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How To Make Coconut Milk Ice Cream (3 Flavors!)

As you probably know by now, I don’t have any diet related dogmas (except avoiding industrial chemicals, pesticides, toxins and other additives in food), but I do follow my body’s intuition and listen to it very closely when deciding what to eat. I have noticed not eating dairy products on a daily basis has improved the way my body looks and feels tremendously. I used to be one of those gals that SWORE by greek yogurt for snack time… and now I can’t even think of having that stuff. My skin is brighter and less sensitive, my stomach feels flatter and my general energy soars when I pay attention to the amount of dairy products in my diet. But, if there’s one thing that gets me off my routine – it’s ice cream! I love it! And that’s why I’m always looking for ways to enjoy dairy free desserts and it’s why I created this recipe so I can enjoy ice cream all the time without sacrificing how I feel, the way I look or my energy level.

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This recipe is for homemade coconut milk-based ice cream made just like your old time favorites. Yesterday, I made Pistachio Almond, because that used to be my favorite ice cream at Baskin-Robbins before I figured out all the crazy artificial colors and additives it had… I’ve made this recipe with 2 other flavor profiles recently too, my husband’s favorites – Cookies and Cream and Mint Chocolate Chip. They are both SO GOOD!

coconuticecreamYou can get really creative with this recipe because it has a common base of ingredients. I hope you have fun with it and report back your delicious results!

Food Babe's Homemade Coconut Milk Ice Cream (3 Flavors)
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 10
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Combine base ingredients in blender and blend until smooth
  2. Add liquid flavorings (extracts) into blender and blend again
  3. Pour mixture into ice cream machine and turn on
  4. Mix for at least 20 mins or until ice cream is formed
  5. Stir in dry ingredients - i.e. nuts, cookies, etc and serve
  6. Best served immediately, if stored in freezer, place back into ice cream maker to make smooth and creamy again.
Notes
Choose all organic ingredients if possible.

 

How To Make Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Step 1: Blend coconut milk with sugar of choice (frozen bananas or coconut palm sugar) and extract flavorings in a high-speed blender

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Step 2: Pour into (pre-frozen) ice cream machine. The Cuisinart machine makes awesome ice cream…

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Step 3: Let the machine work for about 20 mins or so

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Step 4: Stir in chopped nuts, cacao nibs or cookies depending on which flavor you are making

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Step 5: Store ice cream in freezer in a safe glass container

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Step 6:  Serve and enjoy!

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Do you know someone who is a frozen yogurt addict or loves ice cream? Share this post with them… don’t let them miss out in all this easy to make goodness.

Cheers,

Food Babe

P.S. If you like recipes like this that make your body feel amazing and beautiful, you’ve got to check out the Food Babe Meal Plans for Health program.

 

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260 responses to “How To Make Coconut Milk Ice Cream (3 Flavors!)

  1. Made the almond pistachio ice cream, or should I say ice cream pops, I poured the mixture into my zoku and 10 minutes later I had DELICIOUS ice pops!

    1. You do not use rock salt or ice this type of electric ice cream maker. Its NEVER added to the ice cream, no matter which ice cream maker you use. Some use it to help in freezing. With these, the bowl is frozen before each use.

  2. Does liquid stevia (I use SteviaClear) work as well? If so, any idea on the amount to use? *** Also, do you think Greek yogurt could be made with coconut milk? Would love to see your version of a Greek (higher protein) yogurt made with anything, really *^~^*

  3. Great recipe. I tasted the mix before putting it in the ice cream maker and to me it tasted too sweet. So I doubled up on the coconut milk but left all the other ingredients the same. So it was effectively half the sugar and extract of the origial recipe and I thought it was perfect.

  4. Does any0ne know the calorie count on this? I am trying to find healthy snacks that I can eat occasionally, as I try to lose 55 lbs and get off insulin. This sounds like it would be something I could enjoy occasionally, but I am keeping track of what I eat with my new fitbit zip and website and need to know how to enter this into my food diary.

    1. Go onto MyFitnessPal.com,join and you can use their recipe calculator to find out the nutrition content of this.

    2. hi Gary have you ever tried 7.2? I’ve been using it for 2 months I’ve lost 15 pounds and I no longer have chronic pain that I’ve been battling for 7 years it actually alkalis is the body gets rid of all inflammation! Its all natural, non GMO,vegan no sweeteners, no artificial anything no soy, no wheat, check it out on YouTube watch the live blood analysis you will be amazed! it’s amazing what the body does naturally when you have alcohol is a shin call me or text me with questions 208-51 4-5475

    3. Try the Paleo diet–pounds and inches will fall off of you. The basic premise is to cut out grains, sugar, legumes, processed foods and instead feed your body with good fats (coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil) and organic eggs, meats and produce. You will be amazed and will likely get away from needing insulin and/or cholesterol meds. Never count calories or eat low fat again! My husband lost three inches off of his waste in a month and my “baby pouch” is no longer in existence. We are mid 40s. I’m looking at this ice cream recipe b/c it fits with our new diet.

