Up until last year, I didn’t own an ice cream maker. (And the only reason I have one now is that I won one in a giveaway.)
But, I would always envy people who had one. “Ugh, those people with their ice cream makers. So fancy and cool, making their ice cream all the time. Ugh.”
In their defense, it’s totally worth it. Since winning mine I’ve been putting it to extensive use: exhibits A, B, C, D, and E.
But, fear not. I hear the cries of the people, of you who are weary of one more appliance; the cost, the space, the time it takes to pull it out of that dusty corner cabinet, etc. And I answer with this:
Let not your lack of ice cream maker stand in the way of enjoying delicious, creamy, full-fat ice cream at home. Behold: No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream with all the richness, flavor and creaminess of the real thing, no ice cream maker required.
Here’s the deal. If you make coconut whipped cream and sweeten it with dates, good things happen. Such good things, in fact, that it makes the perfect base for creamy, dreamy ice cream, no churning required.
The magic happens with the full-fat coconut cream, the vigorous whipping, and the mysterious date and its amazing ability to resist freezing (a fact I discovered when making 5-Ingredient Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles). The result is an amazingly versatile ice cream base with tons of air incorporated sans churning.
Throw in some cocoa powder and BAM: a fluffy chocolate mousse-like base that freezes up beautifully.
What’s more? This recipe requires just 5 ingredients:
Coconut Milk or Cream
Cocoa Powder
Almond Milk
Dates
Vanilla
That’s it! And prep time is only 30 minutes. The difficult part is the waiting for it to freeze. And if you’re impatient like me you poke your finger in the freezer every 15 minutes to see if it’s ready. Patience, young one. It’s worth the wait.
This ice cream is kind of amazing! It’s:
Creamy
Rich
Chocolatey
Fluffy
Perfectly Sweet
Scoopable
Refined sugar free
Natural
& Seriously simple
Plus, it’s extremely customizable! Though I’ve yet to try other flavors, I can only assume that the base would work well with peanut butter, strawberries, and perhaps even dairy-free yogurt! Oh man, the possibilities are endless. I can’t wait to experiment.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We love seeing our creations come to life in your kitchens. Cheers!
P.S. Stay tuned! There are more uses to come for this recipe this weekend.
No Churn Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
5-ingredient no-churn vegan chocolate ice cream that has all the creaminess, flavor, and richness of the real thing! Naturally sweetened, vegan, and gluten-free. Print SAVE SAVED
from votes Prep Time 30 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 12Course DessertCuisine Gluten-Free, VeganFreezer Friendly 1 WeekDoes it keep? Store in freezer.
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Ingredients
US Customary – Metric2 14-ounce cans coconut cream OR full- fat coconut milk (chilled overnight in the fridge // I like Trader Joe’s coconut cream or Thai Kitchen coconut milk)2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder powder14-16 ounces pitted dates (if not sticky and moist, soak in warm water for 10 minutes then drain)1 tsp pure vanilla extract1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
OPTIONAL ADD-INs
1 ounce espresso (cooled)1/2 tsp cinnamonCacao nibs
Instructions
Place a large mixing bowl in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.In the meantime, add moist, pitted dates to a food processor and process until small bits remain. Then add hot water a little at a time until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.Without tipping the cans, scoop out the coconut cream from the cans of coconut cream OR coconut milk, reserving the clear liquid for other uses. Place in chilled mixing bowl.NOTE: If you’re using coconut milk, you’ll likely use less sweetener because there’s less volume.Using a mixer, whip until creamy and smooth. Then add cocoa powder, vanilla, almond milk, and half of the date paste. Whip until fully incorporated.Taste and adjust flavors as needed. I ended up adding most of the date paste and a little more cocoa powder.Transfer to a parchment-lined freezer-safe container and cover loosely with plastic wrap, then foil to help freeze.You can take this out in a couple of hours for a chilled mousse-like ice cream. Freeze overnight for a firmer ice cream.Set out for at least 20 minutes prior to scooping, and use a scoop warmed under hot water for a proper scoop.Will keep in the freezer for up to one week, but best when fresh.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 272 Carbohydrates: 34 g Protein: 3.4 g Fat: 16 g Saturated Fat: 14 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 19 mg Fiber: 6 g Sugar: 26 g