This easy no-churn vegan blueberry ice cream is the perfect treat for the summer or any time of the year (you can use fresh or frozen blueberries!). It is made without an ice cream maker or heavy cream and it is completely vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free. So delicious and everyone can make it!
Imagine you can make homemade ice cream that's healthier, super easy, completely vegan and without an ice cream maker. This vegan blueberry ice cream recipe will show you how easy it is to whip up a batch of no-churn ice cream from scratch without requiring heavy cream, any fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients.
Plus, it is so good! Raw cashews and canned coconut milk make the base of this ice cream so it is completely dairy-free and you can use either fresh or frozen blueberries. I also use maple syrup instead of refined sugar to sweeten the ice cream, so it is a little healthier and has a subtle maple flavor that makes for a harmonious blend.
You can make a batch within 15-20 minutes, the most difficult part really is to wait for it to freeze! It has the most vibrant color and amazing creamy texture, you will be hooked after your first bite!
Let me know if you give it a try! ❤️
For a vegan ice cream recipe using an ice cream maker, then check out this vegan cookie and cream ice cream, this dark chocolate ice cream and this vegan matcha ice cream recipe!
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❤️ Why you will love this recipe
- Easy 4-ingredient homemade ice cream recipe everyone can make!
- Made without cream, eggs or white sugar and packed with antioxidants, thanks to the heaping 4 cups of blueberries!
- No ice cream machine needed!
- Great summer treat or use frozen blueberries for an accessible all-year-round recipe
- Delicious blend of coconut milk and blueberries
- Perfect make-ahead dessert
- 100% vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free
🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- Raw cashews: add extra healthy fats to create an amazing texture even without using heavy cream. You will need raw cashews, roasted and/or salted cashews are not working for this recipe.
- Canned coconut milk: choose full-fat for a super creamy result and make sure it is unsweetened.
- Blueberries: I tested this recipe both with fresh and frozen blueberries and they both work. That being said, I prefer using frozen blueberries for their sweeter flavor, their bright blue color, their better price and they are available all year round!
- Maple syrup: sweetener of choice for this recipe, do not swap for granulated sugar, I have not tried it! I think agave nectar would work too.
⭐️ Find the full list of ingredients with quantities down below in the recipe card!
📝 Variations
- Blueberry cheesecake ice cream: add some lemon juice, vanilla extract and a little extra sweetener to the blender for extra tanginess and to give it a nice cheesecake flavor!
- Blueberry lavender ice cream: you can add about 1 teaspoon of food-grade lavender buds for a subtle lavender flavor.
- Add some inclusions: depending on what you are looking for, you can add some rainbow sprinkles, nuts, cookie dough chunks or even a handful of extra fresh blueberries once done blending the mixture.
- Bright blue color: a spoonful of butterfly pea flower powder would brighten up the color of your ice cream to a vibrant blue hue and add a mild sweet flavor on top of a ton of valuable antioxidants. Check out this butterfly pea flower latte for more info!
🍽 How to make vegan blueberry ice cream with coconut milk
Step 1: To a small pot, add blueberries, maple syrup and water.
Step 2: Cook until thicker and syrupy, then set aside. This will be used to make the blueberry swirl.
Step 3: Soak cashews in boiling water for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4: Then drain well.
Step 5: Add thawed blueberries, drained cashews, coconut milk and maple syrup to a blender.
Step 6: Blend on high until smooth (might take 1-2 minutes).
Step 7: Pour about half of the blended mixture into a freezer-safe container.
Step 8: Then scatter about half the cooked blueberry mixture over.
Step 9: Pour the rest of the blended ice cream mixture.
Step 10: Then, scatter the rest of the cooked blueberry mixture over and freeze before enjoying.
⭐️ Find the detailed recipe down below in the recipe card!
💡 Helpful tips
- I made this blueberry ice cream using a Vitamix blender and still had to blend for a few minutes to eliminate all the tiny specks of blueberry skins. If you have a regular blender, then you might need to blend for a little longer to ensure the blueberries are all properly crushed, so keep going until the mixture is uniform!
- Make sure to soak the cashews ahead of time (overnight in cold water or 15 minutes in boiling water). This will ensure they blend to a super smooth texture.
- Once completely frozen, the ice cream will be very hard and difficult to scoop. Be sure to take the ice out of the freezer at least 30-60 minutes before serving, especially if freezing it overnight!
