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The BEST vegan strawberry ice cream recipe made with just 3 simple ingredients- Thick, creamy, and ridiculously easy! No refined sugar, no dairy, and no ice cream maker needed! Keto, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy Free.
Dairy Free Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe
We love our no-churn ice cream recipes here. Some of our favorite homemade vegan ice cream recipes include vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, and coconut milk ice cream.
It’s time for a strawberry to get in on some action!
What does ‘no-churn ice cream’ mean?
Before you scoff at this recipe and claim you don’t have an ice cream maker, this recipe is 100% made WITHOUT an ice-cream maker!
No churn strawberry ice cream refers to producing a delicious ice cream without the need for an ice cream maker! This easy fool-proof no-churn strawberry ice cream combined frozen strawberries, coconut milk, and a sticky sweetener of choice.
In fact, I used my blender to make it and it created a dreamy, creamy, and completely guilt-free ice cream. For those without a blender, this can be made in the food processor too! Naturally vegan and dairy free, it’s also paleo, gluten-free, and easily made keto!
This truly is the BEST dairy free strawberry ice cream recipe.
How to make no churn strawberry ice cream
The Ingredients
- Coconut Milk
- Maple Syrup (or keto maple syrup)
- Strawberries
- Xanthan Gum (optional)
Coconut Milk
Canned coconut milk is the main ingredient for this ice cream.
Ensure it is full-fat, otherwise, it won’t work out. Once chilled, turn the can upside down and pour the liquid into a cup or mug and reserve it to be poured into the ice cream mixture after the cream- It will ensure the ice cream is creamier and the cream is well blended. What you’ll have left is the thick coconut cream, so throw that in the blender, followed by the coconut milk.
Frozen Strawberries
Frozen strawberries add a thickness and creaminess, along with strawberry flavor.
Ensure your strawberries are frozen, otherwise, it will result in relatively icy ice cream after it’s been frozen and slightly thawed. If possible, use cut-up fresh strawberries or pre-packaged frozen pieces.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup provides extra sweetness and overall lightness to the ice cream. Before you roll your eyes and proclaim that it is ‘sugar’, you’ll only be using a half cup for the entire recipe.
Xanthan Gum (Optional)
For ultra-creamy and super silky ice cream, feel free to add a teaspoon of xanthan gum.
Xanthan gum is a gluten-free thickener, but be warned- A tiny amount goes a very long way. Even accidentally adding a little extra will result in a wasted recipe!
The instructions
- Freeze the loaf pan– Freeze a loaf pan 30 minutes before preparing your ice cream. This will ensure the ice cream will not have any freezer burns and freeze the mixture evenly.
- Blend your coconut milk individually– Add the layer of coconut cream and blend lightly. Add the rest of the coconut milk and blend until combined.
- Add your strawberries and sticky sweetener– To the blender, add your frozen strawberries and sticky sweetener and blend well, until smooth and creamy.
- Freeze the mixture then stir it– Pour the vegan strawberry ice cream mixture in the frozen loaf pan. For the first hour, stir the mixture every 15 minutes, to ensure the mixture doesn’t freeze into a solid ice block.
Can I make this a keto strawberry ice cream?
Yes, this recipe can easily be made keto!
Although strawberries do contain some carbs in them, they are a low net carb fruit, and the amount used in this recipe is a very small portion.
The only ingredient swap you’ll be using from the original recipe is the maple syrup. Traditional maple syrup is not keto-friendly, but this recipe works with keto maple syrup. It has the same texture as traditional maple syrup and provides both sweetness and a creamier texture to the ice cream.
NOTE: Other sugar free syrups will NOT work. They contain too much extra water in it and will yield an icy texture.
Storage Tips
- To store: Leftover strawberry ice cream can be stored in the freezer, for up to 1 week. Be sure you keep it in a freezer-friendly container.
- To thaw: Because this ice cream has no dairy and no refined sugar, you need to thaw it for 15-20 minutes, before scooping into bowls.
- To re-freeze: I don’t recommend re-freezing the strawberry ice cream once it has been thawed. Re-freezing it causes the mixture to ice up, and the next time you remove it to enjoy, it will be rock hard solid.
Dairy Free Strawberry Ice Cream Tips
- Use a good quality blender or food processor. This ensures the ice cream is blended well, which in turn, freezes so much better.
- Don’t use fresh strawberries. Fresh strawberries tend to impact the texture of the ice cream and be difficult to firm up. If you only have fresh strawberries, freeze them prior to making the ice cream.
- Your coconut cream MUST be chilled and MUST be from a can. Room temperature coconut cream will weaken the thickness of the ice cream. Do not use carton coconut milk or other milk alternatives.
- You can use an ice cream maker if you have one on hand. Be sure to follow the instructions as listed on the make and model of it.
