My favorite summer sweet treat is hands down ice cream -- hello endless flavors, and refreshing creaminess <3
So I thought I'd put together some of my all time favorite ice cream recipes from the website archives -- in case you need some inspo for these sunny summer days. All the recipes included here are of course vegan, wholesome, and very easy to quickly make in a blender (no churning required!).
Note: Turns once I got started here I realized there are way too many ice cream recipes for me to include in this short recipe collection! So I'll do a separate recipe collection for nice creams and pops and perhaps other miscellaneous treats in the ice cream family some other time. This collection below focuses solely on absolutely creamy, dreamy, classic ice creams.
Hope you find something delicious amongst these recipes to try out. Click on a recipe title that interests you below to be taken to the actual recipes.
One of the all time reader favorite recipes on the blog, this creamy almond butter ice cream is one of my own personal favorites as well. Very easy to throw together, simple and wholesome ingredients, and you'll never know this is a dairy-free or fruit-sweetened.
2. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Like the almond butter ice cream below, this delicious peanut butter and chocolate chip version was actually the original inspiration for that recipe. If you love peanut butter, you'll be in for a real treat when you whip this recipe up!
3. Vanilla & Salted Caramel Swirl Ice Cream
If you're looking for something simple, hard to go wrong with a classic vanilla and caramel combo. This ice cream is just lovely as a treat on its own, but I also frequently use it to serve with pies, because ice cream + berry pie is a summer time combo that's hard to resist!
And speaking of caramel, if you're a fan, this caramel swirl ice cream will be hands down the one for you. It's one of my personal favorites, since I'm a big caramel-anything fan.
5. Mango Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Ice Cream
If you're looking for a more exotic / tropical summer flavor, this mango ginger turmeric ice cream might be just the thing to try out. It sounds unusual, but might quickly become a favorite for you too. Bonus: its lovely color is a great mood booster too :)
Another somewhat unusual flavor, this balsamic plum ice cream is a must try, especially in plum season! This flavor pairing is perfectly tangy and sweet, and just right when you're looking for something simple with a touch of "fancy."
No ice cream flavor list is complete without pistachio ice cream -- my childhood favorite!
Another classic summer flavor, this raspberry raspberry vanilla ice cream is bursting with berry flavor. Simple, creamy, and delish.
The flavor pairing here (banana + pecan butter) might make you think of banana bread, but it makes for an absolutely must try lush ice cream treat too.
Sachertorte and ice cream together might not be a thing that comes to mind generally, but this chocolate & apricot flavored ice cream, inspired by the classic delicious cake of course, is a fun ice cream flavor to try out. If you're feeling a little on the adventurous side, this one might be the one for you :)
11. Peanut Butter Banana Fudge Swirl Ice Cream
Yes, I know so far we've had peanut butter and banana ice creams on this list, and I know that 10 ice creams to choose from sounds nicer than a list of 11.... but I couldn't resist including this one as well, because a. it's absolutely delicious, and b. an ice cream flavor list can't be complete without some ice cream with fudge bits in it, right? And besides, no such thing as too many peanut butter dessert options in my opinion :) So including this peanut butter fudge swirl ice cream here for good measure.
And it's a wrap for my top favorite classic & somewhat unusual vegan ice creams. But there are plenty more recipes if you're looking for more options, both on this website (click on the recipes page and select "ice cream" at the top) and in my book Unconventional Treats.
Cheers & Happy (Un)Baking!
Mary says
OMG I can't wait to try these. And I've only just discovered your recipe for a condensed milk substitute. I can't wait to make Thai coffee and tea - and pumpkin pie - oh my! I did get really tired of the flavor of cashews as i made my own cashew milk for several years and made many cashew cheesecakes - after awhile they taste the same to me. But it's been awhile and I switched to buying oat milk (do you have a recipe for oat milk perchance?) Maybe the coconut manna will make the difference, ie make it taste less cashewy. I haven't seen you in a while (unless it's my phone) and yours are the absolute Best alternative and awesome desserts. Good to see your yummies again.
Audrey says
Hi Mary, thanks so much for your lovely comment. I was on a bit of a break for a little while but am back now :). I did notice that due to the break, once I returned sharing recipes again the emails seem to be going to people's spam folders a lot more than they used to. Hopefully that'll correct itself with time.
For oat milk, it's basically the same process as making a nut milk. I don't usually soak the oats. I go for rolled oats for best results. And I tend to add a few dates + some vanilla + tiniest pinch of salt, which I find helps get rid of the "barney" flavor plain oat milk can have -- just my taste buds speaking though, as others might enjoy that taste of course! Go with somewhere like a cup of oats to 4 cups of water (more or less depending on how thick you like it), and strain it well for a smoother milk.
Enjoy the ice creams and condensed milk! :) Happy unBaking!
Mary says
Thanks so much, Audrey. One question: do you cook the oats first? If not, wouldn't it be hard to digest?
Look forward to seeing more of your wonderful recipes once again.
Audrey says
Hello again :)
Raw oats are fine to eat so long as they are hydrated well (i.e. soaked in water / mylk, etc.). In this case, as they are being blended with water they become ground up + hydrated all at once. It's ok to eat them not hydrated as well, but they do become harder to digest that way, so it's usually not recommended.
Mary says
Many thanks, Audrey. I will be trying it soon, especially as the cost of oat milk rises (currently $5 for 1/2 gallon.)