- The blueberry swirl is technically optional and the ice cream would still be delicious without it, (I tested both ways, with and without the swirl) but I found the blueberry flavor to be more pronounced with the swirl, so try not to omit it!
- Adjust sweetness accordingly, which will depend on your preference and the natural sweetness of the berries. I find frozen berries to be sweeter, especially if using these Wild Blueberries from Wyman (they are the BEST, by the way), which in that case you might not need as much maple syrup. Large fresh blueberries sometimes are on the sour side, so if using them make sure to taste the mix straight from the blender and add more maple syrup if needed.
❗️ Storage tips
The blueberry ice cream can be kept covered for up to 2 months in the freezer. Longer than that is not recommended since some ice crystals can start to form and the flavor might change.
And remember: make sure to take the ice cream dish out of the freezer at least 30 minutes before you want to serve it, even for longer if looking for a soft-serve texture!
➡️ Serving suggestions
When scooping the ice cream, make sure to grab some of the blueberry swirl so you have the full blueberry flavor. You can add more fresh blueberries over and some shredded coconut for a nice touch.
For a boost in blueberry flavor, then serve with a warm blueberry sauce or try drizzling some peanut butter caramel sauce over for more sweetness!
❓ FAQs
Yes, you can! If the blueberries are naturally pretty sweet and you typically do not like super sweet desserts, then yes, the ice cream should be delicious even without the maple syrup.
I have not tried it, but I think regular oat milk might work instead of the coconut milk. I would expect the result to be less creamy with a texture that's a little more difficult to scoop (make sure to let the ice cream thaw for 1 hour before scooping), but it should work.
🌱 More vegan blueberry desserts to try
I hope you enjoyed this vegan blueberry coconut ice cream recipe! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below. Your feedback is so helpful!
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Blueberry Ice Cream (4-Ingredient, No Ice Cream Maker)
Equipment
- Blender
- Small pot
- Freezer friendly container a loaf pan works well
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned full fat coconut milk - unsweetened
- 1½ cup raw cashews - soaked in boiling water for 15 min
- ⅓ cup maple syrup - or agave nectar
- 2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries
For the blueberry swirl
- 2 cup blueberries
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Transfer the raw cashews to a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes, then drain well.
- Meanwhile, make the blueberry swirl mixture: add 2 cups of blueberries with the maple syrup and water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Keep simmering uncovered until syrupy. Set aside to cool down.
- To a blender, add the ice cream ingredients: drained cashews, 2 cups of blueberries (slightly thaw them in the microwave first), maple syrup and coconut milk. Blend on high until smooth, which can take 1-2 minutes.
- Pour about half of the blended ice cream mix into a freezer-safe container (a loaf pan works well), then scatter about half of the cooked blueberry syrup mix over. Pour the second half of the blended blueberry ice cream mixture, then scatter the rest of the blueberry syrup on top. You can use a spoon to create swirls with the blueberry topping, then transfer to a freezer.
- You should be able to enjoy the ice cream after freezing for 2 hours. If freezing for longer than that (such as overnight), then make sure to take it out of the freezer for about an hour before enjoying it, otherwise the ice cream will be too hard to scoop.
Video
Notes
- I made this blueberry ice cream using a Vitamix blender and still had to blend for a few minutes to eliminate the tiny specks of blueberry skins. If you have a regular blender, then you might need to blend for a little longer to ensure the blueberries are all properly crushed, so keep going until the mixture is uniform.
- Make sure to soak the cashews ahead of time (overnight in cold water or 15 minutes in boiling water). This will ensure they blend to a super smooth texture.
- Once completely frozen, the ice cream will be very hard and difficult to scoop. Be sure to take the ice out of the freezer at least 30-60 minutes before serving!
- The blueberry swirl is technically optional and the ice cream would still be delicious without it, (I tested both ways, with and without the swirl) but I found the blueberry flavor to be more pronounced and pleasant with the swirl, so try not to omit it!
- Adjust sweetness accordingly, which will depend on your preference and the natural sweetness of the berries. I find frozen berries to be sweeter, especially if using these Wild Blueberries from Wyman (they are the BEST, by the way), which in that case you might not need as much maple syrup. Large blueberries sometimes are on the sour side, so if using them make sure to take the mix straight from the blender and add more maple syrup if needed.
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
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