Deliciously smooth and ultra creamy almond milk ice cream, made with just 5 ingredients!
Homemade Almond Milk Ice Cream Recipe
Whether you’re vegan, trying to cut back on dairy, or simply curious to try something new, almond milk ice cream is the perfect choice.
Dairy free ice cream is hugely popular right now, and even mainstream companies such as Halo Top, Haagen Dasz, Breyers, So Delicious, and Ben & Jerry’s are jumping on board, offering their own lines of nondairy ice cream flavors in regular grocery stores nationwide.
But almond milk ice cream definitely isn’t new for me – I’ve been making it for over a decade!
And today this creamy almond milk ice cream joins the growing list of vegan ice cream recipes I’ve posted on the blog, including all of the following:
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How To Make Ice Cream With Almond Milk
No Soy
No Coconut
No Eggs
No Oil
And it can also be dairy free, corn syrup free, banana free, sugar free, and nut free (no cashews), with no preservatives or xanthan gum, and no ice cream maker required.
Almond Milk Ice Cream Flavors
Chocolate: Follow the recipe for vanilla almond milk ice cream below, and add 1/4 cup cocoa or cacao powder. Feel free to throw in some chocolate chips or pieces of Vegan Brownies after churning!
Mint Chocolate Chip: Use a neutral nut butter such as raw cashew or coconut butter in the base recipe below, and add 1/8 tsp pure peppermint extract, or more for a stronger mint flavor. Be sure your extract says pure and peppermint on the label.
Peanut Butter: Choose peanut butter in the recipe below, and increase it to 2/3 cup for a stronger peanut butter flavor if desired.
Strawberry: Use only 1 1/2 cups almond milk in the recipe below. Add 1/2 cup mashed strawberries, and use a neutral nut butter such as raw cashew or coconut butter. Stir in 1/2 cup diced strawberries if desired just before serving.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Use the base recipe below, and stir in pieces of your favorite cookie dough or the dough of any of these healthy cookies recipes.
The base recipe can be no churn, sugar free, low carb, keto, and of course vegan.
And yes, other types of milk—such as soymilk, coconut milk, and cashew milk—work for this ice cream as well. One of my favorites is Almond Breeze almond cashew blend, or you can even make your own almond milk or Oat Milk at home and use that!
Above – watch the video how to make almond milk ice cream!
Almond Milk Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups Almond Breeze Almond Milk or milk of choice
- 1/2 cup nut butter of choice, or allergy-friendly sub
- 1/3 cup sweetener of choice, sugar free if desired
- 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- *If you don’t have an ice cream maker or high-speed blender, see these directions.Whisk together all ingredients. If you have an ice cream maker, simply pour the mixture in and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions for your specific machine. Or if you have a high-speed blender such as a vitamix, pour the whisked ingredients into ice cube trays and freeze, then blend the frozen cubes until smooth, using the machine’s tamper to help it blend evenly. Either eat straight from the machine or freeze an hour for a firmer texture. Due to the lack of preservatives and filler ingredients, homemade ice cream is best the day it’s made – however you can technically freeze for up to a month and thaw before eating.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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Huge thanks to Almond Breeze for sponsoring this post. Their cashew and almond milks have been my go-to nondairy milks for more than a decade, so I was really excited for the chance to work with them. The recipe and opinions in the post are my own.
Joey says
I was bracing myself for bananas/dates/syrup but another recipe that isn’t just blending fruit is fantastic. I look forward to trying this (freezer is currently crammed) as well as the recent ice lolly recipe ASAP.
With regards to the required capacity of containers/moulds etc. I estimated approx. 680ml from reading this recipe? Discounted salt and vanilla because they’re such insignificant quantities relative to the first three. Does this seem correct? I think it would be like 2 +5/6 American liquid “cups”… I’m using 120 ml dry and 240 wet, assuming the milk, nut butter and somehow the sweetener are all liquid.
The total yield might be handy for these recipes that have to be stored for any length of time, namely the freezer to advise on sizes of ice lolly moulds etc. Required beforehand.
