So you may already know that there's a most delicious caramel swirl ice cream recipe kicking around on the blog already... one that is probably in my top favorite ice creams ever. Do you think that would stop me from making another caramel swirl ice cream recipe? Ha, not in a million years!
If there's a thousand and one ways to caramel, I'm willing to explore them all for you :) This one is especially for all vanilla lovers out there... vanilla bean + caramel is like the simplest but one of the most beautiful combos. That and a good salted caramel flavor...
The other reasons why this particular ice cream is in the Must-Try category: Besides the swirls and swirls of caramel involved (aka winning already)...there's ZERO cooking of caramel needed (it's a totally raw recipe)... And then there's the texture...incredibly creamy, smooth, and comforting. It's got the consistency of good ol' regular ice cream, only with none of the cream / sugar / churning involved...
And it's the easiest thing to throw together. Soak nuts, blend everything, wait for it to set (that's the hard part), and then try not to eat it all at once (that's the other hard part).
PrintVanilla & Salted Caramel Swirl Ice Cream
Delicious, creamy vegan vanilla ice cream (no churn), with a salted caramel swirl. No cooking required for the caramel! Refined sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: ~ 3 cups
- Category: Ice Cream
- Method: No-Churn
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base:
- 2 cups raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained*
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp tapioca powder
- 1 tsp raw ground vanilla bean (important for flavor)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp salt
Caramel Swirl:
- 2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
- 1 tbsp carob powder
Instructions
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temp. Blend all ice cream base ingredients into a smooth consistency in a high speed blender. Transfer this mixture into a glass tupperware container.
- Return ½ a cup of that mixture back into the blender. Add caramel swirl ingredients and blend once again to create the caramel. Swirl this caramel mixture into the ice cream base in the container (be careful not to over-swirl so you don't just blend it all into one flavor). Freeze for 5-6 hours to set (or overnight). Thaw out a touch, scoop and enjoy!
Notes
*To pre-soak nuts: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water.
For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn’t preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above).
Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you’re interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
hazel says
would flax oil or another be ok instead of coconut?
The Real Person!
Hi Hazel, I haven't tried that so not sure how flax would impact the flavor or consistency to be honest. I used coconut oil here because it has the special property of solidifying when cold. All fats / oils do that to an extent though, so you might squeak by with another oil, but I can't say for sure. If you give it a try, would love to hear how it goes for you. You can also try this with a bit of melted cacao butter instead, though it will alter the flavor significantly as well but might work well (you can probably use only 3 tbsp of it instead of the 4 tbsp of coconut oil, since it tends to solidify into a much harder consistency).
Mickie says
Can the ice creams be done in an ice cream churner
Thanks
The Real Person!
Hi Mickie. I've never tried a recipe with coconut oil in an ice cream maker -- not sure how it would behave to be honest, since it tends to turn super firm the moment it touches something cold. Might be ok because it's blended throughout, but might turn into a chunky situation.. The recipe doesn't require it though. It's designed to be made with just a blender.
Sha says
Dear Audrey,
First of all, thanks for sharing this recipe. So, I made this today, and finally had the chance to taste it.
Here's how I would rate it:
Taste - 5/5
Texture & scoopabilty - 5/5
Ease of making - 5/5 (because, no churn)
One thing I may change when I make this again (and I will definitely be making this again and again) is to omit the tapioca flour, or figure out a way to remove the floury taste. I think, maybe by cooking it with liquid prior to adding it with the rest of the ingredients?
I'm not sure, but I will give it a try.
Otherwise this recipe is a keeper.
The Real Person!
Hi Sha,
Thank you so much for the awesome feedback. You really made me smile! :)
You could just omit the tapioca altogether if you prefer. It helps it not be as icy, but it's not a deal-breaker.
Kass says
Hey Audrey!
Would soaked almonds without their skins work for the cashews?? I can't have cashews and it can be a bummer when they are in nearly every raw or vegan recipe!! :) I usually sub for macadamia, Brazil nuts or almonds depending on the recipe but just wanted your recommendation first!
The Real Person!
Hey Kass, I hear ya. I've been trying to do some cashew-free options for that reason (though I do love them personally). Another nut, like blanched almonds or macadamia would work, but the texture will be a touch different (I find cashews cream more smoothly) and also you'll need to add more sweetness (as cashews are naturally a lot sweeter) -- so just adjust that to taste.
