15 Healthy Vegan Ice Cream Recipe Ideas (2024)

Cool down with these 15 healthy vegan ice cream recipes that are plant based, whole-foods focused, gluten free, delicious, and perfect for a healthier treat when you are craving something cold and sweet!

15 Healthy Vegan Ice Cream Recipe Ideas (1)photo by Natts Eats

Droolworthy & Healthy Vegan Ice Cream Recipes

I honestly believe there can never be enough healthy vegan ice cream recipes out in the blogosphere. Never. There’s no such thing as “oversaturating” the recipe world with ice cream!

Whether it’s cold, creamy dark chocolate, tart and sweet peach, or chunky cookie-dough deliciousness, I’m down for any healthy ice cream flavour you throw my way. Also, I was pregnant at the time I wrote this recipe roundup post so…no explanation needed!

Last summer I put together a delicious homemade dairy free ice cream roundup and going with my motto that there can never be too many ice cream recipes to try, today I’m sharing 15 more healthy and totally vegan ice cream recipes!

Whether you can tolerate dairy and/or don’t follow a vegan or plant-based diet, are a strict vegan, or just like to dabble in plant-based eating, there will guaranteed be at least one healthy ice cream option in this list for you!

The Vegan Ice Cream Recipes List:

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Creamy Vegan Mint Brownie Ice Cream from Minimalist Baker

It’s such a classic combination, mint and chocolate. This delicious recipe by Minimalist Baker is a must-make with easy raw brownie bits and a simple homemade vegan mint ice cream.

15 Healthy Vegan Ice Cream Recipe Ideas (3)

Vegan Caramel Ice Cream from Delight Fuel

This delicious and creamy cashew based vegan ice cream is swirled with a simple homemade 5-minute tahini date caramel for a mind-blowing combination.

15 Healthy Vegan Ice Cream Recipe Ideas (4)

Healthy Cookie Dough Blizzard Recipefrom NITK

While not a traditional ice cream recipe, this blizzard is one of my favourite simple and healthy cool ice-cream treats to enjoy in the summer with a quick banana based “nice cream” and easy vegan cookie dough chunks.

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5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cup Nice Cream from Pinch Of Yum

Five ingredients, easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. There’s really no excuse not to try this delicious and simple recipe from the lovely Pinch Of Yum!

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4-Ingredient Healthy Chocolate Ice Cream from The Loopy Whisk

It doesn’t get any easier than this tasty and dreamy dark chocolate ice cream with a simple and healthy chocolate sauce for drizzling.

15 Healthy Vegan Ice Cream Recipe Ideas (7)

Healthy Almond Pistachio Frozen Yogurtfrom NITK

This lovely green ice cream alternative, a vegan frozen yogurt, is super tasty and has a lovely flavour to it for a light and healthy cold snack or treat. While the recipe calls for honey you can swap the honey for agave or coconut nectar for a strict-vegan version.

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Homemade Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream from Natt Eats

This lovely vegan ice cream recipe is rich and creamy with a combination of fresh strawberries and coconut milk. Perfect for when strawberries are fresh, in season, and amazingly sweet…nature’s candy.

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Vegan Cookies & Cream Ice Cream from Healthy Happy Life

While this recipe isn’t the healthiest of all vegan ice creams, it is a healthier alternative to a typical store-bought dairy-filled cookies & cream ice cream ice cream you might find, and healthier alternatives are what this is all about.

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Watermelon Mint Ice Cream from Feasting On Fruit

This magical combination of mint and watermelon along with coconut cream and maple syrup is an absolute must on those scorcher days in the summertime.

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Creamy Peach & Walnut Ice Cream from The Awesome Green

While I don’t often think of combining peaches and walnuts, I’m totally intrigued by this lovely looking and sounding vegan ice cream from Ana of The Awesome Green who recommends grilling the peaches for this mouthwatering recipe.

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Vegan Mint Chip Ice Cream from The Modern Proper

Another magical mint ice cream recipe from The Modern Proper, this one combines raw cashews with coconut cream, cane sugar, and chopped dark chocolate.

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Lemon Nice Cream from Krolls Korner

Lemon isn’t a super common flavour of ice cream but should not be overlooked. Not only is it refreshing and perfectly sweet, there’s the added benefit of antioxidants and vitamin C!

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Dreamy Vegan Chocolate Almond Sundae from Dolly & Oatmeal

Dreamy is right, this recipe is as dreamy as it gets with a rich dark chocolate homemade vegan ice cream topped with fresh raspberries, almonds, and a simple homemade chocolate sauce.

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Vegan Strawberry Peach Sorbet from Peanut Butter Plus Chocolate

When you are feeling like a change from the rich chocolate and vanilla ice cream flavours, give this light and sweet peach and strawberry combo a try with a fun add-in of gluten free graham cracker bits for extra crunch

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Easy 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie Ice Creamfrom NITK

While you might not be thinking of pumpkin during the summer months, this simple 3-ingredient pumpkin ice cream (made with store-bought vegan vanilla ice cream) is incredibly easy and worth keeping on your must-make list for the fall!

Back in my nutritional consulting days it was very common to hear my clients complain about how dairy products (ice cream, cheese, milk, etc.) left them feeling gross and bloated with a range of other unmentionable symptoms. I was always happy to point them in the direction of healthy dairy-free or vegan alternatives they could try instead.

