Icemageddon
On Thursday afternoon when I called my mom back in Texas, she said the state was about to get hit with a massive ice storm (nicknamed icemageddon in the news) and that Texans were going completely crazy—rushing the stores like it was Black Friday all over again, stockpiling food and waters and blankets and turtlenecks.
As I looked down at my car dashboard that read 70 degrees here in the northeast, it was hard for me to comprehend. My air conditioning was on, and I was wearing short sleeves.
In honor of Texas’ icemageddon, I give to you a seasonal version of my basic ice cream recipe: Gingerbread Ice Cream. This healthy ice cream recipe is rich, smooth, and insanely creamy; and the sweet gingerbread flavor offers a great way to get you into the holiday spirit. Turn on Elf or The Santa Clause (two of my favorite Christmas movies), and serve yourself a big bowl of ice cream.
Best eaten in front of a warm fire, snuggled up in a blanket.
Gingerbread Ice Cream
- 1 cup raw cashews or macadamia halves (120g)
- 1 1/3 cups milk of choice (320g)
- 3 1/2 tbsp blackstrap or regular molasses (50g)
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- scant 1/4 tsp salt
- just over 1/16 tsp pure stevia, or 3 extra tbsp sugar of choice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
In a bowl, comletely cover the nuts with water and let sit 5-8 hours. Drain, then pat dry very well with a towel. Combine all ingredients in a blender, blending until all cashew bits have disappeared and the mixture is completely smooth. If you own a Vita-Mix: Pour the blended mixture into two ice-cube trays and freeze until solid. Once they are frozen, pop the ice cubes into your Vita-Mix by pushing a knife down one side of each section. Blend on high, using the tamper until completely smooth with a soft-serve texture. Scoop the ice cream into individual bowls using an ice-cream scoop for authentic presentation. Eat immediately or freeze up to an hour for the perfect ice-cream texture and consistency. The best texture is achieved with a Vita-Mix, but you can still get a pretty good result with an ice cream maker. (If you don’t have an ice cream maker either, you can still turn the blended mixture into popsicles! Also: a reader did have success with a food processor by thawing the ice cubes a little extra before blending, and it turned out like soft-serve.) For the ice-cream-maker method: Pour blended mixture into a large container and freeze 30 minutes or refrigerate 6 or more hours. Pour chilled mixture into the ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions. Once a smooth texture is reached, scoop into individual bowls using an ice-cream scoop for authentic presentation. Eat immediately or freeze up to an hour for a firmer texture.
Any of the following milks works in the ice cream recipe: Silk Almondmilk, homemade cashew cream, canned full-fat coconut milk, Earth Balance soymilk, Alpro soy cream… I’m sure many others will work; I just haven’t tried them all. (It’s probably best to use a milk that contains some fat.) Due to the lack of preservatives and stabilizers in this ice cream, it tastes best on the day it’s made. However you can freeze for up to a month: it’s best to portion the ice cream into individual bowls before freezing. Then remove a bowl from the freezer 20-30 minutes before eating and it will thaw back into smooth ice cream.
Question of the Day:
Have you experienced any crazy winter weather yet this year?
Have you gotten any snow days off from work or school yet? Do you like snow days, or would you prefer to just keep the days off later in the spring?
Link of the Day: Crockpot Oatmeal
Emilylovesraisins says
Yes first comment!!!
this ice cream looks amazing! i needed a way to use up some molasses… and BAM! here this recipe was!!
Emilylovesraisins says
to the QOTD: this morning, no snow. Now, there is most definitely snow. Its chicago, what did i expect?!
Claire E. says
Oh my goodness Katie, YES! It is SO COLD here! The roads here are completely iced over and inches of ice and snow. Oh yeah, and it’s snowing again right now! CRAZY Texas, crazy! It was 78〫at the start of the week and then over night we FROZE. Everyone who lives in TX is saying it’s “icemageddon” lol!
Anyway, this recipe sounds absolutely delectable! I think the flavors of gingerbread are so aromatic and delicious. Your recipes are so creative, and I love the photos too! I was actually hoping you’d talk about this “icemageddon”! Hahah!
P.s. I can’t wait for your cookbook! I tell my mom often that I’m going to HAVE to pre-order it as soon as it comes available! 😀
Joy @ Caspara says
This looks delicious, and totally appropriate for the non-crazy, but not Christmas-y weather we have here in Hawaii!!
