Vegan Nutella Ice Cream
6-ingredient vegan ice cream made with chocolate and hazelnuts — a.k.a. a Nutella lover's dream! Fluffy, creamy, kind of perfect, and the ultimate sweet treat for a warm summer day!
Servings 9 (~1/2-cup servings)
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw hazelnuts
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (we like Enjoy Life)
- 2 (14-oz.) cans light coconut milk (we like Whole Foods 365*)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar (ensure organic if vegan)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- The day before use, place your ice cream churning bowl in the freezer to ensure a proper chill.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and add the hazelnuts to a bare baking sheet in a single layer. If raw, roast for a total of 10-12 minutes. If already roasted, roast for 8-10 minutes just to warm the natural oils and loosen the skins. This will make them easier to blend into butter. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Then transfer to a large kitchen towel and use your hands to roll the nuts around to remove most of the skins. You want to get as much as possible off because doing so yields a creamier result. But it doesn’t have to be perfect!
- Transfer the hazelnuts (skins removed and disposed of) to your high-speed blender and blend starting on low and working your way up to high, breaking down the hazelnuts as much as possible. They should wind up looking like small crumbs.
- Next, melt your chocolate. Melt chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until about half of the chocolate chips are melted (~1 minute). Remove the pan from the heat and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. You could also do this in the microwave, melting the chocolate in 30-second increments.
- Pour the melted chocolate into the blender. Begin blending on low, working your way up to high until the hazelnut butter is completely smooth and combined. The smoother the better! This should take about 3 minutes. Once completely smooth, remove 3 Tbsp of your freshly made "Nutella" and set aside for later!
- To your blender with the remaining "Nutella," add the light coconut milk, cane sugar, vanilla extract, and sea salt and blend on high until smooth, creamy, and completely combined.
- Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Add the slightly chilled mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions — ours took 30 minutes. It should look like a thick soft serve (see photo). Pour the reserved Nutella on top of the ice cream and gently fold it in to create a swirl, being careful to avoid fully mixing it in. You can enjoy your ice cream now if you prefer a softer, less frozen ice cream (similar in texture to gelato)! Or transfer the ice cream to a large freezer-safe container and smooth it with a spoon. Top with parchment paper and freeze for at least 1 hour or until firm.
- Set out for 10-15 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Store in the freezer well covered for up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*For ideal creaminess, we recommend using a brand of coconut milk that is smooth and creamy (such as Whole Foods 365). These usually contain emulsifiers (such as guar gum), which improve the creaminess of the ice cream!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 9 servings)
Serving: 1 (1/2-cup) serving Calories: 277 Carbohydrates: 21.5 g Protein: 3.6 g Fat: 21.2 g Saturated Fat: 9.4 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 6.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 31 mg Potassium: 103 mg Fiber: 2.8 g Sugar: 17 g Vitamin A: 0 IU Vitamin C: 0.9 mg Calcium: 44 mg Iron: 2.2 mg