Homemade almond milk ice cream Recipes

I have to say, I have made and had dairy-free ice cream many times before, but it has never as good as this. I received a copy of from Kelly Brozyna of and it has forever changed my dairy-free ice cream eating ways! Not only is this book insanely beautiful, but Kelly has us covered on every ice cream and frozen treat you could ever dream of! This cookbook is loaded with 75 amazing recipes, each and every one totally dairy-free and gluten-free.

For this week’s Tutorial Tuesday post, I am teaming up with Kelly to give you a quick how-to on making the perfect dairy-free ice cream, plus a simple recipe for classic vanilla. In the cookbook, Kelly uses her fool proof method to dairy-free ice cream – sharing her versions of classic favorite flavors like Vanilla, Chocolate, Rocky Road, Salted Caramel, Strawberry, Butter Pecan and more. But, the real treat is the collection of unique and innovative flavors, like White Chocolate Goji Berry, Gingerbread Cookie Dough, Saffron and Rose and so much more. As if all that wasn’t enough, you’ll also find frozen yogurt, sherbet and sorbet and she even shares incredible recipes for ice cream cakes, sandwiches and popsicles, plus there are grain-free cookie bowls, brownies, sauces and toppings and more! All made without eggs, dairy, gluten, soy or refined sugar. It’s incredible really. A summertime frozen miracle!

Below you will find a brief tutorial to get you started making the best ever vanilla bean ice cream, my version of Kelly’s classic vanilla. I am keeping this tutorial super simple and to the point, but, for more in depth information about the various ingredients, notes and tips on freezing, storing, tools and lots more – check out .

Let’s Get Started…

Create your ice cream base:

Full fat coconut milk makes for a rich creamy ice cream. Avoid coconut milk (aka beverages) from cartons, they are too watery and won’t provide that same creaminess. Non-dairy milks such as almond cashew or hemp have pretty neutral flavors and makes it so the coconut flavor doesn’t over power the ice cream. I prefer homemade almond milk.

Select a sweetener:

• dates
• coconut sugar
• stevia

Dates are both Kelly and my preferred sweetener for homemade dairy-free ice cream, as they are naturally sweet and also help thicken the ice cream quite nicely. Coconut sugar is great for a caramel-like flavor and stevia is a great option for those looking for a sweetener that doesn’t affect blood sugar levels as it’s zero on the glycemic index. Just remember, the less sugar the ice cream has, the icier it will be.

Select a thickener (optional):

• guar gum – add 1/2 teaspoon to the blender with the other ingredients
• – dissolve 1 tablespoon in 1/4 cup boiling water, add to the blender just before processing

The freezer can create ice crystals and can make for an icy ice cream, these prevent that from happening. I was surprised at how incredible the results were when I used the unflavored gelatin. The bonus is, gelatin has great gut-healing properties, too. FYI gelatin is not vegan!

Optional add-ins:

• vanilla extract
• vanilla beans
• cacao or cocoa powder
• chocolate pieces or sauce
• cookies, brownies or other baked goods
• nuts
• fresh or dried fruit
• spices
• herbs and botanicals
• nut butters
• toasted coconut
• coffee
• and sooo much more!!

FINALLY, and Most Importantly:

Grab a copy of by Kelly Brozyna for tons of great flavor options and amazing recipes!

THAT’S ALL YOU NEED
for Amazing Creamy Dairy-free Ice Cream.

Dairy-free Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
makes 1 to 1/2 quarts

slightly adapted from Kelly’s Vanilla Ice Cream recipe in

• 1 can
• 1/2 cup (about 8) soft pitted dates (or other sweetener, see above)
• 1 vanilla bean, that has been soaked overnight *
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• optional: thickener, see above (I used gelatin)

1. Put the coconut milk, dates and soaked vanilla bean in a blender and puree until smooth.

2. Add the almond milk (or other non-dairy milk) vanilla extract and thickener (if using). Puree until smooth.

3. Refrigerate for about an hour or so, until cold.

4. Pour into your ice cream machine and churn per the manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Eat right away or freeze until hard, for pretty scoops.

* this was my addition to Kelly’s standard vanilla ice cream. I find a whole vanilla bean to take the flavor of vanilla ice cream to a whole another level, feel free to leave out and opt for just the extract. It isn’t necessary to the recipe, I just love me some vanilla bean.