Nothing tastes better in a sweltering heat wave than cold and creamy ice cream! Memories of ice cream melting down our mouths as kids are synonymous with summertime. With that nostalgia in mind, I’m going to share my recipe for the best 3-ingredient homemade chocolate coconut ice cream. Get ready, it’s to die for!

Be Sure To Try My Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Topping Next!

Aimee from Homemaker on a Budget shares a refreshing chocolate coconut ice cream recipe with only 3 ingredients and dairy free!

Easy Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

Homemade ice cream is better for us than store-bought or even restaurant-served. It has fewer ingredients and can even be healthy. It’s also surprisingly easy to make. Using a personal ice cream maker, I can serve up homemade chocolate coconut ice cream to my family in no time.

I created this coconut ice cream with coconut milk because I wanted a dairy-free option. But we also all love chocolate! By combining coconut milk with raw cacao powder, I crafted something everybody enjoys. It’s become my go-to dairy-free ice cream recipe!

Raw cacao powder is packed with polyphenols, making this recipe actually good for you!

Polyphenols have been show to:

Protect DNA from oxidative damage
Help damaged cells self-destruct instead of mutating
Reduce chronic inflammation (a major driver of cancer)

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3-Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream

When deciding on a dairy-free ice cream recipe, I knew I wanted to make a version with coconut milk. Using full-fat coconut milk gives the dessert its creamy texture and full flavor. I prefer to use the organic brand from Trader Joe’s. Raw cacao powder is packed with antioxidants and gives it that bold chocolate-y flavor. To sweeten things up, I use pure maple syrup.

With these 3 simple ingredients, plus a quality ice cream maker, it doesn’t get any easier to make your own ice cream at home!

The Best Ice Cream Maker

There are many ice cream makers on the market, but my favorite brand is the Cuisineart Ice Cream Maker Machine. It features stainless steel material, comes with a double-insulated freezer bowl, and the price tag won’t break the bank! It’s easily stored, but it is also a good-looking appliance; you won’t mind it sitting on the counter.

The best part? It yields 2 quarts of ice cream, which is perfect for our family of six. We use it weekly to make ice cream! Bonus: It comes with a recipe booklet, and you can also use it to make frozen yogurt!

Find it on Amazon HERE

Aimee from Homemaker on a Budget uses a Cuisineart Ice cream maker machine to create a homemade 3-ingredient chocolate coconut ice cream.

What You’ll Need

You will need the following ingredients to make this recipe. I recommend purchasing organic when possible.

Full-fat Coconut Milk
Raw Cacao Powder
Pure Maple Syrup
Pure Vanilla (optional)

Aimee from Homemaker on a Budget uses full-fat coconut milk to achieve a creamy homemade ice cream.

Aimee from Homemaker on a Budget shares the three ingredients that makeup a creamy homemade chocolate coconut ice cream.

How To Make Dairy-Free Ice Cream

Start by acquiring all of your ingredients and pulling out your ice cream maker. In a blender, you’ll combine all three ingredients (four if you’re using vanilla) and blend until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula to get all the cacao powder from the sides. Pour into your favorite ice cream maker.

Aimee from Homemaker on a Budget adds coconut milk, cacao powder, and maple syrup to an ice cream maker to create a delicious and creamy homemade ice cream for summer.

Next, allow your ice cream to churn for approximately 25-40 minutes. The timing largely depends on whether your coconut milk is chilled or not. To speed up the process, refrigerate your coconut milk. After the ice cream is churned and thickened, you can do your add-ins now and allow the machine to mix, or put them in at the end.

Churning her own ice cream, Aimee from Homemaker on a Budget shares a delicious 3-ingredient recipe anyone can follow.

Now, this is the consistency you’re looking for. Transfer the ice cream using a spatula (I like using my rice cooker spatula) to a freezer container and chill until ready to serve. You can add toppings like chocolate chips, sprinkles, or crushed up Oreos at this point, or add them to individual servings. Ice cream will stay fresh and delicious for at least one week, if it lasts that long!

Cold, creamy, and delicious homemade ice cream that is easy and dairy-free! Aimee from Homemaker on a Budget serves up 3-ingredient chocolate coconut ice cream.

Optional Add-Ins & Alternatives

Making your own ice cream doesn’t have to be intimidating. Let it be a fun experience for everyone by creating a self-serve ice cream bar or offering colorful and interesting add-ins that your family and friends would love to mix in! If chocolate isn’t your thing, omit the cacao powder, add vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, and enjoy a simple vanilla ice cream that’s versatile for many toppings.

Consider these toppings (many are available gluten-free if needed):

Crushed oreos
Cookie dough
Sprinkles
Dark or white chocolate chips
Chopped nuts
Nut butter
Fresh summer berries
Summer peaches or nectarines
Your favorite jam
Coconut flakes
Crushed waffle cone

If you enjoyed this dairy-free ice cream recipe, you’ll find some of our family’s favorite dairy-free recipes below. I offer a variety of dairy-free options on my website, if that is what you are looking for. Bonus, these also include chocolate. We hope you enjoy trying out some new recipes and making some new memories with your family this summer!

other recipes you might enjoy:

bonus recipes:

Try my Simple 2-Ingredient Strawberry Syrup as a bold and fruity addition to your homemade ice cream! Want something richer and more decadent? Try making my easy 2-Ingredient Caramel Sauce.

3-Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream

By Aimee Guess

Easy recipe for the best 3-ingredient chocolate ice cream. This is a family favorite recipe that we make on repeat most weekends. Raw cacao powder is packed with polyphenols, making this recipe actually good for you!

Serving Size 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cans full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup cacao powder
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

In a blender, add all ingredients. Blend for 20-30 seconds. Scrape the sides and blend again if necessary to get all the cacao powder incorporated.
Pour in your favorite ice cream maker.
Because the coconut milk is used at room temperature, the ice cream typically takes about 40 minutes to churn and firm up. If you refrigerate the coconut milk overnight before making the recipe, the ice cream will be ready in about 25-30 minutes.
Once the ice cream starts coming together, you are welcome to add goodies, like 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips or the Simple Mills Oreos (crushed up), which are a great add-in for special occasions.
Transfer the ice cream to a container and freeze until ready to serve. Using a rice spatula (usually included with a rice cooker) is most effective for removing all the ice cream from the container.
Ice cream will stay fresh and delicious for 1 week.

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