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My Coconut Ice Cream Is The Creamiest Dairy Free Treat
When I first started making homemade ice cream, I wasn’t sure a dairy-free version would ever satisfy my sweet tooth the same way — but this coconut milk ice cream proved me wrong. Here’s why:
- Tastes like the real deal – This coconut ice cream is ultra creamy, with just the right amount of sweetness and a subtle coconut flavor (not overpowering at all!). If you like my almond milk ice cream but want something creamier, this is it.
- Lighter and better for you, with a better texture – Yes, my recipe is dairy free and vegan, but what makes it stand out from many dairy free ice cream recipes is the sugar content and texture. Mine has no refined sugar, just 115 calories per serving, and the sweetener I use actually makes it more creamy and scoopable — instead of rock hard.
- Make it with or without an ice cream maker – I originally made this coconut ice cream recipe no churn, but I’ll admit it did turn out better when I made it with my ice cream maker. Still, it’s really good both ways, so you’ve got options!
- 3 simple ingredients – Plus salt. I’ve also included 5 popular flavor variations for you below.
The most recent time I made this coconut ice cream, I even found some coconuts (yay for living in Florida!) to serve it in, which was so fun. But you don’t need those at all — just grab a few basic staples from the grocery store and make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my coconut ice cream recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Full Fat Coconut Milk – You’ll need 2 cans of coconut milk. I grabbed my local Sprouts brand last time because they carry the Besti sweetener I needed (see below!), but I also like this brand. You can also use coconut cream instead, as long as the total is about 27 ounces. I don’t recommend “cream of coconut” or “coconut milk beverage” (the kind in a carton), which are a different type of product and not ideal for ice cream.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This is my secret to soft, scoopable coconut milk ice cream without sugar. Other sweeteners turn icy, but actually makes scooping easier. Plus, almost all sugar alternatives (including other brands of monk fruit and stevia) don’t dissolve easily, even if they’re powdered, so they can leave a gritty texture. Besti keeps it super smooth!
- Vanilla Extract & Sea Salt
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How To Make Coconut Milk Ice Cream
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Blend the ingredients. Just toss everything into a blender (this is mine) and blend until smooth. You might need to scrape down the sides once or twice.
- Churn, or freeze and stir. If you have an ice cream maker (I have and love this one), pour the mixture into the frozen bowl and churn until it reaches soft-serve consistency. Then, transfer into a pre-frozen loaf pan or freezer-safe container. I actually use this container from my vacuum sealer set, but this loaf pan is also the perfect size. If you need to use the no-churn method, pour the mixture directly into the container — you’ll just need to stir while it freezes, see below.
- Let it set. Place the coconut milk ice cream in the freezer until solid. If you didn’t churn it, you’ll need to stir every 30-60 minutes.
My Recipe Tips
- To avoid separation, use room temperature coconut milk. Cold coconut milk makes the coconut water and cream separate, so your blended mixture might not be smooth.
- If your sweetener has any clumps, use the blender to break them up first. No need to sift separately!
- Make sure to blend long enough for the mixture to get creamy, but not too long. 30-60 seconds at high speed is ideal in my experience, and this also ensures that the sweetener dissolves. (Also see my notes above about some sweeteners that won’t dissolve at all!) However, if you blend too long, the coconut milk can separate.
- Is there a difference between the ice cream maker and manual version? Yes. The ice cream maker version turns out more creamy, but I think both are still delicious! I do find I need to let the manual version sit on the counter for longer to thaw before scooping, compared to churned that I can scoop almost immediately.
- If you’re not using an ice cream maker, pre-freezing your container is super important. This helps improve the texture of your ice cream. It also helps if you use a churning ice cream maker, but is less crucial.
- Freeze your ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours. I tried 12 hours once, and even though it didn’t sound liquid inside, my coconut ice cream never quite turned into a soft-serve texture. Luckily it was still okay after freezing, but I get best results when I freeze the container for a full 24 hours.
- Wet your ice cream scoop with warm water. It helps to soften the ice cream on contact and makes scooping easier! This is my favorite scoop.
- Dress it up with toppings! I toasted some coconut flakes this time, but this coconut milk ice cream is also amazing with a drizzle of sugar-free chocolate syrup or caramel sauce, or even sugar-free sprinkles.
