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Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream

Vegan vanilla ice cream with coconut milk vanilla custard is silky, ivory, and dairy-free. The method warms and thickens the base, then chills and churns for a smooth, scoopable plant-based ice cream.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

coconut cream base
  • 2 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk Refrigerate overnight; scoop the solid cream from the top.
  • 0.5 cup maple syrup or agave Use maple syrup for a more classic flavor, or agave for a milder sweetness.
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract For the best vanilla flavor, use pure extract.
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch Thickens the custard base slightly before chilling.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Balances sweetness.
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil Helps make the texture creamy and rich.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the vanilla base
  1. Scoop the solid coconut cream from the top of the refrigerated coconut milk cans and reserve the coconut water for another use (visual cue: ivory cream, not the thin liquid).
  2. Add the coconut cream, maple syrup (or agave), vanilla extract, arrowroot (or cornstarch), salt, and coconut oil to a saucepan (visual cue: smooth, off-white mixture).
  3. Heat over medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes (visual cue: it coats the whisk more readily and looks custard-like).
  4. Cool completely to room temperature (visual cue: the mixture loses steam and reaches a cool, pourable consistency).
  5. Refrigerate at least 4 hours until thoroughly chilled (visual cue: cold and slightly thicker).
Churn and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (visual cue: pale ivory, airy, and thick enough to hold soft peaks).
  2. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until scoopable (visual cue: firm but creamy texture when you press a spoon into it).

Notes

For the smoothest texture, cool the custard completely before chilling so it thickens evenly. Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge 5–10 minutes before scooping. Dietary swap: use gluten-free arrowroot or cornstarch if needed to keep it gluten-free.