2-Ingredient Coconut Milk Ice Cream (no machine required)

Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free)

Both of my kids have sensitivities to cows’ milk so I try to avoid dairy products when convenient, which is… almost never. Milk is in pretty much everything. Especially ice cream. I’m not interested in paying $4-6/carton for a dairy-free treat, but I still wanted to create something for the munchkins while my husband and I had the real deal.

While rambling about this major life dilemma to a friend one day, she scribbled down this simple recipe for Paleo coconut milk “ice cream” on a piece of paper and sent me on my way. Since then, I’ve simplified it even further and made it dozens of times. It is such a quick, delicious treat.

Whether you are following a Paleo, gluten-free and/or dairy-free diet, this recipe needs to be part of your rotation. All you need are two ingredients: coconut milk & ripe, frozen bananas. There is no added sugar, as the bananas pack plenty of sweetness on their own.

As soon as bananas start to get overripe, with those little black spots, I peel them and freeze them in a single layer in gallon-size plastic storage bags. I almost always have 1-2 bags of frozen bananas in the freezer for quick additions to smoothies, ice cream, or milkshakes.

I have also used a rough equivalent of other frozen fruit, like peaches, with great results, but bananas are our favorite. Then you just pulse the 2 ingredients in a food processor until you have a smooth, creamy frozen treat. No complicated steps or ice cream maker required! It is ready 5 minutes after you toss the ingredients into the food processor.

You can serve it immediately, which will give you results similar to soft serve ice cream (bottom picture, my preference).

If you prefer a harder, easier-to-scoop ice cream, simply put the coconut milk mixture in a covered dish in the freezer for several hours until firm (top picture). Either way, you can’t beat the simplicity of this method. Perfect for those hot, lazy days of summer.

Enjoy!

Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Slightly adapted from A Health-Bent recipe

1 can full-fat coconut milk
6-7 frozen bananas (or other frozen fruit)

1. Cut the bananas into smaller, 1-2″ pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse 10-15 times.
2. Pour in coconut milk. Pulse until combined and smooth.
3. For soft-serve style ice cream, serve immediately. For a harder scoop-able ice cream, place in a covered dish in the freezer until firm. Take out and place on the counter for 15-20 minutes to soften for serving.
4. Eat as is or top with toasted coconut flakes!

Note: You can absolutely use a Blendtec or Vitamix blender for this recipe as well! Wondering if all the fuss about these fancy blenders is worth it? Check out our review here.

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I don’t follow anything remotely close to a Paleo diet, but if I did, the book Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan (Amazon) would be the first Paleo book on my shelf. I’ve borrowed it from a friend and loved everything I tried from it. If you are on a Paleo diet, I’d highly recommend this cookbook!

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