So I'm thinking of opening up an ice cream shop. Audrey's Nutty Ice Cream Shop? What do you think? Has a ring... ;) With the amount of ice cream I've been {no-} churning out lately, I think I may qualify... You tell me! This latest caramel one is my favorite so far. All I have to say is CARAMEL... and SO GOOD... Ok, now that I got that out of my system {sorry, I'm a little excited about this one}, I'll share a few more things about this wholefoods caramel ice cream deliciousness.
Where to begin? It all started with my nut butter ice cream obsession a few weeks back when this easier-than-easy peanut butter and chocolate chip ice cream and this creamy almond butter ice cream entered my life. Nut butter ice creams have since been making a very regular appearance in my kitchen {and in many of yours too it seems based on all the recipe love on Instagram and Facebook -- thank you! :) }. They are honestly simply the best treat ever. Just throw a few wholesome delicious ingredients in a blender, resist the urge to eat it all right then and there... then freeze, and {if you were good at resisting that urge to lick the blender clean after all...} you've got one of the best easy homemade ice creams ever awaiting you on the other side of the night.
What I love most about these nutty ice creams too is that they never get icy, unlike many dairy-free ice creams I've tried -- these always stay creamy and delicious. I also love that there's no cooking involved and no noisy ice cream machine or other clunky equipment needed. And I absolutely love that all the ingredients in this type of ice cream are raw{ish} and nutritious and are usually staples in my pantry.
So, as I mentioned, nut butter ice creams have been happening in my kitchen a lot lately. Once you start, it's hard to stop making them! When I decided to make a cashew nut butter-based ice cream as an experiment and had a little taste I immediately knew this would be THE PERFECT caramel ice cream base. It just had all the right flavor and texture and color and so I got really excited. Real deal dairy-free and refined sugar-free caramel, although absolutely doable, is a bit of a workout {for me} and so I pretty much never get around to making it these days. But I missed it so! So when the opportunity presented itself to turn this ice cream into a caramel delight, I couldn't resist.
If you've been craving caramel but dreading standing over that simmering pot and dealing with all the stickiness, this recipe is for you ♥ Just blend some things and pour into a container. Blend some more of the same things in slightly different proportions and plop into that container bit by bit. Swirl things around to make them look pretty {or messy} to your liking and freeze. Done. Savor the easiest and bestest caramel ice cream, knowing it's packed with good things :).
The ice cream part is everything you'd expect in an ice cream, the caramel swirl part is a little more gooey and caramel-like. The thing that gives this ice cream that caramel taste is the perfect combination of creamy cashew butter, dates, carob, and agave. So simple. So delicious!
I'd love to know how you like it! I absolutely loved seeing various creations by you of the almond and peanut butter ice creams on Instagram and Facebook. But I also get that not everyone wants to snap shots of what they are eating :) -- just drop a word in the comments below to share how you liked it, if you changed anything and how that worked, and any other thoughts. It's the stuff that keeps me motivated to keep sharing ♥
PrintCaramel Swirl Ice Cream
A creamy, no churn vegan caramel ice cream with a thick caramel swirl. Refined sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6-7 small servings
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: No-Churn
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base:
- 1¼ cups non-dairy milk {I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk}
- 1 cup soft pitted dates
- 1 cup cashew butter
- 2 tbsp agave {or maple syrup, coconut nectar, etc. See notes}
- 1 tbsp carob powder
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp salt
Caramel Swirl:
- 1 cup pitted dates, pre-soaked and strained {see notes}
- ¼ cup agave {see notes on other sweeteners}
- 3 tbsp non-dairy milk {I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk}
- 2 tbsp cashew butter
- 2 tsp carob powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Place all ice cream ingredients in a blender and blend into a smooth consistency. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and set aside.
- Place all swirl ingredients into the blender, and blend until smooth. Using a spoon plop this mixture over the ice cream base in the container. Then use something like a skewer to gently swirl the two mixtures together {if you're intimidated by the swirl, don't be -- you'll see -- it's easier than it looks!}.
- Cover the container and place in the freezer to set for at least 4-5 hours or overnight. And enjoy!
Notes
Sweeteners: if substituting the agave with honey / honee, note that this will work in terms of creating a delicious ice cream, but the stronger natural flavor of this sweetener will detract from the "caramel" flavor of the ice cream.
Soaking dates for caramel swirl: to soak them quickly, boil some water. Pour over dates in a bowl to cover and allow them to soak for about 15 minutes. Then strain the liquid. This will help them to be soft enough to blend into a smooth caramel-like texture. Alternatively, to keep the recipe raw, cover the dates in very warm water and allow them to soak for at least an hour.
