Mouthwatering, refreshing dairy-free coconut milk ice cream recipe with easy-to-follow steps. Made with only a few simple ingredients and drizzled with raspberry sauce, this delightful frozen treat is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth and impressing your friends and family.
Whisk yourself away to a coconut-infused paradise with our simple homemade dairy-free coconut milk ice cream with eggs and no churn or ice cream maker needed! My favorite tropical frozen treats include tropical smoothie, anti-inflammatory smoothie, vegan chocolate ice cream, and coconut milk popsicles which are a blend of this coconut milk ice cream recipe and my watermelon juice recipe.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: About 6 hours, mostly freezing
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 6 minutes for the custard
- ⏳ Total Time: 6 to 8 hours to freeze firm without a machine
- 🍽️ Serving: 6
- ⚡ Calories: 304kcal per serving, per the recipe card
- 🥣 Ingredients: full fat canned coconut milk, monk fruit or other sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, egg yolks, plus raspberries for the sauce
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy tropical vanilla and coconut with tangy raspberry
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, no churn needed
Quick Answer
In a large saucepan on low heat, whisk two 13.5 ounce cans of full fat coconut milk, ½ cup sugar such as monk fruit, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 large pasteurized egg yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cook over low-medium heat, whisking constantly, about 6 minutes until very hot and thickened without boiling. Pour into a glass container, let cool, cover and freeze, stirring about every 30 minutes for 2 hours, then freeze 4 to 6 more hours until firm.
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This No-Churn Ice Cream Stays Creamy
- What to Love About This Dairy-Free Coconut Ice Cream
- Key Ingredients
- Are Eggs in Ice Cream Safe
- How to Make Coconut Milk Ice Cream
- Expert Tips
- More Ice Cream Recipes
- Coconut Ice Cream FAQs
- More Dairy-Free Frozen Treats
- Vanilla Coconut Milk Ice Cream Recipe With Raspberry Sauce
This easy dairy-free ice cream recipe tops the charts too! Try ice cream toppings like a sprinkle of this basic granola recipe, vegan date caramel sauce, and dairy-free chocolate ganache and this easy raspberry sauce that we also love on our gluten-free pancakes.
Why This No-Churn Ice Cream Stays Creamy
Click to see why it works
- Full fat canned coconut milk. Carton or lite coconut milk makes ice crystals since it is watered down.
- Egg yolks make a custard. Adding eggs adds a rich creamy custard taste and thickens ice cream to prevent it from crystalizing.
- Whisk constantly so the eggs don't clump, and do not let it boil.
- Stir while it freezes. Stir about every ½ hour for 2 hours if you are not using an ice cream maker.
- Soften before scooping for 10 to 15 minutes.
What to Love About This Dairy-Free Coconut Ice Cream
- Tropical vanilla and coconut taste. You'll be transported to the islands with every bite!
- Keto-friendly, dairy-free, gluten-free. I love to make dairy-free ice cream with canned coconut milk. It is super easy and kids benefit from the saturated fats from the coconut for brain development.
- No ice cream maker needed.
- Sugar-free option with monk fruit.
- Homemade raspberry sauce on top.
Key Ingredients
- Full fat canned coconut milk (2 cans) - don't use carton or lite canned coconut milk. Canned coconut milk is great for also making dairy-free chocolate coconut ice cream and coconut milk shrimp too!
- Sugar like monk fruit, xylitol, or raw honey. If you use coconut sugar it will make it brown in color and alter the flavor slightly.
- Fresh lemon juice - fresh lemon juice or organic bottled lemon juice is best.
- Vanilla extract or Vanilla Bean - you can also use equal amounts of vanilla bean powder or scrape the insides of vanilla bean sticks.
- Egg yolks - the eggs make ice cream thick and into custard just like in coconut cream pie. Save the egg whites for these fluffy hazelnut cookies.
- Raspberry Sauce - raspberries fresh or frozen, fresh lemon juice and monk fruit sugar (maple syrup or honey works too). Fresh berries are so good added on top or blended into cranberry ice cream.
See recipe card for quantities.
Are Eggs in Ice Cream Safe
Make sure to use pasteurized eggs and/or stir the recipe continuously while cooking so the eggs don't clump and cook for the full time. Undercooked eggs can be one of the causes of foodborne illnesses and can contain Salmonella which needs to be killed during heating.