Coconut Milk Ice Cream
By
Make my easy dairy-free coconut milk ice cream recipe with just 3 ingredients, in 5 flavors! It's super creamy with no refined sugar.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Place a freezer-friendly container or a loaf pan (I used a 9” x 5” inch) in the freezer.
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Combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender, until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides to ensure the mixture is very well combined.
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Pour the coconut cream mixture into the pre-frozen container and place it in the freezer. Allow the ice cream to freeze for at least 3-4 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.
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Let the ice cream thaw for 5 minutes on the counter before scooping it into bowls with a slightly wet ice cream scoop.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best texture in your coconut ice cream, differences between the churned and no churn versions, topping ideas, and more.
- Flavors: If you want a different flavor, see my flavor variations below.
- Storage: Keep the coconut milk ice cream in the freezer for up to 3-6 months. I recommend letting it sit out for about 10 minutes before scooping, especially if you make the no-churn version.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Coconut Milk Ice Creawm
Flavor Variations
To my surprise, this coconut milk ice cream is just mildly coconutty — mostly I just taste vanilla, with a hint of coconut taste at the end. Try these add-ins if you want other ice cram flavors:
- Extra Coconut – If you want a stronger coconut flavor, add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut extract.
- Dark Chocolate – Blend in 1/2 cup of cocoa powder. I recommend Dutch processed like this.
- Strawberry – Swap out 1/2 cup of the coconut milk for a full cup of strawberries (or any berry you love). I’ve done this with raspberries, too.
- Cookie Dough – Make the cookie dough from my almond milk ice cream, then add to this coconut ice cream recipe. You can churn in the pieces, or fold them in after the first hour of freezing.
- Mint Chocolate Chip – Add 1-2 teaspoons of peppermint extract to the blender, then stir in some sugar-free chocolate chips after.
- Banana – You can blend bananas right into this one and drizzle with my sugar free honey, but I prefer banana ice cream if I want that flavor.
78 Comments
Denise
1Best homemade dairy free ice cream we’ve ever had!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Denise! Enjoy!
Catherine B.
0I made this recipe. I used a can of coconut cream and a can of coconut milk. Since it said to use them at room temperature, I didn’t chill the mixture before adding it to my ice cream maker, even though the ice cream maker recipes all say to do that. It never got to soft-serve consistency, so I then followed the no-churn instructions. It definitely turned out icier than it would have in the machine. But my main disappointment was the flavor. I like coconut flavored ice cream, so I didn’t mind the mild coconuty-ness. But there was not enough sweetness to balance it. I don’t really want to try it again with more besti, since it’s so expensive, knowing it probably won’t work in my ice cream maker. But I will try subbing besti for sugar in other ice cream recipes that I know work in my machine.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Catherine! I’m not sure if it’s a difference in ice cream makers, as mine did reach soft serve consistency. The sweetness was right for me but you can absolutely add more Besti to your taste if you wanted to try it again.
Susan
0I made the coconut ice cream and it was awesome! I do not have an ice cream machine, but it was still great – it turned out icier rather than creamy. Will definitely make again.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Susan! It’s great to hear it turned out well even without an ice cream maker. The texture can be a bit icier that way, but I’m happy it was still a hit. Hope you enjoy making it again!
Mrs Morfydd Roberts
0As I am in the UK can I use Splenda instead of the Besti blend sugar substitute in your recipes. Regards; Morfydd
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi there, It really depends on the recipe. I don’t usually recommend Splenda as it’s artificial, but erythritol-based sweeteners have their own issues too.
Alisha Armstrong
0This one might be too good to be true! Super super easy. Quite delicious. I can’t attest to scoopability but I have a good feeling. Even then if it is hard that is nothing a few minutes outside of the freezer can’t fix. I did 1/2 tsp salt (personal preference), 1 tbsp vanilla and 1/2 cup of monk fruit allulose because I really didn’t want it too sweet. I wanted to go down to a third but I was worried that would affect how it froze. All in all I think this is going to be a perfect low carb/low cal option for me 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Alisha! Enjoy your coconut ice cream!
Emily
0I will try this recipe. I do love Coconut and Coconut Ice Cream. BTW, can I add Matcha powder to this? And how much? 🙂
I love your recipes. I should post what I have tried with a photo. Even my friends love them and can’t believe how healthy they are. And that is because they say they are so tasty. 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Please let me know how it turns out, Emily! Yes, I think you can add matcha. I would start with 1/4 cup and taste as you go — you can add more until it tastes how you like it, then churn. I’m so happy you and your friends love my recipes, it means a lot — please let me know how this one turns out, and any others you make.
