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Whether you're allergic to dairy , lactose intolerant, or you've taken up a vegan diet, opting out of dairy products doesn't have to mean you can never experience the joys of ice cream again. There are lots of ways to make dairy-free ice cream. Once you know how to make it, you can experiment by adding your own flavors, such as chocolate, mint, or strawberry.

Ingredients

Coconut Milk-Based Ice Cream [1]

  • 2 cans (14-ounce/414-milliliters) coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk
  • ½ cup (100 grams) agave nectar, maple syrup, honey, or cane sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Banana-Based Ice Cream [2]

  • 2-3 overripe, frozen bananas
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 milliliters) almond milk or coconut milk
  • Pinch salt
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Making Coconut Milk-Based Ice Cream

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  1. If you do not have an ice cream maker, don't worry; you can still make this ice cream.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Dairy Free Ice Cream
    Try to use coconut cream if you can; it will give you the creamiest ice cream. If you cannot find any, you can use full-fat coconut milk. [3] Be sure to shake the cans well before opening them and pouring the contents into the blender/food processor.
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  3. This recipe will give you basic vanilla-coconut flavored ice cream. You can add some extra ingredients to enhance the flavor of your ice cream, however. Here are some idea to get you started:
    • If you want chocolate ice cream, increase the sweetener to ⅔ cup (135 grams) and add ¾ cup (75 grams) of cocoa powder. [4]
    • For mint chocolate chip ice cream: use ½ teaspoon of mint extract instead of vanilla extract, and ½ cup (65 grams) of powdered sugar instead of your usual sweetener. If you want the ice cream to be green, add 2 drops of green gel food coloring. [5]
    • If you want to make strawberry ice cream, purée 2½ to 3 cups (500 to 600 grams) of sliced, frozen strawberries, then add the rest of the ingredients. You may want to decrease the sweetener to ⅓ cup (65 grams) and the vanilla extract to ¼ teaspoon. [6]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Dairy Free Ice Cream
    This should only take 1 to 2 minutes. From time to time, you may have to pause the blender/food processor, and scrape any lumps or clumps down the sides and towards the bottom.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Dairy Free Ice Cream
    Follow the instructions that came with your ice cream maker, as each one will be a little different. It will take about 20 minutes for the ice cream to freeze.
    • If you don't have an ice cream maker: pour the mixture into a metal loaf pan and stir in your extras. Put it into the freezer, and cover it with a sheet of wax paper. Stir it every 30 to 60 minutes with a whisk. It will take about 6 hours for the ice cream to freeze. [7]
  6. At this point, your ice cream is done and ready for freezing. You can, however, step it up by adding in ¼ to ½ cup (50 to 100 grams) of extras, such as chopped nuts, sprinkles, or chocolate chips. Be sure to match your extras to the base flavor!
    • If you are making mint chocolate chip ice cream, you might want to stir in ¼ cup (45 grams) of chocolate chips (dark chocolate or vegan). [8]
    • If you are making strawberry ice cream, you might want to stir in ¼ cup (50 grams) of chopped, frozen strawberries.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Make Dairy Free Ice Cream
    If the container does not have a lid, press a piece of wax paper over the ice cream's surface. This will prevent ice crystals from forming. [9]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Making Banana-Based Ice Cream

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Dairy Free Ice Cream
    If you have not already done so, peel and slice 2 to 3 bananas, and put them into a plastic bag. Leave them in the freezer overnight so that they are nice and firm.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Dairy Free Ice Cream
    The more milk you add, the creamier the ice cream will be. You can use almond milk or coconut milk—or any other non-dairy milk.
    • If you are making mint chocolate chip ice cream, use only 2 bananas. All other flavors will require 3.
  3. Bananas are sweet on their own, but not everyone likes their taste. You can change the flavor to a certain extent by adding some additional ingredients. Here are some ideas to get you started: [10]
    • To make chocolate ice cream, add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
    • To make mint chocolate chip ice cream, add ⅛ teaspoon of peppermint extract. You can also add a drop or two of green gel food coloring.
    • To make strawberry ice cream, add 1 cup (200 grams) of sliced, frozen strawberries and ⅛ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
    • To make vanilla ice cream, add ½ teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Dairy Free Ice Cream
    From time to time, you may have to pause the blender/food processor, and push any lumps or clumps down towards the bottom with a rubber spatula. Keep blending until everything is evenly mixed together.
  5. At this point, your ice cream is done. You can step it up by adding in some extras, however. Toss in some chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or sprinkles, and gently fold them in with a rubber spatula.
    • If you are making mint chocolate chip ice cream, you might want to stir in a handful of chocolate chips (dark chocolate or vegan).
    • If you are making strawberry ice cream, you might want to stir in a handful of diced, frozen strawberries.
  6. At this point, the ice cream is ready as a soft-serve style. If you want it to be more firm, transfer it into a freezer-safe container, and leave it in your freezer for 30 minutes. [11]
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Join the Discussion...

WikiCapybaraFlyer168
50
I'm a big ice cream gal but I'd like to get a little craftier in the kitchen and make my own cool flavors! So, what are your tips/recipes for mak... Read More
WikiMountainReader141
1
I have been making my own ice cream for the last few years and I hardly ever buy it anymore--and when I do, it's often not as good as what I can... Read More
WikiLemmingWhisperer521
You can also make it with ziplock baggies. after you've blent the ice cream like the above recipe says pour it into a quart bag, squeeze out the... Read More

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How would I make butter pecan ice cream vegan?
    Community Answer
    It isn't possible to provide a whole recipe in this answer box for something so complex. However, you would need something creamy and fatty to give that "buttery" texture, so coconut cream would do well for that aspect, along with vegan "butter" and you could use almond or coconut milk for the milk component. This request will be noted and someone may be able to add such a recipe to wikiHow in due time.
  • Question
    Can I use full cream milk instead of cream?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can.
  • Question
    Is there a way to make it without a blender?
    Community Answer
    You can try using a whisk, though this will take a while.
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      Things You'll Need

      Making Coconut Milk Based Ice Cream

      • Ice cream maker or metal loaf pan
      • Food processor or blender
      • Rubber spatula
      • Freezer-safe container (for storing ice cream)

      Making Banana-Based Ice Cream

      • Food processor or blender
      • Rubber spatula
      • Freezer-safe container (for storing ice cream)

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make dairy-free ice cream, start by slicing 3 bananas, putting them in a plastic bag, and leaving them in the freezer overnight. Once they’re completely frozen, put them into a blender with 4 tablespoons of almond or coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Then, blend the mixture until it's smooth, and use a spatula to fold in any other ingredients you like, such as fruit or chocolate chips. Finally, serve the ice cream immediately or freeze it for 30 minutes for a firmer texture. To learn more, including how to make a coconut milk-based ice cream, read on!

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