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The Best Blender Chocolate Ice Cream
Course: Featured Recipes, Ice CreamsServings4
servingsPrep15
minutesBlend5
minutesFreeze12
minutesWe set out to make the best chocolate ice cream without an ice cream maker, and we think this is it. This recipe not only makes the best blender chocolate ice cream, but the best chocolate cream, period. Made without eggs and dairy-free, this plant-based ice cream uses coconut milk, cashews, and dates making it a rich and super creamy dessert.
Ingredients
1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk, stirred well and frozen into cubes
1/2 cup brewed coffee (regular or decaf)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup raw cashews
4 cups ice
- Special equipment
High-performance blender with tamper
Ice cube tray
Small saucepan
Directions
- Prep Coconut Milk (Night Before)
- Stir the contents of the canned coconut milk well to combine the cream and liquid
- Measure 1 cup and pour into ice cube tray
- Freeze overnight
- Make Chocolate Base
- In a small saucepan over low heat, combine coffee and chocolate chips
- Stir until almost smooth
- Remove from heat
- Add cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla
- Stir until well combined
- Blend Base
- Transfer warm chocolate mixture to blender
- Add dates and cashews
- Starting at low speed (1), gradually increase to high (10)
- Blend for 60 seconds until smooth
- Let mixture cool for 10-20 minutes
- Create Ice Cream
- Add frozen coconut milk cubes and ice to cooled mixture
- Blend on high for 30-60 seconds
- Use tamper to push ingredients from corners into blade
- Pour or scoop into serving dishes
- Serve immediately
Recipe Video
Notes
- Coffee is used to enhance chocolate flavor and won’t be detectable in the final product
- For serving to children or evening dessert, decaf coffee can be substituted
- The coconut milk should be full-fat (not lite) and can be found in the Asian food section of grocery stores
- Storage:
-Best enjoyed immediately after preparation
-If freezing for later
–Pre-portion into individual servings before freezing for up to two months.
–When ready to eat, let thaw on counter for 10 minutes
42 responses to “The Best Blender Chocolate Ice Cream”
I would like to leave out the coffee, but if I do, should I substitute in an equivalent amount of some other liquid? What would you suggest?
We often use decaf but if that is not an option I would use 1/2 cup of any nut milk of choice. Should be an okay sub.
Hello! I would like to leave out the coffee also but should I sub in an equivalent amount of liquid?
I would love to make this! Have been having fun with frappucinos (minus the coconut milk as it is off limits for my heart health). Is there something I could substitute in this recipe for the full fat coconut milk to give this a creamy texture?
By the way, I too was thinking of giving hazelnuts a try. I just love their flavor profile (and just a couple of days ago I made another batch of Vitamix Nutella…yum)). Just LOVE all the good things I can make in my Vitamix! Looking forward to any suggestions you might have.
We sometimes use a block of tofu to give us a creamy texture when coconut or nuts are off limits. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!
This is soooooo luxuriously delicious. I didn’t add the Coffee because i was having it with my 2 year old.
She says a few words already and one word she kept saying (after she devoured the ice-cream) was Wow Mama!!
So so happy to have come across this recipe.
Pure Joy and Million Thanks
Kavita“Wow mama” is high praise from a 2 year old!
My grandkids have nut allergies can I leave the cashews out?
We haven’t tried that because the creaminess and thickness comes from the texture of the cashews. Let us know if it works for you.
HI!
LOVE YOURES RECIPE SO MUCH I LEARN FROM YOU SO MUCH!!
I LIKE TO TRY THIS RECIPE I LOOK AT THE EARLY COMMENTS WHO SAY THEY FREEZ THE FROSTY.
HOW CAN I FREEZ THE FROSTY AND WHEN I THEW IT WOULD IT FORM AN ICE CRYCTLE? FREEZING WOUNT DAMAGE THE CREAMI TEXTURE OF IT?
AND WHAT YOUER TIPS TO FREEZ IT CORECTLY?
THNAK YOU SO MUCH:
LIRAZ {FROM ISRAEL}.Shalom, Liraz! When we want to serve this for dessert we make it earlier in the day. We use a cookie sheet and scoop out individual scoops then we take them out of the freezer 5 minutes before serving. If you are doing this method the same day this should work great with no ice crystals. If you are serving in a few days I would put the scoops into something that seals and take them out for closer to 10 min before serving.
