Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream
Creamy, scoopable, and deeply fragrant with real vanilla bean, this frozen dessert proves you don't need a drop of dairy to get that classic ice cream experience. Full-fat coconut milk and coconut cream form a rich, luscious base that churns up beautifully — no watery, icy texture here. A tablespoon of arrowroot starch is the quiet hero of the recipe, giving the base just enough body so it scoops cleanly and holds its shape without any gums or additives. Double vanilla — both a split bean and pure extract — means the flavor is warm, floral, and anything but flat. The base gets chilled overnight before churning, which makes a real difference in the final texture, so a little patience goes a long way. It makes six generous servings, so there's plenty to share (or not).
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cans (13.5 oz each) full-fat coconut milk
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
Instructions
- 1
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, coconut cream, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla bean seeds and pod over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is steaming, about 5 minutes — do not let it boil.
- 2
Ladle about 3 tablespoons of the warm coconut mixture into a small bowl and whisk in the arrowroot starch until completely smooth with no lumps. Pour the slurry back into the saucepan and whisk to combine, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
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