Easy Dairy-Free Chocolate Ice Cream is a rich and creamy homemade soft-frozen dessert.
This recipe is no-churn, no-cook, and no-ice-cream-machine—just whip, mix, and freeze for a delicious, eye-rolling non-dairy chocolate treat.
It’s also incredibly simple to make in one bowl with only 5 ingredients, but it doesn’t require coconut milk or coconut cream.
A great non-dairy, chocolatey way to treat yourself!
This is an easy, no-cook, no-churn recipe for soft chocolate ice cream that’s dairy-free!
And no need for an ice cream maker!
This ice cream will really hit the spot after a summer backyard BBQ and goes wonderfully with cake, making it terrific for parties.
Prefer dairy? Switch out the whip and use a dairy version instead!
Even if you’re a chocolate lover, you’ve got to try these other flavors as well:
Baking and dessert essentials to keep in your kitchen:
I keep a large variety of ingredients to be able to bake or make desserts with short notice, including:
- flour
- white granulated sugar
- brown sugar (light/dark—I usually keep dark)
- confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- salt
- baking powder
- baking soda
- cocoa powder
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- baking chocolate
- chocolate chips
- instant dry yeast
- vanilla and/or vanilla sugar
- cooking oil/cooking spray
- margarine or butter
- eggs
- honey
- instant coffee
- various extracts (real or imitation)
- whipping cream
- powdered pudding mix
- powdered sugar
- dairy-free whipping cream
- packaged pie dough or ready-made pie crusts
- puff pastry dough
It’s also not a bad idea to keep fun toppings, such as chopped walnuts, raisins, and the oh-so-important container of sprinkles.
A little about ice cream
Ice cream is made by an involved process using milk, milk protein, sugar, ice, water, and air, which turns the mixture into foam as frozen air cells.
Ice cream was initially sold by small businesses until a milkman, Jacob Fussell, began making small batches of it from leftover milk and cream. Fussell opened the first ice cream factory in 1851 in Pennsylvania and moved his successful business to Baltimore in 1854.
Fussell, known today as the Father of the Ice Cream Industry, opened more factories in other cities and taught the business to others who opened their own factories. The mass production of ice cream made it more affordable and more accessible to everyone and was no longer a dessert just for the rich.
Popularity increased even more with the invention of the household freezer in the 1920s, when it became much easier to store the frozen dessert.
Before refrigeration, making ice cream took quite a bit of effort and was only served for special events or on special occasions. Ice had to be cut from frozen lakes and ponds in the winter. The ice was then stored for later use (even in the summer) in ice houses or even in holes dug in the ground.
The pot-freezer method of preparing ice cream was by making it in a large bowl, which was placed in a tub filled with crushed ice and salt to reduce the temperature of the ingredients to below the freezing point of water.
French confectioners used a method similar to the pot-freezer method but used a covered pail with a handle attached to the lid (called a sorbetiere).
The hand-cranked churn replaced the pot-freezer method and also used ice and salt for cooling. This method was quicker than the pot-freezer method and produced a smoother ice cream.
Ice cream is a beloved dessert, and some people will go to some extreme lengths to get their hands on the treat.
For example, during World War II, American fighter pilots in the South Pacific found an ingenious way of making ice cream.
They attached 5-gallon cans to their aircraft. The cans were fitted with small propellers spun by the slipstream, which drove a stirrer, which agitated the mixture, which froze in the high altitude of the planes as they flew. B-17 crews and others found similar methods of making ice cream during the war.
And check out the history of ice cream!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Easy Dairy-Free Chocolate Ice Cream
1. How do I ensure a smooth, lump-free chocolate base?
You can sift your cocoa powder before adding it into the mixture to help prevent lumps.
2. Will this be as creamy as the vanilla version?
Yes, the cocoa powder adds body to the ice cream, often making it feel slightly denser and more decadent than the vanilla version. As long as you whip the dairy-free cream until stiff first, the final result will be a rich, smooth, and chocolatey frozen treat.
3. Is there a trick to keeping this no-churn ice cream creamy?
The “no-churn” method relies on the aeration of the whipping cream. Once you mix in your eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cocoa, avoid over-mixing. The goal is to incorporate the ingredients until just uniform, keeping as much air in the mixture as possible to prevent a dense or icy final product.
4. How do I prevent ice crystals from forming in the freezer?
Since this recipe does not go through a churning process to break up crystals, store it in an airtight container. Press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the lid to block out air and prevent freezer burn.
5. Can I use a different type of sweetener?
While granulated sugar is recommended for this recipe because it dissolves well into the eggs and cream, you can use superfine (castor) sugar for an even smoother mouthfeel. If using a liquid sweetener, be cautious, as it can alter the freezing point and consistency of the final product.
6. How long should I freeze this before serving?
For the ideal scoopable texture, freeze for at least 6–8 hours.
7. Can I enhance the chocolate flavor further?
Yes. You can add a pinch of salt to the mixture, which intensifies the cocoa flavor. Additionally, if you enjoy a complex profile, a tiny dash of espresso powder or a few drops of almond extract can elevate the deep chocolate notes without overpowering the dairy-free base.
What you need to make this dairy-free (no-cook, no-churn) chocolate ice cream:
I hardly ever plan ahead, and that’s why I like to keep a variety of ingredients in my kitchen at all times.
But these are all you need to have on hand to make this recipe even last minute!
dairy-free whipping cream
eggs
white granulated sugar
cocoa powder
vanilla extract (or a good imitation)
Easy Dairy-Free Chocolate Ice Cream, No-Cook, No-Churn
Delicious and easy soft chocolate ice cream. No-cook, no-churn, and no need for an ice cream machine!
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce container dairy free whipping cream
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 c up white granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or a good imitation) or to taste
Instructions
- Whip whipping cream until stiff.
- Add eggs, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla into the whipped cream.
- Whip together well.
- Freeze for 8 hours or until stiff *
Notes
* This is a soft ice cream so it won't get hard and the freezing time depends on your freezer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 439Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 207mgSodium: 70mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 2gSugar: 40gProtein: 8g