Simple Vanilla Bean Ice Cream is made from 3 healthy ingredients and can be served soft serve or traditional. This Paleo treat is healthy and delicious the entire family can enjoy.
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I’ll be the first to admit, I have a really close relationship with dairy products. I love the variety of cheeses I can buy at Costco (I usually throw 3-4 different bricks in my cart every time I go there). I especially appreciate that dairy in raw and fermented forms are actually beneficial for your health, provided you are not intolerant to them. That’s why I regularly make yogurt and we purchase pastured butter quarterly in 40 pound blocks (which conveniently lasts us 3 months).
But despite this, I realize coconut in it’s own right is a health food and therefore, have been slowly transitioning to consuming more of the coconut goodness. I’ll be honest, it’s been a tough transition. My family isn’t a big fan of all things coconut. I can’t get away with using coconut oil when sauteeing vegetables. And I certainly can’t make coconut ice cream and call it just like “store bought ice cream.” Or can I?
Believe it or not, this is one of the few recipes that my kids prefer I use coconut milk instead of the dairy heavy cream. I know, I was surprised myself. But they keep asking for it and when made with only 3 ingredients, 3 healthy ingredients – I’m always happy to oblige.
3 Ingredient Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Paleo)
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream sounds so much fancier than plain Vanilla Ice Cream, no? Don’t skimp on the vanilla, those specks of vanilla and the smell is sweetly divine. Simply split open a vanilla bean and scrape off the beans with a butter knife directly into the ice cream mixing bowl.
I make my own vanilla extract and when I do, I keep the beans in the bottles until the extract runs out. I use those softened beans for the ice cream.
No vanilla beans? No worries, just add 2 tablespoons of the extract. By adding the alcohol base extract, your ice cream won’t be rock solid when completely frozen so you can compensate for the lack of vanilla bean specks that way. 😜
Soft Serve or Traditional?
You can enjoy this paleo ice cream soft serve style by eating directly from the ice cream mixing bowl individual small bowls. If you’re opting for more solid ice cream, transfer the mixed frozen treat into a freezer safe container and freeze for couple of hours. Either way, it’s a winner! And a healthy one at that!
Coconut Milk Convert
So there you have it. My kids are coconut milk converts. Well, maybe not entirely, but a recipe that calls for the sweetness of the maple syrup and heavenly smell of vanilla leaves the coconut flavor delightful.
My Picks & Suggestions
Coconut Milk + Cream – This is the brand without guar gum (which most coconut milks contain) but I use the Trader Joe’s store brand with great success. TJ’s carries both clean coconut milk and coconut cream. I have not tried this recipe with homemade coconut milk.
Vanilla Beans or high quality Vanilla Extract
Maple Syrup – I get the best deal at Costco but I’ve used this one in the past as well.
Ice Cream Maker – This one is my favorite and really the only one I use (besides a large ziplock bag from years ago – ewwww!).
Freezer safe containers to store your delicious frozen treat.
Paleo Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
With 3 wholesome ingredients, this paleo vanilla ice cream will become your favorite treat year round.
Ingredients
- 1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk (room temperature) *
- 1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut cream (room temperature) *
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon scraped vanilla bean seeds OR
- 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
Instructions
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Place the ice cream bowl in the freezer 12 hours before or according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Combine coconut milk, cream and maple syrup in a blender until smooth and frothy (about 2-3 minutes). Pour the mixture in the ice cream bowl and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Add vanilla extract or scrape vanilla seeds from the beans with a butter knife and add directly into the ice cream bowl as its churning.
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After approximately 35 minutes, you can enjoy this soft serve consistency or transfer the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze for 4 hours to get more solid ice cream. Ice cream will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
*My favorite coconut milk and cream is Trader Joe's brand as it doesn't contain guar gum and is full fat. This recipe calls for either 2 cans of 13.5 oz coconut milk or 3 cartons of Aroy-d coconut milk (no guar gum). You need a total of 3 1/2 cups of coconut milk + cream with 1:1 ratio.
*You can get full cream by chilling the coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight and then skimming the fat from the top. Doing so you may need 4 cartons to work with to get to a combined 3 1/2 cups of liquid. You may also need to heat the cream to bring it to room temperature so it combines well with sweetener.
I definitely need this in my life. Haha.
I am officially inviting myself over to have some of this ice cream. I’ll bring the organic strawberries. 😉 This looks so good Anya! Love how easy this is and all of those lovely, healthy ingredients too. Yum!
Totally! We need a date on the calendar! <3
Wow. Wow. Wow. Who knew you could make a three ingredients paleo ice cream! Love it!
I had to get used to coconut milk ice cream last summer when i went completely off dairy – it did take me a while but using real vanilla bean helped with taste tremendously! This looks so lovely and creamy!
Vanilla is good at covering coconutty flavor.
Gorgeous!!! You had me at three ingredients! This is a must try. I do love vanilla bean cream.
3 ingredients always wins!! Thanks Irena.
I learned that adding like 2 tbs of cashews to coconut milk ice cream can take away a lot of that coconut taste too, so for those that are still tasting the coconut they might want to try that. That being said, your version looks so creamy and delicious!! I need to put my ice cream bowl back in the freezer so I can make some.
I have not heard of that trick. Thanks for sharing that Michele.
Oh my goodness. I have some avocado brownies that would go AMAZING under some of this ice cream 😉
Yes they would! That sounds amazing!
Oh em geeeee – vanilla ice cream is my FAVE. This looks SO GOOD.
You can never have too much ice cream! Love how simple this is!
I just love vanilla bean ice cream! My favorite ice cream flavor. Lovely photos.
I love vanilla ice cream and this version is so simple to make. Love it !
I have tried vanilla ice cream that turned out horrible and so icy. Yours looks creamy and perfect- I’ll have to try it! 🙂
Just in time for the hot weather! I am already seeing summer days enjoying this in the sun!
So simple but so delicious–love recipes like this with a short ingredient list!
Wow, this looks like genius with only three ingredients (love three ingredient recipes of all types!) and good to hear that even folks who aren’t total coconut converts are fans of this coconut-y goodness.
Vanilla is my favorite flavor of ice cream, and it’s never better than during berry season!
You had me at “3 Ingredients.” This looks delish… and so easy!
Very easy and delicious indeed! Thanks Katja.
This looks so amazing and refreshing! I’m going to have to make some soon.
I love a good healthy ice cream. This recipe will come in handy this summer.
Thank you Carrie. Hope you enjoy!
can you switch the sugar (maple syrup) to a low carb alternative?
I’m sure you can, Gina but I don’t have much experience with low carb sweeteners. Perhaps start off with 2 tablespoons of erythritol and go from there. Enjoy!
I did not find success with this recipe from a textural standpoint. The cream and milk wouldn’t blend no matter how hard I tried. I was left with a white waxy frozen coconut cream on top and a tan icy layer on the bottom. The flavor was good and despite my difficulty, my daughter loved it!
Hi RJL,
Thanks for your comment. Sounds like the fat in the milk and cream separated and rose to the top. It should blend well with the sweetener if the cream and milk were at room temperature. I’m sorry you did not have success. Happy your daughter loved the flavor though. 🙂