You might have already noticed that the vegan ice cream industry has taken off, and there are now hundreds of brands and flavors out there to choose from. If you’re someone who is lactose intolerant, or who is vegan for environmental and animal rights reasons, then you are probably over the moon at the idea of being able to eat ice cream as much as you want.
However, there are downsides to this industry. They can be expensive for starters – not everyone has a huge budget to spend on ice cream, surely a non-essential item. What's more, they can still be hard to find, and most of the time, big box stores don't carry them. Lastly, just because ice cream brands are vegan doesn't mean that they're not processed, and while this doesn't apply to them all, for some, it's certainly the case.
So, what do you do if you can’t find your favorite vegan ice cream, or it’s too expensive? You make your own. Let’s take a look at some of the best vegan ice cream recipes that you can do yourself.
What Does Homemade Vegan Ice Cream Look Like?
While there are plenty of ways to make regular ice cream, a lot of the time, you're limited with what you can do with vegan ice cream at home. This is where bananas really come in handy. The most popular kind of vegan ice cream you can make at home is called nice cream, and it's usually made from frozen bananas that you blend to get a consistency kind of like soft serve.
Bananas are a great base for homemade vegan ice cream because you can get them anywhere, and they're not that expensive. They also freeze well, and they are a great sweet addition to a healthy alternative to store-bought options.
The good news? If you’re a diehard banana fan, you can make nice cream just by using bananas.
What Kind of Bananas Do I Need?
If you want to make great vegan ice cream at home, you'll want to pick out really ripe bananas. Make sure that they are soft, mushy, and they have brown spots on them. The more, the better. This is because the riper a banana is, the sweeter it tastes, so you're in for a healthy vegan sweet treat with super ripe bananas.
Peel the bananas and cut them up into large chunks. Place them in a ziplock bag or a container that's airtight, and put them in the freezer. This is the best way to freeze bananas so that they don't get freezer burn.
Do You Need Bananas Every Time?
While you might love bananas, there's a chance that you don't as well. If you're not the biggest banana fan, the good news is that you can still make vegan ice cream at home because any fruit can serve as the base. Bananas are just a great texture and consistency. You can even use sweet potatoes and avocado to make your vegan ice cream. It's all about what you like and what you enjoy working with in the kitchen.
The Best Homemade Vegan Ice Cream Recipes
So, we've talked all about what homemade vegan ice cream is and the different ways that you can make it. Now, let's talk about some of the best vegan ice cream recipes so that you can get started on your brand new vegan ice cream journey in the comfort of your kitchen.
What a mouthful – but we know that this is as good as it sounds, and it’s going to taste even better. This vegan ice cream comes with a special ingredient – sweet potatoes. The best part is that it only has five ingredients, so it’s as homemade and natural as you get.
We love this combination and think that you will as well. The best part is that you don't even need an ice cream maker.
Who doesn’t love a sweet, fresh strawberry ice cream to enjoy in those hot summer months? If you’re a big fan of strawberries, then you’re going to love the next vegan ice cream recipe on this list. Not only does this delightful recipe include fresh, sweet summer strawberries, but it also has cashews as a base, mixing it up a bit and keeping it creative. If you’re a big fan of strawberries and cashews, you’ve got to try out this unique vegan ice cream recipe.
Another thing that you might think you're missing out on being a vegan or lactose intolerant is cheesecake. Who doesn't like cheesecake? Down here in New Zealand, it's a classic, so what better way to be vegan than to combine two of your favorite things? We love this homemade vegan ice cream recipe because it uses natural unrefined sugar, and of course, blueberries – one of our favorite fruits. Get decadent with this hand-crafted vegan ice cream recipe.
If you’ve been on a bit of a healthy buzz lately and you want to try and combine the two together, you’ve got to check out the last vegan ice cream recipe on our list. The rest of them are healthy as well, but this one could be considered a superfood recipe. If you’re a fan of matcha, you’ve got to make the most of this one. The best part? It’s paleo and gluten-free as well, so it ticks more boxes. You can whip it up really quickly, too.
Luxury Both Inside and Out
Maintaining a healthy, holistic lifestyle doesn’t mean that you can’t treat yourself every now and then. When you do, though, make sure that you incorporate an element of health, and discover how delicious it can be at times. Velettá is a vegan, New Zealand made daily skincare range that takes some of the best ingredients made for us by Mother Nature and incorporates them into food for your skin. We make sure to take care of the outside while you take care of the inside. For an indulgent weekly treat for your skin, try out Youthful Glow AHA Radiance Treatment, which can not only hydrate and exfoliate but can rejuvenate your skin, helping to increase cell turnover. When you approach your health holistically, you start to see how everything is interconnected.