Chris says
This ice cream is delicious! I love carob and caramel but haven't eaten the latter for years because of dairy and sugar sensitivities. Wow! Given that I can't eat coconut, I'm going to try to adapt this recipe for your raspberry ripple recipe, although I think I'll substitute cacao powder for carob powder in that one. How do you think that would work? Or maybe vanilla powder? I've never worked with it because it's so expensive, but I've been intrigued by it.
Audrey says
Hi Chris. The carob powder is what adds a lot of the caramel-like flavor in this. With cacao, it'll be more chocolate, less caramel. Vanilla powder is lovely too, but you only need a teeny amount of it as its flavor is very strong. I very much like baking with it, but usually only buy it when I see a reasonable deal. Then again, pure vanilla extract isn't exactly cheap either these days...
Jenna says
OMG, this was amazing. Everyone here loved it.
P.S. Thanks to your recipes I'm starting to understand the magic of carob now!
Audrey says
Best feedback ever :) Thanks for sharing, Jenna. I'm glad you've been enjoying this ice cream.
Cassie Tran says
Ice cream is the BEST. Anything caramel isn't my number one favorite, but if done correctly, wins my heart over ANYTIME. This recipe looks absolutely incredible since the swirls look so beautifully drawn in and the consistency looks perfect. I love how you scooped it out in the bowl! It looks like the best dessert ever!
Audrey says
Thanks Cassie :) I LOVE all things caramel, and if there are caramel swirls and ripples throughout my dessert -- even better!
Karen Larimore says
I have been trying to stay away from nut butters lately for health reasons, so I recently made a toasted coconut butter to add to my smoothies for that creaminess I was missing. It’s delicious! Do you think toasted coconut butter would work in this recipe? I made it with 8 oz. toasted coconut, 2 heaping tablespoons of coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt, blended in my Vitamix.
Audrey says
Hi Karen. I think coconut butter can definitely make a good ice cream base (I actually have a recipe for an ice cream like that in my book). In terms of this specific recipe, I think you'll end up with a different ice cream as the texture, consistency, and flavor of coconut butter is quite different, but I'm sure it will still be delicious.
Andrea says
I've got to give this a thumbs down. I like using dates (here in Israel, we have the most fabulous dates), but they detracted from the creaminess of the ice cream. We just didn't care for the results. Before putting it in the ice cream machine, I tasted it and it was not very sweet. I added a good bit of maple syrup which helped. Also luckily, I used a real caramel I made from sugar to swirl in.
Audrey says
Hi Andrea, sorry to hear the ice cream didn't work out for you.
From what you're describing it sounds like the dates weren't blended through properly as otherwise they are what makes the recipe creamy. In the correct consistency you shouldn't see any bits or pieces of dates in any way. To get that creamy consistency requires a power blender (Vitamix, Blendtec, etc. plus a long enough blending time).
Marina says
OMG this looks magical! Is your carob powder toasted/roasted or raw?
Audrey says
Hey Marina. I use both. For this recipe I used roasted, but either one will work.
Jess lee says
Hi! I'm dying to make this ice cream but I can't eat dates- does the base work without the dates?
Audrey says
Hey Jess. The dates are kind of important in this recipe in terms of texture. However, you can try this caramel swirl recipe instead (it's naturally date-free): https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/vanilla-salted-caramel-swirl-ice-cream/
katie says
Hello Audrey!
Beautiful recipe, I want to try it out as soon as possible!
I could'nt find carob powder anywhere, can i use cococa powder instead? Idk i googled it and it said they can substitute each other?...
love,
katie
Audrey says
Hi Katie, you sure could. In terms of texture, carob and cocoa powder are more interchangeable. In terms of flavor, carob is slightly sweeter and has caramel undertones. So you'd lose that element of it, but it'll still be delicious ice cream :)
katie says
Thanks! :>
Johnny Ocampos says
Wow it looks delicious and yummy! I am sure my kids will defiitely love this! I will find time to make this this weekend. thank you for sharing this recipe. I also follow one website which talks about vegan food and fitness, http://www.bodybyblasian.com/
Audrey says
You're welcome, Johnny. Enjoy it!
Natalie says
Hello Audrey this sounds amazing. I'm in UK and am looking for carob in the shops so I can make this...I've only been able to find carob syrup (Clarks) but not carob in powder form - do you think this would work or would it change the texture too much?
