Vegan No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream

I know, I know. I am sure you all have been wondering where C&C has been this past month. But, don’t worry…we are back! We took a short hiatus, but after some quick rest we are returning with some fun, new recipes and crafts that we are so excited to share! Yay! The weather is finally warming up (hallelu!), which makes us so happy. Plus, it finally gives us the chance to take a stab at some recipes we have been dying to try…including today’s featured post. 🙂

One of our favorite sweet treats is ice cream. We have always wanted to try our hand at making a homemade, no-churn version (because not everyone has the time or the equipment to make it with a machine). With that said, there really is no question as to what flavor we wanted to start with. Chocolate. Duh. After some recipe testing, and lots and lots of tasting ?, we finally created one that we absolutely L-O-V-E.

This recipe is truly delicious, plus it is vegan! This homemade no-churn chocolate ice cream is non-dairy and does not include any refined sugar. The sweetness comes from coconut milk and, wait for it….dates! Yes…whole pitted dates! Can you believe it!?

All you need is a couple of ingredients, a hand mixer, mixing bowl, and a freezer-safe pan to make this treat at home, too! It tastes like delicious chocolate mousse, and only gets better when frozen overnight.

Cheers to warmer weather, and chilled sweet treats babes! ???

What You Need

2 cans (13.5 ounces each) coconut milk (chilled overnight in the refrigerator)

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

14 ounces pitted dates

1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional toppings: dairy free chocolate chips, walnuts, almonds, or even shredded coconut ?

Step by Step

1. Add your pitted dates to a food processor and begin pulsing until broken down into tiny bits. Add warm water a little at a time and pulse until a thick paste forms. Scoop out into a small mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Place a large mixing bowl in the freezer for about twenty minutes.

3. Remove the chilled mixing bowl from the freezer, and add in your chilled coconut milk from the can. Note: Scoop out just the top portion of the coconut milk from the can, reserving the clear liquid and discarding it.

4. Using a hand mixer, whip the coconut milk until smooth (about a minute or so).

5. Add to your whipped coconut milk your cocoa powder, vanilla, unsweetened almond milk, and your date paste. Mix until fully combined. It should look (and taste) a lot like chocolate mousse. If you prefer, feel free to taste test as you go, adding in about half of your date paste at first, adding more for more sweetness until it is to your liking. We ended up adding in the entire amount.

6. Spray a freezer safe baking pan with non-stick spray, then line with parchment paper. Spoon in your chocolate ice cream mixture. Cover first with plastic wrap loosely, then some foil. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.

7. Remove from freezer and let sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to soften before scooping. Top with optional toppings (we did dairy free chocolate chips and walnuts…perfection!). Enjoy!