Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream

Learn how to make the ultimate homemade vegan vanilla ice cream that's rich, ultra-creamy, and perfectly sweet. With simple ingredients and an ice cream maker, you'll create a deliciously dairy-free treat that everyone will love!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Chilling and Churning Time 4 30

Total Time 4 30

Servings people

Calories 298kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Equipment

Ice Cream Maker
Freezer-Safe Container with Lid

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews
14 oz full-fat coconut milk (1.5 cups)
14 oz lite coconut milk (1.5 cups)
¾ cup cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean pod , halved and seeds scraped (*optional)
½ teaspoon sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Your ice cream maker base should be completely frozen before beginning. I usually put mine in the freezer the night before.
If you don't have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix), you must first soften the cashews. To soften, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 20 minutes. Then drain, rinse, and discard soaking water.
Add the cashews, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla extract, scraped vanilla bean (not the pod), and salt to your blender. Blend on high until completely smooth. Cover and place in the coldest part of your fridge. Chill for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight. It should be very cold!
Once chilled, add the mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It should usually take between 20-30 minutes. The mixture will thicken and look like soft serve when it's done.
Using a rubber spatula, transfer the ice cream to a large, freezer-safe container with a lid, smooth the top, and cover. Freeze it for at least 3 to 6 hours, or until it is firm. If you don't have a container with a lid, cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
To serve, let the ice cream thaw at room temp for about 10-15 minutes to slightly soften. Before freezing again, cover the surface of the ice cream with wax paper or plastic wrap and then cover with the lid. This will prevent ice crystals from forming.

Notes

Avoid overfilling your ice cream maker bowl to prevent overflow as it thickens. Refer to your instruction manual for the maximum fill line.
The ice cream will last about 2 weeks as long as it's stored in an airtight container. It helps to cover the surface with wax paper to avoid ice crystals from forming.
The flavor of this ice cream will have a subtle coconut undertone. The cashews seem to balance it out a bit so it doesn't overpower.
See the post above for step-by-step photos, extra tips, and FAQs

Nutrition