Coconut Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

If you're looking for a truly creamy chocolate coconut milk ice cream, this one's worth a try. It's completely dairy-free, made with canned coconut milk, and thickened with a little tapioca starch for a smoother texture. While many coconut milk ice creams turn icy or hard, this version churns up rich and chocolatey with a texture that's surprisingly close to traditional ice cream.

I've tested this base with both almond milk and oat milk, and it works well with either. It's a small batch recipe (just one can of coconut milk), easy to make, and a great option if you're avoiding dairy but still want something indulgent.

Softer and Scoopable

The key difference here is the use of tapioca starch and a little bit of xanthan gum, which help stabilize the mixture and reduce iciness. A combination of golden syrup and sugar adds sweetness and improves texture, while cocoa powder gives it a deep chocolate flavor. And lastly, vodka! You can leave it out if you need to, but it helps with scoopability. Here's a picture of my latest scoop using my favorite ice cream scooper. If you're in the market for one, I highly recommend it. After 24 hours in the freezer, the ice cream is firm but scoopable.

One Can Coconut Milk Ice Cream

This is a small batch recipe that uses one can of coconut milk, which is a convenient amount. However, you also have to use ⅓ cup of whatever non-dairy milk you have on hand. I almost always use almond milk, but oat milk will work perfectly and give you a slightly richer cream.

Variations

I made one version of this as Rocky Road using the same technique as I did with Easy Rocky Road, but I think this non-ice cream would be really great with chopped up chewy brownies -- particularly the Tapioca Flour Brownies! They are delicious and chewy and have the kind of texture that should go well with ice cream. Plus they're another way to use the tapioca flour!

• Brown Edge Wafers
• Tapioca Flour Brownies
• Minute Tapioca Cherry Pie
• Blueberry Pie With Ground Tapioca
• Cassava Flour Brownies

Recipe

Coconut Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

Anna

Non-dairy chocolate ice cream recipe made with coconut milk and oat or almond milk. You can serve this shortly after taking it out of the freezer or freeze overnight and let soften slightly.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Chill Time 4 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 pint

Equipment

• 1 ice cream maker

Ingredients

 

• ⅓ cup almond milk or oat milk
• ½ tablespoon tapioca starch
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch or natural (35 grams)
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons golden syrup (60 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon vodka

Instructions

 

• In a medium size bowl (1 ½ quarts) whisk together the almond milk and the tapioca starch.
• In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, xanthan gum and cocoa powder until well blended, then pour in the coconut milk and golden syrup. Whisk in the tapioca mixture. The mixture will be lumpy at this point with cocoa powder.
• Set the saucepan over medium heat.
• Begin whisking until mixture comes to a gentle boil and begins to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and whisk to remove cocoa powder lumps (there will still be a few), then pour the mixture back into the medium size bowl.
• Whisk in the salt and vanilla. .
• Let cool at room temperature until it's cool enough that you feel comfortable with putting it in the refrigerator, then cover and chill for 4 hours or until very cold. Note: If you are in a hurry, you can dump it in a freezer bag and submerge in ice water to quick cool.
• Before churning, whisk in a tablespoon of cold vodka (optional) to help keep it scoopable.
• Process the mixture in your ice cream maker as directed by manufacturer. Transfer to a pint container and freeze until firm.

Keyword Coconut Milk

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