      1. (To Jen B & Gary Wright)
        I changed my lifestyle to Paleo in March last year after a diagnosis of IPF. I lost 70 lbs. by December. I went from a size 18-20 to a size 12. I’ve never felt better & there has been no progression in my IPF. ALL levels have stabilized. I love my ice cream and this recipe base is wonderful to satisfy my cravings. Even my husband who is not on the Paleo plan loves it. Try it with ripe avocado, yummy! Thanks Food Babe.

      2. Great job

        I’ve done the same and lost 35 pounds over the past year! My A1c was 6.1 in Feb ‘22 & 5.1 nine months later. My inflammation is now 1, down from 15 three years ago. 🙂

    4. A great book to get with lots of info on healthy alternatives to conventional snacks – “UNJUNK YOUR JUNK FOOD” – Andrea Donsky and Randy Boyer with Lisa Tsakos; has nutrition facts and calorie info.

    5. Didn’t you read the article. Forget about counting calories concentrate on the type of food being consume. My only problem with this recipe is the bananas, they are a very high carbohydrate fruit. I would substitute an avocado then add some honey or stevia

    6. To lose weight and be healthier, you need to reduce (ideally eliminate) added sugar in your diet. Too much fruit will not be helpful either. Calories are NOT key. Eat as much vegetables, high quality protein and high quality fat as you want. Eat less of everything else, especially sugar, grains and processed foods.

    1. I have an ice cream maker, but, I’ve heard you can do it by mixing the ingredients and using a mixer every 30 minutes to add the air fluff.

    2. If you have a high powered blender you could make it in there in a few minutes.
      I would freeze half the coconut milk in an ice tray. And make sure the bananas are well frozen. I’d put the other half of coconut milk(cold) in the blender then the bananas and salt/flavoring you’re using. Blend for 30-45 sec on high then drop in the frozen milk cubes while blending. Blend until smooth. It will be like soft serve. You could stir in any other ingredients at that time and enjoy immediately.

  5. I absolutely LOVE your site! I follow you religiously and share with friends. I have RA, so dairy is out for me. I started a FB group for those wanting to find natural alternatives to the conventional drugs. Your recipes are a Godsend.

    1. Hi Sylvia, have you ever tried Seven Point 2 for your RA? I’ve been using it for 2 months I’ve lost 15 pounds and I no longer have chronic pain that I’ve been battling for 7 years it actually alkalises the body gets rid of all inflammation! Its all natural, non GMO,vegan no sweeteners, no artificial anything no soy, no wheat, check it out on YouTube watch the live blood analysis you will be amazed! it’s amazing what the body does naturally when you have when your body is alkaline. call me or text me with questions 208-51 4-5475

      1. Thank you so much. I will look into it right away!

    1. Hi, this looks delicious. I devised a way to make Pistachio, Chocolate Mint, Butter Pecan, Kiwi Lime and other ice cream flavors in a Vitamix, no freezer, no ice cream machine needed, ready in a minute! Several of the ice cream recipes are posted on the recipe index of my website and are from my book, Naturally Sweet Blender Treats, http://journeytonatliv.com Give them a try and let me know what you think!

    2. My mother used to make a frozen dessert that she mixed in advance and poured into the old metal ice cube trays (minus the metal ice divider). Just mix in your blender, stir in your goodies, the pour into the tray and freeze. You just cut it into sections to serve.

      1. On Amazon, a Pack of six, 8.8-Ounces (total of 52.8 ounces)is only $32.99 .

  6. I made ice cream the other day in my Vitamix in about 2 minutes is yummy but didnt think of using coconut milk and bananas and adding the nuts at the end. That will be my next ice cream adventure in my Vitamix.

  7. This is my fave ice cream recipe. It’s so versatile, quick and easy to prepare & healthy but still deliciously creamy. I’ve used the base with whatever I have on hand, and it’s been my go-to recipe for over a year now. I love adding some mild tasting greens (swiss chard, spinach..) to the mint chip for that token green color and added health benefits.
    Thank you for a guilt free recipe I can whip up faster than I could get to the store to buy a pint.

