Coconut Mint Ice Cream
This Coconut Mint Ice Cream Recipe is like a classic mint chocolate chip but made with non-dairy coconut cream. It’s an easy recipe, with just a handful of ingredients, that you can make in your ice cream machine.
We’re making Coconut Mint ice cream in our ice cream maker, but we don’t need to cook a custard first. Instead, the ingredients are just stirred together and poured in to churn.
This ice cream recipe is dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and nut free. Everyone can have a scoop!
It’s great that more and more dairy-free ice creams are available in stores now. I see oat milk ice cream, almond milk ice cream, coconut ice cream, and some new varieties too.
And while I might pick up a pint from time to time, the reality is that non-dairy ice creams are pretty expensive! I’d much rather make something like this Coconut Mint Ice Cream at home. For less cash, I can make more ice cream, and that’s always a good thing.
If you want to make a classic ice cream recipe with heavy cream and egg yolk custard, go see our Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream recipe. You might also like cannoli ice cream.
Why You’re Going to Love this Coconut Mint Ice Cream Recipe
Creamy Dairy-Free and Vegan Ice Cream – Coconut cream helps to create a super creamy mint ice cream without any milk or dairy products.
Mint Chocolate Chip! – If you are a fan, you know what I’m saying. It’s so good! If mint ice cream isn’t your favorite, I understand, but I also think you should try this recipe – it might change your mind.
An Easy Ice Cream Recipe – Coconut Mint Ice Cream only requires 7 ingredients, and they can all be stored in your pantry! Follow the step-by-step instructions here for amazing ice cream results.
Ingredients in Homemade Coconut Mint Ice Cream
Canned Coconut Cream – For this ice cream recipe, you’ll need two cans of coconut cream. There’s no need to refrigerate the cans or separate the cream from the liquid. We’ll use all of it, and we will chill it after mixing everything together.
Granulated Sugar – Most of the sweetness in this coconut ice cream comes from regular granulated sugar.
Corn Syrup – The rest of the sweetness comes from corn syrup, or you can use another liquid sweetener like honey or agave nectar. Using at least some liquid sweetener helps to discourage ice crystals from forming in our dairy-free ice cream.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla is a must for almost all of our ice cream recipes. It elevates the simple flavors of the other ingredients.
Peppermint Extract – Peppermint extract is the flavor you want when making mint ice cream. Plain “mint” extract won’t be the same.
Kosher Salt – Just a bit of salt balances the sweetness and makes everything taste a bit brighter.
Green Food Coloring – This is optional. This mint ice cream will be naturally white in color, so the addition of green makes it look minty. I’m using liquid food coloring, but a couple of drops of gel food coloring can also be used.
Chocolate – I prefer to use chocolate chunks or pieces of chocolate that I’ve chopped from a chocolate bar. Chocolate chips can be used, but there’s more flavor when you use chopped chocolate.
How to Make Coconut Mint Ice Cream from Scratch
Start the day before by making sure that the bowl for your ice cream maker has at least 24 hours to freeze solid.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the coconut cream, granulated sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and kosher salt.
- Whisk the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. This should take 2-3 minutes. You can check to be sure the sugar has dissolved by rubbing a bit of it in between your fingers. When it’s no longer gritty, you’re done!
- For color, stir in green food coloring.
- Cover the ice cream base, and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
- Churn the ice cream mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about 25 minutes), until it is thick and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
- During the last two minutes of the churn, add the chopped chocolate and let it mix until combined.
- Spoon the ice cream into a shallow ice cream container or a loaf pan. Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the ice cream. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid.
- To make coconut cream ice cream easy to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
How to Store Coconut Mint Ice Cream
Store this homemade coconut mint ice cream in the freezer in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper pressed on top for up to one month.
Tips for Making This Coconut Mint Ice Cream Recipe
Use quality ingredients – When making homemade ice cream, you’ll want to make sure you are using high-quality ingredients for the best outcome.
Chill out – When working with coconut cream, I don’t suggest chilling it before mixing up the ice cream base. Instead, it’s important to chill the mixed base for at least 1 hour. Room temperature ice cream base won’t churn up properly in your ice cream machine.
Don’t skimp on the fat – High-fat coconut cream is essential when making homemade dairy-free ice cream. Opting for a low-fat option often leads to icy ice creams and inconsistency in the texture.
Don’t go crazy with the add-ins – If you’re adding in additional ingredients, pick one or two and make sure they are chopped into pieces no larger than a blueberry or pea.
