Vegan Blueberry Ice Cream (4-Ingredient, No Ice Cream Maker)

An ice cream scoop containing vegan blueberry ice cream and placed over the container with the ice cream.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Blueberry Ice Cream (4-Ingredient, No Ice Cream Maker)

This easy no-churn vegan blueberry ice cream is the perfect treat for the summer or any time of the year (you can use fresh or frozen blueberries!). It is made without an ice cream maker or heavy cream and it is completely vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free. So delicious and everyone can make it!

Prep Time20

Freezing time2

Total Time2 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free ice cream, healthy vegan dessert, vegan ice cream

Servings: servings

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Equipment

Blender
Small pot
Freezer friendly container a loaf pan works well
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons

Ingredients

15 oz canned full fat coconut milk unsweetened
1½ cup raw cashews soaked in boiling water for 15 min
⅓ cup maple syrup or agave nectar
2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries

For the blueberry swirl

2 cup blueberries
2 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoon water

Instructions

Transfer the raw cashews to a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes, then drain well.
Meanwhile, make the blueberry swirl mixture: add 2 cups of blueberries with the maple syrup and water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Keep simmering uncovered until syrupy. Set aside to cool down.
To a blender, add the ice cream ingredients: drained cashews, 2 cups of blueberries (slightly thaw them in the microwave first), maple syrup and coconut milk. Blend on high until smooth, which can take 1-2 minutes.
Pour about half of the blended ice cream mix into a freezer-safe container (a loaf pan works well), then scatter about half of the cooked blueberry syrup mix over. Pour the second half of the blended blueberry ice cream mixture, then scatter the rest of the blueberry syrup on top. You can use a spoon to create swirls with the blueberry topping, then transfer to a freezer.
You should be able to enjoy the ice cream after freezing for 2 hours. If freezing for longer than that (such as overnight), then make sure to take it out of the freezer for about an hour before enjoying it, otherwise the ice cream will be too hard to scoop.

Video

Notes

I made this blueberry ice cream using a Vitamix blender and still had to blend for a few minutes to eliminate the tiny specks of blueberry skins. If you have a regular blender, then you might need to blend for a little longer to ensure the blueberries are all properly crushed, so keep going until the mixture is uniform.
Make sure to soak the cashews ahead of time (overnight in cold water or 15 minutes in boiling water). This will ensure they blend to a super smooth texture.
Once completely frozen, the ice cream will be very hard and difficult to scoop. Be sure to take the ice out of the freezer at least 30-60 minutes before serving!
The blueberry swirl is technically optional and the ice cream would still be delicious without it, (I tested both ways, with and without the swirl) but I found the blueberry flavor to be more pronounced and pleasant with the swirl, so try not to omit it!
Adjust sweetness accordingly, which will depend on your preference and the natural sweetness of the berries. I find frozen berries to be sweeter, especially if using these Wild Blueberries from Wyman (they are the BEST, by the way), which in that case you might not need as much maple syrup. Large blueberries sometimes are on the sour side, so if using them make sure to take the mix straight from the blender and add more maple syrup if needed.
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition