Coconut milk ice cream is the ultimate dairy-free ice cream, made with only three ingredients! It’s rich and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness and coconut flavor. Enjoy it in a cone or scooped on top of your favorite dessert for a refreshing treat that tastes great all year round!

I’ve been making homemade ice cream for years, and this coconut milk version is one of my absolute favorites. It’s naturally creamy, full of rich coconut flavor, and comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients. No need for heavy cream or eggs—this recipe is dairy-free, light, and still unbelievably indulgent.
The key to this recipe is one extra (simple!) step that makes all the difference: gently heating the coconut milk before chilling it. This helps dissolve any solids and ensures the mixture is completely smooth, so your ice cream turns out luxuriously creamy instead of gritty. It’s a small detail, but it’s what makes this recipe feel truly professional. Whatever you do, don’t skip this step.
Enjoy a bowl of this ice cream on its own or with vegan salted caramel brownies or a slice of vegan strawberry cream pie .
Ingredients notes
You only need three simple ingredients to make this delicious homemade coconut milk ice cream:
- Coconut milk : not all coconut milks are created equal, so you’ll want to read the labels. Look for cans of full-fat coconut milk that’s at least 60% coconut extract, with no gums or additives.
- Coconut sugar : coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut palm trees, and has a strong caramel taste. It’s similar to brown sugar and you can find it at most grocery stores.
- You’ll also need pure vanilla extract and some toasted coconut ribbons (for serving, if desired).

Tips for making the best coconut milk ice cream
This simple homemade coconut ice cream recipe is easy to make, but here are a few helpful tips that make it the best :
- Use a full-fat coconut milk that’s at least 60% coconut extract, with no gums or additives. The higher it is in fat, the better the ice cream will be. Basically, avoid the light stuff!
- Don’t use granulated coconut sugar. I’ve tried different sweeteners, and coconut sugar has just the right taste and texture. If you need, brown sugar makes a good substitute.
- If you enjoy a soft-serve consistency, enjoy this ice cream right out of the ice cream maker! Otherwise, freeze it for a few hours until it becomes firm enough that you can scoop it with an ice cream scoop.
Watch how to make it
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Coconut Milk Ice Cream (SUPER creamy thanks to a simple trick)
- Pin

Ingredients
- ▢ 3 15-ounce cans of additive-free coconut milk (see notes)
- ▢ 1 cup coconut sugar
- ▢ 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- ▢ Toasted shredded coconut (to serve)
Instructions
- Combine the coconut milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla in a medium-sized pot and heat over medium-low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the coconut milk is steaming. (Do not bring it to a boil.) 3 15-ounce cans of additive-free coconut milk, 1 cup coconut sugar, 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- Carefully pour the warm cream into your blender. Start your blender on low speed then slowly increase the speed to high. Hold your hand over the lid to make sure that the steam from the cream doesn’t pop the lid off. Blend on high for one minute and then refrigerate until it’s completely cold, at least 4 hours.
- Once it is completely cold, process it according to your ice cream maker’s directions. (See the blog post for making this without an ice cream maker.)
- Either serve immediately as soft serve ice cream or scoop the ice cream into a freezer-proof container – a loaf pan works well. Freeze until the ice cream is firm – about 2 hours.
- Scoop the ice cream into bowls and serve with some toasted shredded coconut on top. Toasted shredded coconut
Video
Notes
- Pour the ice cream into a shallow pan and place it carefully into your freezer.
- Set a timer to check on it every 30 minutes, then scrape it with a fork to mix the ice cream. Repeat this 3-4 times until it resembles the texture of ice cream. That’s it!
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .

Did you make this?
We love to see what you made! Tag @theendlessmeal or hashtag #theendlessmeal !
Variations to try
Chocolate coconut milk ice cream: Add ¼ cup of cocoa powder to the blender.
Strawberry: Boil chopped strawberries for 10 minutes and then stir them into the heated coconut milk. For a shortcut, add strawberry jam!
Peanut butter: Add a dollop to the blender.
Salted Caramel: Swirl some caramel into the ice cream just as it’s finishing churning. Or you can simply spoon some on top before eating.
More coconut milk ice cream recipes
Coconut Lemon Ice Cream
Vegan Cherry Ice Cream
Lime Coconut Ice Cream
Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Coconut Milk Ice Cream (SUPER creamy thanks to a simple trick)
Ingredients
- 3 15-ounce cans of additive-free coconut milk , see notes
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- Toasted shredded coconut , to serve
Instructions
- Combine the coconut milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla in a medium-sized pot and heat over medium-low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the coconut milk is steaming. (Do not bring it to a boil.) 3 15-ounce cans of additive-free coconut milk, 1 cup coconut sugar, 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- Carefully pour the warm cream into your blender. Start your blender on low speed then slowly increase the speed to high. Hold your hand over the lid to make sure that the steam from the cream doesn’t pop the lid off. Blend on high for one minute and then refrigerate until it’s completely cold, at least 4 hours.
- Once it is completely cold, process it according to your ice cream maker’s directions. (See the blog post for making this without an ice cream maker.)
- Either serve immediately as soft serve ice cream or scoop the ice cream into a freezer-proof container - a loaf pan works well. Freeze until the ice cream is firm - about 2 hours.
- Scoop the ice cream into bowls and serve with some toasted shredded coconut on top. Toasted shredded coconut
Notes
- Pour the ice cream into a shallow pan and place it carefully into your freezer.
- Set a timer to check on it every 30 minutes, then scrape it with a fork to mix the ice cream. Repeat this 3-4 times until it resembles the texture of ice cream. That’s it!
https://www.theendlessmeal.com/vanilla-coconut-ice-cream/
Coconut milk ice cream is the ultimate dairy-free ice cream, made with only three ingredients! It’s rich and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness and coconut flavor. Enjoy it in a cone or scooped on top of your favorite dessert for a refreshing treat that tastes great all year round!

