If you’re on a diet:
You will love this recipe because it makes a gigantic serving for only 40 calories. (Seriously, the serving is huge.) Who eats a 1/2 cup serving of ice cream anyways? 😕
If you’re not on a diet:
You will love this recipe because you can up the calories by making it into a brownie sundae, by pouring on chocolate syrup, or by opting for the peanut butter version. Yes, there is a peanut butter version.
Above: a sundae with a Chocolate Workout Brownie.
Highly recommend those brownies. As for the ice cream: it could not be easier to make, and there are unlimited variations—you can add coffee, mint extract, fruit, chocolate chips… I haven’t even begun to try out all the combinations I’ve dreamed up for this incredibly versatile recipe.
Volume Ice Cream
(Makes 1 huge serving)
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract (or about 1/4 of a vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise and scraped out)
- 1/16 tsp salt (trust me)
- sweetener (such as 1-2 stevia packets or 1-2 tbsp sugar)
- 1 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened Silk. See below for substitution notes.)
- optional: add-ins such as fruit, peanut butter, or extracts
Mix the ingredients together in 1 or 2 shallow plastic containers. Freeze. (You could also use an ice cube tray.) Once frozen, pop the blocks out of the container (I thaw for 30 seconds in the microwave first) and blend in your Vita-Mix. (If you don’t have a vita-mix, you’ll probably have to thaw longer, but you can still get a yummy ice milk.)
This ice cream—when made with almond milk—has a very light texture (perfect for summer). For a creamier texture that’s more like real ice cream, try using at least 1/4c canned coconut milk (or maybe even creamer?). You can, of course, also sub other non-dairy milks for the almond. But if you do this, play around with the amount of vanilla extract, sweetener, and add-ins. (For example, an already-sweetened milk will probably need less added sweetener.) To make it look like real ice cream, scoop out with an ice-cream scoop.
Warning:
This is an extremely voluminous recipe, so if you’re like me and need to watch that you don’t get full before you’ve taken in enough calories, I recommend eating this as part of a sundae or adding some extras to the basic recipe. ‘Cause it will fill you right up!
Recipe of The Day:
Deep Dish Cookie Pie (Vegan, GF)
TheDetective says
Do i really need a vita-mix for this because i have a blender that can go 600 watts
Cindy says
umm, can you explain in detail what to do if you don’t have a food processor / vita mix?
I really wanna make this! Thanks!! 😀
Chris says
Katie, could you make a coffee ice cream recipe or tell me how to make a coffee flavor for this recipe? If any readers have successfully made a coffee flavor for this recipe, I’d love to try it!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
I saw that Katie mentioned there is a coffee ice cream recipe in her cookbook: http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Covered-Katie-Delicious-Recipes-Secretly/dp/1455599700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400357548&sr=8-1&keywords=chocolate+covered+katie
Chris says
Sweet! I’m so looking forward to her cookbook!
Abigail says
Mine isn’t very voluminous :/ I haven’t blended it yet but it looks like it’ll make like one scoop at most 🙁 Is that normal?
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Nope. Sounds like you did something wrong. Read the other comments.
Jamie says
Holy delicious!
Definitely use the vanilla bean method (mine was from trader joe’s). Such a great flavor in a light ice cream! I used real non-fat milk with a portion of half and half, vanilla bean (plus some extract) and served with homemade chocolate shell (coconut oil melted with high quality semisweet chocolate chips) and the roasted coconut shavings from trader joe’s.
What a treat! And you’re not kidding about volume – my quad batch overflowed the kitchen aid ice cream attachment while freezing!
Thank you CCK!
Darlene Frazier says
I like the idea s of the ice cream, I love ice cream. Something I want to try is eggnog, got any ideas? Over the weekend I am going to use a regular recipe from my cook book and see what happens. I am an insulin independent diabetic, so have to watch everything I eat. I have made a sugar free cook and serve pudding, I have discovered the almond milk warms up faster than cows milk. I am excited about trying other recipes, like making a fish chowder etc. however a bit hesitant because of the expense of the ingredients. As far as the ice cream goes, I love to put chocolate and coffee together. When the holiday are dine, Then I will give the ice cream a try, maybe exoeriment with the chowder.
Unofficial CCK Helper says
You could try using Silk nog as your milk of choice. Or use any milk of choice and add spices such as cloves and ginger and nutmeg and cinnamon to mimic the flavor of eggnog. And be sure to report back!
r says
I know this post is super old but I’ve been making this recently and just wanted to comment. I’ve been enjoying it so much in the heat over here in Australia! And you can vary it with whatever.
sometimes i add protein powder after a run, sometimes vary the non-dairy milk type.. I usually make it chocolate by adding cocoa powder, and often some spices or a dash of vodka or spiced rum 🙂 Also, if I want it a bit more creamy/sweet/flavoursome I add some frozen fruit of some kind. And toppings! Usually add buckwheat for textural contrast, coconut flakes, fresh fruit… peanut butter!
I love that you can also eat it whenever, for any meal/snack! Putting protein powder and fruit and some more toppings on lets me have it as part of brekky. And it sets up so nicely in the freezer for a few minutes while you wash up the blender!
The big thing that has made all the difference though has been adding just a pinch of xanthan gum – makes it soooooooo creamy and delicious, like gelato. DEFINITELY recommend that.
Gill says
Would this work in a yonana?
nel says
I have been browsing your creations and all i can say is WOW awesomeness!!! you are GREAT!! you make vegan fun!!!!
Izaak says
The Recipe is so delicious and tasty. Thanks a lot for those detailed and step by step instructions that made it easier to get the job done in no time. I love almond milk and I am greatly fascinated by its health benefits around us. Here I also have some info regarding almond milk that will be a great value to all its readers.
http://www.body-in-balance.org/blog/nutrition/health-benefits-almond-milk/
Ellsie says
I’m gonna to try this in my icecream maker, I have no clue how it will go but oh well…
Em says
Sounds yummy! Katie, do you think I get achieve the same texture if I use a Blendtec instead of a Vitamix?
Hayleigh Miller says
I am having so much trouble with this!! It never gets to be the right consistency and it’s just frustrating for me. How can I fix this?
Adele says
This recipe looks amazing!! I was just wondering how long exactly to freeze the almond milk for beforehand you can blend it? Like, a few hours? Just wondering so I can think ahead for late night ice cream cravings!! Thanks 🙂
Julie Dove says
Until hard.
AMy says
The flavor is great when making the mixture. But once I froze it and put it in the Vitamix two problems occurred. First- there was not enough mixture for the blender to work well so the icecream could not get smooth. It’s needed to be at least double the recipe to be used in a vitamix. Second- once frozen it had no flavor. It just tasted like a snow cone with no flavor. I was disappointed. Perhaps with the coconut milk it would have been better.
Gershon says
At what speed and setting do you use the vitamix?
I put it in after microwaving for 15 seconds and it certainly did not come out creamy, but rather slushy. Please help!
Thanks
Daniel says
HI Katie, I was wondering if 1% milk would work with this, or would it not be thick enough? If it wouldn’t be thick enough, could I add cornstarch to thicken it? Or what dairy or non-dairy milk would be best for this recipe?