A vanilla base for endless ice cream dreams
Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Freezing Time: 12 hrs
Total: 12 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 5 to 6
Yield: 2 2/3 cups
It's difficult to replicate the same consistency of a milk-based ice cream, and there's nothing worse than a sad bowl of ice cream. So many ingredients seem irreplaceable—eggs, cream, and even some ice cream stabilizers aren’t vegan. Luckily, this recipe seems to suit the vegan cook and the home cook. Vegan Ice cream requires plant-based milk, some sort of sweetener, and a stabilizer. It’s necessary to replace the fat from heavy cream with plant fat, this is why coconut milk is so popular. The stabilizer here is xanthan gum, which is a gluten-free emulsifier, found as a powder in grocery or health food stores. And then sugar, which works to add sweetness, of course, but by adding more sugar you are also lowering the freezing temperature of the base, resulting in a smoother ice cream. All properties are irreplaceable in the formation of good ice cream, and it is why it is necessary they are replaced.
The texture here is so close to the real thing, that it may be even better. The fat from the cream of coconut makes this a luscious treat. The oat milk adds a nice well rounded flavor, and is plant-based milk with a little more viscosity than soy or almond, resulting in a thicker ice cream base/ smoother final ice cream. The coconut fat definitely adds a coconut flavor to the ice cream, but it's well balanced with the addition of oat milk. I recommend using vanilla paste, which you can usually find in specialty baking stores. Vanilla paste also works to supplement the coconut flavor and make it less overpowering.
I’ve also included many options for flavorings, and this recipe, while good on its own, makes a fantastic base for any other flavor- specifically nut flavors (pistachio is my favorite), in addition to pistachio butter, add crushed pistachios and top with salt!!
«I was a bit skeptical at first, but this is one of the best vegan ice creams I’ve ever tasted. It has a really delicious coconut-forward flavor, and the mouthfeel is so smooth and creamy. I’ll definitely make this again.» —Diana Andrews
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
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1 teaspoon granulated sugar
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1 cup oat milk
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1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut cream
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1/3 cup light corn syrup
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2 tablespoons maple syrup, optional
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2 tablespoons vanilla paste or extract
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Whisk together the xanthan gum with granulated sugar in a small bowl.
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Blend the xanthan gum-sugar mixture with the oat milk and coconut cream in a high-speed blender until smooth.
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Combine the oat milk mixture with the corn syrup, maple syrup, if using, and vanilla paste in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, whisking frequently.
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Once the mixture boils, remove from the heat and pour it into a heat-proof bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface. When the mixture cools to room temperature, transfer to the refrigerator until the mixture is completely cold, ideally overnight, to develop flavor. You can churn on the same day as long as the base is cool.
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Churn the mixture following your ice cream maker's instructions.
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Scoop the mixture into a freezer-safe container with a lid, and freeze for 8 hours or longer before serving.
Tip
- The way to achieve the best texture is to leave the ice cream base to cool overnight.
- To prevent exposure to air and the formation of ice crystals, press a sheet of plastic wrap over the ice cream before covering with the lid or foil.
- Label homemade ice cream with the name and date and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Recipe Variations
Optional Add-Ins:
- 1/2 cup high percentage chocolate or cocoa powder. Add the cocoa powder to the blender with the xanthan gum, or stir the chocolate in at the end of cooking, once the base has been brought to a boil.
- Chocolate Shell for Stracciatella: Once the ice cream comes out of the ice cream machine, place it into a FROZEN bowl, and stir the melted chocolate shell in with a spatula. This should break up into tiny chocolate pieces in your ice cream.
- Fresh Fruit Puree—I recommend strawberry puree, about 1 cup
- Nut Butters: 1/2 cup pistachio butter, almond butter, or peanut butter
- Swapping milks is not recommended for this recipe, just because we need the fat and viscosity from the coconut and oat.
- However, swapping sugars IS recommended! Try palm sugar or a plant-based honey substitute. Swap in the same amount as the corn syrup.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 5 to 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 319 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 11g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat 10g | 49% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 37mg | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrate 55g | 20% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 52g | |
| Protein 1g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 8mg | 1% |
| Iron 0mg | 1% |
| Potassium 80mg | 2% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
