Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream

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Decadent and creamy, you’ll never know this Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream recipe is dairy free and vegan. It comes together easily in the blender, and it has a deep chocolate flavor that keeps you coming back for more. It’s also made without refined sugar using Grade A amber maple syrup instead. The barest hint of maple flavor hides in the background and adds a nice depth to the chocolate flavor.

Three bowls of Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream drizzled with chocolate sauce and chocolate chips sprinkled on the side.

Coconut ice creams are pretty common in grocery stores now. But when we first found it in Calgary, AB a decade ago, it cost $13 per pint which just about made me faint!

It’s about half that amount where we live in Montana, but it’s still not exactly cheap. Luckily it’s super easy to make at home, and it’s even tastier as well.

Straight down view of Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream in three white bowls drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Coconut milkfull-fat coconut milk works best in this recipe. Also, you’ll occasionally find a can of coconut milk that breaks when blended. To avoid this you can look for full-fat coconut milk that has an emulsifier in it like guar gum.
  • Avocado – just ripe avocado is perfect for this recipe. Avoid super ripe or overripe avocado because it has too much flavor. Better to use really ripe avocados in guacamole. Avocado adds incredible creaminess to this ice cream and you don’t taste the avocado with all the chocolate flavor.
  • Cocoa powder – unsweetened cocoa powder is what gives you the deep chocolate flavor.
  • Maple syrupI like to use Grade A amber maple syrup which has only a hint of maple flavor. This way you won’t be overwhelmed with maple flavor with more of a caramel depth instead. You can also use agave nectar as a sweetener. You can also add more or less to taste. But remember the ice cream will taste less sweet after freezing and the maple syrup helps it to have a good texture. Reducing the sweetener will make it more icy in texture.
  • Vanilla extracthelps to deepen the chocolate flavor and round out the ice cream.

Make this Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream step by step

Ingredients for the chocolate avocado ice cream in a blender container.

Step 1: add all the ingredients to a blender container.

Blended chocolate avocado ice cream base in a blender container.

Step 2: blend until smooth and chill completely before freezing the ice cream.

Chocolate avocado ice cream freezing in an ice cream maker.

Step 3: When the ice cream base is chilled, churn it in your ice cream machine according to the 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.

Side view of chocolate avocado ice cream in white bowls drizzled with chocolate sauce and chocolate chips sprinkled on the side.

Ways to serve this

FAQ’s

Can I make this Vegan Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream without an ice cream machine?

Yes, you can make this ice cream without an ice cream maker. There are two options for how to make this with a blender or with a food processor listed step by step in the blog post.

Can I use boxed coconut milk instead of canned coconut milk?

I don’t recommend using any kind of boxed coconut milk because it tends to be thin, watery, and lacking in flavor. You want to look for full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream that is unsweetened.

Storing leftovers

  • To store – place the leftover ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 weeks. This ice cream will become more icy over time in the freezer.
  • To serve from the freezer – this ice cream will freeze to a rock-hard texture when fully frozen because it’s lower in fat than dairy ice creams. Defrost in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes for the best texture, or on the counter for 20-30 minutes.
Close up view of chocolate avocado ice cream in a white bowl with a bite scooped out.

How to make this ice cream without an ice cream maker

  1. First, blend together all the ingredients.
  2. Next freeze the mixture in ice cube trays, keeping back about 1/2 cup of liquid.
  3. When the ice cream cubes are frozen, add them to the blender with your reserved, (refrigerated) 1/2 cup liquid ice cream base.
  4. Blend on low speeds using the tamper until you have a thick and creamy ice cream.
  5. 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.

Three white bowls of chocolate avocado ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce and bite taken out of the front bowl.

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.

Tips for success blending this ice cream

  • 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.
Side view of three white bowls filled with chocolate avocado ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce.

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’re looking for more dairy free ice creams, I wrote a whole e-book with all the favorites called Inspired Ice Creams! There are 32 recipes + 143 variations which = 175 total frozen treats!

Side view of chocolate avocado ice cream in white bowls drizzled with chocolate sauce and chocolate chips sprinkled on the side.

Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream


5 from 3 votes
Author: Kari Peters
Total Time 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Course: Dessert

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:

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.
Bonus StepIf you made this recipe, please leave a rating/comment. Ratings really help us continue to bring you high-quality free recipes. Rate This Recipe!

NOTES

Freezing the ice cream usually takes about 20 minutes.
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keywords: Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe, Dairy Free Chocolate Ice Cream, Recipe for Chocolate Ice Cream, Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

nutrition facts

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 3mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Tag @get.inspired.everyday on Instagram or hashtag #getinspiredeveryday

This recipe was originally published in 2014 and updated in 2023 with more tips, information and photos.

42 thoughts on “Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream”

  1. Hi! thank you so much for answering ๐Ÿ™‚
    In my country we have, sugar (all types of it) stevia, mollases and high fructuose syrup
    Should i just make a syrup with water and sugar, boil it and let it cool and then add it instead??

    Reply
    • I think a syrup would be your best option flavor wise. There’s already 1/2 cup of water in the recipe, so I’d recommend combining the 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup sugar to make a syrup, letting it cool like you mentioned, and you should be good from there! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  2. not everybody has an ice-cream making mashine at home. what would be to use instead that or is it the only option?

    Reply
    • An ice cream machine will give you the best texture, but you can still try it another way. You can blend the mixture and then place it directly in the freezer, after 1 hour, stir it every 20 minutes until it becomes firm (3-4 hours). This way produces a pretty good ice cream but the results are still a bit icy. You could also try whipping the can of coconut milk in an electric mixer (the Native Forest brand works best for this). Blend the rest of the ingredients until smooth, and then fold in the whipped cream – place it in the freezer and stir like the first method. The reason this works fairly well, is the whipped cream adds air to the ice cream which helps the texture. Either way, if you really enjoy ice cream you might want to think about getting one at some point (I use mine more than I thought I would)!

      Reply
  3. Looks delicious. I don’t have a nice cream machine. Could I just blend it, chill it in the fridge as you suggest, then pop it in the freezer?

    Reply
  4. This looks so good!!!
    Question: what if I don’t like maple syrup, what can I substitute?? Maybe honey??
    Any other option??

    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • You can definitely substitute honey, although it has a stronger flavor. If you use agave, that would be a good flavor compliment as well! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    • You could try substituting honey if maple syrup isn’t available. If honey isn’t an option either, write back with which sweeteners you have available and we’ll figure out what will work best for you! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    • It’s super good with strawberries which also helps with less sugar intake (1/2 fruit: 1/2 ice cream). I’m so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  5. Kari this looks delicious! As always. You are a genius in the kitchen.

    http://pureandsimplenourishment.blogspot.ca

    Reply
  6. $13 per pint????? Are you sure you weren’t in a jewelry or something? That’s a lot of money for ice-cream!
    Any-hoo, I can’t wait to try this super yummy looking yet super healthy ice-cream a-go. I’ll put it on this week To-Do list.

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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