Rachel says
I live in Arizona and up until this week we’ve been having a crazy-warm winter. On Wednesday, the temperature in the afternoon was 75 and the sun was shining. On Thursday, it was cloudy and the temperature started cool, becoming colder as the day went on. When I woke up Friday morning, it was 30 degrees and water everywhere had a thin sheet of ice over it. Apparently, winter came on Thursday. 😛
On a side note, does anybody ever do anything with the cashew water they drain off? I’ve been wondering if it would be good to use to make oatmeal (normally I use some form of milk).
Clare Elise says
This sounds fantastic 🙂 I am so trying it out 🙂
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
YUM! And I love that it can be made dairy free!! 😉
Hayley in Training says
My family is in Texas, too (and so is half my Facebook feed) so all I’ve been hearing about is this icemageddon. Fortunately, even though it’s still below freezing here in the Pacific Northwest, there isn’t precipitation – plus it’s sunny!!
This ice cream looks delicious, I just wish my fiancé could have it – he’s allergic to nuts. 🙁
Am says
Recipe looks awesome!
Crazy winter weather: 2 days ago there was a balmy breeze, the sun was shining, and the A/C was set to 80 and came on fairly often. The night was very humid and warm. Yesterday, it was cold, rainy, and dry. And it was predicted to drop to 19 degrees last night! Crazy, and cool.
Bridget says
This recipe looks fantastic! Yum! Recipe suggestion for you: Shortbread cookies (and/or chocolate shortbread!) 🙂
Kristy @ Southern In Law says
Yum! This looks amazing – and perfect for a hot Australian Christmas!
Audrey says
Katie the ice cream looks delicious! I wish I could make this but it’s currently well below freezing in Eugene Oregon (Duck Nation ), so I’ll have to “settle” for more of your pancakes, waffles, and delicious cornbread 😉 Hope your mom’s staying nice and warm in Texas; it was -6 degrees here when I woke up and this California native doesn’t even have a winter coat lol
Sara says
Amazing recipe!!! Did you move out of Texas recently?
Jamie @ Dishing Out Health says
This is perfect for the 81 degree weather we are having in FL right now. Refreshing & festive!
D @ The Kosher Cave Girl says
I need to try making this with almond milk. It looks insanely good.
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
Umm, YUM!!! Call me crayz but I LOVE that bowl too, lol! So, there I was ALL day long contemplating whether or not to make gingerbread pancakes, gingerbread cookies OR gingerbread waffles for my Blog…why didn’t I think of gingerbread ice cream!!! This looks SOOO good and I love how I can modify it to make it dairy-free!!
Jessie K says
This ice cream sounds delicious! However, I’m not so sure it’s going to be made (by me, that is) any time soon. You see, I live in the coldest spot on earth right now. That’s right, I live in the part of Montana that is even colder than Antartica!!! We’re talking almost a week of -20+ for temps! Talk about crazy winter weather!!
joanna says
how funny!! i literally had gingerbread ice cream for breakfast. i found the recipe on another blog and it was great. yours is a little different (the other had fruit instead of nuts) but now i wanna try yours. the more gingerbread ice cream i eat, the happier i am.
Isabel says
this looks delicious! We got about eight inches of snow here in Oregon and it was crazy because we usually don´t get that much and if we do it´s usually in February or March, not before Christmas. Feels so festive except in my town of 160,000 there were about 260 car crashes. Had to help push a car.
Leigh says
Just last week, actually, we were hit by a large blizzard (which isn’t uncommon here), but it was so terrible that school was cancelled for not just one but TWO whole days ^-^ It made for a lovely 4 day weekend~
Stefanie says
Oh my goodness, this makes me want a Vitamix so badly!
It’s been in the high 50s – low 60s in LA, and everyone thinks it’s soooo cold. Ha!
Mel @ a table prepared says
Yum this looks divine! Never used to like the whole gingerbread thing but now I love it. Now to add this on my very long must-try list…
Lydia says
Yes!! Today was our first day off of school in VA and I’m so excited! It snowed yesterday morning and then it turned to freezing rain. The first snow of the year did its job 🙂 I’ll be sure to make this in my free time today because it sounds fantastic. (I like ice cream in any weather) thank you Katie!
Julie says
OMG Katie!!! I finally got a high-speed blender and this weekend I was trying to come up with a gingerbread ice cream recipe and wishing that you had one. Thank you so much!!
Melinda @ Organizing with a Side of Fabulous says
I’m in Texas and have totally been calling this Icemaggeddon. Worst part was that just the day prior it was in the 80s! And now I’m on Day 4 of being unable to get out of my driveway.
I can’t wait to make this. I already have all the ingredients. In the summer I’m known for my boozed up popsicles so I think I’ll turn this into an “adult” popsicle!
becauseHeloves! says
This looks so good! It’s been pretty warm here, so gingerbread ice cream would probably be amazing.