Again, bookmarked this recipe and look forward to trying it ?
Jason Sanford says
Hi, we measured it at around 720g total. It’s 6 half-cup servings (so about 120g each). She tries to always remember to put total yield right above the recipe ingredients in a post, but if you ever don’t see it there for a recipe, it’s usually also listed on the nutrition facts page 🙂
Molly says
Super excited to try this new recipe, where I live it I see close to impossible to find coconut cream so I’m so excited to finally find an ice cream recipe without it! Can’t wait to try it!
Molly says
oh my gosh just tried this and it tasted soooo good! I only tried I little before I poured it into the tray definitely going to be a treat can’t wait to blend, I highly recommend! 🙂 (I used honey as my sweetener)
Paige Cassandra Flamm says
I totally need to try this asap!
Paige
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says
I’ve been loving making homemade ice cream recipes lately! I have found almond milk ice cream to be rock-hard once frozen though due to it’s low fat content. This looks so creamy! Did you use an ice-cream maker for the photos? (I don’t have one so have to use my Vitamix).
Jason Sanford says
Some of the flavors were made with an ice cream maker, others with a vitamix, and one was made with a food processor 🙂
Jaso (media relations)
Amy Swinney says
Is the butter softened for melted????
Chao says
Ice cream is my favourite food group by far and I can’t wait to try this! What kind of sweetener works best? Granulated or liquid?
Jason Sanford says
Either works just as well, so use your personal favorite or try it both ways to see which flavor you prefer since every sweetener will give its own distinct flavor to a recipe 🙂
Angela says
I just want to confirm that the almond milk is just plain, not sweetened or vanilla flavored, right?
Jason Sanford says
You can use any of the ones you mentioned! 🙂
If using vanilla, I’d just omit vanilla extract.
Cassie Autumn Tran says
GASP! I LOVE THIS! Talk about a perfect treat. I need to use my ice cream maker ASAP to recreate this!
Free Dieting says
oh.. it looks too yummy i’m gonna try it soon.
Homeschool Mom says
We made mint ice cream the other day and loved it so much we made maple nut today by using 1/2 tsp (or more to taste) maple extract and adding in 1/3 cup raw roughly choppped cashews. Both turned out great! So appreciate the simpllicity and great flavor we got using Silk Cashew milk and home made cashew butter.
Jason Sanford says
Maple nut sounds amazing!
Olga says
I’ve never tried making homemade ice cream before, but this sounds so good and so delicious. Can’t wait to try your recipe! 🙂
Katie says
Hi, I have a whole slew of your recipes I need to make and this one has now been added to the very top of the list! My husband and I eat dairy free and have been tiring of coconut milk ice cream. Although I did recently find a delicious almond milk ice cream recipe that uses egg yolks, I am excited to try this one so I don’t have a pile of egg whites I don’t know what to do with! I’ll try remember to comment back when I do.
Yours is one of the few sites I routinely check for recipes largely because I can trust everything to be df and (maybe more so ?) the site name resonates with me… My two year old-knowledgeable to my morning rituals-is often heard chanting ‘I want chocolate’ whenever I enter the kitchen.
~Katie
Willie Bristol says
Make a cake with the egg whites, or an omelette. A mirang pie
Julie says
Hello- is it possible to use liquid stevia drops instead of granulated or liquid sweetener? If so, how many drops would you recommend? Thanks!
Jason Sanford says
I’m sure it could be possible if you like the taste of stevia, but amount would depend on your tastebuds. Taste the liquid before freezing to decide. Be sure to report back if you experiment.
Jason
Elijah Pineda says
Hi i just want to clarify if what is the 1/4 tsp in “1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp”?
thank u!!!
Golda says
It;s all salt: it’s just easier than saying 3/8 tsp salt.
abi says
hey! i was wondering if we added some guar gum would it stay creamy? thanks!
Jason Sanford says
You never know unless you experiment. Be sure to report back if you do!
