When making homemade coconut milk ice cream, I usually start with vanilla ice cream as the base. It’s super easy to work with and tastes amazing by itself. For those of you who love vanilla, this vegan ice cream recipe is perfect! It’s extremely creamy, smooth, and filled with lovely soft vanilla notes.
Back To Coconut Milk Ice Cream Basics
Some say vanilla ice cream is plain or lacks character compared to the multiple different ice creams available. However, if you get a good vanilla ice cream I believe it’s one of the most satisfying original flavors. My goal was to make a vanilla ice cream that brought out the light sweet notes of the vanilla bean.
Ingredients
Being dairy-free, I always start with a coconut base. I believe a mixture of coconut cream and coconut milk makes the optimal base for ice cream. This gives the ice cream a smooth slightly sweet starting point that we can build upon.
Next, it’s time to add the vanilla. I chose to go with vanilla bean powder. A lot of vanilla extracts contain alcohol or other substances and I wanted this ice cream to be pure. Vanilla Bean Powder is the purest option for flavor.
To sweeten the deal, I used some green leaf stevia powder. It makes the ice cream sugar-free and adds that light sweetness we are looking for.
Mixin It Up
Making homemade coconut ice cream is a breeze if you have everything prepped. The hardest thing to remember is to freeze the ice cream bowl overnight so it’s ready to go when the time comes to make the ice cream.
Preparation
The way I prep is to mix all of the ingredients and put them in a jar in the fridge the day before I plan on making ice cream. Once the bowl is frozen and the day comes to make this delicious treat, I’m ready.
Make Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Take the bowl out of the freezer, put it in the ice cream maker, and pour all of the ingredients in. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of the ice cream maker).
Now, this delicious coconut ice cream is ready to eat! So easy, and so GOOD.
This ice cream is super easy to make with minimal ingredients, and the reward is amazing! I decided that it was time to add my twist on the classic vanilla ice cream with this homemade vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream, I hope you love it as much as I do!
I must confess, I’ve been on a serious homemade ice cream kick lately. It all started with the Adaptogenic Cold Brew Coffee Coconut Ice Cream and the Peach Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream.
For another take on coconut milk ice cream, try this Coconut Milk Kefir Cherry Ice Cream. Don’t forget these Homemade Vegan Waffle Ice Cream Cones too!
Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
This vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream recipe is perfect! It's extremely creamy, smooth, and filled with lovely soft vanilla notes.
Ingredients
- 2 cans of coconut milk
- 1 can of coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons of sunflower lecithin*
- 1/2 teaspoon of stevia*
- OR 1/2 cup of maple syrup*
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean powder
Instructions
- Add in the coconut milk, coconut cream, sweetener, and other ingredients, until completely smooth.
- If not using an ice cream maker, pour it into a container and put it in the freezer until frozen.
- If using an ice cream maker, chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
- If using an ice cream maker, take out the chilled mixture, and shake well.
- Pour the contents into the ice cream maker and wait until fully chilled.
- Enjoy right away!
Notes
- Sunflower Lecithin Powder is optional, but I recommend using it as a natural emulsifier. I used the powdered version.
- Depending on the brand of your stevia you might need more to taste.
- Start with 1/2 a cup of maple syrup, add more if needed, typically when frozen desserts you need extra sweetener, as the sweetness gets diluted when frozen.