Vegan Mint Ice Cream

Perfectly creamy dairy-free ice cream PLUS the invigorating flavor of fresh mint? Sign me up! You’re just a handful of simple ingredients and a few hours of freezer time away from a bowl of my vegan mint ice cream. 

If a cup of mint tea is one of my favorite cold weather coping mechanisms, a bowl of vegan mint ice cream is for sure its warm weather counterpart! That same mint flavor that feels festive and soothing during the cold weather somehow transforms into a refreshing, cooling experience on a sweltering summer day. 

Homemade ice creams are among my favorite recipes on the site, they’re so fun to make and the flavor options are endless! I especially love this recipe because it comes out great without an ice cream machine. 

Though I do have one (and you can certainly use yours for this recipe if you like!), I don’t always feel like breaking it out and, if we’re being honest, there are plenty of times where I forget to pre-freeze the insert. This no-churn version creates a perfectly creamy ice cream–no fancy machinery necessary! 

Also, most store bought versions rely on food dye for their green color. But when you make it yourself, a handful of fresh mint leaves is all you need to achieve that soothing pale green hue. 

Ingredient Notes

• Coconut milk – Make sure to use full fat coconut milk as this is important to the final texture. 
• Fresh mint – Many mint ice creams use peppermint extract, but if you ask me, fresh mint leaves can’t be beat! In addition to delivering authentic mint flavor (no “toothpaste” vibes here!) they also turn your vegan ice cream a lovely pale green.
• Soaked cashews – A staple ingredient in most of my vegan ice cream bases. In order to produce a thick and creamy ice cream, unsalted cashews must be soaked overnight, then rinsed and drained before using. 
• Vanilla extract –  A dash of floral vanilla simultaneously balances and enhances the flavor of the mint. 
• Coconut oil – In addition to helping the texture of your ice cream stay smooth and creamy, coconut oil also works to prevent the mint leaves from oxidizing. This helps your ice cream to keep its light green color.
• Agave syrup – This liquid sweetener has a mild flavor and thin viscosity that makes it one of my favorites for ice creams, smoothies, and other liquid-y recipes. Lighter grade maple syrup will work here too, but I would keep away from anything too heavy on the maple taste lest it overpower the subtly sweet mint taste. 
• Coconut cream – In addition to the full-fat coconut milk that kicks this recipe off, a dollop of coconut cream rounds out the texture of your vegan mint ice cream with a rich luxuriousness. Make sure to use pure coconut cream and not cream of coconut, which contains added sweeteners and other ingredients.