This homemade no-churn vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe is ultra-smooth and creamy and couldn't be easier to make in your blender. It is loaded with sweet and cool minty flavor with indulgent dark chocolate in every bite. Best of all, this quick and easy frozen dessert recipe is naturally sweetened, contains nutritious ingredients (including a vegetable!) and is completely dairy-free.
No-Churn Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
No-Churn Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is a classic summertime treat. The creamy base is infused with addictive cool minty flavor and paired with rich and crunchy dark chocolate chips in every bite. It is totally refreshing and indulgent all at once.
I have always loved the chocolate-mint combination (especially in ice cream form) and I wanted to make a nutritious, quick and easy recipe that everyone would go crazy for. After a couple of attempts, I cracked the non-dairy creamy ice cream code. See the somewhat unusual ingredients list below for the eight ingredients that make up this healthful treat.
Ingredients for the Best No-Churn Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
The ingredients list for this recipe may surprise you. You will notice in the list below there is no heavy cream or refined sugars. Just whole foods that are nutrient dense. I hope by now you trust me and will give this ice cream a try despite how odd the ingredients sound. Or, at least, I hope that the pictures convince you!
Ingredients:
- cashews
- coconut milk
- avocado
- zucchini - yes really!
- pure maple syrup
- pure peppermint extract
- pure vanilla extract
- vegan refined sugar-free dark chocolate chips or "gems" [use code ELAINE for 15% off]
Everything but the chocolate chips go into a high-speed blender. Once everything is smooth and creamy you pour the mixture into a loaf pan or any freezer friendly container. Then, stir in the chocolate chips and then cover and freeze for 8 hours or overnight. That's it! While you do have to wait for it to freeze, the actual hands-on time for this recipe is probably less than five minutes.
Zucchini, Avocado and Coconut in Ice Cream?
I know most ice cream recipes don't contain zucchini. But, the zucchini actually adds healthy creaminess to the recipe and sneaks in a bunch of beneficial nutrients. Plus, the color works well in this recipe. Zucchini has a mild and slightly sweet flavor profile so you will not notice it at all in this recipe.
Same with the avocado. It is full of dietary fiber, heart-healthy fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals but also adds a buttery creaminess to the ice cream while staying undetected. It gives this ice cream a potassium-boost and I certainly don't mind that!
For more thick creaminess I added the coconut cream from canned full-fat coconut milk. It is so decadent and yet totally dairy-free. It works perfectly in this recipe!
Cashews for Even More Creaminess
To keep the recipe dairy-free I'm using raw cashews as the main creamy base in this recipe. The recipe calls for 2 cups of raw, unsalted cashews. Cashews offer plant-based protein and are also incredibly nutrient dense. Cashews are considered an excellent source of copper and a good source of magnesium, manganese, vitamin K, phosphorous and zinc.
I buy raw, unsalted cashews in the bulk section of my grocery store and store them in my refrigerator in a large mason jar that is airtight. In the refrigerator cashews can last up to six months. They can actually last up to a year if you store them in your freezer.
For more information on cashews, check out my complete guide on Cashews Benefits for Vegans (+ Recipes).
Should I Soak My Cashews?
It is up to you and the type of blender you own. My high-speed blender does a great job of making a creamy ice cream without any soaking. Some people like to soak cashews in advance to make them easier to blend and also to make them more easily digestible. I’ve also read that soaking helps make the nutrients more available.
If you do decide to soak you can soak them in room temperature water overnight. Or, you can use a quick-soak method and cover them in boiling water for an hour or two. Either way you will want to drain and rinse the cashews before using in this recipe. Learn more about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post.
Looking for more quick and easy summer desserts?
Here a few of my most popular summertime treats:
No-Churn Vegan Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
Creamy Chocolate Avocado Fudgesicles
Vegan Berries and Cream Popsicles
Now, Let’s Make Some No-Churn Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream!
This easy No-Churn Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream recipe will be your new go-to secretly nutritious summer frozen dessert. It is naturally vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, legume-free, paleo-friendly and refined sugar-free so it works well for many types of diets.
I cannot wait for you to give this recipe a try! Let’s get blending!
Print
No-Churn Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
- Total Time: 5
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This homemade no-churn vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe is ultra smooth and creamy and couldn't be easier to make in your blender. It is loaded with sweet and cool minty flavor with indulgent dark chocolate in every bite. Best of all, this quick and easy frozen dessert recipe is naturally sweetened, contains nutritious ingredients (including a vegetable!) and is completely dairy-free.
