Creamy (not icy) Dairy-Free Mint Chip ice cream! No sugar! (Low-Carb, Vegan, Paleo)
Mint Chip ICE CREAM! That's made with healthy ingredients?! Is this even a reality? I am on cloud 9 right now because this ice cream tastes REAL, but it's dairy-free and sugar-free!!
I'm gonna be churning out ice cream ALL. Summer. Long. It's already surpassed 100 degrees last week. (WHY Texas?? I love you, but you're too hot.)
Homemade ice cream is my new BFF to get me through this unbearable heat. She's super cool (literally). And she doesn't hurt me (and my crazy stomach). She makes me HAPPY. We get along juuuuust fine. 😉
Can I tell you a secret?
Promise you won't get mad. You know I had to do this. I had to add vegetables to this ice cream to make it naturally GREEN. I'm not a fan of artificial coloring (cuz that nasty stuff is not good for you), but I AM a fan of FOOD as food coloring 😀
So what's the secret veggie? SPINACH. Fresh tender baby spinach. Just one little handful is all you need to give this mint ice cream it's rightful color. It just tastes better when it's the right color, don't you think? ha.
But not only does it make it prettier, it adds a boost of health benefits, which is always a plus! I can barely get my kids to eat spinach any other way, so I've gotta HIDE it in stuff. And ice cream is one thing they will definitely eat.
DO NOT WORRY. YOU CAN'T TASTE ANY SPINACH FLAVOR. Promise. Just delicious pretty ice cream!
Ok one word of caution, if you add TOO MUCH spinach to try and make it super green or even more healthy, it's going to make it have a slightly *Icy* consistency (since veggies have lots of water hiding in there). Just an FYI. 
I don't want ROCKS in my ice cream, do you??
Rocks! That's what happens when you add in chocolate CHIPS to ice cream. They get unbearably hard and feel like little rocks in your dessert. You can't even TASTE the flavor because they're too frozen.
What's the solution? Chocolate SHAVINGS. If you're not familiar with them, it's SO simple to make them:
- Grab a bar of your favorite chocolate and a sharp knife.
- Graze down the side of the bar with the edge of the knife, just like you're shaving your legs (but down instead of up.) That's IT.
The result is delightfully delicate pieces that DO NOT get crunchy and hard in the freezer. They add just the right amount of texture plus all the delicious chocolate flavor that pairs so well with mint!
ps. be sure to use *mint* extract, not peppermint. There is a difference 🙂 Oh and if you love mint chocolate, you'll love this Mint Chocolate Fudge.
REAL-DEAL Dairy Free Creaminess
Want perfect soft and creamy ice cream that's just like the real deal? Be sure to check out my RULES, TIPS, & SECRETS for making homemade dairy-free ice cream
In that post you'll find lots of info compiled to help you achieve the IDEAL consistency, and AVOID having your ice cream stick like crazy to your ice cream maker and/or turn into a block of ICE in the freezer.
>> What flavor ice cream should I make next? Let me know in the comments. I've got quite a list going. Hopefully I can get through all of them by the end of summer 🙂
Click the pic below to save this recipe on Pinterest:
If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram @emily.likes.food #prettypies I LOVE to see what you make! 🙂
Mint Chip Ice Cream (Dairy-Free, Vegan, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 1 13.7 oz can coconut milk - full fat *not lite*
- Heaping ⅓ cup natural almond butter - + pinch of salt, if unsalted
- Small handful spinach - optional (or a few drops of natural green coloring)
- 2 Tbs vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- ⅛ teaspoon pure stevia powder
- 1 oz dark chocolate - shaved (sugar-free or 85% dark)
Instructions
- {Remember to place ice cream bowl in freezer for 24 hours or until completely solid.}
- Blend all ingredients (except chocolate!) very smooth in a small blender. Taste and adjust if needed (more stevia, mint or salt)
- Chill mixture. Place blender container of ice cream mixture in the freezer for about 1 hour prior to churning so it gets very *very* cold, but not frozen.
- Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn for about 10 minutes (or until thickened to soft serve consistency)
- Add in a few Tbs of chocolate shavings at the end.
- Transfer ice cream to a loaf pan or shallow dish, sprinkle with 1 more Tbs chocolate shavings on top and freeze about 1 hour or until solid.
- Before serving, thaw on the counter 5-10 minutes.
- Dip ice cream scoop in water to make scooping easier. Garnish with additional chocolate shavings. ENJOY.
