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Learn how to make my almond milk ice cream with 3 ingredients and get light, creamy, decadent ice cream every time. I love that you don’t even need an ice cream maker!
Looking for more vegan ice cream recipes? Try my oat milk ice cream, coconut ice cream, and cashew milk ice cream next.
I love ice cream, but I don’t love spending a fortune on plant-based ice creams, especially when the ingredient list is a mile long.
This homemade almond milk ice cream recipe is a game-changer. It’s deceptively easy to make at home, and I’ve virtually stopped buying it at the grocery store.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to customize. I included the base recipe plus 7 easy flavors to choose from so you can try a new flavor every day of the week.
- Healthy. Along with being dairy-free and gluten-free, this ice cream is low in fat and has no refined sugar.
- Made with or without an ice cream maker. I prefer the ice cream maker method, but if you don’t have one, I included ice cream maker-free instructions.
- Tastes just like store-bought ice cream. The texture is smooth, creamy, and scoopable, like all good ice cream should be.
Ingredients needed
- Cashews. Raw and unsalted cashews. This gives the ice cream thickness and creaminess without the need for cream or eggs.
- Almond milk. I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk for a light vanilla flavor, but you can use plain almond milk if you prefer.
- Maple syrup. Gives the ice cream sweetness and extra creaminess. Agave nectar will also work, but steer clear of granulated sweeteners, as they won’t fully dissolve.
How to make almond milk ice cream
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Soak the cashews. Place the cashews into a bowl and cover with water. Let them soak overnight to soften.
Step 2- Blend. The next day, place the softened cashews and half of the almond milk into a blender. Blend until combined. Add the remaining milk and maple syrup and blend until thick and frothy.
Step 3- Churn and freeze. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Churn the ice cream until it has a soft-serve texture. Pour the mixture into a container and freeze for at least an hour.
Step 4- Serve. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.
Can I make this without an ice cream maker?
Yes, if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can easily make this ice cream using a blender. However, you’ll have to keep an eye on it for the first hour so it doesn’t freeze.
- Prepare the mixture as instructed.
- Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or freezer-safe container and cover the pan. Place it in the freezer.
- For the first hour, stir the mixture every 15-20 minutes.
- Once set, let it thaw for 10 minutes before scooping.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Scrape down the sides of the blender. To make sure everything blends evenly.
- Save time. If I forget to soak the cashews overnight, I’ll soak them in boiling water for an hour, and the texture will be basically the same.
- Make it creamier. Fold in 1 tablespoon of vodka or a pinch of xanthan gum or guar gum to make a softer, more scoopable ice cream.
- Add fat. Much of the creamy texture of regular ice cream comes from the fat content in the milk, and since almonds are low in fat, we need to get creative to make thicker, more satisfying ice cream. I like to add 2 tablespoons of MCT oil or olive oil.
- Serve it soft-serve style. If you prefer soft-serve ice cream, serve it immediately after churning.
Flavor variations
I love the natural flavor of plain ice cream with almond milk, but you can add a host of different mix-ins to change it up. Here are some ideas:
- Banana ice cream. Add 1 teaspoon of banana extract.
- Chocolate ice cream. Use unsweetened chocolate almond milk and add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Strawberry ice cream. Add 1/2 cup frozen strawberries to the mixture before churning. This also works with other types of berries, like raspberries or blackberries.
- Peanut butter ice cream. Fold in 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter to the mixture when blending. This also works for other types of nut butter, like almond butter or cashew butter.
- Cookie dough ice cream. Add 1/2 cup crushed chocolate chip cookies to the ice cream maker.
- Coffee ice cream. Add 1 teaspoon coffee extract.
- Mint chocolate ice cream. Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and ¼ of chocolate chips.
Storage instructions
To store: Homemade ice cream should be stored in the freezer at all times. It will keep well for up to 1 month.
To re-freeze: Since there’s no eggs or dairy in this ice cream, it won’t re-freeze very well, so I recommend only freezing it once and enjoying it promptly.
Frequently asked questions
Compared to traditional ice cream, ice cream made with almond milk does have a slightly sweeter flavor and thinner consistency.
