similar to brown sugar but has a lower glycemic index, which is great news for our blood sugar. You can find it here, or at most grocery stores.
- You'll also need pure vanilla extract and some toasted coconut ribbons (for serving, if desired).
How to make coconut milk ice cream
This homemade coconut milk ice cream is a delicious anytime treat, and it's so easy to make in just a few simple steps!
- Combine the three ingredients (coconut milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract) in a pot, and gently heat everything until the sugar dissolves.
- Give this mixture a whiz in your blender, then pop it in your fridge to cool. This will take a few hours so you can go about your day while it chills.
- When it's completely cold, process it in your ice cream maker (according to the manufacturer's instructions) or scroll down for notes on making no-churn ice cream.
- You can enjoy it right away like soft serve, or transfer the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container, and freeze until it's firm. Top with toasted coconut ribbons to serve, if desired!
How to make no-churn ice cream without an ice cream maker
No ice cream maker? No problem! Here's how to make easy no-churn vegan ice cream in just two easy steps!
- Pour the ice cream into a shallow pan and place it carefully into your freezer.
- Set a timer to check on it every 30 minutes, then scrape it with a fork to mix the ice cream. Repeat this 3-4 times until it resembles the texture of ice cream. That's it!
Tips for making the best coconut milk ice cream
This simple homemade coconut ice cream recipe is easy to make, but here are a few helpful tips that make it the best:
- Use a full-fat coconut milk that's at least 60% coconut extract, with no gums or additives. The higher it is in fat, the better the ice cream will be. Basically, avoid the light stuff!
- Don't swap the coconut sugar. We've tried different sweeteners, and coconut sugar has just the right taste and texture.
- If you enjoy a soft-serve consistency, enjoy this ice cream right out of the ice cream maker! Otherwise, freeze it for a few hours until it becomes firm enough that you can scoop it with an ice cream scoop.
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this creamy coconut milk ice cream in a bowl on its own, in a cone, or on top of your favorite treat! We love it with our dark chocolate rhubarb brownies, our healthy apple crisp, or as a base in your favorite milkshake.Ā Ice cream is always delicious on a sunny afternoon, and tastes even better when it's healthy!
Recipe FAQs
How long does it keep in the freezer?
When properly stored in an airtight container, this coconut milk ice cream will last up to a month in the freezer.
Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk?
Yes, you can! Coconut cream has a high fat percentage and makes great ice cream.
How do I make chocolate coconut milk ice cream?
This is really simple to do! Just add a Ā¼ cup of cocoa powder to the blender before mixing all the ingredients together for a rich, chocolatey ice cream flavor.
Is coconut milk ice cream healthy?
We can't exactly call it āhealthy' since there's a good amount of coconut sugar in it, but it's definitely healthier than regular ice cream from the grocery store. Both the coconut sugar and the coconut milk add nutrition.
Can I use other types of non-dairy milk?
No, other non-dairy milk, like almond milk or soy milk, doesn't contain enough fat to make ice cream.
Do I really have to heat the coconut milk and sugar?
Yes, it is an important step. Heating the coconut milk does two things: it helps to dissolve the sugar and it prevents the milk from becoming gritty once frozen.
Watch how to make it
More coconut milk ice cream recipes
Coconut Milk Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 15-ounce cans of additive-free coconut milk (see notes)
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- Toasted shredded coconut (to serve)
Instructions
- Combine the coconut milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla in a medium-sized pot and heat over medium-low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the coconut milk is steaming. (Do not bring it to a boil.)3 15-ounce cans of additive-free coconut milk, 1 cup coconut sugar, 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- Carefully pour the warm cream into your blender. Start your blender on low speed then slowly increase the speed to high. Hold your hand over the lid to make sure that the steam from the cream doesn't pop the lid off. Blend on high for one minute and then refrigerate until it's completely cold, at least 4 hours.
- Once it is completely cold, process it according to your ice cream maker's directions. (See the blog post for making this without an ice cream maker.)
- Either serve immediately as soft serve ice cream or scoop the ice cream into a freezer-proof containerĀ ā a loaf pan works well. Freeze until the ice cream is firm ā about 2 hours.
- Scoop the ice cream into bowls and serve with some toasted shredded coconut on top.Toasted shredded coconut
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
If you love coconut, check out all of our coconut recipes!
When you are using the full fat coconut milk, do you use only the creamy solid part or the whole can, including the liquid? This looks delish!
The whole can! I usually give the can a shake first to mix it up. š
Have you tried making coconut ice cream from coconuts? I’m looking for a recipe that uses coconuts
Do you mean the water that is inside coconuts? I don’t think it would make good ice cream as it is much too watery. You want the high fat content so that it is creamy. š
GmorningĀ
So not one can of coconut cream or milk had the percentage of extract … is it the fat percentage on the nutrition label your looking for ???
If you look at the ingredients, it should tell you the percentage of extract there. Here’s a picture of a can with 60% coconut extract:
Do you have a favorite easy to use ice cream maker that you can suggest buying?
This is the one that I have and I love it! https://www.theendlessmeal.com/amazon-ice-cream-maker
Please tell me what brand of coconut cream to buy and where I can find it.
I have been to many stores and cannot find any with the fat content that you mention in your recipe (vanilla-coconut ice cream).
I buy Arroy’d coconut and try to find the cans that say 90% coconut extract. š
Whereās the blog post that tells you how to make it without an ice cream maker? I want to make this SOO badly, but I donāt have an ice cream maker and Iām not exactly sure on what steps Iād need to go through for this specific recipe (I really donāt want ice crystals to form all because I froze it wrong or something small like that). Thanks in advance!
The instructions are in the blog post, just below the picture of the ice cream in the ice cream maker. The most important thing is to make sure to use the highest fat coconut milk you can find. š
OMG, this looks absolutely PERFECT! I love a deliciously creamy and decadent coconut milk ice cream. What a beautiful treat to enjoy any time of the day!
I do too! I hope you love this one like I do!
How much fat do you consider high fat? I have 3 different brands of coconut milk and all of them are 12%.
Check the ingredients. You’ll want it to say at least 60% coconut extract. š
Do you think this recipe will turn out if honey or agave nectar is used as the sweetener?
Both would change the flavor slightly but I think it would still be really tasty either way!
Hi! I was wondering how many ounces of coconut milk will this recipe need? Because at the store the amount of onces per can vary per brand…for example, one brand have 15 oz per can while other have 12 oz. I want to make the recipe right. Thanks!
Hi Joan,
I use a few different brands that are all 400 ml (which I believe is 13.5 oz.)
The most important thing is to buy the brand that has the highest fat content so that the ice cream is creamy and does not turn icy. If you buy the 15 oz cans just taste the cream before you churn it to see if you need to add a little more sugar or vanilla š
Omg made this this afternoon and it is amazing…so simple…and incredibly delicious. Thank you so much for this recipe. Definitely something that will be in my freezer from now on.
No problem at all, Jessica. So happy you loved this ice cream!
I think I’ve found the only vegan ice cream I will ever need again. Great recipe!
Thank you so much, Terry!
I’ll have to try this one! I bet it was great with grilled peaches!
Hey Riley,
My father brought me a whole box of beautiful organic peaches the other day. They’re fabulous on their own, grilled and served with this ice cream, or just about any which way š
Oh rats! I wish I had an ice cream maker!! Hmmm, I bet I could find one to borrow. I’m on it!
I bought an ice cream maker this year and I swear I use it more than almost any other small appliance I have. I love it!
that sounds good.
gonna try it this weekend
Awesome! Hope you love it š
Fantastic. Making this tonight.