Ice cream is a fun & traditional summertime treat that many people indulge on year-round. But when you are dealing with Allergies & Special Diets, ice-cream is usually off the menu… Until now!
This Coconut Milk Ice Cream Recipe is Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free & Refined Sugar Free! You can make several variations of it including: Chocolate, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cherry, Cookie Dough & more! It serves up just like regular ice cream and is soooo creamy & delicious! We also use it to make homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches.
If you’re on vacation, or not feeling like Martha Stewart, you can also buy a pre-made pint of ‘So Delicous’ Coconut Milk Ice Cream’ & a box of ‘Let’s Do… Gluten Free Cones’ – It’s a great option for those with allergies. But with this recipe, you’ll save a ton of money and simplify the ingredient list.
The Tools & Ingredients Used in this Recipe:

Coconut Milk Ice Cream Recipe – Dairy Free
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 24 hours
- Total Time: 24 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart (4 Cups) 1x
- Category: Dairy Free
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
This Easy & Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream Recipe can be made into many flavors. It contains NO Dairy, Gluten, Eggs, or Nuts & serves perfectly in cones!
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- 2 Cans Regular Coconut Milk (NOT the low fat kind -and watch out for brands that use preservatives!) My favorite Brand is Thai and I order it by the case from Amazon Subscribe & Save for about .89 cents per can.
- 1/3 Cup Agave Nectar or Sweetener of Choice
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon Guar Gum
For Mint Chocolate Ice Cream (this is our family favorite!):
- 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 4 Drops of Peppermint Essential Oil (This is the PURE Food Grade essential oil that is not the kind typically found at the store.) I buy my Essential Oils from Rocky Mountain Oils.
For Strawberry or Fruit Ice Cream:
- 1 Cup of Fresh or Frozen Fruit (we’ve used Strawberries, Cherries, Mangoes, Bananas & more!)
Other Flavors / Add-In Ideas (Stir in Add-Ins after 12 hours in Freezer unless you’re using an Ice Cream Maker):
- Chocolate Peanut Butter
- Chocolate Hazelnut Butter (aka Nutella)
- Chocolate Almond or Almond Butter
- Chocolate Chips
- Coconut & Banana & Pineapple
- Pomegranate & Chocolate
- Pecans
- Green Tea
- Coffee
- Cookie Dough (use my Gluten, Dairy, Egg & Nut Free Cookie Recipe for this – or leave the eggs out of your favorite recipe so you don’t risk getting sick)
Instructions
- In your Vitamix or Blender, add Coconut Milk, Agave Nectar, & Vanilla – blend on low until well mixed.
- Keep your Vitamix running on low while you add the Guar Gum. This prevents the Guar Gum from clumping.
- Add in your flavors & ingredients (see flavor suggestions above & instructions below) and blend until smooth.
- Place mixture (which will be runny) in an airtight container or Ziplock Freezer bag and store in your Freezer for approximately 24-48 hours before serving. Be sure to Stir-in your favorite Add-In Ingredients after about 12 hours of freezing.
For Mint Chocolate Recipe:
- While your Vitamix is running on low, add in your Cocoa Powder & Peppermint Essential Oil. Replace cap and blend on low-medium speed until Chocolate is well blended with mixture.
For Smooth Fruit & Flavor Recipes:
- Add your Fruit or Add-In Ingredients to the Vitamix and blend until smooth.
For Chunky Fruit & Add-In Ingredients:
- If you want Chunky Fruit or Add-In Ingredients (such as chocolate chips or nuts) in your ice cream, then stir it in after 12 hours in the freezer or after the mixture is stiff enough, but not frozen. This will keep your ingredients from sinking to the bottom.
Notes
You can also make this recipe in your favorite ice cream maker – just be sure to scale the ingredients so it fits in your mixer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 Cup
- Calories: 140
I’m excited to find your website! And I’m definitely going to try your cheesecake as well as the “Coconut Milk Ice Cream recipe! But I do have a question about the ice cream process-
We also have a Vitamix, and one of my favorite things to do is make ice cream with it. I just haven’t home across a yummy chocolate recipe yet, so I’m looking forward to yours, but the question is this:
Why don’t you use the Vitamix to make the ice cream cold instantly? That way you don’t have to wait 24 hours for it to freeze. You’re obviously an accomplished cook, or shall I say Chef! So I’m quite sure you know that Vitamix has the ability to make ice cream ready to eat in less than 30 seconds. But instead you’re freezing the recipe for 24 hours.