Thanks
Audrey says
Hi Natalie, it should work just fine. I'm not sure about the amounts -- you may need to tweak just a tiny touch -- the carob in this recipe lends a caramel-y flavor, so just adjust it according to your taste. Otherwise you're good to go :) Strange to hear carob is not more readily available in the UK though :o
Soni Gupta says
Sorry for being a pain Audrey, but I just realized that the ice cream base also has cashew butter in it. What can I substitute it with? I can't eat peanuts, pistachios, and cashews because of this diet I'm on right now. What's another neutral flavored nut butter or seed butter? Thanks so much Audrey, YOU'RE THE BEST AND SO ARE YOUR RECIPES!!
Audrey says
Hi Soni, no worries. I think cashew butter is the mildest. I tried sunbutter before, but its flavor is quite distinct. What if you use this recipe instead (can add in a caramel ripple if you like) -- very similar and seems more suited to your current diet: Creamy Almond Butter Ice Cream.
Soni Gupta says
Ok good idea, thanks. I'll try it today with the caramel sauce on it, will let you know how it turns out. I'm making it for my 17 year old son who is also on the dairy free, same diet as I am on. Will let you know what the teenage tastebuds think.
Soni Gupta says
But do you recommend trying the Creamy Almond Butter Ice Cream with the agave and carob powder the way this one has?
Audrey says
Yeah, you can just go with almond butter in place of cashew butter in this recipe if you want the more caramely flavor. Call it "almond caramel swirl" ;)
Soni Gupta says
Hi Audrey,
I want to try this today, but I only have almond butter or Apple butter at home right now, will either one of these work instead of the cashew butter for the caramel swirl?
Audrey says
Go with almond butter. Cashew has a bit more of a neutral flavor, but almond butter caramel tastes quite nice too :)
Kimberly says
Hmm...looks yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Audrey says
My pleasure, Kimberly :) ♥
Shannon says
YUMMMM!! I love that it doesnt use coconut milk as the base!
Audrey says
Thanks Shannon! Yeah, I was specifically going for that. There are already a lot of coconut milk recipes out there, so figured I'd try something different :)
Alice says
No exaggeration, this is the best ice cream recipe I've ever tried. My dairy eating boyfriend said it beats any dairy milk ice cream by a mile. So a big thank you for this divine recipe!
Audrey says
Aw, thank you so much for the feedback, Alice! I'm so happy you and your boyfriend liked it. This is probably my favorite ice cream as well -- I'd never trade it for the dairy kind :) Well, maybe it's on par with this almond butter ice cream ;) Thank you for sharing!
Nadia's Healthy Kitchen says
This looks so delicious, creamy and rich!! I love caramel anything, but especially in the form of ice cream! Yum :D
Audrey says
Thanks, Nadia. Yes, caramel anything makes me happy :)
Evi @ greenevi says
I haven't had a caramel ice cream for ages, though I love it more than anything!
This one looks ridiculously creamy and delicious here, the cashew butter sounds fantastic too! ♥
Audrey says
Thanks Evi -- I haven't had caramel ice cream in ages either, so this was quite a treat the first time I made it. I actually like it better than any caramel ice cream I've tried before <3
Sina @ Vegan Heaven says
Yummy! This looks absolutely amazing, Audrey!!! I totally gotta try this! You should open an ice cream parlor! ;-)
Audrey says
Hehe. Thank you, Sina. I hope you get to try it soon -- I know you'll love it :) Or maybe just come by my shop for a scoop or two ;)
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Oh wow! This caramel swirl ice-cream looks so amazingly delish, Audrey. This is sucha gorgoues treat, and loved this is no-churn + sugar free + dairy free too. So much love about this! Going to try it soon! :)
Audrey says
Thank you, Anu. Enjoy it!
Bianca @ ElephantasticVegan says
How awesome is that? The nut butter ice cream looks gorgeous and those caramel swirls!! I'd go to your ice cream shop every single day and get fat and be happy. You truly make the most awesome vegan desserts! I'm drooling over here!
Audrey says
Haha. Thanks Bianca -- what a loyal customer you are ;)
Tina says
Oh Audrey yes you should open an ice cream shop, the name is perfect!! If we could, Saffy and I would be there everyday and we would happily volunteer to be your new flavor taste testers, quality controllers on existing flavors, help create more and more and more .... ;).