    1. I like the idea of adding an avocado better. You get the green color and a healthy fat, and bland taste (that won’t interfere with the sweet dessert taste).

      1. If you add spinach, a very light tasting green, it doesn’t interfere with the flavour at all. You don’t taste it, you only get the colour. I’ve done it many times successfully. Avocado is a nice idea, too!

  8. I noticed a few of you asked how to make the ice cream without an electric ice cream maker, and no one has responded. Has anyone figured this out yet? My budget can’t afford an ice cream maker right now.

    1. We used to make ice cream with the kids at school using a 1# and a 3# coffee cans. Put the ingredients in the 1# can. Cover with tight fitting lid. Put into the 3# can and pack around the little can with ice and rock salt and cover with lid. Have the kids roll the cans back and forth for 20 mins or so and voila! Ice cream!

  9. I did this with nut milk (I made cashew cream) and it turned out harder than I expected and I could hardly get the paddles out. But it was good. The link for coconut milk goes to the light version, is that correct? And I mixed it up in my vita mix but I don’t know how you make ice cream in a vita mix?? I used the ice cream maker and it was fast, only about 15 minutes until really hard…

  10. The ice cream maker adds air to the cream, you can sort of recreate this by freezing the mixture for 30 minutes and hand whisk it or use an electric mixer for about 5 minutes and repeating this process 3 or4 times until the cream mixture thickens. Hope this helps!

  11. The mint extract in the mint chip recipe was way too much – maybe it was a typo and should have been 1/2 teaspoon. It was almost bitter, and I had to pour most if it out and re-add the other ingredients.

    Has anybody else made this version?

    1. I agree! I made this recipe about a month ago and I had to throw it out. I LOVE mint and this was entirely too much.

  12. FYI…

    Harris Teeter all natural Butter Pecan….not a bad list of ingredients….

    Milk, Sugar, Cream, Pecans, Cottonseed Oil, Salt, Butter (Cream, Salt), Natural Vanilla Flavor.

    1. Cottonseed oil should not be consumed. Cotton uses more input than any other crop. All of the chemicals used including the defoliant to make the leaves fall off so they can pick it with a machine end up in the oil. It is just another vegetable oil that is not good for people.

  13. Yep! delicious! I made the pistachio and almond ice cream and I had to stop myself from eating it. :0) It is a plus that the fat in the coconut milk does not collect as fat on the body. Thanks for the great base recipe using coconut milk!

  14. Anyone interested in eating right for your blood type (inflammation and weight loss) feel free to email me. I also can help with going toxic free in your home re. Cleaning, c

  15. Looks soooo good. Apparently I need to get an ice-cream maker. Never thought of it before as I’ve never been able to eat ice-cream.

    Thanks so much

  16. Just made this coconut banana ice cream and it came out delicious!!!
    So easy, no cook, barely any prep. It’s a keeper.
    Thanks so much and I fully support the critical and important food crusade you are on.

  17. I’m confused about using 3 bananas OR 1/2 cup sugar. Wouldn’t that make a huge difference in the taste and consistency? Has anyone tried both? It seems like if you only used sugar and no bananas that the ice cream would only yield a very small amount. Any thoughts?

  18. I went out and bought an ice cream maker so I could make this for my daughter, who is allergic to multiple foods and cannot have a single ice cream on the market! We made this today, and the whole family loved it! I didn’t add any extras, just the coconut milk and bananas, and it was delicious!

  19. Allergic to coconut ! Can you make this with almond milk or rice milk. Looking for and ice dream I can eat that fits in with my diet. Lost 35 lbs so far and miss ice cream !!

  20. I feel like I’m beating a dead horse here

    Food Babe I love you and all of your work. You try and make food companies be held accountable. You want them to divulge all of their ingredients on their labels. Transparency.

    But you don’t do it! I lost over 60 pounds since 2008. I went off ALL of my diabetic medicine, high blood pressure meds, etc.

    I read all labels. I look at sodium, Carbs, Hydrogenated oils, everything!!

    I would love to make this Coconut Milk Ice Cream but I can’t because there is no label information provided.

    I’m getting soooo frustrated.

    1. Guy, she has provided all the ingredients in the RECIPE. Click on the highlighted links (blue) and the link takes you to the item, which shows the ingredients label on that item. It is not frustrating or complicated. She has provided everything you need to know. For example:

      Coconut milk she refers to is as follows: Native Forest brand, contains organic coconut, water, organic guar gum. Product is from Thiland.

      Now go and look up the rest of the ingredients yourself.

