7 Expert Tips for Making Vegan Ice Cream (Plus Recipes!)

The rising temperatures just beg for an ice cream scoop or two to cool off and prepare for the summer days ahead. Yes, you can buy your own vegan pint, but what about when you want something beyond cookies ‘n’ cream in Ben & Jerry’s territory? Perhaps you fancy a s’mores ice cream, vegan marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate chips filled with a toasted marshmallow almond milk ice cream.

For must-have tips on making your own frozen treats, we turn to Hannah Kaminski, the weirdo behind the cookbooks. Fashionably vegan And Super Vegan Scoop!. She makes flavors you wish you dreamed of first (Thai Iced Tea Ice Cream, we’re looking at you). Kaminski shares her best tricks for making quality homemade ice cream and even how to make your dessert without an ice cream maker. Plus, there’s delicious recipe inspiration, too.

How do you make vegan ice cream?

1Use proper non-dairy milk as your base

Kaminski says you’ll get the best results from dairy-free alternatives that are high in fat, such as canned coconut milk. She usually uses almond milk as her base, but other non-dairy milks can work (stay away from rice milk because it’s too watery).

2If you don’t have an ice cream maker, use a baking dish

Not ready to splurge on a gadget to churn for you? Kaminski shares, “Pour the base into a rectangular baking dish and place the dish on a flat surface in your freezer. Wait 45 minutes and then use a fork to scrape off any ice crystals that form around the edges. Put the dish back in the fridge, wait 30 minutes and scrape again. Repeat until the entire mixture is frozen.” While this technique will result in a less smooth texture than what you might be used to, a great non-dairy base will still give you a dreamy rich flavor.

3Investing in an ice cream maker is not a bad idea

Although Kaminsky used an expensive model to test more than 100 recipes for his cookbook, he highly recommends the Cuisinart, which he used for years until ditching it so many times. If you own a KitchenAid mixer, you can purchase an ice cream maker attachment More affordable options include the Hamilton Beach and Nostalgic Electric, which offer $40-and-under models, or the Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker, which literally turns ice cream making into a game; You turn it and after 10 minutes, your ice cream is ready. Plus, after all the hard work, you deserve a scoop.

4Carefully add in your mixture

Now, you can go crazy and become the master of innovative ice cream. Instead of tossing vegan chocolate chips into your mixer (which will cause all the chips to settle to the bottom of your cherry vanilla chip), Kaminski recommends adding your goodies in layers. “I like to add a scoop or two of ice cream, a handful of mix-in, two more scoops of ice cream, and then more mix-in until everything is in the container. With a wide spatula, gently fold in the mixture, stirring from bottom to top. It helps distribute things evenly. There will always be pockets with more stuff than others, but finding them is half the fun!

5drink alcohol

Adding a little liquor can enhance the perfect taste of ice cream. In Kaminski’s horchata ice cream recipe, she adds a touch of dark rum to play up the rich vanilla and nutty flavors in the base. Other flavor suggestions he suggests are pairings of happy hour-ready Kahlua with chocolate flavors, citrusy liqueur Limoncello or Grand Marnier with fruit-based ice cream, and bourbon with vanilla.

A word of caution: don’t drink too much because the more you add, the softer your ice cream will be. If you want your pint alcohol-free, Kaminski recommends substituting similarly flavored extracts and adding non-dairy milk to replace the amount of alcohol called for in the recipe.

6Get inspiration from other ice cream recipes

You’ve found the perfect ice cream recipe online, but it’s not vegan. Instead of trying to substitute eggs, take the flavor profiles and play with them. “Any flavor can be reinvented as a vegan recipe, so take inspiration from other recipes,” says Kaminski. When all else fails, add your own twist to a solid vanilla base.”

7Give yourself time.

Kaminski shares her secret to the perfect sweet treat: “The best frozen desserts can’t be rushed.” Making your own amazing vegan ice cream takes a little elbow grease. First, you need to freeze the ice cream maker bowl overnight. Next, you cook the base and let it cool completely before chilling it in the fridge for several hours. Then, you’re ready to churn out your desired flavor in an ice cream maker (or by hand) and freeze your treat for at least three to four hours before downing the delicious quarts you just made.

Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to turn your kitchen into your very own vegan ice cream shop and churn out your own flavors and toppings.

Best Vegan Ice Cream Recipes

Aleko

1 Chocolate Chip Oat Milk Banana Ice Cream

Simple and delicious. All you need to make this delicious recipe are bananas, vanilla extract, oat milk and chocolate chips.
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Amy Lyons

2 Key lime pie ice cream

If you love the taste of key lime pie, you’ll love this zesty dairy-free recipe. If you want to customize it further, marshmallows are a delicious addition.
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Breelyn Ferguson

3 Coconut Cashew Matcha Ice Cream

There are only two steps to this creamy matcha ice cream recipe—just remember to soak the cashews!
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Hannah Kaminsky

4 Coffee Chip Frozen Yogurt

More of a fro-yo person than an ice cream person? We’ve got you covered, too. All you need for this recipe is soy yogurt, agave nectar, vanilla, coffee powder, and chocolate chips.
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Happy Tulsi

5 Double-Chocolate Cherry Chunk Ice Cream

If your bananas are on the bend, don’t throw them away! Instead, use them as the base for this decadent cherry ice cream recipe.
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Hannah Kaminsky

6 Mexican Hot Chocolate Vegan Ice Cream

Cayenne pepper sounds like an odd ingredient for ice cream, but trust us, once you try it, you’ll be hooked.
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Hannah Kaminsky

7 Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt

Peanut butter lovers won’t be able to get enough of this delicious fro-yo recipe. Add real peanuts for an extra satisfying crunch!
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Hannah Kaminsky

8Pumpkin Spice Frozen Yogurt

Pumpkin spice isn’t just for fall! Enjoy the taste of this autumn classic and stay cool in the summer too.
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Hannah Kaminsky

9 Four-ingredient vanilla ice cream

Fast, easy and classic. You can’t go wrong with Ozzy.
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Best Vegan Ice Cream Toppings

1 Chocolate Ganache Glaze

For a little extra indulgence, whip up this ganache gloss. It has just three ingredients: creamer, chocolate and a pinch of sea salt.
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2 Coconut Whipped Cream

Cream on ice cream? We can confirm: this mix of textures is dreamy.
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3Mexican Hot Chocolate Syrup

The spices in this hot chocolate syrup help balance the sweetness of the ice cream beautifully. We recommend serving with waffles, too.
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4Pineapple syrup

Keep things fruity with this pineapple sauce recipe, which is delicious over ice cream, but also works with other dessert options like sorbet, frozen yogurt, and waffles.
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5Rum-Caramel Sauce

Let’s be honest: booze, caramel, and ice cream have to be the best combination ever.
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