This Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream is a super fudgy and decadent dessert that’s surprisingly healthy. It’s easy to make, dairy-free, and so creamy you just can’t get enough!
My obsession with coconut ice cream started when we were living in Calgary, AB where it was sold for upwards of $13 per pint – whew! Even though I’d become more accustomed to the high cost of living, that was still pushing me a bit too far. So instead, I started making coconut ice cream at home, and we’ve never looked back.
Even though it only costs $5.50 a pint here in Montana, that’s still quite a bit when I can make it at home for less than half the price. So…I guess it’s a money saving vs. convenience. Even though the money saved should be enough for me, what seals the deal is how easy this recipe is to make. It’s so easy in fact, that we always have homemade ice cream in the freezer even at the busiest of times!
I’ve tested several chocolate ice creams throughout the search for a good one, (you see the trials I go through…). But it wasn’t until I added the avocado that things got truly interesting. Something about my coconut milk only versions went a bit icy in the freezer after a few days.
It was when my husband asked for his favorite Coconut Lime Ice Cream that it finally hit me – avocado is what makes that ice cream so decadent, and it would be perfect for chocolate ice cream as well. Sure enough – it’s incredibly creamy!
Now let’s jump in and make my Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
First up for the ice cream base, place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
You may need to use the tamper to keep the mixture moving.
Each ice cream maker is a bit different, so freeze according to your manufacturer’s instructions.
How do you know when the ice cream is done? You’ll know the ice cream is done when it stands up on a spoon and clings to it. If it runs right off, it’s not quite ready.
Once it looks like soft serve, remove it from the machine and place it in the freezer to harden a bit more, or enjoy it right away.
Homemade ice cream is almost always harder right out of the freezer than store-bought. This is because it doesn’t have any preservatives, and home freezers are usually colder.
If your ice cream is frozen solid in the freezer, place it in the refrigerator, or on the counter to soften for 20-30 minutes before serving. Also, dairy-free ice creams freeze much harder because they tend to be naturally lower in fat.
How do you make Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream without an ice cream machine
- First, blend together all the ingredients.
- Next freeze the mixture in ice cube trays, keeping back about 1/2 cup of liquid.
- When the ice cream cubes are frozen, add them to the blender with your reserved, (refrigerated) 1/2 cup liquid ice cream base.
- Blend on low speeds using the tamper until you have a thick and creamy ice cream.
- Serve immediately, or freeze for a couple of hours for a firmer texture.
How to make ice cream without an ice cream maker is the most frequently asked question I get, so I wanted to write down the exact method for you. This is how I used to make ice cream before I had an ice cream maker.
If you don’t have a high-speed blender or food processor, you can place the mixture in the freezer. Then stir it every 30 minutes until it freezes. The texture will be icy, but that’s the only other way I know to make ice cream without a machine.
The reason this method is icy is that there’s only the stirring to break up the size of the ice crystals while they form. When you manually stir it every 30 minutes, the ice crystals form larger creating an icy texture.
Notes about blending ice cream in your blender
- This method only works with a high-powered blender, and it’s hard work even for them. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, I absolutely wouldn’t attempt to blend ice cream. You can try the same method in a food processor instead – I use my Cuisinart.
- It’s super important to monitor the blending constantly. Don’t step away for a moment because blending ice cream is hard on a blender. By monitoring and using the tamper, everything ‘should’ be fine. I have a Vitamix and it has a safety feature that turns the blender off if it starts to overheat. So that definitely gives you some peace of mind.
For even more recipe inspiration, you can check out our favorite ice cream treats! And you can read more about my dairy-free ice creams in my Inspired Ice Creams post.
If you do get a chance to make this decadent treat, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here in the comments. And also over on Instagram where you can tag me at #getinspiredeveryday with photos of what you make.
Homemade Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
- 1 can full fat coconut milk - 13.5 ounces
- 1 avocado - peeled and pitted yielding 4.5 ounces
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder - (Dagoba brand)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup - Grade A for lightest flavor
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup water - leave this out for a creamier texture, I only included it because it helps the ice cream base to blend more easily.
Fudge Sauce:
- 4 tbsp maple syrup - Grade A
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Chill the ice cream base in the refrigerator for a 2 hours before freezing.
- Freeze the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your machine.
- The easiest way to tell if the ice cream is done, is when it stands up on a spoon instead of sliding right off.
- After the ice cream’s done, remove it from the machine and serve immediately or freeze for a harder texture.
- The fudge sauce is optional, but I highly recommend adding it.
- Using a flat bottom whisk, whisk together the maple syrup and cocoa powder until smooth. I like to store my fudge sauce in a squeeze bottle in the refrigerator. It will keep for at least 1 month.
These look so creamy and fudgy! Love that its dairy free and so easy make 🙂 My mom brought home 10 avocados so def going to be making these soon.
Wow, that’s a lot of avocados, but this is a good way to start using them!
can you make this without machine
Yes you can make this without a machine, but the texture is always a bit icy in comparison. I’ve broken it down step by step in the blog post for how to make this without a machine + all my tips from making it this way myself. I hope this helps, and be sure to let me know if you have any more questions!
This ice cream looks so delicious and decadent! I’m loving that it’s dairy free too!
Definitely super decadent!
Hi Kari, wondering if you figured out a way to make the coconut ice cream base that eliminates the icy texture? Since the coconut lime ice cream with avocado came out perfectly, I’m ready to try other flavors (maybe not green though)! Is avocado the only fruit you’ve found to create that creaminess?
I’m so glad you liked the coconut lime ice cream, I’m actually making a batch of it tonight because it’s my husband’s favorite and his birthday is coming up! So far with my dairy free ice creams, the ones with avocado always seem to have a superior creamy texture, but I did do a Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream that had arrowroot as a thickener and it turned out nice and creamy as well.
Hi
i was just wondering if this would work with homemade coconut milk. I find bought coconut milk to be a grey sludge
Thanks
I think homemade coconut milk would work, but I’m thinking you might need to make it twice as thick as you’d usually make it to mimic the same thickness as the canned variety. With ice cream it’s really important to have a good amount of fat in it, the homemade coconut milks I’ve made have been way too watery for ice cream, but if you made a coconut cream of sorts that should work! I hope it turns out, and be sure to let me know if you have anymore questions!