I couldn't get carob powder and last night I couldn't wait to make it so I used cacao powder instead... It is absolutely lovely, I sneaked a couple of spoons fulls prior to it being properly ready :o
A week ago I did combine your sachertorte and almond butter ice creams for a very nice combination too. I've never been able to eat many desserts as whipped cream and sugary ones would just make me feel sick, but ice cream I could always tolerate and eat. You have probably realized by now that ice cream is my favorite thing to make !!! Audrey, now I can make much better and healthier ice creams that I can't go back to what I made previously. You have opened up a new world of ice cream making for me and I can't thank you enough. I made a special ice cream cake for Saffy's birthday last year but this years is going to be so much more exciting...layers of very new, healthier and textural ice cream and hopefully a 3d standing Peppa Pig.
Audrey says
Tina, your comments always make my day! :) Thank you -- I'm so happy you're enjoying these. To be honest, I'm enjoying these nutty ice creams so much myself lately. I never knew it could be so simple! And I actually never knew I liked ice cream so much :) And I love hearing your ice cream flavor experiments! Saffy is a lucky girl :) ♥
Sophia @Veggies Don't Bite says
This looks SO good!!! I love cashew butter and that caramel swirl is to die for. I'll have to give it a try!! Ice cream obsessed over here!!
Audrey says
Thanks Sophia! This is a cashew butter caramel lover's dream ice cream :D
Mandy says
Those swirls are beautiful!!! I can almost taste the creaminess through the screen...OH MY! I totally vote that you open up an ice cream shop, but move closer to me, OK? We LOVED your almond butter ice cream so I have no doubt we'll love this one, too...maybe more! This batch looks exceptionally creamy and delicious. Once I restock my cashew butter, I'm making this!
Audrey says
Yay! I know you'll love this, Mandy! I just picked up more cashew butter today so I can make more. And yes, as per Anjali's comment above, I think my ice cream shop will have to be a fanchise -- especially on the west coast haha. I'm loving how this nutty fantasy shop is developing btw -- almost have a business plan already ;)
Elaine says
I think this is the right time for a shop like that!! many people looking for/needing alternatives that actually taste good!
Harriet Emily says
Wowie! This looks so amazing Audrey. I am seriously loving your ice cream recipes! This caramel swirl flavour sounds like heaven, and the no churn element makes it even better! Love the use of cashew butter. Mmmm! <3
Audrey says
Thank you, Harriet! I'm a little obsessed with making a billion flavors atm :) The ones that make it to the blog are the ones I think are amazing. But in between all my trials there's a lot of ice cream deliciousness going on over here ;) It's hard to stop with a simple concept like this somehow.
Rachel says
Audrey you are quite simply the undisputed queen of dairy-free ice creams, and probably dairy ice cream too if we're being honest here!! This looks so incredibly decadent, and those caramel swirls are to die for! It's also so nice to find a recipe for ice cream that doesn't have banana or young thai coconut meat (which is not so easy to find here!) in, so I absolutely cannot wait to try!! I also spied your rose water nicecream on Instagram the other day, and I am so happy you finally found a quiet moment to enjoy a bowl or it! Have a wonderful weekend!
Audrey says
Thanks Rachel! It's interesting you mentioned it's hard to find thai young coconut over there -- so just how difficult is it? Like impossible? Just asking because I have a few recipes to share with it but I always love to hear this kind of stuff about other countries. I like to make recipes that are easily accessible in most places...
I love these nut butter ice creams though because they are so simple. I love the coconutty ones as well, but it's always a workout to crack those coconuts open anyhow ;) This is so much simpler! And it's caramel, so yeah ♥
Rachel says
It is pretty impossible to buy them in the shops in my city (I think the only place in the UK that would have them is London!). But you can buy them online now I think! There are some great little companies who are starting to sell them, so they aren't totally impossible to find at all!
I think cracking a coconut open is always so satisfying, and so worth it! :) We have such similar tastebuds! You always post exactly what I'm in the mood for; which is always coconut, nut butter and caramel! xx
Audrey says
Ah, good to know. Ordering online sounds like a great option! I wish we had that here :) I always have to wait for a big city shopping day to stock up. Maybe it's a good thing though, because otherwise all my recipes will be coconuty ;)
chrysta@noshed says
wow!!! that caramel swirl looks sssooo freakin' fantastic! Caramel is one of my favorite flavors but not a fan of simmering that stuff in a pot. This caramel that you have created looks so perfect! Caramel too for some reason gets me in the fall mood. Its such a comfort flavor!
