Avocado Ice Cream
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Learn how to make avocado ice cream that’s sweet, creamy, and needs just 4 ingredients. Ready in minutes and easy to customize!
I love unconventional ingredients, especially in desserts. If you thought avocado was reserved for toast, think again. It’s ideal for making ice cream.
Now, to be fair, using avocados in desserts isn’t exactly a new concept (hello, avocado chocolate mousse). If you think about it, avocado is high in fat and creamy, similar to butter. It also has a very mild flavor, making it well-suited for frozen desserts.
When testing this recipe, my non-negotiable rule was that there could be no avocado flavor whatsoever. I found that using a mix of cream and full-fat coconut milk masked any mild avocado flavor while keeping the ice cream scoopable. The result is a rich, creamy, perfectly sweet ice cream with a vibrant green color.
Table of Contents
Why I love this avocado ice cream recipe
- Extra creamy. As you can imagine, avocado makes this ice cream silky smooth and adds a decadence that won’t go unnoticed.
- A little healthier. Avocados are rich in healthy fats and low in saturated fat, making them a healthy addition to any dessert. I also use half the cream that most ice cream recipes call for.
- Made with or without an ice cream maker. I actually prefer making it without an ice cream maker because there is less mess, but I’ll include my tested method using one, too.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Great with only four ingredients and nice that it works, that it is coconut milk tested is appreciated, thank you!”– Sabrina
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into avocado ice cream, along with my kitchen notes. Complete measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Avocado. Firm but ripe avocados. I prefer Hass avocados, as they have a creamier texture. I recently retested this using frozen avocado chunks (available at Walmart, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods) and it tasted just as good as fresh ones.
- Coconut milk. Full-fat and canned coconut milk. Do not use coconut milk from a carton, as it won’t have the thickness or fat content needed for the ice cream.
- Sugar. I used white sugar, but I also tested this using maple syrup and honey, and it worked just as well.
- Heavy cream. Measured in its chilled state.
- Fresh mint. Optional, but I think it complements the avocado nicely.
How to make avocado ice cream
Step 1- Blend. In a high-speed blender or food processor, add all the ingredients and blend until completely smooth.
Step 2- Freeze. Transfer the ice cream base to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Step 3- Serve. Let the frozen ice cream sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before scooping and serving.
How to make this with an ice cream maker
While I prefer the no-churn version of this ice cream, I tested it in my Cuisineart ice cream machine and it worked really well. Freeze the mixture in the ice cream bowl until frozen. After 3 hours, add it to the ice cream machine and churn for about 45 minutes or until creamy and scoopable.
Other ice cream machines might need more or less churning time.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Strain the ice cream. If the ice cream isn’t perfectly smooth, run it through a sieve before freezing it to remove any chunks. This is only necessary if you use frozen avocado or less-ripe ones.
- Use chilled ingredients. A little nerdy culinary school talk here, but chilled cream and coconut milk help everything meld together, which results in a creamier ice cream with fewer ice crystals.
- Mix the coconut milk. I’ve noticed that canned coconut milk tends to separate over time, so make sure to give it a good mix before blending.
- Adjust the sweetness. As written, this ice cream is pleasantly sweet. If you prefer a super-sweet ice cream, taste it before freezing it. If you want it sweeter, add a little more sugar or syrup.
- Add mix-ins, like chocolate chips, coconut flakes, or chopped nuts.
- Make chocolate avocado ice cream. Fold in ¼ cup of cocoa powder into the blender.
Storage instructions
Freezing: Store the extra ice cream in a freezer-safe airtight container for 2-3 weeks. Cover its surface with parchment paper to prevent crystals from forming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Avocado ice cream has a smooth, thick, creamy texture, and unless you add mix-ins, it has a very mild flavor compared to other ice creams.
Technically, avocado-based ice cream is higher in healthy fats and fiber than traditional ice cream. That said, it should still be enjoyed in moderation as it does contain significant amounts of sugar and cream.
Yes! I tested a dairy-free (vegan) option, and it worked out really well. Instead of heavy cream, I used dairy-free whipping cream (Califa Farms Dairy Free Substitute), and it tasted almost identical. This cream can be a little hard to find (I found it on Amazon), so I tested it with full-fat coconut cream (Thai Kitchen Coconut Whipping Cream), and it worked well. It wasn’t as rich, but it was still scoopable.
