Follow this easy ice cream recipe to make healthy and dairy-free Coffee Ice Cream. You don’t even need an ice cream maker! This nice cream is paleo, vegan, clean, and gluten-free!
If I could, I’d always have ice cream for breakfast. Honestly. Especially during summer, when even the mornings are hot, I wake up needing to cool off.
But, then ice cream would probably lose its luster if I had it that often. Plus, I’d get hungry in a matter of minutes probably...so I’ll stick to other, more filling breakfast options and save the ice cream for later.
Now, that doesn’t mean you can't make ice cream taste like your favorite morning drink though! Homemade coffee ice cream may not wake you up, but it still serves a yummy punch and is full of creamy coffee deliciousness -- plus ICE CREAM + COFFEE 4 LIFE, am I right?
This coffee ice cream recipe is made with whole ingredients and is much better for you than the store-bought stuff or even the iced coffee from your favorite barista, which is usually very low in nutrients and high in sugar and unhealthy fats.
NOTE: A great place to start when making healthy coffee recipes is right at the source. To keep in line with my healthy lifestyle I always choose organic coffee beans, preferably fair trade. Did you know I created my very own blend? It's available for purchase at cleanish.com!
Now, making ice cream at home is super easy even if you don’t have an ice cream maker. Any food processor or heavy-duty blender will do. Just combine all the ingredients and blend well until you reach the desired consistency, and then freeze.
Never made ice cream at home before? Follow a few easy steps and make my healthy Coffee Ice Cream today!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY ICE CREAM
You can make pretty much any dessert healthy by sticking to one simple rule. Are you ready? Ok, so the secret is to… keep it short and simple. Yes, it’s that easy.
Stick to just a few healthy, whole ingredients that you know are good for you. Instead of using cream, go for coconut milk and sweeten your frozen delight with pure maple syrup or raw honey. It’s all about making the right choices and then using them moderately as part of a well balanced diet.
If you want to make healthy ice cream at home, all you need to do really is swap the unhealthy, sugary ingredients for the equally flavorful, but healthier options. Easy peasy.
For inspiration, check out some of my favorite homemade ice cream recipes, like this 1 Ingredient Banana Ice Cream or this Fresh Pumpkin Ice Cream.
HOW TO MAKE COFFEE ICE CREAM
In the spirit of my simple rule (see above), I have a way to make the whole process of making homemade Coffee Ice Cream as straightforward as possible. So, follow these easy steps for how to make coffee ice cream:
- Place the cans of full fat coconut milk in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill (or refrigerate overnight).
- Once the coconut milk is chilled, add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste the ice cream and add more pure maple syrup to make it sweeter or more coffee if you want a stronger coffee flavor.
- Once you’re happy with the flavor, transfer the mixture to a freezer-safe dish and place in the freezer.
- Freeze for a minimum of 4-6 hours until mostly solid.
And then, of course, step #6: EEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTT!
DOES COFFEE ICE CREAM HAVE CAFFEINE?
I use brewed and chilled strong coffee to make my Coffee Ice Cream, which does contain caffeine. If you want to cut out the caffeine, making coffee ice cream partially or entirely with decaf coffee is an option and can be completely substituted in this recipe. I personally don’t mind the caffeine, especially since the coffee is mixed in with all the other ingredients so it’s definitely not as strong as it would be if you’re drinking a regular cup of coffee.
HOW TO MAKE ICE CREAM WITHOUT AN ICE CREAM MAKER
Not owning an ice cream maker should not stop you from making ice cream at home!
All you need is either a food processor or just the plain ol’ kitchen blender. Just blend all the ingredients until you reach a smooth, creamy texture, but not pureed. You can serve immediately or transfer to an air-tight container and freeze for a couple of hours for a harder consistency. Simple as that!
COFFEE BEAN RECOMMENDATIONS?
As I mentioned earlier in this post, it's a good idea to go with organic coffee beans. Otherwise, it's likely you'll be consuming pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers. GAH! So shop mindfully, when possible.
You know I've gotta recommend my Better Than Yesterday Blend! The notes of bright, sparkling fruit and deep, roasted flavor create a superb ice cream experience.
Coffee Ice Cream
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 2 13.6-oz. cans full fat coconut milk, refrigerated or frozen for 10 minutes
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups strong coffee, brewed and chilled (Try my organic coffee beans)
- 1 tablespoon instant granulated coffee, plus more for topping
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- If the coconut milk is not previously refrigerated, place cans in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow for the cream to solidify on the top.
- Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. (Use just the hardened cream in the coconut milk and discard the watery liquid).
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Taste the mixture to test for flavor. If needed, add more pure maple syrup to sweeten and/or more instant coffee to make stronger coffee flavor.
- Pour mixture into freezer-safe dish or container and place in freezer.
- Freeze for 4-6 hours, until mostly solid. Allow to thaw for 5-10 minute on counter, as needed, before stirring and scooping to serve.
Video
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ellaina Ruse
Amazing!!! I added dates for extra sweetness and Coldbrew for my coffee and this turned out to be one of the best homemade paleo ice cream recipes I’ve ever tried! Low calorie, gut friendly, and as smooth and tasty as any ice cream shop version!
Jessica
instead of full fat coconut milk, can we use almond milk?
Thanh Ngan Tran
Yummy!
Your recipe is very attractive. I think that this food will help people boost full of nutrients for their health.
I will make it at the weekend for my family.
Linda
Hi there, thank you for this recipe - one question I've heard if you put a little bit of vodka in, this will stop the ice cream from freezing too hard?
Codi
This recipe was a real hit.🍨 I may try to add it to our offerings at the next catering job we do. Where do you get the inspiration for your recipes? I struggle with coming up with unique recipes.🌟
Maria
This ice-cream looks soooo yummy!and delicious! Great post 🙂 x
It’s never too late for ice cream. 😉 One of my favorite flavors!! 🍨
Lily
These all looks so good!! I actually got an ice cream maker for my birthday few years ago, and I ain’t gonna use it until I move out, and this really inspired me! 🙂 can’t wait til I can start making my own ice creams, because I also love it all year around 😀
Tricia Davern
This recipe looks amazing!! I cannot wait to make it for my family and I, thank you so much! 🙂
Lacey Baier
Woohoo! You're so welcome! I hope you love it 🙂