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini, skin on, ends trimmed, chopped
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 avocado, halved, pitted and skin removed
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, chilled 24 hours in advance*
- 2 cups raw, unsalted cashews, pre-soaked**
- ½ cup mini vegan refined sugar-free dark chocolate chips/gems + more for topping
- Optional: fresh mint for serving
Instructions
- Add all ingredients in the order listed above (except for the chocolate chips) to a high-speed blender. So, the zucchini will go in first and the cashews will go in last. Be sure to only use the solid white coconut cream from the canned coconut milk. See notes below.
- Blend starting on the lowest speed and slowly increase to the highest speed. Stay on the highest speed for 60 seconds until smooth and creamy. If your blender is having trouble blending use the tamper/plunger to safely push the contents into the blades while it is blending. If you do not have a tamper or plunger then you will have to stop and scrape down the sides throughout the blending process to ensure all ingredients get incorporated properly.
- Pour the ice cream into an 8 x 4 loaf pan or freezer-friendly container. Pour in the chocolate chips and gently fold them into the ice cream. Top it off with 2-3 tablespoons more of chocolate chips if desired. Cover and freeze for 8 hours or overnight.
- Before scooping and serving, remove the loaf pan from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. You can also place the bottom of the loaf pan in warm water to speed up the process. Scoop and serve like you would regular ice cream. Garnish with fresh mint if desired.
Notes
*For this recipe, we are only using the solid white coconut cream from the can of full-fat coconut milk. In order to easily separate the coconut cream from the coconut water, place the can in your refrigerator the day before you plan to make this recipe. The solid white coconut cream will naturally float to the top of the can. When you open the can you can easily use a spoon to scoop out just the coconut cream, leaving the coconut water behind. You can save the coconut water for smoothies or popsicles.
**Soaking your cashews in advance will make them extra creamy, less gritty and more easily digestible. Soaking cashews also helps to make the nutrients more available. You can soak in water overnight or do a quick soak using boiling water for an hour or two. Drain and rinse before using in this recipe. Measure out the cashews before soaking since they will swell and measure differently post-soak. Learn more about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Blender
Keywords: No-Churn Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Bridget Kenny says
I loved this recipe! I couldn't believe how creamy it was. The peppermint extract definitely gives it enough of a mint taste and the chocolate chips give it that change in texture/crunch that I crave in ice cream 🙂 So good, thanks Elaine!
Bridget Kenny says
I loved this! The peppermint extract gave it the right amount of mint flavor and the chocolate chips gave it that change in texture/crunch that I look for in ice cream 🙂 so good, thanks Elaine!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the rating and comment. Thanks for taking the time! So glad you enjoyed it so much! It is one of my favorites too!
Holly says
Hi Elaine, I have a question, please, as I'd love to try this terrific -sounding recipe!
I have 2 cans each of Trader Joe's Coconut Cream AND Trader Joe's Coconut Milk (must be full fat since it doesn't say otherwise.) Should I just use the Coconut Cream rather than refrigerate the Coconut Milk and have to skim off the cream? Once I skim off the cream, I'd have to measure it and probably use several cans to get enough to make the 15 oz since the cans are only 13.5 ounces and we're supposed to leave out the coconut water that has separated out - is this correct? I'm confused! Wondering why you don't suggest getting a can of Coconut Cream from the get go!
The cans of Trader Joe's Coconut Cream are also 13.5 ounces, I'm thinking I'd just use the whole can plus 1.5 ounces of another can and would have the 15 ounces more easily.
Thanks very much!
Elaine Gordon says
Yes if it doesn't say otherwise it is full fat. You can use either but either way you will need to refrigerate because even the coconut cream does separate from some of the water. I know it is confusing! I have actually had better luck with Trader Joe's Coconut Milk personally. But again either will work as long as you refrigerate overnight. 2 cans should be all you need.
And the 15 ounces is a typo - it should be 13.5 - I'll update that! Good catch!
Elisa says
I am allergic to coconut. Can other nut milks or nut milk creams be used instead?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Elisa, I'm not sure... I have only tested this recipe with coconut milk... but you could try it with more raw cashews and make cashew crean in place of the white coconut solids. Or maybe avocado? I cannot guarantee the results but it would be worth giving it a try! If you do please let me know how it works out for you. I was allergic to coconut for years and only recently "grew out of it" so I totally feel your pain... I would always get disappointed when I would see a delicious looking recipe made with coconut. I hope this variation works out for you. Best, Elaine
Linda says
How big should the avocado and the zucchini be. I recently purchased organic avocados that are quite large. My zucchinis are small.