Emily says
Any tips for freezing or does it not work well?
Marie says
Could you please advise if you can do a lime version and ginger version of almond milk ice cream ?
Jason Sanford says
Sure you can!
DQ says
Thank You so much Katie your info helped me and my mom who have stomach problems to make ice cream we can eat. Especially with no soy
Aaron Tabuchi says
What happens if you don’t use nut butter?
Veronica says
what happened to the recipe? it’s not here anymore
Jason Sanford says
Hi that’s so strange, the recipe shows up for me! Maybe it was a temporary glitch? Is it still not showing up for you?
Jason
Tracey says
Where is the recipe?
Jason Sanford says
Hi that’s so strange, the recipe shows up for me! Maybe it was a temporary glitch? Is it still not showing up for you?
Jason
Jason says
Hi, what would you recommend as an alternative to the nut butter? And should this be melted down to liquid form?
Wouldn’t the nut butter if not liquiied be too much effort for the blades to rotate through?
Thanks!
Jason Sanford says
My favorite nut butter alternative is Sunbutter! And it’s smooth enough that there’s no need to soften it, although I guess you could.
Tera says
What type/kind/brand of nut butter is used in this recipe?
Jason Sanford says
Any works! Use your favorite 🙂
Sandra J BARNETT says
This is all new to me but please explain what nut butter I should use. I bought almond butter to make vanilla but it tastes like an almond butter version of peanut butter. What did I miss here? Is there a neutral nut butter? Thank you.
Jason Sanford says
Hmm, almond butter tastes pretty neutral to me, but there are different brands and types. Roasted almond butter will have more of a roasted flavor than the more neutral raw almond butter. Or there’s raw cashew butter. Or macadamia butter! Really there are so many options! For most neutral, raw almond butter would probably be my best bet.
Jason
Willie Bristol says
This is my first time seeing this. But b4 I was thinking about how to make ice cream with almond milk. My brain storm is, since there is new coffee creamer made from almonds, why not mix the 2? Or use some of the almond yogurt. I have to work on the recipe
Molly says
I plan to try with coconut milk, crunchy peanut butter, and maple syrup or honey. Do you think it will be Katie approved? I am a compact ice cream maker and the ingredient on hand 🙂
Jason Sanford says
That sounds SO GOOD!
Dems says
Will this freeze rock hard? I don’t have an ice cream maker so I have to use a different option. I do hope it stays creamy..
Jason Sanford says
Yes homemade ice creams will freeze hard because they don’t have any gums/stabilizers (which aren’t really great for digestion). You can just take it out a little before you want it and thaw.
Mollie says
Does it matter whether you used roasted or raw nut butter?
Jason Sanford says
Nope! Whichever you personally prefer based on taste 🙂
Joyce says
What is nut butter? Where do I find in grocery store?
Jason Sanford says
It just means any nut butter of your choice, such as peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.
Danielle says
Do you think I can use a homemade Sweetened Condensed Almond Milk as the sweetener?
Jason Sanford says
We’ve never tried it, but be sure to report back if you experiment!
Jason (media relations)
shirley griffin says
I would be interested to know how to make sweetened condensed almond milk homemade
Kasey says
Double the amount of sweetener you would use to make homemade almond milk, and use half as much water
Kasey says
If you don’t have an ice cream maker what you can do is pour the liquid mix into a one gallon plastic bag. Put the bag in the freezer, and every hour for the first 3 hours, take the bag out of the freezer and shake it, and switch it around. After that do the same thing every half hour. It sounds like a lot of work but it really isn’t. It makes sure that your ice cream doesn’t get too hard oh, and it also allows you to keep track of its freezing process. It is not quite as good as an ice cream maker for a smooth silky texture. But for quite some time this is how my children and I made ice cream.
DeAnna says
100% blend this recipe before putting it in an ice cream machine…we ended up with cashew butter swirls :-/ still edible, but not what we were wanting or expecting.