Jenna
Wow this looks so good! My favorite ice cream as a kid was tiger tail, basically orange ice cream with big swirls of black licorice. I would loove to see that flavour 🙂
Emily
Woah!! I've never seen that one but it sounds really cool! I definitely love orange. Growing up go-to was always orange sherbet. Yummy!
Annie
You actually can use Matcha green tea for a natural food coloring substitute!
Emily
Yes indeed! 🙂 But it does add matcha flavor. I just wanted mint chip. I’m not sure if matcha pairs well with mint, but maybe it does! Let me know if you try it.
Faith Ann Lubitz
Mmm
Emily
so yummy
Shaaron Hanna
Hi -- this looks and sounds wonderful but I am wondering why you just didn't use mint leaves for the mint flavor nad to help add some green to it, rather than using spinach for the coloring?
Emily
I thought about that! But mint extract was more convenient, cheaper, and easier to control the amount of flavor. Plus you'd need a ton of mint leaves to get enough green. But you totally can use mint leaves if you want!
Robin
Can I use a little real sugar instead of stevia? Stevia gives me a stomach ache. Same amount?
Thanks
Emily
Yes you can. See my notes under the recipe about using a different sweetener 🙂
Oh and always taste the mixture before freezing it to make sure it's sweet enough for ya.
If you try it, I'd love to hear how it turns out!
Connie
What ice cream maker do you use?
Emily
I got a Cuisinart because it was highly recommended by others. I actually have the older model (ICE 20) but now there is a new one- the Cuisinart ICE 21, which I imagine is only better. I LOVE my ice cream maker 🙂
laila
Can you add spirulina instead of the mint and spinach..
Emily
I would think so! I want to try that I've seen other people use it to color foods. (There's even a blue spirulina-- So fun!)
Laura
Making this tonight because mint chocolate chip is my son’s favorite. Love that it is dairy free and made without sugar alcohols to sweeten. My favorite ice cream flavors are black walnut (I think I could just add walnuts to your vanilla recipe to make this flavor), strawberry and chocolate almond.
Emily
Hope you and your son enjoy! I love chocolate almond, too. YUM!
Penelope
Hi Emily
Thanks so much for these delicious looking and sounding recipes - I can't wait to get 'baking'. Is there a reason you say not to use peppermint? I see that the Pure Mint Extract that you use has peppermint and spearmint in it?
Many thanks
Penelope
Emily
Peppermint extract will make things taste like candy canes, which is not my favorite and not true to mint chip flavor. But you can use whatever extract you like! 🙂
Penelope
I meant the McCormick Pure Mint Extract that you use in some of your other recipes - like the Mint Chocolate Fudge 🙂 It wouldn't let me ask the question on that page lol
Thanks and Merry Christmas
Penelope
Julie
Do you think I could use coconut butter instead of almond? I don't tolerate almonds.
Emily
Unfortunately that would make the ice cream really hard. Can you tolerate any other nut/seed butters? Cashew butter or sunflower butter would be good. Or you can just use more coconut cream 🙂
Lucy Copeland
Hi there. This is an amazing find. Im so excited . Could one just use real mint to flavour the icecream? Perhaps infused in the coconut milk if I warm it a little?
Emily
Absolutely! You can just blend in some fresh mint leaves into the cream base. I’m not sure of the amount, but you can start with a small amount and always add more 🙂 Taste as you go. Hope you enjoy!
Laurie C
Emily,
Love your recipes. I have several saved. As I'd like to make this mint chocolate chip ice cream one, however I don't have an ice cream maker. Is this required or is there another way to make it without one? I have the blender though. Thanks. LC
Emily
You can! It just won’t have the exact same consistency/texture. 🙂 Freeze the blended mixture in a shallow bowl, then remove and whisk every 30-45 minutes, repeating until it’s thickened and frozen to your liking. It could take a while - just keep that in mind. But the reward is worth it! Homemade ice cream!! So good 🙂
Natalie
This was not a good idea. The almond butter clashed with the coconut milk. Please. Don’t. I made it. We’re on our way to get smoothies now. It was that bad.
Emily
Really? I’m sorry it didnt work for you. This was a hit at my house. We all loved it. I use homemade almond butter which has a mild flavor, and Thai Kitchen coconut milk. Maybe that makes a difference. I make all my ice creams with almond butter and coconut milk and have heard nothing but positive feedback from family and fans alike.