Vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream with just 4 key ingredients! This refreshing ice cream is incredibly creamy and easy to make. It's no-churn so you don't need an ice cream maker!
I've also included an option for those who want to flavor and color their ice cream using fresh mint and spinach. You can use this recipe to make my vegan mint chocolate ice cream cake!
What to expect from this recipe
Unlike many homemade ice creams, this ice cream is seriously creamy and fluffy!
If you make the ice cream using peppermint extract and food coloring, it'll be incredibly soft and creamy! Depending on the type of cream you use, it's firmer than soft serve ice cream but a little softer than conventional vegan ice cream in a tub.
If you make this recipe using fresh mint and spinach, it will have the texture of conventional ice cream or a little firmer.
Ingredients to make this recipe
Notes about the ingredients
Dairy-free whipping cream OR thick scoopable coconut cream. If you use coconut cream, I recommend buying full-fat canned cream rather than canned coconut milk as you'll get more of the thick scoopable cream.
Dairy-free condensed milk such as soy, coconut or oat. You can use either store-bought or homemade. We don't have to add sugar or maple syrup to the ice cream as the condensed milk is already sweet! The condensed milk prevents the cream from freezing into a brick of ice. Note that this isn't the same as evaporated milk!
Peppermint extract or fresh mint leaves for flavor. Mint leaves on their own will make the ice cream a very pale green. As David Lebovitz says, mint is a plant so it'll naturally vary in color and flavor, especially in ice cream. So adjust accordingly!
Vanilla extract and salt (optional but recommended). Alcohol and salt will lower the freezing/melting temperature of the ice cream which means your ice cream is less likely to freeze into a solid block.
If you'd like to make your ice cream green, you can use either green food coloring or baby spinach leaves. Don't worry, it won't taste like spinach!
A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Optional: naturally coloring and flavoring the ice cream
A choc mint ice cream-colored and flavored naturally has a more unique flavor profile. Note that due to the high water content in fresh mint and baby spinach, if you use both ingredients, your ice cream *may* be a little icy.
If you're using mint leaves or baby spinach leaves, it's best to first blend them with a small portion of your dairy-free cream. If you're just using peppermint extract and green food coloring, you can skip this step!
It may initially look like A LOT of mint/spinach. However, once you blend it, it'll decrease in size.
Your green mixture may look anywhere from vibrant fluorescent green to a dull slime like it's from a children's movie. The color will depend on the initial color of your leaves! Either way, don't worry! The color dilutes once it's mixed with the dairy-free cream.
You can use the mint spinach cream (with the pulp) as is. Alternatively, you can sieve the mixture to remove any chunks of leaves. Some graininess may remain which is fine!
Once you've done that, mix the green cream with your dairy-free condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt, if using. Chill in the fridge until needed.
How to make the mint ice cream
If you're using peppermint extract or store-bought food coloring, add them directly to your can of condensed milk and mix until combined. If you're using vanilla extract or salt, mix them with your condensed milk too. It's easier to mix these ingredients now than later on. And by mixing them in the can, there's one less bowl to wash!
Pour your dairy-free cream (or scoop your thick coconut cream) into a large bowl or stand mixer. Using an electric whisk or a whisk attachment, whisk the cream until soft peaks form.
I had to change bowls as I didn't anticipate how much my plant cream would grow (hint: much more than coconut cream)! Some brands of coconut cream don't expand significantly after whipping so you may get a little less than pictured.
Then add your minty condensed milk to the bowl of whipped cream.
Using a spatula, fold the mixture until combined! We want to make sure the condensed milk and cream are well combined while maintaining as much air in the cream as possible.
Then add your chocolate chips and fold until just combined.
Pour or scoop your vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream into a freezer-safe container or tin. I used an 8-inch loaf tin!
Sprinkle your ice cream with the remaining chocolate. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm.
Customizing this vegan ice cream
Yes, to make your ice cream extra fresh and minty!
Yes, the dairy-free cream, condensed milk and vanilla are an excellent base for vegan vanilla ice cream. Feel free to flavor it however you like!
Note that some flavors, such as Biscoff ice cream will need minor adjustments to the ratios (surprise, Biscoff spread has a different texture to plain mint leaves). This will give you a chance to experiment ;).
Yes, there is a slight coconut aftertaste just like store-bought coconut ice cream. I'd call it a coconut mint ice cream!
If you freeze the ice cream for only 2-4 hours, the ice cream will be a wonderful soft-serve consistency!
Yes, go ahead! Add them at the same time as the chocolate :).