Avocado Ice Cream
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large avocados
- 1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk full fat
- 3/4 cup sugar or substitute
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup fresh mint optional
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender, add the avocado, coconut milk, sugar, and heavy cream, and blend until completely smooth.
- Transfer the ice cream into a freezer-friendly container and place it in the freezer for about two hours or until frozen.
- Let the frozen ice cream sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Tips: See my recipe tips above for making the best avocado ice cream.
- Leftovers: Like any good ice cream, store this in the freezer, covered. If your ice cream maker comes with a portable container, store it in that container. Alternatively, you can use a freezer-friendly container.
Nutrition
More easy ice cream recipes
- Keto ice cream– Just 3 simple ingredients and no sugar.
- Oat milk ice cream– Store-bought pints cost around $9 to $12 each. My homemade recipe costs less than two dollars!
- Almond milk ice cream– I include my base recipe and five flavors to try.
- Coconut ice cream– This is my family’s favorite ice cream that has no dairy but is super creamy.
- Rolled ice cream– The viral TikTok recipe but made homemade!
Originally published June 2022
This is so creamy and fast and no avocado taste. Will make it again.
I love to hear that, Melissa. Thanks for taking the time to leave a lovely review and rating 🙂
what can I use to make this sugar free? Thanks
You can use dates! I made date paste and date syrup, naturally sugar free and healthy! Banana, and Raw organic Monk Fruit sweetener also are fantastic for adding sweetness without sugar. Enjoy!
Hi Kay- I just retested this with allulose, and it works really well!
Hi, I can’t watch the video.
Easy to make and so creamy.
Thanks, Eileen- so glad you enjoyed it!
I can’t have coconut or dairy in any form. Can you suggest a substitute for the coconut milk and the heavy cream?
Not for this recipe, K.B. I have seen some oat milk based heavy creams which you could test!
can i make this recipe in a ninja creami or will I need to alter it?
Yes you can!!! You may need to pour the mixture into two creami jugs to make things easier. All measurements are the same 🙂 When re-mixing it, use cream or full-fat milk.
Looks great. I am going to make it soon. Thank yuo so very much!!
Thanks, Louisa!
Healthy and good 100%
Thanks, Tidimalo!
I love avocado they are delicious
They sure are, Maryrose.
Can I use condensed coconut or condensed oat milk as a substitute for the heavy cream to keep it dairy free?
You could try! It will be super sweet though, so I’d cut back on the sugar.
Can I use all heavy cream and leave the coconut milk out? Or replace it with Greek yogurt or Sour Cream?
I just retested this using all cream and it worked beautifully!
Looks great. I am going to make it soon. Thank you so very much!!
Oh so good, just licking the spatula while scooping it into the glass loaf pan!! Just made this today, and I added 4 tbsp. cocoa powder to make it chocolate. I am trying to hide the fact, from my boyfriend, that this has avocados in it!! Here’s to hoping he likes it!
Love to hear that, Sheri- I hope he enjoyed it too!
great with only four ingredients and nice that it works, that it is coconut milk tested is appreciated, thank you!
Looks Yummy. I have mentioned to Hidden Valley Ranch over the years about making Ranch Dressing Ice Cream but no one ever makes it.
HHAHAHAHAHAHA I’d eat it!
I tweaked the recipe a bit. I used 6 ripe avocados, 1 can of cream of coconut not to be mistaken for (coconut cream) and one cup of whole milk. Omg! It’s addicting. I had to force myself to stop eating it.
NOTE: Cream of coconut is sweet, so no need to add any extra sweetener.
Please use this base to give us a pistachio ice cream recipe. I love the things you come up with. So good!
Ohh 🙂 Add some chopped pistachios and pistachio extract to it.
How much extract please?…I added too much extract once and ruined a whole 1/2 gallon !
Hi Jean! 1/2 a teaspoon for this amount of liquid in the ice cream 🙂
For the dairy-free audiences, what will you suggest as a substitute for Heavy Cream?
I haven’t tried anything, but you can experiment with plant based double cream or coconut cream and see what happens.