The creamiest Cashew Ice Cream made without any dairy or refined sugars! You won’t believe how deliciously indulgent and sweet this ice cream tastes with such great ingredients — plus only three required ingredients and no ice cream maker needed!

Try some of our other favorite healthy ice cream recipes — this Blueberry Ice Cream or Chocolate Healthy Ice Cream.

Cashew Ice Cream in a bowl

Table of Contents

Is Cashew Ice Cream Good?

I get it — no dairy and no refined sugars…can this actually taste good?! I’m here to tell you: a resounding yes! It is luxuriously creamy and deeply flavorful with amazing richness and subtle notes of vanilla.

When I gave this ice cream to some friends to try out, they didn’t even know it was made with nutritious ingredients, let alone vegan and dairy-free! Truly, if you love cashews and coconut, you are going to be obsessed with this Cashew Ice Cream recipe.

My husband will eat dairy-filled ice cream occasionally but it never sits well with him. So after trying just about every vegan cashew ice cream (and paying a pretty penny for it), I thought, why not make my own! And we think this is the best Cashew Ice Cream — so much better than store bought! So instead of looking up where to buy cashew milk ice cream, give this homemade version a try! 

Quick Tip

This isn’t the only super-healthy ice cream we’ve developed.  Remember when we made this Healthy Ice Cream using sweet potato and it was met with rave reviews?! Truly — delicious desserts can start in humbling places!

Process shots: soften cashews in boiling water; add coconut milk and nuts to the blender.

What Is Cashew Ice Cream Made Of?

This recipe contains three integral ingredients and two optional flavor enhancers. Let’s break it all down:

  • Cashews are the base of this ice cream — not only do they add flavor, but they’re also integral to thickening the ice cream. Use whole cashews without added ingredients.
  • Coconut cream is what we prefer to use in this recipe, but coconut milk will also work. See “quick tip” box below for more information.
  • Pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener (unlike corn syrup or pancake syrup) made from the sap of a maple tree which gets boiled down to a thicker consistency. Maple syrup is just one ingredient and all natural — the perfect way to sweeten this Cashew Ice Cream recipe!
  • (Optional) Fine sea salt helps intensify flavors and balance all the ingredients nicely.
  • (Optional) Vanilla extract adds a nice flavor complexity.
Process shots: Add maple syrup, vanilla and salt to the blender; blend until smooth; pour into ice cube trays

How To Make Cashew Ice Cream

  1. Soften the cashews. To ensure the cashews will blend smoothly, we need to soften them first. You can do this one of three ways: soak overnight, cover in boiling water and soak, or boil in water. 
  2. Blend. Once the cashews are softened, add them to the blender along with the remaining ingredients. Give it a whirl and it’s time to freeze!
  3. Freeze. You can chill this mixture and then add it to an ice cream maker to freeze per the maker’s instructions OR try my foolproof method using ice cube trays instead of an ice cream maker! Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Once solid, pop ’em out and put them back into the blender. Blend to the perfect ice cream consistency!
Process shots of cashew ice cream: Freeze mixture until solid; add frozen mixture to the blender; blend to a soft-serve consistency; scoop and serve

Tools Needed

  • Powerful blender OR food processor. (We use a Blend-tec®). It’s imperative the blender can handle the cashews without overheating. You’ll also need a lot of power to break down the ice cream “cubes” into smooth and creamy ice cream without making it watery.
  • Ice cream maker OR ice cube trays. Here’s the ice cream maker I use and love, but you can make Cashew Ice Cream without an ice cream maker by using ice cube trays. We freeze the mixture in the trays then blend those cubes into smooth and creamy ice cream!

Quick Tip

Be sure to thoroughly blend the ice cream mixture to ensure cashews are fully broken down and completely smooth. With a high-powered blender, this goes quickly, but with a less powerful blender, you may need to blend the mixture a few times to ensure the mixture is nice and smooth.

Cashew Ice Cream FAQs

What’s The Difference Between Coconut Milk And Coconut Cream?

Coconut milk and coconut cream both come from coconut and water, but coconut cream has more fat, making it richer and thicker. They taste similar, but consistency differs. For a creamy ice cream, use coconut cream. If using coconut milk, opt for full-fat, as lite versions make a thinner, icier dessert.

Can You Make Ice Cream With Cashew Milk?

We’re making cashew milk or cream by blending whole cashews, so no need to buy cashew milk separately!
Legally, ice cream requires specific dairy fat percentages. When we say “ice cream” here, it’s just a general term, not the legal definition.

A bowl of Cashew Ice Cream

Leveling Up Cashew Ice Cream

  • Make a brownie ice cream sundae! Prepare a batch of our best-ever Healthy Brownies (or our sugar-laden Brownie Recipe!) and top it with a few scoops of ice cream and a generous scoop of Whipped Cream.
  • Make a salted caramel cashew ice cream recipe: (our favorite!) Add a drizzle of Caramel Sauce and sprinkle of Maldon sea salt flakes — delish! Or try our Healthy Caramel Sauce if you’re avoiding refined sugars.
  • Add some chocolate: We’re obsessed with this Hot Fudge Sauce and it would pair perfectly on this Cashew Ice Cream!
  • Make a cashew milkshake: Add in some milk and caramel sauce and blend to a thick milkshake consistency! (Use general quantities from this Strawberry Milkshake recipe.)