We make our ice cream with monk fruit, making it sugar-free, but you can swap that out for raw honey in equal amounts.
How to Make Coconut Milk Ice Cream
1Make the custard. In a large saucepan on low heat, whisk the coconut milk, sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks and vanilla. Cook the custard over low-medium heat whisking constantly for about 6 minutes until very hot and thickened. Do not let it boil.
2Cool. Remove from heat and put in a glass container. Let cool.
3Freeze. If not using an ice cream maker, cover the container and place in the freezer. Stir about every ½ hour for 2 hours. Then freeze an additional 4-6 hours (6-8 total), until firm.
4Or churn and scoop. If using an ice cream maker, skip step 3 and freeze the ice cream according to the manufacturer's directions, then transfer to a container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours. When ready to serve let it set for about 10-15 minutes until soft enough to handle.
5Start the raspberry sauce. In a medium saucepan, add 2 cups of raspberries, ½ tablespoon of lemon juice and ¼ cup of sugar, and a dash of Himalayan salt and heat covered on medium-low for about 2 minutes.
6Mash and simmer. Using a potato masher, mash up all the fruit so it has a smoother consistency. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. If you want a thicker sauce, simmer longer and for a thinner sauce reduce the time on the stove top.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Need it thicker? Whisk ¼ cup corn starch with ¼ cup coconut milk and add it to the recipe. We use protein powder in our homemade cauliflower ice cream and it makes it nice and thick.
- Canned coconut cream works great too.
- Let it soften 10 to 15 minutes before scooping.
- Sugar swap. Raw honey works in equal amounts.
- Make dessert. This ice cream is also my favorite dairy-free base for a kid-approved Oreo dirt cake frozen in a flower pot.
Coconut Ice Cream FAQs
Adding eggs adds a rich creamy custard taste and thickens ice cream to prevent it from crystalizing.
Yes. Canned full fat coconut milk or canned coconut cream works great. Carton coconut milk will not work.
Add corn starch or protein powder. If using corn starch, whisk ¼ cup corn starch with ¼ cup coconut milk, then add it to the recipe as instructed.
No. Freeze it in a covered container and stir about every 30 minutes for 2 hours, then freeze 4 to 6 more hours.
Monk fruit, xylitol or raw honey. Coconut sugar turns it brown and changes the flavor slightly.
Let it set out about 10 to 15 minutes until soft enough to scoop.
More Dairy-Free Frozen Treats
Try Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream, Vegan Double Chocolate Ice Cream or Cauliflower Ice Cream next. If you make this easy coconut milk ice cream recipe I would love to see your creations and share it! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Vanilla Coconut Milk Ice Cream Recipe With Raspberry Sauce
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Equipment
- ice cream maker optional
- freezer safe glass container with lid
Ingredients
- 27 ounces coconut milk 2 (13.5 ounce) cans
- ½ cup sugar like monk fruit or xylitol
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large egg yolks pasteurized eggs
Raspberry Sauce
- 2 cups raspberries fresh or frozen
- ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup sugar maple syrup, coconut sugar, or monk fruit
Instructions
- In a large saucepan on low heat, whisk the coconut milk, sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks and vanilla. Cook the custard over low-medium heat whisking constantly for about 6 minutes until very hot and thickened. Do not let it boil.
- Remove from heat and put in a glass container. Let cool.
- If not using an ice cream maker- cover container and place in the freezer. Stir about every ½ hour for 2 hours. Then freeze an additional 4-6 hours (6-8 total), until firm.
- If using an ice cream maker- skip Step 3. Freeze the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers' directions. Transfer to a glass or plastic container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
- When ready to serve let set for about 10-15 minutes until soft enough to handle.
Raspberry Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, add 2 cups of raspberries, ½ tablespoon of lemon juice and ¼ cup of sugar, and a dash of Himalayan salt and heat covered on medium-low for about 2 minutes.
- Using a potato masher, mash up all the fruit so it has a smoother consistency. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. If you want a thicker sauce, simmer longer and for a thinner sauce reduce the time on the stove top.
Lauren says
I actually just wanted to leave you a comment because I think we look alike, lol! I saw your picture and called my husband and kids over to see, and they thought all agreed. Your recipe looks delicious too, by the way. I love coconut milk! 🙂
Danielle @ Delightful Mom Food says
Hi Lauren! That is too funny, we do look alike! Great site as well. I love all your healthy recipes!