Name: Vegan chocolate ice cream
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Ingredients: 1 avocado- peeled and pitted; 4 dates, pitted; 3 small frozen bananas, peeled; 1/2 cup frozen coconut meat- *see cooking notes for source; 1/2 cup raw cashews; 1 cup unsweetened oat or almond milk; 2 TBSP raw cacoa powder; 1/4 tsp vanilla paste; pinch sea salt

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Tom Brady may have 7 Super Bowl rings, but this dairy free and vegan version of his avocado chocolate ice cream is the real winner.

How to make vegan chocolate ice cream-

You will need a high power blend for this recipe- but no ice cream maker.

Soak cashews in oat or almond milk for 30 minutes. Process the “milk”, nuts, avocados, frozen coconut, pitted dates, frozen bananas and vanilla on high for 1 minutes. Pour into a glass freezer proof dish. Freeze for 2 hours. Top with extra shredded coconut.

It’s so good, you can eat it right away for a more mousse like texture.

If serving frozen, let it sit out for about 10 minutes before scooping.

How I tested this recipe:

I was challenged to make Tom Brady’s famous (or rather infamous based on the online reviews) Avocado Ice Cream. Always looking to give up processed sugar, I accepted the challenge. The first attempt, I followed Brady’s recipe EXACTLY. It included a whopping 1 1/2 cups of pitted dates (hello calories) and 1 full cup of cacoa powder. It tasted like potting soil.

I wanted a recipe with less calories and way less cacao- it was just too much. Cacao is also very expensive. So after multiple attempts, I cracked the vegan frozen dessert code: when in doubt- add in frozen bananas.

Bananas get such a bad rap because of their carb count. But they are so good for you. Packed with potassium, vitamin C and fiber, they are plentiful and very inexpensive. Only 2 tablespoons of cacao, a tiny bit of vanilla paste and sea salt were added to bring up the chocolate notes.

By soaking the cashews in oat milk and not using Brady’s water, the ice cream was well- creamy. Only 4 pitted dates, not 1 1/2 cups, add the perfect amount of sweetness. And yes, I used the avocado. It does add a creaminess and a bit of body.

several small blue bowls filled with chunks of coconut, cashews, cacao powder, frozen bananas and avocado

Ingredients in vegan chocolate ice cream:

fresh ingredients-

bananas
avocado
medjool dates
unsweetened oat or almond milk
frozen coconut meat*

pantry ingredients-

vanilla paste
sea salt
raw cocoa powder ***
raw cashews

a floral plate with a small white bowl filled with two scoops of cacao ice cream

Where to buy:

*You need to use frozen coconut meat. I found mine at Publix. Here is the brand I used. Do not use coconut milk. If you cannot find frozen coconut, add in one more frozen banana. The coconut is great for smoothies as well. One bag last a long time in the freezer.

***My cacao powder is available at most grocery stores. I use Navitas raw cacao powder. It can be found in the health food area of the store or near the cooking flours and sweeteners. It is fantastic for chocolate smoothies.

a measuring cup filling over with cashews and a small bowl of plant based milk

Tips for perfect ice cream:

Use pitted dates
Freeze your bananas at the peak of ripeness. You do not want brown or spotted bananas
Use a Vita-mix or Ninja type high powered blender
Let ice cream thaw for 10 minutes before eating
You can eat the ice cream right away- it will have a texture more similar to mousse
Be certain to soak the cashews for 30 minutes you can use any plant based milk. Just be certain it is unsweetened.

If you like Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream- try these recipes:

a shot of cacao ice cream inside a blender

Nutritional information (6 servings per recipe)

Total calories: 386

Total Fat- 11.7 grams, Sat fat- 3.2 grams, Cholesterol 3.3 mg, Sodium- 75.4 mg, Total Carbs- 75.4 grams, Dietary fiber- 9.7 grams, Sugar- 48.9 grams, Added Sugar- O, Protein- 5.4 grams, Calcium- 45.4%, Iron- 9.2%, Potassium- 929.2 mg, vitamin C 21%