Allie says
I’ve tried every store bought vegan ice cream and NONE compare to this recipe. This was so creamy and perfectly sweet. For my sweetener i used 5 large dates. my whole family was pleasantly surprised by how yummy this was
Shayls says
Can you make this recipe without using any nut butter and without using bananas as a substitute for the nut butter?
Jason Sanford says
She has one 🙂 https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2017/05/15/coconut-ice-cream-recipe/
Shayls says
How about one without the nut butter or the coconut milk? Do you know if you can use the Almond Milk Ice Cream recipe and just leave out the nut butter, or will omitting the nut butter make the ice cream runny? The recipe itself works well in our ice cream maker. The nut butter does have a prominent taste though.
Jason Sanford says
You need some fat or it’s ice milk, not creamy. But you can use a neutral nut butter such as macadamia butter or pecan butter or raw cashew butter. Or this recipe: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/07/05/ice-cream-recipe-healthy-vegan/
Katie has a LOT of ice cream recipes LOL!
Naomi says
This is the first time I’ve commented on your site, even though I’ve tried several of your recipes and really enjoyed them. But I have to say that THIS is a game changer!!! I dabbled with vegetarianism for a few years, and then at the beginning of 2019 became vegan, hoping that my digestive issues would clear up. They did, but I really, really missed dairy. I’m trying to find different substitutes for my past favourite dairy products but wasn’t happy about spending so much on the store-bought ‘ice-creams’, and nice cream just tastes like bananas to me, no matter what I add to it. So when you posted this recipe I excitedly tried it (I even made my own oat milk). LOVE IT!!! Thanks for always putting out recipes for so many different preferences!
Elena says
I am trying this using my ice cream maker next week. The only sweetener I could use is stevia. Is there a conversion formula? 1/3 cup sweetener = ? Stevia.
Thanks
donnasandyq says
It depends on what form and brand of stevia you’re using. You need to look in up on the site of whatever brand you’re using, or find a general conversion chart for the substitution for different forms.
Lewis Moore says
Thanks so very much for this recipe!
Two things:
It salt required? Can it be reduced a bit?
If I use a packet or two of stevia, so I need to make up the 1/2 cup volume set aside for sugar?
donnasandy says
I’d love to know how anyone gets “creamy” from this. I used silk almond milk and coconut butter, in a cuisinart ice cream maker. It’s icy, not al all creamy, and the coconut butter chills back into little bits even though I thoroughly whisked it in smooth before churning! It does taste good, but I’m so disappointed after anticipating creamy like ice cream.
Jason Sanford says
I haven’t tried coconut butter in this one, but I know coconut butter in general can sometimes be hard instead of creamy, depending on the fat content and how humid it is in the air. I’ve made this recipe with almond butter and also peanut butter and both yield creamy results, so those are two options you might try!
Jason
Brianna says
Explain the peanut butter recipe a little better please. I’m trying to handwrite the recipies but the paragraph for peanut butter makes no sense. “Choose peanut butter in recipe below” what recipe am I supposed to be looking at? Makes no sense.
Jason Sanford says
The base recipe under the print this recipe and above the nutrition facts. Just keep scrolling down the page past the flavors 🙂
Brianna says
I understand that.
“Choose peanut butter in the recipe below, and increase it to 2/3 cup for a stronger peanut butter flavor if desired.”
Increase to 2/3 from what? Is the peanut butter supposed to be the nut butter?
Jason Sanford says
Yes! 🙂
sue sacco says
Hi! My son is fructose free (no HFCS, no cashews, no beans, no coconut), gluten free, and dairy free : ( I was looking for almond milk ice cream and found it here but I cannot find the vanilla flavor. Unless that is the one that just says almond milk ice cream. The recipe says nut butter for that one and I am just not sure how it would taste vanilla so maybe that is not the vanilla recipe. Can you help? Any other recipes you suggest we try that fit his food sensitivities?
Thank you!
