Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe with No Coconut! (2024)

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By Alisa Fleming on Alisa's Favorite Dairy-Free Recipes, Dairy Free Desserts, Dairy-Free Recipes

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July or Canada Day! We went up to Lake Tahoe on the 3rd to see the fireworks at Kings Beach with a good friend. The 4th was actually a mellow day for us, so I decided to take advantage of the downtime and whip up a recipe that had been on my bucket list for a while, dairy-free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream without coconut! It’s adapted from the Purely Vanilla Ice Cream recipe in my flagship book, Go Dairy Free 2nd Edition.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe with No Coconut! (1)

It’s funny, but ice cream, not cheese, was my biggest fear when I went strictly dairy free. I refused to settle for sorbet, and wanted to enjoy sweet, creamy bliss just like everyone else. Over the years, some delicious dairy-free ice cream brands have emerged to keep my cravings at bay. But it wasn’t until I started making my own dairy-free ice cream that I finally found my food freedom.

Suddenly, it wasn’t about picking between the small selection of pints my local store carried, some with questionable ingredients. And “all natural” didn’t mean settling for just one type of base, with the same underlying flavor and consistency. Yeah, coconut, I’m talking about you. I love you, but vanilla coconut ice cream is never really vanilla. And although coconut cream delivers on richness, sometimes I want something a little less heavy.

At home, I can use a range of ice cream bases, and have total control over the ingredients. For this Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, I chose a simple unsweetened milk beverage and neutral-tasting oil to let the vanilla and chocolate shine. And to keep with the allergy-friendly and additive-free theme, I used Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips. They’re certified vegan, non-GMO, made in a top allergen-free facility, and contain just cane sugar, natural chocolate liquor (non-alcoholic), and cocoa butter (yes, it’s dairy free!).

Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe with No Coconut! (2)

I actually use Enjoy Life chocolate almost exclusively in my baking, snacks, and treats. Although my milk allergy is no longer highly sensitive, I’ve still had symptoms from a few of the “may contain milk” chocolate brands. Rather than fret, I declare my food freedom by picking up a brand that I can trust.

And to help all of you eat freely, I’ve made this Chocolate Chip Ice Cream recipe completely vegan, coconut-free, and top 11 allergen-free. The base is even quite flexible. You can use your favorite milk beverage and choose the oil based on your flavor and nutrition choices. So grab some gluten-free cones and get scooping. It’s time to enjoy a taste of food freedom on this hot summer day.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe with No Coconut! (3)Thanks to Enjoy Life Foods for sponsoring this post, and helping so many of us enjoy our food freedom. You can #EatFreely with them on Instagram and Twitter. As always, the honest opinions, stories, photos, recipe, and product love are my own.

Special Diet Notes:Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, coconut-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian, and top food allergy-friendly.

5.0 from 7 reviews

Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Prep time

Total time

This cool, sweet chocolate chip ice cream has a delicious vanilla base that's like a cross between ice milk and traditional ice cream. I didn't use additives, so small ice crystals do form. But I decided to embrace it since we actually loved the refreshing creamy finish! This recipe is adapted from my flagship book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook 2nd Edition.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Serves: 1½ quarts (6 cups)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cold unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage (I used Ripple pea protein milk; see Milk Beverage Note below)
  • ¾ cup organic cane sugar (can substitute part agave nectar)
  • ½ cup rice bran oil, non-GMO canola oil, or other neutral-tasting oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or pure vanilla flavoring (can substitute vanilla extract or the seeds from 1 whole vanilla bean)
  • Pinch salt
  • ¾ cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life Chocolate)

Instructions

  1. Put the milk beverage and sugar in your blender. Blend until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.
  2. With the motor running, very slowly drizzle in the oil. Continue to blend until creamy and emulsified, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the vanilla and salt and blend briefly to combine.
  4. Churn the mixture in your prepared ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions or use one of these methods. If churning, it will take longer than coconut-based ice cream since there is very little saturated fat in this blend. Expect at least 45 minutes.
  5. During the last few minutes of churning, add the chocolate chips. They will stir in as they churn.
  6. Pack the soft ice cream into a chilled, freezer-safe container and freeze for 4 hours for a soft-set ice cream or overnight for hard-packed ice cream.

Notes

Milk Beverage Note: I use pea protein milk beverage because it is an emulsified beverage (water, oil, protein). This means it will easily emulsify with oil added. Please note that some types/brands of milk beverage might not properly emulsify, and I haven't tested them all! Make sure you get a fully emulsified mixture before attempting to churn.

Nutrition Information

Serving size:½ cup Calories:228.5 Fat:15.5g Saturated fat:3.8g Carbohydrates:21.5g Sugar:19.5g Sodium:65.8mg Fiber:1.0g Protein:3.0g Cholesterol:0mg

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Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe with No Coconut! (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of coconut milk in ice cream? ›

9. Heavy cream. Heavy cream is made by scraping fat from fresh milk and is especially common in high-fat foods like creamy soups, sauces, and ice cream. It's much higher in fat than coconut milk and can replace it in equal quantities in most recipes ( 12 ).