I’m just wondering if there is something about the recipe that doesn’t work with the instant cold Vitamix method?
I’m asking because my hubby will be doing all the ice cream making, and he hates to wait! Besides, he’ll be working the next day, he only has one day off.
So would I be able to use this same recipe of yours and then blend on high for 30 seconds in our Vitamix for ready-to-eat, freezing cold, yummy chocolate ice cream?
About Myself:
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis that will NOT go into remission, no matter how many deadly chemicals the doctors pour into me, so I’ve tried to modify my diet to be more of a “clean food” diet. I’ve not had much luck in sticking to much of anything, mostly because I’m having to rely on my husband to do the cooking for me. My hands and elbows are beyond repair and do not work like normal joints. This is why I have to rely on my husband for all the kitchen work. I’m not sure which is more painful -the arthritis twisting my joints, or watching my burly, all thumbs husband “try” to cook in what used to be MY kitchen! Hahaha! Just a little arthritis humor there!
Don’t get me wrong, he does Try! But in his defense, he also works 70-80 hours a week, and 6 days out of every week, as if that’s not bad enough, we live in Central Texas and his work is outside in the blistering heat. It’s no wonder he doesn’t want to cook, and I can’t blame him! Besides all that, he doesn’t even LIKE to cook. Which makes the whole diet consistency idea pretty much impossible.
However, we both NEED to eat healthier foods (for different reasons) so I never really give up altogether! Hubby does WANT to help on his days off, so we absolutely need easy recipes that are tastefully rewarding, otherwise he looses interest -fast!
I also have 2 grown children, one of whom is very into the clean food idea, but he lives in Colorado. He and I exchange food ideas regularly, and it was he who got me interested in the Vitamix. So now both our households have one. He uses his almost daily. Ours has been used a lot, but in recent summer months it somehow made its way to the rear of the cabinet, I’m not sure why, except to guess that hubby is too hot and tired to mess with anything. Just when he needs that smoothie the most too. But this is how things always seem to go now that he is in charge of the kitchen… sigh.
But Now, I’ve found your website! Your recipes are EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for!
And hubby really LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Cheesecake and ice cream too, so I’m hoping to lure him into the healthy side of eating dessert with your recipes! I look forward to exploring your website and recipes!
Jeri
For persons that have Rheumatoid Arthritis as well what has made a big difference for me is cutting out sugar, and shortening and vegetable oil. Now I only use olive oil, coconut oil. For sugar substitute I use coconut sugar, stevia and other artificial sweeteners. Every time I start eating other sugars or oils I begin to have more pain and stiffness and eventually full flare up including shortness of breath, lung problems.
I mostly eat fresh fruit or can fruit, veggies, chicken organic, coconut milk, gluten grain and nut free baking or pasta, I love buckwheat spaghetti from Amazon! Great flavor!
Thankful for these foods and this website a little sanity.com
Mary Schermerhorn
Can I substitute xanthum gum for guar gum in this ice cream recipe
Hi Marge! You may not care for the way Xanthan gum feels on the tongue (it can be slimy) & I prefer to keep the use of Xanthan gum for cooked foods only. I’d either recommend a little extra Coconut Oil or Tapioca Starch or Arrowroot if you think the recipe needs it. Hope that helps. =) God Bless! ~Erika
★★★★★
Hi Jeri, have you heard of the Paddison Program? It’s a nutritional program for rheumatoid arthritis developed by an Australian guy who beat it into remission by adhering to a strict plant-based diet. He’s now sharing what he learned through an online course, which I think is very affordably priced. I’ve just finished week 3 and have already noticed a difference. and there are lots of success stories from people saying they’ve gone from crippling symptoms like yours, to being able to go off their medications! It might be worth checking out
p.s. I’m in no way affiliated with the program – not paid or anything to recommend it – I just read your comment because I’d googled ‘arthritis and ice cream’ and it came up. Hope it helps you.
★★★★