Yes, if you’d like to swap almond milk for regular cow’s milk in this ice cream recipe, you can. Just be weary that the texture and flavor will be different.
More frozen dessert recipes
Almond Milk Ice Cream
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups cashews raw and unsalted
- 2 cups almond milk I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk * See notes
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Place your cashews into a bowl and cover with water. Let them soak overnight, to soften.
- The next day, place your softened cashews into a blender, along with half the almond milk. Blend until combined. Add the remaining milk and maple syrup, and blend once more, until thick and frothy.
- Transfer the mixture into an ice cream maker. Churn the ice cream until it becomes a soft serve texture. Pour the mixture into a container and place in the freezer for at least an hour.
- Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, before scooping. 1
Ice cream with only 3 ingredients. Thanks!
creamy and so much better for some pallets that dislike the coconut milk taste.
This is so simple to make and tastes great!
I made this ice cream it is delicious. I used my ice cream maker to finish it off. Will make it.M
Thanks, Mary Ellen!
This almond milk ice cream sounds good but can it be made without an ice cream maker? Thank you, Linda
Yes it can!
Don’t have ice cream maker can I make almond milk ice cream without
Yes- Just need to stir the mixture every 20 minutes for the first 1-2 hours.
Simple healthy, and great tasting
Thank you! Read that you DO discard liquid. Great recipe!!
Love the flavors
Hi Armon.
Do you drain cashews before adding to blender?
Thank you!
Can I use Walnuts in place of Almonds and if so, do I have to soak them first?
I’m looking for a Recipe for almond milk ice cream can anybody please help me out
I recently found out I’m lactose and regular milk gave me a stomach ache… the problem was I loved ice cream! So after I found this recipe I loved it! This recipe was amazing super easy to make and surprisingly good even though I’m not a huge fan of cashews!
can you use sweet almond mild and ski the maple syrup?
Made this yesterday. So incredibly easy and delicious. Thank you! I make my own almond milk in my Nutramilk. Could also make it in my vitamix, but the Nutramilk does a much better job. (Crazy expensive and big, but I figured it was worth the investment.)
It dosent Give amounts of ingredients
So I would rate it poorly
Yes it does. What a silly comment.
My girls don’t like the taste of the coconut milk ice cream I make, so I’m excited to try this.
Cashew milk is just water and soaked/pureed cashews, so I don’t understand why you discard the soaking water. As long as you used only enough water to soften the cashews, it seems it would increase the richness of the mix.
Surprisingly sweet and creamy! Might experiment with soaking cashews longer (I did about 12 hours) as I wasn’t able to get rid of the slightly grainy texture. I also want to try full fat coconut milk instead of almond milk next time for a more full-bodied creaminess!
Is the the recipe for a one and half quart ice cream maker? The 2 cups cashew, 2 cups almond milk?
Hi Arman! How do i use this recipe without an ice cream maker? Ive seen your other recipes that don’t use one but i really wanna try it with this recipe.
Can the same method be applied? Where u stir the loaf pan every 10-15 minutes for the first hour in the freezer.
Thanks for sharing the diabetic friendly recipes. I have used Agave nectar more..it’s natural..and have added cardamom seeds and vanilla and saffron and a pinch of turmeric to give it the pale yellow color. Using fruit cups puréed are a great texture..adding pistachios……toasted coconut…and mango puréed. This can be found in an local Indian grocery store .
Thank you for this recipe! Do you think my Vitamix can take place of ice cream maker?
I haven’t tried- Feel free to experiment and see!
Nice recipe, but unless I’ve overlooked, didn’t notice the quantity of each ingredient.
The recipe sounds great, but does it come out creamy when you take it out of the freezer?
You need to thaw it for a few minutes first.
What is the name of your ice cream maker?
Cuisineart!
This is an interesting 3 ingredient recipe… can you substitute something else for the nuts? What would you recommend?
Not that I’ve tried!
What if you dont have a ice cream maker?
Best to try a no churn recipe instead!
Hi Armon.
Do you drain cashews before adding to blender?
Thank you!