What is the best non-dairy milk to make ice cream? ›

Kaminsky says that you'll get the best results from dairy-free counterparts that are higher in fat such as canned coconut milk. She typically uses almond milk as her base, but other non-dairy milks can work (steer clear of rice milk because it tends to be too watery).

Does ice cream contain coconut oil? ›

Usually, fat from milk is used to prepare ice cream. It helps to enhance the ice cream's taste, consistency, texture, etc. But some companies also use vegetable oil (coconut oil, palm oil etc.), cocoa butter etc., as an alternative to milk fat.

Is non-dairy coconut ice cream healthy? ›

It's true that coconut contains a healthier type of saturated fat, but it's still not doing you any major health favors. Both frozen yogurt and coconut milk ice cream are packed with added sugar, so portion control is key when you feel like treating yourself.

What is a substitute for coconut? ›

Shredded coconut can mostly be replaced with coarsely ground or chopped nuts, and desiccated coconut with ground nuts. Both coconut and nuts have a decent amount of natural oil in them, so can mostly be substituted for each other.

What is the best substitute if coconut milk is not available? ›

In recipes where the fat content doesn't compromise texture, you plant-based beverages, such as coconut milk beverage, almond, cashew, macadamia, oat, soy or hemp, to substitute for traditional coconut milk. These plant-based beverage options would be best for smoothies, coffees and specialty drinks.

How do you thicken non-dairy ice cream? ›

Plant-based fats are the best way to thicken vegan ice cream. Coconut cream, full-fat coconut milk and coconut oil will give the creamiest and thickest results. Cornstarch and tapioca starch can also be used to thicken but the end result will be a little more icy and a little less creamy.

What makes dairy free ice cream creamy? ›

The creamy texture of coconut milk lends itself well to mimicking the rich, luscious feel of traditional ice cream.

How do you keep dairy free ice cream soft? ›

I love this ice cream made with agave, especially since the syrupy nature of agave helps prevent ice crystals from forming, keeping the ice cream very smooth. If you're ok with honey in your diet, you can also use that. Alternatively, you can use maple syrup or a granulated sugar like cane sugar or turbinado.

Does Ben and Jerry's have coconut ice cream? ›

About this Flavor

Nobody does Coconut Seven Layer Bar ice cream better than we do at our scoop shops...but we bet you could do a better haiku: S'creamy coconut, Fudge, butterscotch & graham swirled To seventh heaven.

Does Baskin Robbins have coconut? ›

Looking for a creamy, nutty dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth? Try Baskin-Robbins Nutty Coconut Ice Cream.

Does Baskin Robbins have coconut ice cream? ›

Feeling crazy? So will your senses when they feel the chill of coconut ice cream mixed with almonds, pecans, and walnuts.

What is the healthiest ice cream I can eat? ›

Here are a few types of healthier ice cream options:
  • Yasso: Yasso offers Greek yogurt-based ice creams that are lower in calories and higher in protein compared to traditional ice creams. ...
  • Enlightened: Enlightened provides a range of low-calorie ice creams that are high in protein and lower in sugar. ...
  • NadaMoo!: NadaMoo!
Sep 22, 2023

What is the healthiest form of ice cream? ›

Gelato (also the Italian word for ice cream) is usually considered a healthier option than soft serve and hard ice cream. The refreshing dessert is specifically made with a higher proportion of milk to cream, creating less fat than traditional ice cream, says Mary Sabat, a nutritionist and owner of BodyDesigns by Mary.

How do you thicken non dairy ice cream? ›

Plant-based fats are the best way to thicken vegan ice cream. Coconut cream, full-fat coconut milk and coconut oil will give the creamiest and thickest results. Cornstarch and tapioca starch can also be used to thicken but the end result will be a little more icy and a little less creamy.

Can you replace coconut milk with dairy milk? ›

Use a milk with a high fat content to mimic the richness of coconut milk, like whole milk or at least 2%. The consistency will be more watery than coconut milk, so use less than the recipe calls for. If you like a coconut flavor, add a little coconut oil.

What is the best milk for ice cream? ›

Full cream milk is the best for making homemade ice cream because of its high butterfat content of 3-4 %. Skimmed milk by contrast only has about 0.5% butterfat content. You can also use goat's milk if you like but it will add a slightly tangy taste to the ice cream.

Can you substitute coconut milk for anything? ›

Coconut milk is naturally dairy-free, making it an excellent substitute for regular milk in multiple recipes. It only has a mild coconut flavor, so even if you don't like coconut, you might still find you can use coconut milk in recipes without being bothered by the taste.

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