Healthy Blueberry Ice Cream

No ratings yet

This creamy Healthy Blueberry Ice Cream is made without bananas, dairy, or refined sugars, but it tastes indulgent and sweet. With wholesome ingredients and no ice cream maker needed, it’s an easy treat you’ll love!

Prep Time15

Chilling Time8

Total Time8 15

Course: Dessert, Snack, Vegetarian

Cuisine: American, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: blueberry ice cream, healthy blueberry ice cream

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $9.24

Equipment

Blender high-powered, see note 1
Ice cream maker or Ice cube trays, see note 2

Ingredients

2 cups frozen wild blueberries see note 3
1/2 cup cashews I love dry roasted and lightly salted!
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk see note 4
1/4 cup maple syrup see note 5
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional

US - Metric

Instructions

There are a few ways to soften the cashews:
Add to a bowl and cover with water. Let stand 6–8 hours or until soft and bloated. Thoroughly drain.
Place cashews in a heatproof bowl. Pour 2 cups boiling water over cashews. Let stand 30 minutes to an hour or until soft and bloated. Drain thoroughly.
Add cashews to a small pot and cover with 1 inch water. Bring to a boil and boil 10 minutes or until cashews are soft and bloated. Drain thoroughly.
Meanwhile, add can of coconut milk (including liquid that may have settled) into a large, powerful blender. Add remaining ingredients and well-drained cashews. Blend on high speed until very smooth, 2–3 minutes.
Freeze in Ice Cube Trays: Pour mixture evenly into ice cube trays (I use 2). (If you don’t have a high-powered blender, reserve 1/3 cup and chill in the fridge—see note 1). Freeze in ice cube trays at least 8 hours.
Or Use Ice Cream Maker: If using an ice cream maker, chill mixture in the fridge 30 minutes (it gets warm from blending!); then add to ice cream maker and churn per ice cream maker instructions.
Pull out ice cube trays and run the bottoms under hot water, about 15–20 seconds or until they release easily. Add ice cream cubes to a high-powered blender. (No liquid needed, unless using a lower-powered blender—then add in the reserved 1/3 cup.) Blend cubes into smooth and creamy ice cream. Scrape down sides of the blender frequently and stir everything to get it to blend evenly. Once smooth and creamy, scoop into bowls and serve.

Video

Notes

Note 1: A high-powered blender (like a Blendtec®) is key for smoothly blending cashews and frozen ice cream cubes without overheating or making the mixture watery. If your blender isn’t as powerful, blend cautiously, add an extra minute if needed, and reserve 1/3 cup of the mixture to blend with the frozen cubes later on.

Note 2: If you use an ice cream maker, be sure to chill the mixture before adding it to the maker. Here’s the one I use and love. Otherwise, add the mixture to ice cube trays and blend the frozen cubes—works a charm!

Note 3: It’s important to use wild, not regular frozen blueberries! Wild blueberries are smaller and more compact than regular blueberries. This means they have less water content and a more intense and tangy flavor, plus they’re sweeter than regular blueberries—a game changer in this recipe!

Note 4: We want rich and creamy ice cream, which is why we use full-fat coconut milk. Lite coconut milk will yield a thinner and icier dessert.

Note 5: Maple syrup is a natural sweetener (not to be confused with corn syrup or pancake syrup) made from the sap of a maple tree that is boiled down to a thicker consistency. Maple syrup is just one ingredient and is all natural!

Storage: I love making a few batches of this healthy Blueberry Ice Cream at a time so my family has some on hand for when the cravings strike. Freeze the mixture in ice cube trays, then pop out the ice cubes into a few gallon-sized freezer bags. Whenever you’re feeling like some ice cream, blend up a handful of the ice cubes and enjoy!

Nutrition