Healthy Chocolate Ice Cream with only 3 ingredients and completely refined sugar-free. Made with no banana, this healthy ice cream has a rich chocolate flavor and a creamy texture that will surprise you.
My kids absolutely love ice cream and do not object to a slight coconut-y flavor either of coconut mango ice cream and vegan vanilla ice cream I make.
Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
Light, creamy and full of chocolate! This creamy chocolate ice-cream is perfect for those days when a fruity pineapple dole whip treat just won’t cut it!
This 3 ingredient healthy chocolate ice cream is our family’s favourite that I have been making all winter long along with my healthy homemade popsicles and healthy iced coffee (surely we aren’t the only ones who enjoy these things in winter too?). Just been waiting for hot weather to hit our neck of the woods to share it with you.
I find this vegan chocolate ice cream so easy to make. Easier than traditional cream, eggs and sugar one. I believe it is also more healthy and tasty.
3 Ingredients
Only 3 ingredients!!!
- Coconut milk or cream
- Medjool dates
- Cacao powder
Why Use Dates?
I love using dates in this recipe because I love to think I’m eating a fruit while going for another spoonful of ice cream.
Dates are so sweet (from fructose), you don’t need to add honey or maple syrup (sugar is sugar). Naturally occurring fructose has lower glycemic index than coconut palm sugar, honey or maple syrup.
Can I Use Other Dates?
There are many varieties of dates. If you live in North America, chances are you are familiar with 2 kinds:
- Medjool dates – “Meaty”, large in size, very soft to touch and moist dates. Their skin is a bit crinkled. That’s what we need.
- Small dates – These are very popular dates in our supermarkets as well. They are much smaller in size than Medjool dates. And more hard to touch and dry.
You have to use Medjool dates. Medjool dates prevent ice cream from freezing into a solid ice rock thanks to their “meaty” texture. They add a lot of volume to healthy chocolate ice cream.
What Is the Best Coconut Milk for Healthy Chocolate Ice Cream?
What coconut milk you use makes or breaks the deal with vegan ice cream and this healthy banana cream pie.
Your coconut milk has to be:
- From a can – Carton coconut milk is not the same. It is extremely diluted with water for drinking purposes.
- Full fat – Please no low fat coconut milk. Recipe will not work.
- Contain guar gum – If you pay attention to quality brands like Thai Kitchen, you will see “guar gum” on the ingredients list. It makes milk smooth.
Please avoid Asian brands of coconut milk. They contain preservatives and are gritty. I also do not like Everland or Native Forest brands even though they are organic. They are gritty and chocolate ice cream will not be smooth.
Use tried and true coconut milk that you know produces creamy results. Just like these healthy healthy key lime pie bars and healthy no bake Nutella pie!
Do I Need to Use Blender and Ice Cream Machine?
Yes and yes.
You need high speed blender like Blendtec or Vitamix to puree dates and incorporate into smooth consistency with other ingredients. Mixture should be silky smooth.
You could use food processor. Ice cream will not be as smooth but still will work. I am afraid cheaper blender might have difficulty to puree dates. Unless you have a “good cheap blender”. You know what I mean?!
Ice cream machine churns the ice cream. It prevents a solid blob of frozen mixture but rather produces a smooth consistency of ice cream.
How to Make Healthy Chocolate Ice Cream
- Freeze ice cream machine bowl for 18 – 24 hours.
- Blend coconut milk, cacao powder, dates and vanilla.
- Pour mixture into ice cream machine and churn for 45 – 60 minutes.
- Add chocolate chips (or healthy cookie dough!) if desired.
What Will Consistency Be Like?
Right after churning, ice cream will be of soft serve consistency. It is absolutely my favourite.
If you like more firm traditional ice cream, place the ice cream machine bowl with ice cream in a freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
Variations
What is nice about homemade chocolate ice cream is that you can add your favorite flavors right when blending, churning or into individual bowls.
- Peanut butter – Add spoonful drops of peanut butter during last minute of churning to create swirls.
- Chocolate chips – Just like with peanut butter, add at the very end of churning just enough to mix in.
- Mint – Add peppermint extract to a blender.
- Pitted cherries – Fresh or frozen, add at the end of churning.
Freeze for Later
You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 weeks. Transfer ice cream into airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
It takes 15 minutes to defrost this healthy chocolate ice cream. And it will be still creamy and not icy. Thanks to Medjool dates!
Enjoy at holidays, summer cookouts, or even a birthday party with healthy vanilla cupcakes!
More Healthy Chocolate Desserts to Try
- Healthy chocolate cake recipe
- Chocolate coconut balls
- Chocolate zucchini bread
- Healthy chocolate bread
- Chocolate chia seed pudding
- Almond flour chocolate cake
You can also browse through all my healthy frozen desserts or my entire healthy dessert collection!
Healthy Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 14 oz can coconut milk full fat*
- 3 tbsp cacao powder
- 10 Medjool dates pitted
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Place ice cream machine bowl in the freezer for 18 – 24 hours.
- In a high speed blender**, combine coconut milk, cacao powder, dates and vanilla. Process until smooth.
- Turn on ice cream machine and pour mixture into it.
- Let ice cream churn until soft serve like consistency (my machine takes about 45 – 60 minutes).
- Add chocolate chips or other flavors***( if desired) and let machine incorporate them into the ice cream.
- Serve immediately. Ice cream will be soft serve consistency (my favourite) but you can place it in a freezer for a bit to firm up.
Notes
- From a can – Carton coconut milk is not the same. It is extremely diluted with water for drinking purposes.
- Full fat – Please no low fat coconut milk. Recipe will not work.
- Contain guar gum – If you pay attention to quality brands like Thai Kitchen, you will see “guar gum” on the ingredients list. It makes milk smooth.
- Peanut butter – Add spoonful drops of peanut butter during last minute of churning to create swirls.
- Chocolate chips – Just like with peanut butter, add at the very end of churning just enough to mix in.
- Mint – Add peppermint extract to a blender.
- Pitted cherries – Fresh or frozen, add at the end of churning.
Do you have a recommendation on an ice cream machine? I don’t know anything about them and would love to know what you use. This ice cream looks delicious, as are all of your recipes I have tried!
I go over some recommendations in this vegan vanilla ice cream post, but really any electric 1 1/2 quart make will work, if you plan to make alot of homemade ice cream, you many want to invest in a better one, but for the most part an inexpensive one works, too!
Can I use maple syrup instead of dates? My blender just isn’t up to this challenge
Very good flavor. Added ghirardelli mini chips. Nice sweet treat. 3 oz cup.
What a great addition to the ice cream. Yum!
this is a good recipe for vegan ice cream! tastes amazing, and easy to make. Thank you!
Your work is awesome
Hi there! Im always looking for vegan ice cream as my son is allergic to milk and eggs. Do I need to use an ice cream machine??? Can I just blend with my blendtec and freeze?? Thank you!!
You have to use ice cream machine because otherwise ice cream will be rock solid frozen blob. Sorry!
Made this, used organic coconut milk with fur gum, not Asian and medjool dates, I have a nutra ninja but mix came out grainy, maybe I did not puree long enough. Taste was ok but not creamy like I was hoping. Maybe my blender is not high power enough.
,
You need blender like Blendtec or Vitamix for this recipe.
Healthy chocolate ice cream my kids gobbled up. Wow, thank you!