Jason Sanford says
Hi! Yes the vanilla would be the base flavor, which has vanilla extract added 🙂
Jason
sam clemens says
I haven’t even frozen this yet and I can already tell its going to be one of the best ice creams I’ve ever made. It tastes exactly like my favourite ice cream from Indulge, the peanut butter chocolate (I used the chocolate recipe with peanut butter). If I knew how good this was I wouldn’t have spent those years putting up with the consequences of being lactose intolerant.
Dana says
What can I use instead of nut butter?? Has anyone try anything else?
Cyndee Rasmussen says
I’m only assuming such a healthy based page would avoid artificial dyes, so please tell me how the green colour is achieved in the mint chip? My daughter would be thrilled to have this but cannot consume artificial colours.
Jason Sanford says
Mix of blue and green spirulina!
Marissa Casido says
When using but butter, specifically, coconut butter. Do you need to melt it first? I am worried it won’t mix in with the other ingredients.
Jason Sanford says
You don’t if you’re using the blender option but probably should if using the ice cream maker option.
Jenn says
Fabulous!! I made chocolate peanut butter with chocolate chips tonight. Unbelievable!! Used honey. Ty! I made ice cream!
Lorelei says
Made Almond Butter ice cream for the first time. Yum!!!! No need to over pay for ice cream again – plus I know what the ingredients are in my homemade ice cream and can pronounce them all 🙂 Thank you so much for the recipe.
Claire says
Has anyone one just used caster sugar as the sweetener? I received my ice cream maker yesterday and in All the excitement of wanting to try it I forgot I’d run out of honey. I’m to impatient to wait a couple of days until shopping.
Jason Sanford says
That’s fine 🙂
Kelsey says
This is the best vegan ice cream recipe I’ve made! The texture is perfectly creamy. I whisked the almond butter with about 1/2 cup of milk + cocoa powder, then gradually stirred in the remaining milk — no nut butter clumps! Can’t wait to make this again and try new flavors 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for making it!
Emily says
Could I use refined coconut oil instead of the nut butter in this recipe?
Jason Sanford says
We haven’t tried, but be sure to report back if you experiment!
Jason (media relations)
Dee Gee Johnson says
Oh thank you thank you thank you! It was lovely. Hubby is an oil free vegan and I’m a low carb vegan. This worked perfectly! I’m looking forward to trying all the different flavors too.
Jennifer says
I decided to use this recipe for my first adventure into dairy free ice cream with my brand new ice cream machine. It was a little hard to mix (because I was at the end of the jar of almond butter and it was a little stiff) but it still turned out great.
Vicki says
I’m a little late to the game but just found this recipe. Has anyone tried the strawberry? I tried making it and couldn’t taste any strawberry so I added about 3 dozen more fresh picked strawberries. it just tastes like the raw cashew butter STILL! I don’t have an ice cream maker so I am using a vita mix and it’s just coming out like tiny dry pieces and not creamy at all.
Nora says
I love this recipe and make it at least once a week, sometimes much more! I use 5 dates for the sweetener and am very happy with the results. I have a question- has anyone made a coffee-flavored version of this recipe? I’m very interested in how this can be done!
CCK Media Team says
Just add a little instant coffee (just the granules, no need to add water) before blending! 🙂
Nora says
Excellent! Thank you so much!!! I can’t tell you how much I love this recipe, and also the nice cream recipe. When I quit eating sugar, I thought I was saying goodbye to ice cream. Now I have it regularly and I love the flavor of these recipes so much that my former ice cream favorites don’t even tempt me!
Gigi says
Just made this and it is my new favorite thing.. so easy, delicious, and light (while tasting like regular ice crean!!). I would recommend this recipe to anyone and everyone I know
Glenna says
I have made this twice in 2 days! I love it! Rather than using nut butter, I added the almond milk, 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces and date syrup for the sweetener (plus vanilla) in my vitamix for 2 minutes before putting in my ice cream churn. Turned out fantastic! Thanks!!