Recipe Source: Inspired and highly adapted from @katieclarimore’s TikTok page! Thanks, Katie for the idea!

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5 from 3 votes

Cashew Ice Cream

By Chelsea Lords
The creamiest Cashew Ice Cream made without any dairy or refined sugars! You won't believe how deliciously indulgent and sweet this ice cream tastes with such great ingredients — plus only three required ingredients and no ice cream maker needed!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Freezing Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings (small servings, the ice cream is rich!)

Equipment

  • High powered blender (Note 1)
  • Ice cube trays OR ice cream maker (Note 2)

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 cup whole plain cashews
  • 1 can (13.66 oz.; 403mL) coconut cream OR coconut milk (Note 3)
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (Note 4)
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Optional: caramel sauce and Maldon sea salt flakes

Instructions 

  • SOFTEN THE CASHEWS: We need to get the cashews soft before blending; a few different ways to go about this:
    *Add to a bowl and cover with water. Let stand for 6-8 hours or until soft and bloated. Thoroughly drain.
    *Place cashews in a heatproof bowl. Pour 2 cups boiling water over the cashews. Let stand for 30 minutes to an hour or until soft and bloated. Thoroughly drain.
    *Add cashews to a small pot and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes or until cashews are soft and bloated. Thoroughly drain.
  • BLEND: Meanwhile, add the entire can of coconut cream (including the liquid that may have settled) into a large and powerful blender. Add remaining ingredients and well-drained cashews. Blend on high speed until very smooth, 2-3 minutes.
  • FREEZE: Pour mixture evenly into ice cube trays (we use 2). (Reserve 1/3 cup and chill in the fridge if you don't have a high-powered blender — Note 1). Freeze in ice cube trays for at least 8 hours.
    OR if using an ice cream maker: Chill mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes (it gets warm from blending!); then add to an ice cream maker and churn per ice cream maker instructions.
  • ENJOY: Pull out the ice cube trays and run the bottoms under hot water for about 30 seconds or until they release easily. Add ice cream cubes to a high-powered blender. (No liquid needed, unless using a lower-powered blender– then add in the reserved 1/3 cup.) Blend the cubes into smooth and creamy ice cream. This takes a little patience — scrape down the sides of the blender frequently and stir everything to get it all to blend evenly. Once smooth and creamy, scoop out into bowls and serve. We like it drizzled with a caramel sauce and a few sprinkles of Maldon sea salt — delish!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: High-powered blender: (we use a Blend-tec®). It’s imperative the blender can handle the cashews without overheating. You’ll also need a lot of power to break down the ice cream “cubes” into smooth and creamy ice cream without making it watery. If you do not have a high-powered blender, use caution in blending the mixture to avoid overheating. You may need to blend an additional minute or 2. Additionally, if you don’t have a high-powered blender, set aside 1/3 cup of the mixture to blend with the frozen ice cream ice cubes later on.
Note 2: Ice cream maker/ ice cube trays: If you use an ice cream maker, just be sure to chill the mixture before adding it to the maker. Here’s the one I use and love.  Otherwise, add the mixture to ice cube trays and blend the frozen ice cubes — works like a charm!
Note 3: Coconut milk versus coconut cream: Both are made from the same ingredients, but coconut cream has a higher fat content than coconut milk (more coconut, less water) so it is richer and thicker. They both taste very similar, so it’s more about consistency. We want rich and creamy ice cream which is why we use coconut cream. If using coconut milk, be sure to use a good brand that is full fat. Lite coconut milk will yield a thinner and icier dessert.
Note 4: Maple syrup: This is a natural sweetener (not to be confused with corn syrup or pancake syrup) made from the sap of a maple tree which gets boiled down to a thicker consistency. Maple syrup is just one ingredient and is all natural!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.3g | Protein: 5.4g | Fat: 22.3g | Sodium: 13.4mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 17.3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Meet Chelsea

Hi there! I’m Chelsea–the recipe developer, photographer, writer, and taste tester behind Chelsea’s Messy Apron (although my little ones help me out quite a bit with the taste testing part!). I LOVE getting creative in the kitchen and then posting my creations here for you to enjoy.

Thanks again for stopping by!

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4 Comments

  1. Jo Sam says:

    5 stars
    Made this last night and it was super creamy and delicious. Not grainy at all, it was silky. I soaked for 4 hours and got impatient so let it soak in boiling water for 15ish mins and followed the recipe as is. Not sure if all that was needed, the blender(nutribullet) pulverized it in less than 2 mins.

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Jo! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kellie Rode says:

    5 stars
    So delish and creamy!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      Thanks so much Kellie! 🙂

      Reply