Posted May 28, 2018, Updated May 27, 2024 Vanilla ice cream transcends the seasons. Of course it’s refreshing when enjoyed on a hot summer day or over a fruity summer dessert, but it also takes fall and winter desserts to the next level. I created this paleo vanilla ice cream because I wanted to make a healthier, dairy-free vanilla ice cream for my family to enjoy. Made with only 5 ingredients, this recipe is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo with no refined sugar!And it only takes 5 minutes to prepare. I am all about ultra-creamy dairy-free ice cream. The absence of dairy doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice texture or taste! Using a liquid sweetener and adding almond butter, makes this paleo vanilla ice cream irresistibly creamy. Serve it on top of these fudgy paleo brownies (or these flourless brownies) or these paleo chocolate chip cookies for a delicious dessert.
Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream: Substitutions/Ingredients
Here are a few possible substitutions for this recipe!
Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut cream or coconut milk can be used in this recipe with great results! Using light coconut milk will cause it to be less creamy. Almond butter: Any nut or seed butter can be used in this recipe. Besides almond butter I recommend cashew butter. Honey. This dairy-free vanilla ice cream recipe calls for honey or maple syrup as the sweetener! Both of these sweeteners yield a delicious and creamy ice cream, but the maple syrup will impart a slight maple flavor.
How to Make Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream
Let’s discuss how to make this dairy-free vanilla ice cream, and as always don’t forget to watch the video. Blend! Use a Vitamix or regular blender and blend the ingredients together until smooth. Thoroughly blending the Almond Butter into the coconut milk not only ensures that the flavors are distributed evenly, but it also helps create a creamy texture. Next, churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker. Make sure to turn the machine on and pour the vanilla mixture into the machine as it is turning. This will prevent the ice cream from getting frozen to the sides immediately, which prevents the machine from turning.
Non-ice cream maker instructions:
If you don’t have an ice cream maker. Simply pour the ice cream mixture from the Vitamix into a freezer-friendly container. Put it in the freezer and stir by hand every 15 minutes until it’s frozen. It won’t be as creamy but it will still taste delicious!
Freeze
I recommend letting this dairy-free vanilla ice cream freeze for at least 3 hours before serving. It will get very hard when it’s completely frozen. So you will need to let it sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before scooping.
Serve
There are so many uses for this paleo vanilla ice cream. Here are some of our favorites:
Serve it on top of brownies: like the best fudgy paleo brownies, flourless brownies, or black bean brownies. Serve it on top of these paleo chocolate chip cookies – or use the cookies to make paleo cookie ice cream sandwiches! Use it to make paleo cookie dough ice cream. It’s also delicious on this healthy berry crisp!
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