How To Make Coffee Ice Cream (Vegan Coffee Ice Cream)
How to make coffee ice cream with a base of cashews and coconut, for super creamy, rich, and decadent results! This homemade vegan coffee ice cream usees just 8 ingredients (and a pinch of salt) for the creamiest, most impressive homemade coffee ice cream you’ll ever try! And all without dairy, eggs, or an ice-cream machine!
Soak the cashews for 30 minutes in boiling water or for several hours with room-temp water. Then drain and rinse the cashews and blend them with either water or the liquid from the coconut milk can.
Step 2: Melt the cacao butter
Using a double boiler (a bowl set over a saucepan with a couple of inches of water), melt the cacao butter until melted, then set aside to cool while preparing the coffee.
Step 3: Make the coffee
In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk (or water), sugar, coffee granules, cacao powder, and salt and heat over medium heat to a soft boil, stirring until everything is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and pour through a sieve in case there are any remaining lumps.
Step 4: Blend the ingredients
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
Once blended, give the vegan coffee ice cream mixture a taste and adjust the sweetener if necessary.If you want to make coffee crumble ice cream, add in any crunchy elements like crushed biscuits, choc chips, crushed nuts, and folding it into the blender mixture.
Step 5: Freeze the coffee ice cream
There are two methods to freeze this coffee ice cream.Ice tray method: Pour the coffee blend into a large ice cube tray (silicone is best) and transfer to the freezer, covered, for up to 6 hours or overnight - until frozen solid.Large container method: Transfer the coffee mixture to a large, wide dish (it will be transferred to a smaller one eventually, but a wider dish is best during the first freezing step). Then, follow the method outlined in my caramel ice cream recipe.If you use the second method, then ignore the following steps.
Step 6: Blend the frozen coffee cubes
Transfer the frozen vegan coffee ice cream cubes to your food processor and blend into a soft, smooth ice cream consistency.You can then either enjoy the homemade ice cream immediately or, if it’s a little too soft for your liking, transfer the mixture to an ice cream container and place it back in the freezer for a further 30-60 minutes. Enjoy!
How to Store Coffee Ice Cream
Any leftovers are best stored, covered tightly, in the freezer for up to two weeks (for the best flavor).Remove it from the freezer for 5-10 minutes before serving to scoop it out more easily. Leaving the scoop in hot water for a few minutes can also help.
Notes
Substituting ingredients: I’ve carefully tested (and re-tested time and time again) until getting this recipe "just right" in terms of taste and consistency, so I recommend following the recipe as stated.
Increase the amount of coffee: If you prefer a bolder coffee flavor, feel free to increase the amount of coffee somewhat. More so, remember that each brand changes in flavor, so adjust as necessary. You can also slightly decrease the maple syrup, but it’s best not to lose too much for textural reasons.
For nut-free ice cream: You could omit the cashew cream and use more coconut cream instead. Just note that it won't be quite as creamy and may taste slightly more coconutty.
Read the blog post for more answers to top FAQs as well as serving and topping suggestions!