best raw vegan ice cream

Also check out this ice cream recipe, or this one.

Leave the So Good, Rice Dream and even Coconut Bliss in the store, boys and girls. True bliss resides in THIS ice cream. It's actually dangerous, it is so good. Even compared to all the dairy ice creams I had before going vegan and raw, this is the best. You must make it for yourself to understand.

Luckily it's pretty affordable and very easy, because you'll be making a lot of it. I usually have at least two pints in the freezer. It's really easy to change up too!

Whether you like it simple, chocolate-y, a mash up of a bunch of things (ex. chocolate swirl, caramel, chunks of nuts, nut butter, or raw cookie dough) or fancy flavors like lavender and basil; this recipe is the perfect base for all types. The flavour shown is vanilla with a chocolate swirl (just chocolate sauce stirred in after the vanilla ice cream thickens up a little.)

raw vegan coconut ice cream: makes about 3-6 servings

2 cups soaked raw cashews 

Coconut meat from 2 young Thai coconuts (about 1 3/4 cups)

1 cup non-dairy milk

3/4 cup agave/honey/maple syrup

Seeds from 1/2 - 1 vanilla bean (I love vanilla so I use a whole one)

2 T vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 T or so of coconut oil, melted

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil in your blender (Vita-Mix works best!) until lusciously smooth and creamy. Melt coconut oil in a bowl that's sitting in a larger bowl filled with hot water. Add in and blend until mixed. Try it now... Yeah. I know. 

Now try to resist eating it all before it's frozen: if you have an ice cream maker use that. 

But if you're like me and don't have one, put the batter in several small jars or freezable containers (single servings!) and stick them in the freezer. Check back every 30-60 minutes and stir until they are eventually frozen, creamy delights.

If you're adding a chocolate or caramel swirl, or nuts or chunks of banana or WHATEVER you wanna add, mix in your goodies when the ice cream is quite thick but not frozen and they won't sink to the bottom or completely mix into the vanilla ice cream. This is how you get that swirl/ribbon effect. Can you say lovely?!