Audrey says
Yes! I've always associated caramel with fall! ♥
Anjali @ Vegetarian Gastronomy says
Your own ice cream shop??? YES please! And then open a bunch more, one in SD, and I'd be there everyday! This looks so delicious Audrey! I love caramel, and yes I'm one of those that doesn't want to sit there and simmer and make it so this recipe sounds perfect! I really can't get over all your nut-butter ice creams. I am obsessed. Instead of carob powder, can I use cocoa powder? Also, have you tried using just raw cashews instead of cashew butter? If not, then I'll run to the store to get some. Thanks Audrey!
Audrey says
Aw, thanks Anjali -- maybe it'll be a "nutty ice cream franchise" ;) haha
I think cocoa will work in terms of texture, but you'll lose the caramel effect that carob creates. It'll still be good though, I'm sure :)
I haven't tried it with just cashews. I've seen ice creams using plain cashews before, but haven't tested it in a recipe like this. I think nut butters tend to be a little creamier than just blended cashews, so perhaps to offset that you can just add 2 tbsp mild tasting oil of some kind {though I wouldn't use coconut as it solidifies a little too much}. I think that could work, but you tell me if you try I guess :)
Enjoy it!
Audrey says
Hey again, Anjali. So Tina mentioned in a comment below that she used cacao instead of carob and found it delicious. So I think my hypothesis is confirmed. If you can find carob though, I highly recommend. Otherwise cacao is the next best substitute.
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
Mmmmm this might be my favorite one yet...I think the swirliness is winning me over <3 The addition of carob was definitely the most unexpected thing this time, but in my flavor imagination it seems divine! I love your very precise description of the process with all the things and the blending and the plopping :D hahaha If you did open an ice cream shop, first of all I'd be there, but secondly it would have the simplest prep kitchen ever. Just blenders and freezers, done!
Audrey says
Yes, just blenders and freezers is all it takes {and a bit of plopping action, of course ;) }. Thank you, Natalie! I find that in small quantities, and combined with dates and something creamy, carob creates a caramely flavor somehow. Worked a treat in this :)
Sarah C says
Oh. My. Lanta! I am so drooling over this. I need to get some dates and do this. Tried pinning but I am having a hard time. It might be my ad block though...Have a great weekend.
Audrey says
Thank you very much, Sarah!
{And yes, I did have a glitch with my pinning plugin but it should be all fixed now. Thanks for mentioning it!}
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Too lovely for words! The caramel is divine! I would so go to your ice cream shop....every day ;)
Audrey says
Yay, my first customer! ;)
Nissrine @ Harmony a la Carte says
Oh Audrey this looks and sounds heavenly much like everything else you post.
Audrey says
Thanks, Nissrine! Glad to see you back ♥
Lucie says
Wow! I'm all about caramel flavor and a creamy texture so this is a total winner for me! I love that it'no churn too. Thanks for such an awesome recipe Audrey <3
Audrey says
Thanks Lucie -- I adore caramel, so this was a no brainer ;) ♥ Just had to happen. Cashew butter is a perfect base for a caramely flavor!
Trinity Bourne says
YES! Start an ice cream shop. You are an absolute pro at it. You should definitely create an ice cream ebook :)
This looks so dreamy and divine. I love your use of flavours.
I haven't used agave for years, although I can just taste how decadent maple syrup would be in this - that would be my sweetener of choice here. Licking my lips. Yummo!
with love
x
Audrey says
Thank you, Trinity. I've been experimenting with adding a bit more agave into my recipes lately, but maple syrup is still always my sweetener of choice and will always have a place in my Canadian heart :) ♥
An ebook is a nice idea -- can't say I haven't thought about it ;)
The vegan 8 says
This looks so yummy and amazing Audrey!! Love all the swirls!! Im in love with them! Just so pretty. I'm right there with you on the nut butter ice creams, I've been making them over 2 years now and I actually think almond butter was one of my first ice creams I ever made for my blog! Been obsessed ever since. It's funny too, because today somebody on my Facebook page asked what they could sub if they didn't like peanut butter on my ice cream recipe today and I told them cashew butter, haha, I should have just referred them here if I had known!
Anyways, it looks wonderful! I have been planning on doing a peanut butter caramel vanilla ice cream later on based off my peanut butter caramel and you just inspires me to get it done faster. Ok, now I'm rambling about ice cream, hahahaha! Beautiful job!
Audrey says
Peanut butter caramel vanilla ice cream sounds amazing -- can't wait! ♥ And there's no such thing as rambling about ice cream haha -- I always love hearing about your creations and about ice cream of course :)