More vegan ice cream recipes
Follow Rainbow Nourishments on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of our latest recipes!
Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 500 g dairy free whipping cream, or thick scoopable coconut cream, chilled overnight
- 320 g dairy-free sweetened condensed milk, soy, coconut or oat (about 1 standard can)
- 3 teaspoons peppermint extract, or 1 cup (30g) fresh mint leaves, to taste
- Green food colouring, as needed or 1 cup (30g) fresh spinach leaves (optional, note 1)
- 200 g finely chopped vegan chocolate or chocolate chips
Optional add-ins
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
IF using fresh mint and spinach leaves:
- Add ½ cup (120g) of the whipping cream, all the mint and spinach leaves to a tall jug. Blend using a stick blender until the mixture is as fine as possible and there are no chunks of leaves. You may also use a stand blender for this step, though it may be difficult to blend this small amount.
- If desired, sieve the green creamy mixture into a bowl, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Discard the remaining pulp. Alternatively, use the creamy green mixture with the pulp.
- Add all of the condensed milk to the remaining green paste. Add vanilla extract and salt if desired. Mix until well combined.
IF using peppermint extract and green food colouring
- Add the peppermint extract and green food colouring directly to your can of condensed milk. If using, add vanilla extract and salt too. Mix until well combined.
To make the vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream
- Add the dairy free whipping cream (or thick coconut cream) to a large bowl or stand mixer. Whip until soft peaks form.
- Add the condensed milk mixture to the whipped cream. Use a spatula to gently fold together the ingredients.
- Add the chocolate to to the bowl and fold until combined.
- Pour or scoop the mint ice cream into a freezer-safe tin or container. I used an 8 inch loaf tin. Top the ice cream with the remaining chocolate.
- Cover the ice cream and freeze for 4 hours or until firm to the touch.
- Serve and enjoy! The ice cream can usually be enjoyed straight from the freezer. However, if the ice cream is too firm, defrost for 10 minutes at room temperature until scoopable.
- Store the ice cream covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks (though, it usually doesn't last that long)!
Notes
- The amount of food colouring needed will depend on the brand/type you use. I'd recommend starting with ½ teaspoon and increasing it to colour. Keep in mind that liquid food colouring is less intense than gel food colouring. If you're using spinach, feel free to use less or more spinach leaves.
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Hi I made this a while ago and it tasted delishish but unfortunately after being left in the freezer over night it basically turned to ice. I'm sure I used the correct amount for the ingredients is there something I can do to change this? I was thinking of adding sugar but I'm not sure?
Thanks
Oh no! From experience, ice cream turns icy when there is too much water in the mix or there wasn't enough air incorporated into the ice cream.
In this recipe, it could be from coconut cream which is too liquidy (not vegan whipping cream as it's usually runny to start with). If the cream wasn't whipped sufficiently, it results in a firmer and potentially icy ice cream.
Also, using the mint/spinach can result in a slightly icy ice cream as they're packed with water (and using more than the recipe may turn the ice cream into a brick).
Adding vanilla extract and salt reduces iciness in ice cream, as I mentioned in the blog post above. Technically, melting extra sugar into the sweetened condensed milk (and chilling the mixture overnight) should help, though I haven't tried it myself! I hope that helps!
Thanks for the reply, the first time I did add Spinach to it but not the second time. I also didn't use vegan ingredients maybe that changed the result? I will try adding sugar into the condensed milk and hopefully that will help.
Thanks
Hi Will, non-vegan ingredients are fine. This recipe is based on non-vegan methods/recipes which use regular cream and condensed milk in similar ratios.
Also, while the cream needs to be whipped until it's fluffy, after you add the condensed milk overmixing the mixture results in a firmer ice cream!
The only thing to be wary about adding too much sugar or condensed milk is that the ice cream can end up 'chewy'. I hope that helps!
Update: I did change the recipe a bit and did a cup of sugar and about 1/2 & 1/3 cups of condensed milk. But it's still a little harder than what I want but it's really close. Should I add more condensed milk or maybe something else
For some reason I didn't see your reply so that's why I did this without knowing what you said
I don’t see the chocolate in the ingredient list. What do you use and how much?
Sorry, I've just updated the recipe!
Yum!
Hi anthea
What can I use instead of vegan condensed milk?
We don’t have that product in my country
TIA
Hi Alicia, I'm not sure if vegan condensed milk can be substituted. However, it's easy to make at home with just coconut milk and sugar! There are a few recipes online if you google 'vegan condensed milk' (I haven't created my own recipe for that yet). Hope that helps :).