Has anyone noticed how if you only make the first half of the recipe you have a different decadent dessert? Brownie batter! The finished product is nice, but I’m not crazy about the crunch of the ice crystals. Just stop before the coconut milk and ice and you’ve got the perfect vegan brownie batter to eat off a spoon!
Well that sounds absolutely delicious! I do always sneak a bite between steps. Are you using a high powered blender (like a Vitamix) for this recipe? You shouldn’t have any ice crystals, should be super silky.
LOVE this recipe! Made it multiple times now and it’s so good every time! I’m preggo and love this as a healthier alternative for my ice cream cravings! And it makes a huge batch, freezes well and is just as tasty after thawing for a few minutes!
Have never thought to freeze it before! Maybe because we never have any leftovers 😂
Is there a substitute for cashews? Severe cashew allergy but only to cashews all other nuts are fine. So happy I stumbled across your website. Hoping your website will help me love my Vitamix which I do not love as much as I was hoping…..
I haven’t tried subbing out the cashews (they are what give this recipe it’s smooth and fatty texture). Perhaps almonds would work?
Our job is to make you love your Vitamix! Here’s a video that should help: 7 Vitamix Recipes to Make First
Macadamia nuts are usually a good sub for cashews!
Great idea, Kiki 🙂
Thank you both for the responses! We will try both suggestions. This is will be the perfect treat for the hot weather we are experiencing. I am learning a lot from your website and emails! Thank you! I have discovered that I do need a smaller container and that is part of my problem with making most recipes the 64 oz is just too big.
Omg I used hazelnuts!!! Sooo good. Gives a slight Ferror Rocher flavor 🙂
Hazelnuts!!! Never would have thought of that. YUM!
this is a phenomenal recipe! i love that i can freeze it and it’s delicious after a few minutes of thawing- thank you!
Our absolute pleasure!
Did it work with the oat milk? My daughter in law doesn’t like anything coconut flavored.
We haven’t personally tried it with oat milk. But if you try it, make sure it’s as thick as possible.
Could I use thick oat milk, made in the vitamin, instead of coconut? My kids hate coconut, and yes they can taste it.
Haha, kids are SO good at identifying ingredients. Yes, I think a thick oat milk would work, the thicker the better (as you’re trying to mimic very creamy coconut milk).
My partner and I finally bought a Vitamix because we were inspired by your recipes! I can’t have any caffeine (even “decaf”), is there a substitute for the brewed coffee?
So happy we could inspire you to take the plunge! The coffee just enhances the chocolate flavor, should still be delicious without it.
I just bought a Vitamix & came across your website *THANK GOSH!* as I am now feeling more confident about trying my first recipe.
One question on this recipe, neither myself or my 3yo child can have coffee (I’m allergic) can you suggest a substitute please?
We’re happy you found us too! Tons of Vitamix recipes to explore.
You can absolutely just skip the coffee. It just makes for a richer chocolate taste (something I learned from baking). Add 1/2 cup more ice to keep the same consistency and you should be good to go!
Hi John Larner here, we made the frosty chocolate ice cream and love it. from megee1@verizon.net
Thank you we appreciate all you do with vitamix.Hi John, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! One of our favorites, especially in the summer 🙂
Thank you so much for this, I’ll have to try this soon! I do have a Vitamix so I’ll use it for this, but I’m thinking it should be possible to make it in a food processor if you soak the dates in hot water first, to soften them up.
Let us know if it works in your food processor, we gave ours up when we got our Vitamix.
Oops – question #2: did you use a full fat coconut milk? Do you think it would make a difference if using ‘lite’?
We did use full-fat coconut milk. Guessing that helped with the creamy texture. You can certainly try with the lite stuff, there’s plenty of other goodness in the recipe that it may not be that noticeable. Enjoy!
What does it mean by full-fat coconut milk? Is it the white cream part not the clear liquid portion? And is it a cup of that or a cup in ice cube form??
Taylor, we just mean a can of the full-fat vs lite coconut milk. Mix up the can before pouring into ice cube tray (both white creamy part and liquid). The measurement is for 1 cup of coconut milk before freezing.
Hi! Can’t wait to try this, need to get to the store 🙂 Just 1 question: are you saying 1/2 cup of brewed coffee? Or 1/2 cup of instant coffee or coffee grounds? (Sorry, stupid question but I want to be sure.)
Ah, I should have clarified. Brewed coffee, you actually can’t taste it, just helps bring out the chocolate flavor. We used decaf this time around 🙂
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