This no-churn vegan vanilla ice cream is a rich and decadent dessert. No bananas or coconut milk in this recipe! It’s sweetened with dates for a true vanilla ice cream.

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My no-churn ice cream recipes have become a thing on TikTok. People seem to like these recipes and I think it’s because they are easy, made with healthy ingredients, and don’t require any equipment.

I’ve been thinking about making a vanilla ice cream for a while now, but I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out. My other ice cream recipes have a strong taste that covers up any flavor from the nut butter. (Nut butter adds fat, and therefore richness to the ice cream, so it’s essential.)

But I was pleasantly surprised when this ice cream turned out just as dreamy as my other recipes.

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And this ice cream is even healthier than my other recipes.

It’s date-sweetened. No maple syrup. Just dates.

So you get all the fiber and nutrients from the dates that you wouldn’t get with maple syrup. And the ice cream is still sweet and caramely.

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Why I love this Date-Sweetened Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream

• Dietary needs — this ice cream is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, sugar free

• Not just sugar-free, fruit sweetened — there’s no added sugar in this recipe, the ice cream is sweetened only with dates

• And no coconut — lots of vegan ice cream recipes use coconut milk. I avoided it in this recipe for two reasons: 1) to give an option for people with coconut allergies and 2) so the vanilla ice cream doesn’t get a coconut flavor

• No-churn — If you have an ice cream maker, great, use it. But this recipe is intended to be no-churn, so you aren’t missing out if you don’t own one

• Whole food ingredients — the ingredients are simple, real foods.

• And, selfishly — I just love vanilla. I choose vanilla over chocolate every time. Maybe I’ll convert some chocolate fans with this recipe

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Ingredient Notes

• Non-Dairy Milk: I recommend using almond, oat, or cashew milk to avoid any strong flavors. I used homemade oat milk.

• Nut Butter: I recommend cashew butter or almond butter, since they have the most neutral flavor compared to other nut butters. Head over to Wilderness Poets and use code ELIZABETH10 to get $10 off your purchase of cashew butter. If you are allergic to nuts or would prefer to have a nut-free ice cream, use full-fat coconut milk instead.

• Dates: medjool dates are ideal for this recipe – they are soft and very sweet. Barhi dates also work well. Either way, make sure your dates are soft. To soften them, soak the dates in some hot water for a few minutes.

• Applesauce

• Vanilla Bean: I went for full vanilla flavor and used the seeds of a vanilla bean. Head over to Wilderness Poets and use code ELIZABETH10 to get $10 off your purchase of vanilla beans. Vanilla extract also works.

• Salt

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How to make No-Churn Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream

Step 1. Add the non-dairy milk, nut butter, dates, applesauce, vanilla seeds/extract, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

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Step 2. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 hours, or overnight.

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Step 3. When ready to eat, let the ice cream thaw several minutes before scooping. Enjoy!

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FAQ

Do I need a blender for this recipe?

Yes. Since this ice cream is sweetened with dates, you need a blender or food processor to puree the dates. I recommend using a blender because it will result in a smoother ice cream.

If you don’t have a blender or food processor you have a few options:

1. Buy date paste or date syrup instead of whole dates. Then, just whisk all the ingredients together.

2. Use maple syrup as the sweetener instead.

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Can I use a sweetener instead of dates?

Yes. If you don’t want to use dates, you can use 1/3 cup of maple syrup.

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How do I make this ice cream nut-free?

Sub the nut butter for 1 cup of coconut cream.

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Recipe Prayer

Thank you God for this ice cream. Help us to enjoy this treat and the warm weather. Amen.

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Related Recipes

Love this no-churn ice cream? Check out my other vegan & no-churn ice cream recipes:

• Chocolate
• Mint Chip
• Peppermint
• Pumpkin Pecan

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Tried this recipe?

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