Dorrel
0I’ve been searching for an easy, sugar free recipe and this one seems to be the winner. Can I use fresh pineapple as the fruit??
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Dorrel! I haven’t tried it with pineapple yet. I think you can, but please let me know how it goes if you try it.
steveo
0I love ice cream and I love Maya and the coconut. Thank you Maya
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hahaha, thanks Steveo! Sounds like the perfect recipe for you then!
Thecla de Jong
0Can I also use plain allulose because I do not have the Monkfruit version.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Thecla, Yes, you can! You’d just need to use 33% more when using plain allulose instead of Besti, that would be 1 cup for this recipe.
John D
0I do not know why, but this recipe either did not come out as expected OR I just did not like the texture nor taste. I am, though, willing to try this recipe again, at some point.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi John, Sorry to hear this recipe wasn’t what you were expecting. It definitely tastes like coconut milk, so it might not be for you if you’re not a fan of that. For the texture, did you use the same sweetener?
David Eisenberg
0Hi Maya. Had same result as others with the fat separation using coconut cream (label says only coconut cream and filtered water). Used Vitamix on low. Maybe even low is too fast? Suggestions? I suppose there may be a significant difference between coconut cream and coconut milk. Perhaps you can mention a brand you have had success with….
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi David, I’m so sorry I missed your old comment! In case you see this by chance, I’ve re-tested this recipe and added tips above. Hope this helps in case you see this.
Annette
0What are the other flavors? I only see the link for vanilla.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Annette, The flavor variations are in the post above, and they say what to add and how much.
Adolf
0Hi, Please check metric conversion. Bit confusing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Adolf, Thanks for flagging! I double checked and clarified it a bit.
Gina
0Let me 1st start by saying thank you for this recipe. I made a couple of changes: I used 1 – 13.5 oz can of coconut milk and about 10oz of pure coconut cream. I added 1 cup of strawberries (which were frozen but I thawed before blending). I then used my 1.5qt cuisinart maker and 10 minutes into the 20, I added another 1/2 cup of diced strawberries and 1 diced medium banana. WOW – it’s fantastic! Next time, I’m going to try the dark chocolate with cacao powder!
Chris
0Hi, When you say “full-fat coconut milk” exactly what do you mean? If I use a beverage from the Harmless Harvest company that is coconut meat and coconut water will it still work? I think I did try making it with the monk fruit sweetner but it hardened into one hard lump when I froze it. This coconut milk already has a sweet taste to it.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Chris, Full-fat coconut milk comes in a can, it sounds like you used a coconut milk beverage.
K Temp
0Why is mine coming out separated after blending? I only blended for 30 seconds and tried two batches. Wasted four cans and a whole bag of Besti! Why?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that! I’ve never had coconut milk separate when blending. Was your coconut milk can refrigerated? This can cause separation.
Mary
0Thank you for low carb, sugar free ice cream.
Kelly Jacobs
0Mine turned out nothing like yours…but, I think that my coconut milk was separated. I am going to try it again.. Any advice? I seem to have terrible luck with low carb recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kelly, Make sure to use room temperature coconut milk. It can separate if it’s cold. This has nothing to do with the recipe being low carb or not.
Rachel Cera
0Can I make this in ice cream maker?
Annette
1I made it in my Cuisinart ice cream maker. It was delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Rachel, Yes! I’ve added instructions for this.
Tiffany
0When I made this in my blender, it was good and creamy after about 20-30 seconds… I let it go for a few minues as it had been suggested and the liquid completely separated from the fat!! I had to dump out the liquid and was left with all of the fat…. Why did it separate like that??
I feel like i have this problem every time I try to make this with the full fat coconut milk 🙁
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tiffany, It sounds like you might have blended for a little too long, or your coconut milk was cold. Use room temperature coconut milk and stop blending once it’s frothy and the sweetener has dissolved. Hope this helps!
Robin Tolbert
0Hello, just wondering what your second sweetener would be? Every time I use bestie powdered with allulose my stomach has issues. I use monk fruit drops for everything else I sweeten. Would that be okay?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Robin! Stomach issues with Besti are very rare, but you must be in the less than 1% of people who experience this. Yes, you can use concentrated monk fruit drops to sweeten this recipe.