This Homemade Coconut Ice Cream has been a staple in our house for so many years, and no one ever knows it’s dairy free! It’s super creamy, perfect with so many different baked desserts, and it’s paleo and vegan as well.
This ice cream… it’s silky smooth and so delicious. It reminds me of childhood days getting strawberry sundaes with soft serve at a certain popular chain restaurant.
Now I know this delectable ice cream bears no real resemblance to my childhood favorite. But, that’s okay because it’s so much better! Something about the amazingly smooth mouthfeel of this ice cream is so similar to soft serve. Now, all I need is some strawberry sauce.
My specific recipe for strawberry sauce is in the Inspired Ice Creams e-book I wrote, (see bottom of this post). But you can also make my Triple Berry Sauce from my Fruit and Yogurt Cups with just strawberries for something similar.
This recipe is my all time most popular dessert recipe on the blog. I’ll admit I was a little shocked this is the case considering how many chocolate recipes I’ve made. (But I guess everyone likes ice cream as much as I do!)
We make this ice cream often, and I’ve received so many questions about different ways to make this. So I knew it was time for an update. I’ve included everything I’ve learned about ice cream making in the recipe + tips for achieving the creamiest texture.
Tips for how to make Homemade Coconut Ice Cream from scratch:
- Keep cans of coconut milk in the fridge for quick and easy ice cream at a moments notice.
- Make this recipe with coconut cream in place of the coconut milk for an even richer texture.
- Add the sweetener to your taste! The more sweetener you add the softer and smoother the ice cream will be. But it’s also import to get the right amount of sweetness for you.
Tips for the best texture when freezing your ice cream:
I take my ice cream out when it starts sticking to a metal spoon. Using a regular spoon from your silverware drawer, quickly scoop some ice cream out from the top of the machine when it starts to look thick. If it sits up on the spoon and doesn’t slide right off, it’s done. This sounds a little weird but it really works for the best creamiest texture.
I never used to know when to take my ice cream out of the machine. There were a few times I left it in for too long which makes the ice cream airy, and it becomes icy when it’s fully frozen. All in all, even if your ice cream turns out extra fluffy, nobody is going to care because it’s still totally awesome!
How do you make Coconut 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 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 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 because 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 the icy texture.
Notes about blending ice cream in your blender:
- This 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.
The sky is the limit with how to use this ice cream… but I love it with warm Chocolate Fudge Skillet Cake.
Also pretty much any cake/fruit crisp would work like…
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
- Apple Pie Skillet Cake
- Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Cinnamon Glazed Grilled Pineapple
- Grain Free Raspberry Cake
- Strawberry Rhubarb Almond Shortbread Tart
- Paleo Funfetti Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Cinnamon Blueberry Cobbler
- Strawberry Skillet Shortcake
- Paleo Caramel Apple Pie Bars
- Blackberry Cardamom Peach Crisp
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Cinnamon Cranberry Apple Crisp
- Paleo Pecan Pie Bars
- Cranberry Orange Skillet Cookie
As a further bonus, making your own homemade coconut ice cream is about half the price it is here in our grocery stores. In Montana, a pint of coconut ice cream can run between $5-$6. But when we lived in Calgary, a pint of our favorite coconut ice cream was almost $10!!!
And finally just one more tip:
It seems like the about the amount of sweetener varies with people liking every amount from 1/4 cup to 1 cup. My advice is to start with a small amount of sweetener, and keep adding until it tastes right to you!
Homemade Coconut Ice Cream
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 1 quart 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Our favorite dairy free ice cream, perfect for pairing with all sorts of desserts!
Ingredients
2 cans (403 ml each or 13.66 oz each) coconut milk, refrigerated
1/2 – 1 cup Grade A amber maple syrup, start with a small amount and keep adding to your taste
pinch of sea salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Blend the coconut milk, your choice of sweetener, pinch of salt to taste, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
If your coconut milk isn’t chilled, chill the mixture for 2 hours in the refrigerator before placing it in the ice cream machine.
Freeze according to instructions for your ice cream maker, this should take 20-30 minutes. When the mixture begins to look thick and frosty, (you’ll be able to see lines the dasher will make as the ice cream maker turns) spoon out a little and if it sits up on the spoon instead of slipping right off, it’s done.
The ice cream will be the texture of soft serve when it’s done. You can transfer to a container suitable for the freezer, and freeze and additional 4 hours for a firmer texture. A wooden spoon is the best tool I’ve found for removing the ice cream from the container, spatulas are too flexible and won’t clean out the container well.
Notes
The nutrition facts are calculated with 3/4 cup pure maple syrup.
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: Blending/Freezing
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Vegan Coconut Ice Cream, Paleo Coconut Ice Cream, Dairy Free Ice Cream, Easy Coconut Ice Cream
Hello Kari, In some comments they refer to coconut cream but this recipient calls for coconut milk, two different items. So I’m just a little confused since I am not a cook at all and strictly follow a recipe. Thank you.
You are right that coconut milk and coconut cream are 2 different products, however you can use either as long as the coconut cream you use is the canned type and it’s not sweetened. Coconut cream is a richer version of coconut milk and will produce a richer ice cream. I hope this helps, but be sure to let me know if you have any more questions!
Hi, what can I use as a substitute for maple syrup. I’m not too good with maple syrup.
The best substitute flavor wise would be powdered sugar to taste. You can also use honey, but stronger flavored honey doesn’t pair super well with coconut. You might also try coconut sugar, but I’m not sure it will completely dissolve since I haven’t personally tried it!