Only 5 ingredients are needed to make your very own healthy chocolate vegan ice-creams that are free from dairy, gluten, refined sugar and additives. They are so creamy, chocolatey, fudgy and delicious, you won’t believe how easy they are!
It is a total fact: ice cream makes the world a better place and if you are into the homemade variety (which clearly you are if you’re reading this) these healthy chocolate vegan ice-creams are for you. They are all the things a homemade chocolate ice cream should be- fudgy, creamy, delicious and and kid-friendly (if there are no nut allergies these peanut butter chocolate ice cream pops are great too).
It took me a few goes to get these right- not because the recipe is difficult (it is easy) but because it was hard to find a coconut cream I liked.
So many brands have an off taste. The brands I most like to use in cooking (like Ayam) have wonderful ingredients but the flavour wasn’t right.
After a few attempts, I settled on the Honest to Goodness as the best tasting for this recipe.
Seriously, if you want to absolutely nail your healthy chocolate vegan ice-creams then make sure you use the best tasting coconut cream you can.
The recipe method is as simple as can be- blend everything until smooth. Alternatively you could whisk everything in a pot over low heat if you don’t have a blender.
Healthy chocolate vegan ice-creams ingredients;
Healthy chocolate vegan ice-creams ingredients;- Coconut cream or coconut milk. The most important aspect to this recipe is Choosing a delicious coconut cream. I tried this recipe with many brands and Honest to Goodness had the best taste by far. I also tried using their coconut whipping cream with great success.
- Cashews. Soaked nuts add a fudge texture to these chocolate ice-creams and balance the coconut taste. You could use raw or roasted nuts.
- Cocoa or cacao powder. I like to use raw cacao as the flavour is lighter in a no bake recipe. I love the loving earth cacao.
- Pure maple syrup or your preferred sweetener. Maple syrup is the best choice in terms of flavour. I found brown rice syrup too strong. Honey is a great choice too if you are ok with a mild chocolate-honey flavour. I buy bulk, organic maple syrup here.
- Pure vanilla extract. Vanilla is to chocolate what salt is to avocado- don’t underestimate its place. Vanilla extract also helps to avoid ice crystals forming due to its alcohol content.
- Salt. Because, flavour.
- Ice cream moulds. I use these ones but other readers have recommended the Kuvings one that are available at supermarkets.
Homemade chocolate ice cream is absolutely easy to nail- its fail proof really so long as you choose good-tasting ingredients. If you don’t have moulds yet, you might prefer this scoop-able chocolate tahini ice cream. If you want to buy moulds I love these ones from Silikomart.
Frequently asked questions
What moulds do I use?
I get asked this ALL the time- I buy mine from within Australia here. They’re great quality silicone and I have used and loved them for years.
My ice cream is too hard, what can I do?
It is normal for the ice creams to be hard straight from the freezer. For mini ice creams allow 5-10 mins to defrost and for a larger ice cream allow 10 minus in winter. They will be creamy and fudgy and perfect after that.
I don’t have canned coconut cream where I live. What can I use instead?
I wouldn’t recommend swapping out anything for this recipe, however if you have access to canned coconut milk use that instead.
Can I omit the maple syrup?
Yes and no. Sweetness is needed to balance out the cacao and makes the ice cream more creamy. I would substitute with pitted dates or banana at the least.
Looking for more healthy vegan ice cream recipes? Try these:
- vegan chocolate coconut ice cream pops
- Blueberry and vanilla bean ice-cream
- Raw strawberry cream slice
- Creamy vegan chocolate ice-cream with only 5 ingredients
We hope you enjoy these healthy vegan chocolate ice cream bars as much as we do. If you try the recipe we welcome your feedback and reviews below.
Print Healthy chocolate vegan ice-creams
- Prep Time: 5 minutes plus soaking time
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 57 minute
- Yield: 4 large, 8 mini 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: Australian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These healthy chocolate vegan ice-creams are made with just 5 ingredients and an optional chocolate coating. They’re one bowl, no churn, creamy, dairy free and family friendly.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 200g coconut cream (see notes)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (see notes)
- 1/3 cup cacao or cocoa powder
- 3 Tsp pure maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp salt
To make the optional chocolate coating.
- 150g dark chocolate
- 1 Tbsp coconut cream
- 1 Tbsp buckwheat grouts, optional
Instructions
- Soak cashews in water for 4 hours then drain and rinse. NOTE; If you are in a rush or your blender/food processor is not high powered place cashews and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes then turn off the heat and drain- you can use the cashews instantly if you follow the boiling method.
- Set aside your preferred moulds and ensure you have popsicle sticks handy. This recipe makes 4 large magnum style ice creams, or 8 mini ones. You can use any ice cream mould or, alternatively, dixie paper cups.
- Add drained cashews with all the remaining ingredients to your blender or food processor and blend on high for 1 minute or until completely smooth. Divide the mixture between your moulds and insert a popsicle stick. Freeze for 4 plus hours.
To make the optional chocolate coating.