More EASY ice cream recipes you’ll enjoy
WATCH THE STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO BELOW
Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 14 oz canned coconut milk refrigerated * See notes
- 1/2 cup maple syrup ** See notes
- 1 teaspoon xantham gum optional
Instructions
- Place a loaf pan in the freezer.
- In a high speed blender or food processor, add your chilled coconut milk, adding the layer of cream first, followed by the liquid. Add your frozen strawberries and maple syrup and blend until thick and creamy. Do not over blend, or it will become too icy when thawing.
- If you choose to use xantham gum, add it halfway through blending and do not over blend.
- Pour the strawberry ice cream mixture into the frozen loaf tin. To ensure it doesn’t become too icy, lightly mix your ice cream ever 20-30 minutes for the first hour.
- Thaw for 10-15 minutes before eating. Lightly wet an ice cream scoop before scooping the ice cream into a bowl.
So if you had to choose – would you pick SALT or SUGAR? This is a life or death question, by the way – ha!
SALT. Always salt. Sugar can go…disintegrate.
SALT POWER!!
I’m a huge fan of salty & sweet so why have I never thought to add salt to my smoothie? Sounds delish.
Thank you so much, Deanna! It enhances the taste!
I’ve never thought of sweet and salty ice cream. It sounds oddishly(?) delicious. 😀
You need to add sea salt to EVERYTHING!
i made peanut butter and banana soft serve long time ago, the best combination. possible. your icecream sounds fantastic,
Peanut butter and banana is an epic combination…actually, I think Parita just posted something using those two which sounded epic!
let me guess.. laura is the salty one? Jk. But i do love sea salt in everything. SO this is a yes! try it on watermelon next
Um… already done geeze 😉 Feta cheese and watermelon is a favourite combination of mine 😉
freakin genius
😯 WHY did I never think to add salt to my smoothies?! OMG… Shame on you for watching me down smoothies for the past two weeks and not telling me!
Ice cream… vanilla. I’ve been a vanilla girl for as long as I can remember, but I have a feeling a lot of that might have to do with the fact that I can’t eat most of the fancier flavours because of my allergies. Cookie dough and moose tracks definitely sound wonderful though… But the good thing about vanilla is you can toss whatever you please into it 🙂
Dude. I didn’t message it to you, but I totally had an ‘Amanda’ flavour gelato after brunch today. Seriously, Spoons worthy!
But for store bought..vanilla takes the…cake?
i need to make this! sounds so mmm mmm good!!
So delicious!
Lot the sweet and salty! I just sweet and salted my egg whites bowl!
Wow, sweet and salty egg whites sound amazing!
Vanilla bean ice cream lady right hurrr.
I love that you call it “vanilla essence”. It’s sort of like how Curt came home to let me know he bought us a “credenza” which supposedly is a fancy name for entertainment unit…I’ve been calling it that ever since.
Hahaha what do you call it? Isn’t that the name?
I’m calling my future child Credenza…what an epic name!
Well now doesn’t this sound amazing! Sweet + Salty for the win!
Morganne would you expect anything less? Whole 30 forgot to mention it makes it’s participants so cheeky :p
whoa the addition of coconut butter i think is what totally takes the cake on this one. I suck at making any sort of smoothie blend thing (mostly out of pure laziness) but I swear if i ever do, saving this one 🙂
Haha go for it, Alex. The worst part is cleaning the damn blender!
This sounds so good! I’m all about the smoothie bowls. I’m also all about smoothies and you’re right–it’s strange considering how cold it’s been lately. Maybe we are all just wishing for summer.. Favorite ice cream hmmmmm nutella. Nutella gelato is by far my favorite.
Erin.
You’ll like my Monday post. I tried the greatest gelato flavour known to human kind! Add sea salt to your next smoothie…epic.
This sounds amazing and so refreshing! I love the addition of sea salt!
I love banana and PB “ice cream” before. It was so delicious! My absolute favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip. Mmmm…I could totally go for a bowl of it for breakfast! 😉
Ice cream for breakfast is completely appropriate! Seriously, I go through sea salt like it’s going out of style!
That is definitely the way to do smoothies or basically anything of the like – suuuuper thick. That’s probably the closest I’ve come to making a mock ice cream.
Favourite ice cream would have to be moose tracks (vanilla with fudge and mini PB cups), chocolate chip cookie dough, or cookies and cream. Is it bad that I’m now seriously considering ice cream for breakfast?
I just told Chelsea you gotta check out my Monday post tomorrow..had the most EPIC ice cream flavour today. EPIC!!!
Love that you made this WITHOUT bananas! I will definitely have to try it out! Most “ice creams” in the HLB world always have a frozen banana which makes me want to hurl 😉
Hahaha exactly- I love bananas but not banana ‘ice cream’- the texture reminds me of baby food.