Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

By
Ashley Adams
Ashley Adams
Ashley Adams is a restaurant professional and workshop instructor with a specialty in dairy-free cooking and baking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/23/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Dairy-free vanilla ice cream

The Spruce/Cara Cormack
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Cool/Freeze Time: 4 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 3 1/2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
320 Calories
2g Fat
64g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 320
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 166mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 64g 23%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 63g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 388mg 30%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 473mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This vanilla ice "cream" is vegan and dairy-free. It's an excellent ice cream for making sundaes, ice cream sandwiches, root beer floats or on its own for a frozen creamy treat. Blending the ice cream after it has been frozen is important as it breaks up any ice crystals that form, ensuring that you end up with a creamy, not crunchy, dessert.

This ice cream pairs wonderfully with dairy-free caramel sauce or chocolate sauce. Top the ice cream off with some chopped nuts or dairy-free cookie crumbs if you like. Or stir another ingredient into the ice cream mixture just before it goes into the freezer for the last hour. Chopped vegan chocolate, cookie or graham cracker crumbs, or nuts are all good options.

"The dairy-free vanilla ice cream made with soymilk and soymilk powder was flavorful. Prep was fairly easy—mixing and re-blending a few times made the ice cream smooth and creamy. Make sure you use soymilk powder, not soy flour or soy powder." —Diana Rattray

soymilk dairy-free vanilla ice cream/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups soymilk

  • 1 1/2 cups soymilk powder

  • 2/3 cup water

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make dairy-free vanilla ice cream

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  2. In a blender, combine the soymilk, soymilk powder, and water until well blended.

    diary-free vanilla ice cream mixture in a blender.

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  3. Add the soymilk mixture, sugar, vanilla, and vinegar to a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and syrupy in consistency, about 10 minutes.

    diary-free vanilla ice cream mixture in a saucepan

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  4. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan or other medium-sized metal or aluminum pan and let it cool to room temperature. Place the pan in the freezer, uncovered, for 1 hour.

    Diary-free vanilla ice cream in a loaf pan

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  5. Remove the pan from the freezer and scrape the ice cream into a blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is creamy. Do not wash the blender, you will use it again. Place the mixture back in the pan and back into the freezer.

    dairy-free vanilla ice cream mixture in a blender

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  6. Repeat this procedure 3 more times at 30-minute intervals. Allow the ice cream to chill in the freezer, covered for 1 hour after the last blend before serving.

    Diary-free ice cream mixture in a loaf pan covered with plastic

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

  7. Serve the dairy-free ice cream with a dessert sauce or your choice of toppings, if desired.

    Diary-free vanilla ice cream served in bowls.

    The Spruce/Cara Cormack

Tips

  • Make sure you use soymilk powder in the recipe, not soy flour or soy powder.
  • When cooking the ice cream mixture, keep the heat on medium low and watch it carefully as it can boil over easily.

Recipe Variations

  • Add about 1/3 cup of chopped dairy-free chopped chocolate to the ice cream after the third blending.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract to the ice cream mixture along with the vanilla extract.
  • Add about 1/2 cup of crumbled dairy-free chocolate wafer cookies to the ice cream after the third blending. Mix them into the ice cream or sprinkle them over the top.

How to Store

  • Store the ice cream in a covered container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
  • For easy serving, pack the ice cream into small, 1-serving size containers. Cover and freeze.

What Does Soymilk Taste Like?

Soymilk has a milky, creamy taste, but flavor can vary depending on the brand. To make dairy-free ice cream, choose a soymilk that you enjoy drinking.

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