I’m pretty flexible with my ice cream recipes. It partially depends how many cans of coconut milk I have on hand, or what kind of dairy free milk I have or what ice cream flavour is being requested. It is so quick and easy to make – just mix or purée all of the ingredients, throw it into the ice cream maker and switch it to on for 20 minutes. Done.
I first tried this recipe on Canada day with only coconut milk. We all loved it, however, my son thought it was a touch coconuty. Using all coconut milk gives it a rich, creamy taste and texture. If you’re not a fan of coconut then I suggest using only one can and adding your favourite milk. NEVER USE LIGHT COCONUT MILK. It’s just watered down. Coconut milk is full of heart healthy fats so don’t be shy. My favourite brand of coconut milk is by Native Forest.
This ice cream is dairy free, guilt free and refreshing. You only need a few ingredients, plus an ice cream maker. My mom gave me one years ago from Costco and I couldn’t imagine life without it. Get to know your ice cream maker. My cuisinart frozen yogurt – ice cream and sorbet maker (this link shows a newer version than the one I have) will not hold more than 4 1/2 cups of liquid, as the liquid will expand once frozen. Keep this limit in mind as once you add the fruit or if you add too much of something else, you might end up with too much liquid and it will affect how hard the ice cream gets, as well. The less liquid used, the harder the ice cream gets (don’t let this deter you from making the full 4 1/2 cups, just put it in the freezer for an hour before serving if you don’t want it soft).
I am a less is more person, so if you need sweet you might want to add 1/4 c more maple syrup here (or just add less milk – top it up to only 2 cups, not 3 cups). You can test the blended mix before you add it to the ice cream maker. The second time I made this recipe I used half cashew milk.
gluten free, dairy free, vegan, paleo, soy free
cherry ice cream
makes a lot – sorry, I didn’t measure… enough for approx 8 servings
• 2 cans coconut milk (approx 3.5 cups) or 1 can and then add enough non-dairy milk (I used cashew milk over almond milk as it is thicker) to make 3 cups
• 2 cups pitted, diced cherries (great job for an older child if one is present…they’ll do anything for ice cream)
• 1/4 c amber maple syrup
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
BLEND all of the above ingredients, minus maybe 10 cherries. I like to add them to the blender right at the end so you get some chunks in your ice cream.
POUR into your ice cream maker and turn it on. (Follow your maker’s instructions in case they are different.) It’s pretty fool-proof.
If your ice cream is too soft, stick it in the freezer for an hour or two. Be sure to remove it prior to eating – on the counter if you need it asap or better to sit in the fridge for an hour.
NOTE: I find the recipes where I use part dairy free milk, the ice cream can come out pretty hard from the freezer. It’s best eaten straight from the maker. The all coconut milk ice cream freezes better. How it freezes also depends what fruit you mix with it – it’s water content, etc…
Don’t hesitate to experiment with different liquids. I’ve made ice cream before with all almond milk and it was great. You can also use yogurt instead. I have a chocolate ice cream recipe that I LOVE with two cans of coconut milk. So rich and creamy and the cocoa powder helps diffuse the strength of the coconut flavour. My son has never complained about a too strong coconut taste with my chocolate ice cream or my mint chocolate chip. So it really depends on the flavours you are adding.
Oh, I almost forgot – the chocolate pizzelles by Zuccaro sticking out of the ice cream. My kids LOVE these. Gluten free, dairy free and crap free. Unfortunately, gluten free can have a lot of crap in it so always read the labels. The sugar cones were also gluten free. Health food stores carry healthier ice cream cone options.
Enjoy! 