  21. I’m reading through all the responses and see some repeat questions. I thought I would provide my personal input from my own experiences and hopefully it will help to answer someones questions about the making process and ingredient use. I use plain ole’, unsweetened, coconut or almond milk & frozen ripe bananas as my base for my ice cream mixture. You’re not restricted to coconut milk. It can be substituted with Almond or even Rice Milk. I use Ripe Bananas only but a friend of mine prefers hers green. It’s all about your own personal taste too so keep that in mind. When my bananas get brown spots (think cheetah like) I peel it and place the bananas in a ziplock bag in my freezer. The ripe bananas will help to give you the ice cream consistency as well as naturally sweeten the dessert. FB gives you the option of using the sugar or banana as a sweetener. You don’t use the bananas AND the sugar. Its either or. Pick one only otherwise that’s just too much sugar and will taste too sweet. Unless you like it that way- I’m not knocking any sweet tooth’s out there. You don’t need an ice cream maker. You can use a blender & blend well and pour into a freezer safe container and freeze. If you want to eat immediately you just have to adjust your milk and add a few ice cubes.. Start off with a little and keep adding until you have the right consistency you’re looking for. I always have bananas in my freezer so I’m always ready! I have an ice cream maker but I personally hate waiting for the ice cream maker bowl to freeze 12-24 hours AND I don’t have that extra space always available in my freezer. I also have a YoNanas machine which I absolutely love but when I want to really get creative with multiple ingredients, my blender is the next best thing. You can partially freeze and then fold in some diced fruits, nuts, nibs, homemade syrups, the possibilities are endless! Keep in mind your textures and yield will change a bit depending on how thick and creamy your milk is and if you choose to go withe frozen bananas vs. just adding sugar.

    Also- FB is just sharing with us her “recipe” for coconut milk ice cream and the “products” that she used in making it. The nutritional value is on the labels and she provided a link to them in the recipe. Just click on the product typed in blue letters. For example, in the recipe “full fat coconut milk” is in blue letters. click on that and it will take you to the amazon page where you can buy it and it also has the pictures of the products and the label. If you want you can copy and paste the following web address into your browser, if this guestbook does not allow autolinks. It will take you straight to the label for the coconut milk. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91RwENDC6JL._SL1500_.jpg

  22. Recipe looks good. Could I use high fat content coconut powdered milk instead of coconut milk from a can.

  23. I just tried it and LOVED it. I used 1 can of full fat coconut milk, 1/3 cup of coconut sugar, 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup. After freezing, I stirred in some swirls of almond butter. It was so great, I ate the whole thing! (Oops! )

  24. I think it tastes great! The only problem I had was my cuisnart ice-cream maker. Because of the fat content in the coconut milk it froze so fast in the frozen ice-cream container that my paddle stopped. I had to manually hold the paddle. On my directions of the machine you always freeze the bowl before pouring the ingredients in. That’s what I did. It was creamy in the blender and then when I poured it in the machine it froze up. Anyways, I just put it in a container and froze it. Some of it is still frozen in the bottom of my ice-cream make bowl which I have to thaw before I can remove it. I used coconut milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 frozen bananas, and cinnamon almonds, dark chocolate chips.

  25. I love this recipe! I made mine with 1/3 organic coconut sugar. 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond. Then I stirred in 1/4 C organic unsweetened shredded coconut and 1/8 C organic 70% chopped dark chocolate.
    Delish! So easy, so healthy, so yum. Thank you.

  26. I made this today and I used 3 frozen bananas. I have a Cusinart ICE-21 ice cream maker. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on this recipe for me, not because of the taste but because of the process. My ice cream gel bowl was VERY frozen so when I poured the mixture from the blender into the bowl, it immediately froze to the sides. When I started up the ice cream maker, it would not turn due to the mixture stuck to the sides. I finally got it to loosen up and spin but it almost didn’t need it. You could actually make this concoction without an ice cream maker. Just blend it, put it into a plastic food storage container and then freeze it for a few hours.

    1. I think you were supposed to turn on the ice cream maker before pouring in the mixture.

  27. Any recommendations for using coconut milk not in a can? I try to avoid all canned food to avoid BPA

  28. This looks delicious!! Unfortunately because of processing, my daughter isn’t supposed to have any brand of coconut milk, but she’s allowed Rice Dream. Would this recipe work substituting classic organic Rice Dream for the coconut milk?

  29. Never even bought coconut milk before. The recipe says full fat coconut milk but the link to it on Amazon goes to reduced fat coconut milk. Which one do I use?

  30. I was confused about this too. And another time the link goes to another coconut milk. I am just going to try one regular (since none of them say full fat (and not sure what that means) and see what happens. That is Amazon for you.

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