On Sunday I took my first hike of the season. It was a spectacular, sunny day and and the whole time I was thinking: ice cream! So when I got home I went straight to the store to buy everything needed to make dairy-free ice cream.
The summer is torture for a dairy-free girl. Ice cream trucks are sending their melodic call, new gelato places open-up, kids are passing with cones dripping down their shirts and I can’t have any of it. A few coconut ice cream brands are on the market but they’re only available at larger grocery stores and typically have unnecessary additives and too much sugar. So I came up with a recipe to satisfy my ice cream dreams.
This dairy-free ice cream is creamy, melty and the perfect amount of sweetness. And if you’re not a coconut fan this is still a good option for you. My husband despises all things coconut and he loves this. I actually have to divide it into two containers with “his” and “her” labels so he doesn’t eat mine!
Enjoy!


- 1 can organic full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Turn the coconut milk can upside down and open from the bottom. The milk separates into water and cream. Add the entire contents of the can into a blender.
- Add in the maple syrup and vanilla. Blend for 3 minutes until smooth.
- Line a 9”x13” baking pan with parchment paper, wrapping the paper to the outside edges.
- Pour the coconut mix into the pan and place in the freezer for 6 hours or more.
- Once frozen, lift the parchment paper from the edges and begin breaking up the coconut milk pieces. Place these into a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to allow the coconut mix to soften before adding it to the blender depending upon your blender’s strength.