If you are like one of those clients and need to pass over the ice cream often, these 15 delicious recipes are an answer to your ice cream woes! Or maybe you are just aiming to eat healthier, these recipes are the answer too! I’d love to know which one peaked your interest. Tell me about it in the comments and be sure to pin the photo below to save this roundup for later!

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15 Healthy Vegan Ice Cream Recipe Ideas (2024)

FAQs

What vegan milk makes the best ice cream? ›

Kaminsky says that you'll get the best results from dairy-free counterparts that are higher in fat such as canned coconut milk. She typically uses almond milk as her base, but other non-dairy milks can work (steer clear of rice milk because it tends to be too watery).

What do vegans eat for ice cream? ›

Commercially-produced vegan ice creams are made from soy, almond, cashew, coconut, or rice milk. These products deliver all of the delicious flavor and creaminess of ice cream without harming a single cow. Most supermarkets carry several varieties.

How to thicken vegan ice cream? ›

Frozen bananas will help you achieve the thick texture of ice cream in your blender. If you have an ice cream maker, you can use the freezing and churning process to create a thick vegan ice cream without the need for frozen bananas. This process often uses cashews that have been soaked overnight in water instead.

Which vegan milk tastes closest to real milk? ›

The test made a few things clear: soy milk, at its best, tastes closest to cow's milk. Oat tastes like a sweetly nutty cereal milk while almond tastes like the water left in your sink after washing the breakfast dishes.

What can I substitute for milk in ice cream? ›

Milk Substitutes for Making Ice Cream
  • Oat Milk. To produce this variant, you can use ground oats and blend them with water. ...
  • Coconut Milk. Use shredded coconuts and rinse them off. ...
  • Peanut Milk. The process is similar to other plant-based milk.
Mar 10, 2020

Is vegan ice cream inflammatory? ›

Vegan diets, which naturally rely on plant-based proteins and nutrients, have been shown to alleviate symptoms of inflammation, and can even help provide relief to conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. In summary, vegan ice cream can offer a solution to those looking to make healthy changes in their diet.

Is sherbet vegan friendly? ›

Sherbet is made with fruit and a dairy, like milk or cream, so it's definitely not vegan or lactose intolerant friendly, which may come as a surprise to many! "Egg white or gelatin is sometimes added, too, and there are federal regulations that mandate sherbet/sherbert should have 1–2 percent butterfat," she says.

What is a substitute for eggs in ice cream? ›

To thicken homemade ice cream without using eggs, use cornstarch. Yes! The starch you use to make pudding, gravy, and thicken fruit sauces. Cornstarch becomes an ice cream-thickener by mixing together cornstarch and sugar before adding the cold liquid, whisking it together, and slowly heating to a boil.

Which is healthier, sorbet or sherbet? ›

Sherbet is made with dairy, so it contains a little bit of fat. One ½ cup serving of sherbet averages around 130 calories and 1 to 3 grams of fat. Sorbet is made with just fruit and sugar and is therefore fat-free. There are between 120 to 150 calories per ½ cup of sorbet.

What is the best milk for vegan ice cream? ›

For me, there's no contest. As far as dairy-free ice cream goes, coconut ice cream is by far the best. Full-fat coconut milk adds enough richness to create a texture that is super creamy, smooth, and not at all icy. It's rich, decadent, and every bit as good as the real thing.

What is the best emulsifier for vegan ice cream? ›

A common - and better - emulsifier for ice cream is soy lecithin, which can be derived from soybeans, sunflowers and rapeseed. Soy lecithin has a neutral taste, and also allows you to make egg-less ice cream.

What can I use instead of heavy cream for ice cream vegan? ›

Soy milk and olive oil

For a vegan dairy-free alternative to heavy cream, try mixing soy milk with olive oil. Much like the pairing of milk and butter, olive oil adds fat to the soy milk for a flavor and function comparable to heavy cream.

Which milk is best for making ice cream? ›

Don't worry too much if you don't have whole milk or heavy cream. Nearly any milk will work, and you can substitute half-and-half for the cream. Ideally you want ingredients with a high fat content because these will create a creamy texture when cooled.

What is the tastiest vegan milk? ›

We're sure you'll find one you enjoy.
  1. #1 Soya Plain Milk. Alpro. 🇫🇷 ...
  2. #2 Oat Drink Barista Edition. OATLY. 🇸🇪 ...
  3. #3 Barista Soya Milk. Alpro. 🇫🇷 ...
  4. #4 Oat Drink. OATLY. ...
  5. #5 Leche de Cacahuate sabor Vainilla Caramel. Vívet. ...
  6. #6 Bebida de Almendra sabor Chocolate. Silk. ...
  7. #7 Vrink Chocolate de Almendras. Vrink. ...
  8. #8 Bevanda al Cocco Original. Alpro.

What is the best vegan creamy milk? ›

Soy milk is my favorite in terms of flavor. It generally has more fat and protein than other varieties, such as nut, rice and oat milks, and this gives it a creamy mouthfeel that, to me at least, is closest to dairy.

What milk does Ben and Jerry's non-dairy use? ›

Non-Dairy (Oat Milk)

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