Rachael says
Hi...Can I use Xanthan Gum in place of the tapioca flour? If so, is it a 1 to 1 exchange OR do I need to use more/less?
The Real Person!
Hi Rachael. No, guar gum wouldn't be a good way to go here as it serves a completely different function and acts differently to tapioca. You can use something like cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato starch instead. Would any of these work? If not, you can omit it altogether -- it just helps the ice cream not be "icy" / be creamy.
Karen says
This sounds fantastic, is it possible to replace the cashews with macadamias and the coconut oil with macadamia oil? Thank you
The Real Person!
Hi Karen. I think macadamias have a very particular flavor, which will create a different recipe by default. You can use this as a base to guide you though and alter it to a macadamia-based ice cream. From my experience, when you swap cashews for macadamia in a recipe like this, you'll need to use more sweetener and adjust the flavors slightly to your liking. I don't think the macadamia oil will work in the same way unfortunately though, as it doesn't freeze solid in quite the same way as coconut oil. You can try cutting it down by switching out some of the coc oil for maca oil for flavor.
The Real Person!
P.S. and now you've got me craving macadamia ice cream! ?
Sam says
I can't wait to try this! Please can you recommend where to buy Raw Vanilla Bean powder? ?
The Real Person!
Hi Sam. Thanks ?. I buy mine at a local health food shop usually (more affordable), or on iherb.com or amazon. This is the brand I buy online usually: Wilderness Poets.
P.S. I have a mini resources page here if you're curious about some of the products I use frequently in my recipes.
Dee | Green Smoothie Gourmet says
My gosh Audrey, your swirl, the frosty surface, the recipe itself and the photographs -- all so perfect! Well done my friend. No wonder this recipe is being shared so much! Love from DC!
Dee xx.
The Real Person!
Thank you so much, Dee, for your kind words! And for checking in ;)
Holly says
How long do the nuts need to be soaked for? Thanks :)
The Real Person!
Hi Holly,
There’s a standard raw dessert procedure of working with raw nuts that are pre-soaked. To pre-soak them you need to soak them in room temp water for 4 hours (to get the most nutritional benefits of them and to keep the recipe raw). Alternatively, if you don’t need the recipe to keep “raw”, you can also do a quick soak if you prefer by covering them in freshly boiled water and letting them sit for 15 mins. In both cases the objective is to re-hydrate, soften, and plump up the nuts so that they blend into a smooth consistency. And in both cases you strain and discard the water at the end and just use the nuts.
Enjoy the ice cream :)
Kitty says
Is it ok if I leave out the tapioca powder? Or could I substitute it with cornstarch?
The Real Person!
Hi Kitty, corn starch should work fine as a substitute. It helps with the consistency.
Barbara says
I love the simplicity of this recipe so was game enough on my very first vegan icecream making attempt to adapt your recipe. Turns out I have all those ingredients at my fingertips, so obviously my kind of food! Although I also love caramel I went for the antioxidants king of fruits. I made the best in the world blueberry swirl vanilla icecream. ?? pics on Instagram @tamandamai
The Real Person!
That sounds delicious, Barbara! :) I was dreaming up all kinds of versions myself with raspberry swirls, or choc chips, etc. Glad you liked it. I'll hop on insta later today and will be sure to have a look. Thank you for sharing!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
Vanilla lover. Cooking things on the stove hater. Yep, I definitely fall into the will-love-this-ice-cream category! I love crazy flavors and colors too, but flavor combos this simple and timeless will always be my favorite. Oh and I really love your color guide, just downloaded it :)
The Real Person!
Yay for color guide ...and for vanilla and caramel swirls :)
Mimi says
I'm not vegan, but nonetheless this ice cream looks incredible. And sounds wonderful. Such beautiful photos - and Iknow how hard it is to photograph ice cream!
The Real Person!
Thank you Mimi -- so happy you like it :) And gosh, photographing ice cream can definitely be a challenge... doesn't help that I'm typically also terrible at scooping the ice cream gracefully -- luckily this one was a breeze to work with in that regard ?
Piper says
That sounds sooo good! I will try it this weekend. I know I'll love it and I bet my non vegan family & grandchildren will also!
The Real Person!
Awesome -- enjoy it! :)