Don’t skimp on the sugar – Sugar not only adds sweetness to homemade ice creams, but it also helps with the texture. Sugar is essential for the creamy texture of ice cream. Both granulated sugar and some liquid sugar are essential for the creamy texture of coconut ice cream.
Make it Vegan – This recipe is dairy-free and can be made vegan if you use a vegan liquid sweetener like corn syrup or agave. Also, make sure that your granulated sugar is vegan, as some sugars are processed with bone char making them not vegan.
For Extra Mint Flavor – Just add a bit more peppermint extract! Don’t add more than 2 teaspoons of mint to this recipe though, it will be overpowering and artificial-tasting.
Why Does Mint Make Your Mouth Feel Cold?
There’s an interesting bit of science here to explain why mint-flavored ice cream feels colder than other types of ice cream, even though they are all at the same temperature.
Mint has a chemical in it called methol, and menthol causes our body to perceive a cold sensation. This happens in our mouths with mint gum, or on our skin with menthol muscle rubs.
When you add menthol to something that’s already cold, like ice cream, the cold sensation is doubled.
If you love mint ice cream, try this Andes Mint Ice Cream next.
What Kind of Mint is In Mint Ice Cream?
When you’re shopping for mint extract, you’ll find two different types.
Peppermint extract is the type we’re using in this recipe. This is the type that’s added to most mint ice creams. It has a strong mint flavor but is not overly green or herb-y.
The other type you’ll find is usually just called “mint extract” or sometimes spearmint extract. While you can use this one to add flavor to ice cream, it’s not as strong as peppermint and tastes more like mint leaves than mint candy.
No Churn Coconut Mint Ice Cream Directions
You won’t get the same creamy, luscious texture if you make this recipe without an ice cream machine, but it can be done.
Chill a shallow container or a loaf pan in the freezer while you mix the coconut mint ice cream ingredients.
Pour the ice cream mixture into the prepared pan and freeze for 3-4 hours. Stir the ice cream every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours to help add air. This will help create a creamy, smooth texture.
I suggested adding the chocolate chunks about two hours into freezing when you stir the ice cream for the last time. You can also save them and use them as a topping.
Coconut Mint Ice Cream Add-Ins
Try adding some of these tasty mix-ins to your coconut mint ice cream:
- Other chocolate candies, such as Andes Mints, white chocolate chunks, Junior Mints, or mint chips.
- Crushed cookies. Oreos are particularly good in mint ice cream, as are girl scout Thin Mints or similar mint chocolate cookies. You might also like these gluten free dairy free cookies.
- More Chocolate in the form of chocolate shavings, a drizzle of fudge sauce, or pieces of brownies mixed in.
More Homemade Non-Dairy Ice Cream Recipes
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Coconut Mint Ice Cream
This Coconut Mint Ice Cream Recipe is like a classic mint chocolate chip but made with non-dairy coconut cream. It's an easy recipe, with just a handful of ingredients, that you can make in your ice cream machine.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (13.5 ounces each) coconut cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon green food coloring, optional
- 3/4 cup chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate
Instructions
- Chill the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours or until solid. You should not hear any water sloshing around when you shake the bowl. In a medium bowl, add the coconut cream, granulated sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and kosher salt.
- Whisk until the sugar has dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. You should not feel any grit when you rub the mixture in between your fingers.
- Stir in the green food coloring.
- Place in the refrigerator for an hour, until chilled.
- Churn the ice cream mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about 25 minutes), until it is thick and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
- In the last two minutes of the churn, add the chopped chocolate, mixing until combined.
- Spoon the ice cream into a shallow container or a loaf pan. Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the ice cream. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid.
- Let sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Scoop and serve.
Notes
- Coconut cream is sold in a can and can be found in the baking aisle or near Thai food products. Be sure to use coconut cream and not coconut milk.
- Sometimes the coconut water will separate from the coconut cream in the can. For this recipe, you do not need to be concerned about this. Simply shake the can before opening it, and add the entire contents of the can to the recipe.
- Do not chill the coconut cream before mixing the ice cream base. It will be too thick and difficult to mix in smoothly.
- The use of a liquid sweetener is purposeful, as it helps to prevent ice crystals from forming in non-dairy ice cream recipes. You could use agave nectar or honey in this recipe, but I choose to use corn syrup so that nothing was competing with the mint flavor.
- Green food coloring was used to achieve a minty green color, but it is optional and can be left out.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 294Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 134mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 1gSugar: 48gProtein: 2g