In answer to the question, we got a three-hour delay one day, and at 12:30 on a different day, the power (and heat!) went out at school so they sent us home before the only class I had that day started, so I didn’t have school at all and I don’t have to make it up because we had already gone for over half a day! Woohoo!
And I totally loooove snow days.
Lizzy (Good Things) says
This ice cream looks delicious and seems so simple! Thanks for sharing!
Laura says
I just made it but I find that the taste is too medicinal… maybe too much vanilla? tThe texture is great though, I’ll try with different flavor combinations.
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Oh no! Definitely shouldn’t taste medicinal… did you use imitation vanilla by any chance?
Laura says
No, I used pure vanilla extract, and I thought I followed the recipe exactly… it’s still ok though, and I am planning to serve it to a dinner guest tonight with vegan apple crisp 🙂
Abbie @ Needs Salt says
This ice cream looks so delicious and healthy! I love it.
I’ve never tried gingerbread ice cream but it sounds amazing.
Pinning!
Dayna says
Katie, you’re my hero right now– all the ice cream recipes I’ve found online have required an ice cream maker… But yours is BETTER in the Vitamix?!? Heck yes!!!!! Thank you! I need to pick up some blackstrap molasses, but then I’m totally going to make this!
Liz says
Sound so good!! I love gingerbread and ice cream..so perfect pairing!
Can’t wait to look around your blog for more healthy dessert ideas!
Jill @ Fitness, Health and Happiness says
Katie you have the most amazing recipes! We’re having very strange winter weather. Very early snow! We’ve had one snow day and a 2 hour delay today.
[email protected] Wooden Spoon says
This looks amazing! Have you tried making this with almonds instead of cashews?
Elyse @ Lizzie Fit says
oh emm gee… I’ve been looking all over Pinterest for ice cream recipes and while going through my daily blog reads found THIS! Your blog is such a gem.
I was doing banana, ice & coco powder and just couldn’t seem to nail the consistency. I think I need to step outside the banana box 😉
Sabrina @ Nutritiously Sweet says
Mmmmm this sounds totally delish! I had gingerbread icecream once and it was pure heaven. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Done in the Oven says
Ha, I didn’t know this storm had a name (I don’t watch the news). I didn’t go out for 4 days (by car anyway) because of the dangerous roadway conditions, which allowed me to bake. I made your cookies, actually. 🙂
And then blogged about it. 🙂
I’ve lived on the east coast all my life (before moving to TX), so I am “used to” to the cold and ice and all that, but can’t believe that no one actually makes an effort to get rid of it! That is something I am not used to (You’ll get sued for that on the east coast).
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Just saw your post… I loved it! And yes, I agree that the big difference is that in Texas no one clears the snow and ice so what would be a one-day snow day in the NE turns into a week in the south!
Done in the Oven says
Thanks for reading; I’m glad you enjoyed it! I plan/hope to try all (or at least most) of your recipes and blog about them (well, the ones done in the oven anyway ;).
elke says
why do you dry the cashews if they’re being blended with milk anyway?
paegan h. says
I love the recipe! I have a little question…can you use almonds instead of the nuts in your recipe?
Jessica says
This was a really fantastic recipe. Using a food processor seemed to work just fine. I just blended it until it all sort of came together almost like dough. It seemed to have a very ice-cream like consistency. This was the first ice cream recipe of yours that I tried and it is the best homemade ice cream I’ve ever made.
Margot says
I think I’m going to try this recipe one time! It seems fingerlicking! 😉
Keep up with the recipes, Katie! 🙂
Check out my blog for some healthy recipes :
http://goodfoodhappymood.wordpress.com/
kayla says
Hey Katie! I love your ice cream recipes with almond milk. I own an ice cream maker but it does not ever seem to thicken! Any advice?
Joy says
I made this recipe and it was really good! I froze the mixture then blended it in our magic bullet. Then I put the bowls of icecream back in freezer for about 30 minutes then we ate it. It makes a lot. Yum! How many serving do you suggest for this recipe?
Mary King says
I’m trying your dairy-free ice cream recipe today! I hope you post more flavor ideas for the summer. I’m going to try a salted caramel version this evening. Thanks for all of the healthy yummy recipes xx
Diana says
Is there any way to make this ice cream without using nuts? I’m having a hard time finding raw nuts at a reasonable price. Would using nuts that are already roasted be a total disaster?
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Yes use this recipe instead, using canned coconut milk for best results: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/12/07/four-ingredient-ice-cream/