I’ve been making homemade ice cream for years, and this coconut milk version is one of my absolute favorites. It’s naturally creamy, full of rich coconut flavor, and comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients. No need for heavy cream or eggs—this recipe is dairy-free, light, and still unbelievably indulgent.
The key to this recipe is one extra (simple!) step that makes all the difference: gently heating the coconut milk before chilling it. This helps dissolve any solids and ensures the mixture is completely smooth, so your ice cream turns out luxuriously creamy instead of gritty. It’s a small detail, but it’s what makes this recipe feel truly professional. Whatever you do, don’t skip this step.
Enjoy a bowl of this ice cream on its own or with vegan salted caramel brownies or a slice of vegan strawberry cream pie .
Ingredients notes
You only need three simple ingredients to make this delicious homemade coconut milk ice cream:
- Coconut milk : not all coconut milks are created equal, so you’ll want to read the labels. Look for cans of full-fat coconut milk that’s at least 60% coconut extract, with no gums or additives.
- Coconut sugar : coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut palm trees, and has a strong caramel taste. It’s similar to brown sugar and you can find it at most grocery stores.
- You’ll also need pure vanilla extract and some toasted coconut ribbons (for serving, if desired).

Tips for making the best coconut milk ice cream
This simple homemade coconut ice cream recipe is easy to make, but here are a few helpful tips that make it the best :
- Use a full-fat coconut milk that’s at least 60% coconut extract, with no gums or additives. The higher it is in fat, the better the ice cream will be. Basically, avoid the light stuff!
- Don’t use granulated coconut sugar. I’ve tried different sweeteners, and coconut sugar has just the right taste and texture. If you need, brown sugar makes a good substitute.
- If you enjoy a soft-serve consistency, enjoy this ice cream right out of the ice cream maker! Otherwise, freeze it for a few hours until it becomes firm enough that you can scoop it with an ice cream scoop.
Watch how to make it
Subscribe to our channel to watch more cooking videos!

Coconut Milk Ice Cream (SUPER creamy thanks to a simple trick)
- Pin

Ingredients
- ▢ 3 15-ounce cans of additive-free coconut milk (see notes)
- ▢ 1 cup coconut sugar
- ▢ 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- ▢ Toasted shredded coconut (to serve)
Instructions
- Combine the coconut milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla in a medium-sized pot and heat over medium-low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the coconut milk is steaming. (Do not bring it to a boil.) 3 15-ounce cans of additive-free coconut milk, 1 cup coconut sugar, 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- Carefully pour the warm cream into your blender. Start your blender on low speed then slowly increase the speed to high. Hold your hand over the lid to make sure that the steam from the cream doesn’t pop the lid off. Blend on high for one minute and then refrigerate until it’s completely cold, at least 4 hours.
- Once it is completely cold, process it according to your ice cream maker’s directions. (See the blog post for making this without an ice cream maker.)
- Either serve immediately as soft serve ice cream or scoop the ice cream into a freezer-proof container – a loaf pan works well. Freeze until the ice cream is firm – about 2 hours.
- Scoop the ice cream into bowls and serve with some toasted shredded coconut on top. Toasted shredded coconut
Video
Notes
- Pour the ice cream into a shallow pan and place it carefully into your freezer.
- Set a timer to check on it every 30 minutes, then scrape it with a fork to mix the ice cream. Repeat this 3-4 times until it resembles the texture of ice cream. That’s it!
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .

Did you make this?
We love to see what you made! Tag @theendlessmeal or hashtag #theendlessmeal !
Variations to try
Chocolate coconut milk ice cream: Add ¼ cup of cocoa powder to the blender.
Strawberry: Boil chopped strawberries for 10 minutes and then stir them into the heated coconut milk. For a shortcut, add strawberry jam!
Peanut butter: Add a dollop to the blender.
Salted Caramel: Swirl some caramel into the ice cream just as it’s finishing churning. Or you can simply spoon some on top before eating.