Leslie says
Hi Glenna– Does it actually taste like vanilla this way, instead of almond butter, as the version suggested as “vanilla” in the recipe does? Do you soak the cashews before hand? Thanks!
Glenna says
It tastes like vanilla. I have soaked the cashews as well as not. Using a vitamix seems to make no difference which method I use. Almond milk doesn’t make it taste all that almond-y and cashews have a very neutral flavor. I also make my own date syrup (1c dates soaked 1hr in 1c boiling water, blended well – lasts 2wks in fridge). I do admit to using almond breeze vanilla almond milk rather than plain for extra vanilla flavor.
Cynthia says
I’m looking forward to making the chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream version listed on your site, but want to verify first – when you mention to stir in pieces of our favorite cookie dough, do you mean the actual dough, or bake the cookie first and then crumble the cookie into the mixture? If it matters, I’m planning to make the keto chocolate cookies I found in the keto cookie link you provided. Thank you.
CCK Media Team says
Hi, if using a recipe without eggs like the one you mentioned, you can do just the raw dough :).
Cynthia says
Thank you for the super-quick response! I was hoping to have this for dessert tonight, and now I can. 🙂
Tammy says
I made this with Califia Farms unsweetened vanilla almond milk, raw cashew butter, and The Date Lady organic date syrup, and it was absolutely amazing! And so easy! My 8-year-old daughter and I loved it. We will be making this one over and over again. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Ken says
Can I use yogurt instead of nut butter?? Love this recipe
Fuel says
Me and my daughter make this a couple times a week to get our “ice cream” fix since becoming dairy free. Thank you for a great and easy alternative!
Grace says
I enjoyed this and added cocoa powder I left the recipe and full honest review on WordPress.com @letsgetpersonal
Gigi says
I am not a fan of ice cream, but made this for my husband. I did the vitamix method. when he. When he couldn’t eat the whole batch, I poured it into popsicle molds and froze them. I thoroughly enjoyed the freeze pops.
I used almond butter, I have a peanut butter batch freezing now!
Yummy and guilt free.
Evon Jason says
I like the fact that you are trying to help people enjoy a healthy dessert but your videos are so fast. You don’t take the time to explain each item. Very hard for a man that has to get off of sugars and has acid reflux to understand actually your videos are too fast each process should be done in a slow easy going fashion. I’m only making this comment because I really want to learn how to make almond milk ice cream but your presentation is must too fast for a beginner like me
Marji Bitterman says
I have found that using Swerve or Lakanto in ice cream recipes will have a lot of crystallization if not eaten right away. Do you have any suggestions for making a batch and storing the ice cream in the freezer for future use?
Maria_in_NJ says
Allulose works well and doesn’t make the ice cream hard when put in the freezer. Tried erythritol but the ice cream gets rock solid in the freezer.
Julie says
We loved this! Used our ice cream maker and it turned out great just stopped it before freezing after churning!
SH says
Hi – can this recipe be made without any sweeteners at all? I’m talking zero added fruit, sugars (natural, artificial), honey, etc. I have to avoid any and sugars. Thanks!
Char says
Try a banana in the mix.
Naomi Williamson says
Hi how much vanilla if we just want vanilla ice cream?
Lynn says
I made the basic recipe. It is so good! I will definitely be making this again. And again. 🙂
Fallon says
I’m a little confused because the recipe says to use peanut butter or substitute another kind of nut butter to make it which I think is for the vanilla but want to taste like peanut butter? Do I put that in if I want to make chocolate? Also wondering if I put cold coffee would it be coffee flavored? Thanks!
CCK Media Team says
Hi, you can use pretty much any nut butter for chocolate. If you don’t want a peanut flavor, try almond butter, raw cashew butter, pecan butter, or coconut butter. We have done it with instant coffee granules for a coffee flavor.
H+H says
This is a great recipe! We use soy butter, soy milk, and brown sugar (slightly more than written) and churn it in an ice cream machine for 20–30 minutes. Looking forward to trying different flavours!
Tara says
What is sweetener of your choice ??? What do you all use ??