Coconut Ice Cream
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My coconut ice cream is sweet and creamy, made with coconut milk. Made with just 3 ingredients, there is NO ice cream maker required!
Turning coconut milk into ice cream- it works!
One of my favorite frozen dessert hacks is using a can of coconut milk to make my creamy coconut milk ice cream. It skips the dairy completely and yields the creamiest, richest ice cream ever… and it’s SO easy to make.
I’ve made many ice creams with heavy cream before, but I never expected coconut milk to replicate the same texture. Seriously, it is so creamy and sweet, and it melts in your mouth. This is why I make it on repeat:
- Ice cream maker or not. I’ve tested this recipe both ways, and it works beautifully whether you use an ice cream maker or a blender.
- No overpowering flavor. If you are worried it will taste strongly of coconut, don’t be. The flavor is subtle and easy to mask with mix-ins or extracts. Just ask my partner, who can never tell the difference.
- Wholesome ingredients. No dairy, no egg yolks, and no heavy whipping cream.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Best coconut ice cream recipe EVER! SO creamy!!” – Katrina
Ingredients needed
- Coconut milk. Use full-fat coconut milk and chill it beforehand. I don’t recommend carton milk, as the ice cream won’t set. If that’s all you have on hand, coconut cream works just as well. In terms of brands, I really like the flavor of Native Forest, and it has a clean ingredient list (just coconut milk – no fillers, thickeners, or gums!).
- Cashew OR almond butter. I enjoy using cashew butter, but almond butter works as well (though the ice cream will be darker in color). If you’d like this recipe to be nut-free, you can use tahini or sunflower seed butter.
- Maple syrup. Adds sweetness without any refined sugar. Honey will also work, though I find it a little overpowering.
- Vanilla extract. Optional, but I recommend adding this to prevent any overpowering coconut flavor.
- Salt. Optional, but a pinch elevates the sweet flavor.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to make coconut ice cream
Step 1- Prepare ice cream. Add all your ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Step 2- Let it set. Transfer into a loaf tin or freezer-friendly container. Place the coconut milk ice cream mixture into the freezer and stir it every 10-15 minutes for the first hour. After the first hour, let it freeze for a further 3 hours.
Step 3- Serve. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to thaw slightly before scooping and serving.
How to make this in an ice cream machine
If you have an ice cream maker, you can definitely make this coconut milk ice cream in it.
Follow the blender directions and freeze the mixture for about 45 minutes. Once it has frozen slightly, transfer it to the ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and churn until thick and creamy. Transfer to the freezer and allow to freeze for an hour.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Freeze your loaf pan before adding the ice cream mixture. I find this helps the ice cream mixture freeze quickly and also prevents freezer burn.
- Stir regularly. I recommend stirring the ice cream mixture (yes, from the freezer) every 10 to 15 minutes for the first hour (so 3 to 4 times). This prevents the ice cream from solidifying too quickly and makes the end result nice and scoopable.
- My trick for scoopability. Adding 1 ounce (1 standard shot) of vodka helps prevent the ice cream from freezing rock hard. Since alcohol doesn’t freeze completely, the texture stays smoother and easier to scoop.
3-Ingredient Coconut Ice Cream
Video
Ingredients
- 13 1/2 ounces canned coconut milk chilled
- 3/4 cup cashew butter or almond butter * See notes
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Place a freezer-friendly container or loaf pan in the freezer.
- In a food processor or high speed blender, add the coconut milk, cashew butter, and maple syrup, and blend well, until thick and creamy. Ensure you regularly scrape down the sides to ensure the mixture is fully combined.
- Pour your coconut ice cream mixture into the pre-frozen container and place in the freezer. For the first hour, stir the ice cream mixture every 15 minutes, before allowing to freeze completely.Allow the ice cream to freeze for at least 3 hours.
- Let the coconut ice cream thaw for 15 minutes, before scooping into bowls, using a slightly wet ice cream scoop.
Notes
Nutrition
Flavor variations
The beauty of this coconut ice cream recipe is how easy it is to change up the flavor! Here are some of our favorites:
- Peanut butter: Swap out the almond butter for creamy peanut butter.
- Cookie dough: Fold through 1/2 cup of edible cookie dough and 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
- Mint chocolate chip: Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract and 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
- Caramel pecan: swirl through 1/2 cup of caramel syrup and 1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans.
- Strawberry: Add 1-2 cups of frozen strawberries.
- Chocolate: Add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
- Lemon Coconut: Add two teaspoons of lemon extract and two tablespoons of coconut flakes.
More dairy free ice cream recipes
Originally updated May 2023
Thanks so much for coconut Ice cream. Can’t wait to try it.
Please do!
Your recipes are true.
can you give me the exact measurements? i want to make it on my day off. thank you
There is a full recipe card!
This is the most delicious alternative to traditional ice cream! Creamy, rich, sweet without the sugar. Made with the cocoa. If you’ve got a frozen ice cream maker it doesn’t need to go in your freezer first.
Yes!! Thanks, Marie!
Healthy, easy, YUMMY!!! Thank you!!!
Can I use peanut butter as substitute
You can!
This looks so good but does it have a maple taste at all?
Not at all 🙂
Thank you for the recipe!!
I made this coconut ice cream and it was fairly easy especially for someone who hasn’t made ice cream before!
I like that is was creamy and the good coconut flavor and it also looked like real ice cream!
Next time I would triple the keto homemade syrup. I doubled the syrup this time but it needed just a bit more for me😋
Can you use an ice cream maker for this coconut ice cream?
Hi there, can I use peanut butter instead of cashew butter ?
You can try and see!
I made this last night and it was so good! I used coconut milk, almond butter and keto maple syrup. I want to try the strawberry option next…do you recommend using coconut milk, strawberries and keeping the maple syrup?
Yes! For sure 🙂
Can’t wait to make this. I will also try the sugar free maple syrup. Didn’t know there was such a thing. Heading to Sprouts! Thanks for the recipe!
I made a double recipe and have it churning in my countertop Cuisinart ice cream maker. Hope it freezes all right this way, didn’t see why it wouldn’t.
My ice cream is not white tho due to the almond butter. How is yours white Arman?
Hi Ann! Sorry, in the body of the post we mentioned using cashew butter which is super light and the recipe card only seems to highlight the almond butter. You can try that next time if you want it the same color.
is coconut water the same as coconut milk?
No it is not.
Oh so excited to tell you that when I was making my ice cream I had to make some almond butter and I made a comment on your almond butter recipe just a minute ago. When I used it with over toasted almonds and my pure maple syrup not homemade, and I add some coconut extract and some vanilla, let me tell you it tastes like a coconut almond ice cream it took the color of the almonds which are kind of brown and it is absolutely delicious. I need to know how you kept your ice cream so white!
Hi! Sorry the notes in the body says we used cashew butter! But almond butter shouldn’t be too much darker 🙂
Easy and very tasty! I made it with almond butter, coconut whipping cream and sugar free maple syrup to keep it keto. Soooo yummie!!
What can i substitute maple syrup for? Can I use erythritol?
Honey or agave.