- Finely chop the chocolate and place in a heat proof bowl with the coconut cream. Add 2cm water to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Place heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan- it should sit on the rim and not touch the water. Reduce heat to low and gently melt until the chocolate is completely liquid and quite runny. Stir through buckwheat if using. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Remove ice creams from the freezer. Line a small tray with baking paper or a silicone mat. Remove the first ice cream from its mould and immediately coat with the chocolate. This is best done with a spoon, pouring chocolate over the surface and allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place on the lined tray and repeat with remaining ice creams. The trick here is to move quickly. If the chocolate becomes too cold and thick return to the heat and melt again until it is thin and drippy, or you won’t have enough chocolate to coat the ice creams. Once all ice cream bars are coated transfer to the fridge for 10 minutes to set.
To store, place individually in a ziplock bag. Remove as much air from the bag as possible then seal. Alternatively you can store in an airtight container, however after 1 week you can expect ice crystals to form.
To serve. As these vegan chocolate ice creams are low in sugar they will freeze firmly. You must allow 5-10 minutes (depending on the ice cream size and ambient temperature of teh day) to soften, after which time you will have a creamy, fudgy ice cream.
Notes
- I trialled many coconut cream brands. The best tasting I could find for this recipe was Honest to Goodness, or Natures Charm whipping cream. Ensure you use a coconut cream that tastes good straight from the can, as the flavour will shine through.
- Vanilla extract is recommended for flavour but also plays a part in preventing ice crystals from forming due to the alcohol content. I advise to not omit it.
Keywords: Vegan ice cream, chocolate ice cream, healthy ice cream, dairy free
I’m so excited to make these!
Being as I don’t have a strong blender – could I use cashew butter / any nut butter as a sub?
If so how much would I use instead of the 1/2 cup cashews?
Thanks!!
★★★★★
Yes, definitely! I would use 1/3 cup of any nut butter 🙂
How are the Buckwheat Grouts used in the coating? TY
★★★★★
They are literally just stirred through the melted chocolate before coating. Did I miss that step? I’ll go fix it now!
I just checked the recipe- it’s listed at step 1 of the second part of the method (under the optional chocolate coating section)
Warmth,
Jade
Muito bom obrigada Vou me deliciar…
★★★★★
Thank you so much
Okay, I’ve tried a lot of raw treat creations over the years and these fit the “hell yes” box for me!
Firstly they are simple, secondly delicious and for me most importantly my extremely fussy mini human (my son) loved them.
Don’t have a good blender, neither do I… However the hot tip of boiling the cashews saved the day and my ninja blender too.
We are them all and making batch number 2!
★★★★★
Hi Jess. I’m so glad these were well received, especially my your little man! My girls are always so excited to make these too. Enjoy batch 2!
We loved these using the mini bars and suggested coconut milk, a d the kids smashed them! Great recipe.
★★★★★
We love them too!
Thanks for the great recipe, the kids loved these
★★★★★
Oh good! Thanks Kath.
I made these with the ayam coconut cream, cashew butter & buckwheat variation and the result was incredible!!
the best home made ice creams I’ve ever made!
The texture is on point- melt in your mouth & fudgy but doesn’t make a mess!
I was so surprised by how quickly they came together – I simply blended the ingredients with an immersion blender!
When I tried making the chocolate coating I think I did too much coconut cream as the chocolate formed a thick paste (ended up being perfect for chocolate bark). I ended up just doing pure chocolate melted.
Can’t wait to make again 🙂
★★★★★
Hi Sara,
I’m so glad these were a success for you- it’s so nice to have a recipe that whips up in no time, isn’t it?
With the chocolate, did you maybe add the coconut cream after melting the chocolate? It sounds like the chocolate seized a little, which is usually when a you add something cold to the melted chocolate?
I am not a huge coconut fan. Is there anything else I can use for these? Thanks for your help!
For this recipe, not really. They don’t have a strong coconut taste though.
Can’t wait to try these !! Is there a particular brand of blender / processors that you recommend ?
I have a vitamix and a ninja duo- both work great
sooooo delicious!! thank you for the best vegan ice cream recipe ever. definitely, a go-to!
★★★★★
Awww this makes me so happy. Thanks Chloe.
Fantastic and tasty recipe. Instead of using vanilla extract I added instead Frangellico for Hazelnut vibes. Next time I’ll use Cointreau for a dark, orange chocolate hit. I feel a lot better about indulging in ice cream making my own. I’m going to freeze them in ice cube trays for bite size chocolate treats.
★★★★★
Love the addition of the frangilluco- that sounds incredible! I’m definitely going to play around with your ideas 🙂
Honestly I was surprised at how absolutely AMAZING this recipe is.. it honestly tastes like chocolate icecream..and I haven’t even eaten it frozen yet .. I just licked the bowl🤣🤣🤣🤣..
This is going to be a repeat recipe for me.. THANKYOU for creating something so yummy AND not full of junk😍
★★★★★
This is the sweetest review Monique! Isn’t it the best having healthy homemade alternatives?
This is an AMAZING recipe.. it’s honestly so much like a real chocolate icecream and I even fooled my kiddos.. SOOOOOOO GOOOOD.. thank you
Will be making again
★★★★★
Looks amazing! Please would you mind sharing where you got your ice cream moulds from?
I buy them in Australia from a shop called Alyce Alexandra. Ill update the post with a link for you.