Summer just screams ice cream! I scream it, you scream it, we ALL scream for ice cream! What better way to beat the heat and enjoy a sweet treat than with the perfect ice cream? Super creamy, rich, indulgent, and free of dairy, gluten, grains, nuts, and refined sweeteners. That's what I call the perfect treat!
Here's the scoop: this recipe works great in an ice cream maker like this one, where the frozen bowl gives you perfectly churned, super smooth ice cream in a matter of minutes! You can also just freeze the mixture until solid and get your scoop-able ice cream that way. Point is: you can make it regardless of equipment!
Dairy-Free Coconut Sunflower Seed Butter Ice Cream
(Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-free, Egg-free, Refined sugar-free)
Makes 1.5 quarts
Ingredients:
2 cans full fat coconut milk (13.5 oz each)
1/3 cup organic sunflower seed butter (you can use any nut or seed-butter of your choice, but the sunflower seed butter adds a unique flavor profile)
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 pitted* medjool dates or 10 deglet noor dates
1/4 cup maple syrup
*It's easy to de-pit a date: simply (and carefully) slice lengthwise and remove the pit
Directions:
In a small sauce pan over medium low heat, add coconut milk and sunflower seed butter. Whisk to combine and heat until warmed through (about 5 minutes), stirring often. You do NOT want this to boil.
Reduce heat to low and add vanilla and maple syrup. Whisk to combine, add dates, and heat for an additional few minutes.
Remove from heat and let sit until cooled and dates are softened.
Add cooled mixture to high speed blender and blend until dates are completely incorporated. Pour into a large bowl and place in the fridge to cool completely (approx. 30 min).
Add cooled mixture to the bowl of your ice cream maker and churn until thick, with a soft-serve texture. Enjoy immediately, or pour into a parchment-lined pan, cover, and freeze. Let sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes to soften before serving. Alternately, you can skip the ice cream machine and just freeze until solid.
Whip up a batch of this creamy, toasty, slightly sweet ice cream and sit back and enjoy those cool summer vibes!
In loving health,
Ashley
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