This is the best and easiest 4 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Ice cream! It is so creamy, so decadent and rich and tastes JUST like dairy milk chocolate ice cream. NO bananas!
VEGAN CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM
Today I make your dreams come true. Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream that is only 4 ingredients, ridiculously creamy, chocolatey, rich and requires no ice cream maker. Did I mention it’s only 4 ingredients?!
And NO. This is not banana ice cream that is all over the internet that turns into a rock hard block of ice in the freezer. That is not true ice cream folks, I’m talking rich, creamy ice cream that will fool dairy lovers and that tastes just like dairy chocolate ice cream, yet it is dairy-free.
Can you taste the sweet potato?? Not at all. It honestly just tastes like milk chocolate ice cream.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
This best vegan chocolate ice cream is SO easy, it’s even no churn! All you will need to make this 4 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream (+salt) is:
- Chocolate chips: I use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips because they are dairy-free and I love the ingredients. The ingredients are so simple and have the best flavor. It is just sugar, chocolate liquor and cocoa butter.
- sweet potato
- coconut milk
- vanilla
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM
Cook your sweet potato your preferred method. I chose to microwave because it is quickest. If you want to bake it, bake at 400°F with skin still on until very soft. Do not steam or boil it, as too much water will get into the potato. Let it cool a few minutes.
Blend with the remaining ingredients.
Pour into a freezer-safe ice cream container and chill until firm enough to scoop.
This isn’t my first time making sweet potato ice cream. I’ve used it also in this 5 ingredient Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Ice Cream.
MORE VEGAN ICE CREAM RECIPES
- Vegan Mocha Ice Cream (this is my favorite ice cream ever!)
- Vegan Vanilla Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream
- Vegan Vanilla Birthday Cake Ice Cream (with a shocking ingredient!)
- Vegan Dark Chocolate Almond Ice Cream
- Vegan Java Crunch Ice Cream
- Raspberry Sorbet
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
4 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!
- 3/4 cup (170g) cooked mashed and packed orange sweet potato
- 2 cups (480g) room temp lite canned coconut milk, shaken first (SEE NOTES below)
- 1 1/2 cups (283g) dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 used 1 whole 10 oz Enjoy Life bag)
- 1/2 tablespoon (7g) vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- I use this scale.
- I use this ice cream maker.
- I use this ice cream container.
Instructions
- Cook your sweet potato your preferred method. I chose to just microwave it for time purposes but you can bake it if you like. Bake it at 400F° with the skin still on until very soft. Do not steam or boil it, as too much water will get into the potato. Let it cool a few minutes.
- Once your potato is cooked and cooled a bit, peel the skin off and completely mash it really well with a fork. You don't want any chunks or skins. Pack it in the measuring cup (3/4 cup) level off. Weigh for accuracy if possible.
- Add it to a blender. Add the coconut milk, vanilla and salt. Don't blend yet.
- Melt your chocolate chips your preferred method. I used the microwave and added them to a cereal bowl and microwaved in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until about 90% melted. You have to be careful about overheating chocolate or it will burn and be useless. Add the melted chocolate to the blender and be sure to scrape all that chocolate goodness out of the bowl.
- Blend the ingredients on high for a minute or so until completely smooth. You don't want any bits remaining from the potato or chips, or the ice cream will not turn out smooth. Taste and if you want it sweeter, add sugar, I did not. I found it to be perfectly chocolatey.
- Now, if you have an ice cream maker, then by all means use it, it will help make it creamier. Otherwise, add the ice cream base to an ice cream storage container and place in the freezer. Set your timer for 30 minutes and stir the ice cream around really well, as the edges will start to firm up first. Add back to the freezer and do this every 30 minutes until it is solid or at your desired consistency. About 2 hours should do it, depending on your freezer temp. After that, if you let it freeze overnight, you may need to let it sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes or so to soften a bit before eating. Again, this will depend on how cold you keep your freezer. I can control my temp so mine only needed a few minutes at room temp before eating. You can also pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds too if you like.
- Tip on freezing:Each time you let ice cream sit out and thaw, you encourage ice crystals to form. So, you can freeze the ice cream base in individual servings and just take out your serving each time you want some ice cream. Or, when removing the ice cream to thaw, the condensation that forms underneath the lid, make sure to wipe that each time so it doesn't refreeze and drop ice crystals into your ice cream.
Notes
- MILK: Since this is a vegan dairy-free ice cream, the milk is important so that it turns out really creamy. Using lite (low-fat) coconut milk leaves no coconut taste and is creamier than other plant milks. The best brands that deliver creamy results are Trader Joes, Sprouts grocery store brand, and the Whole Foods 365 Light. All work well.
- COCONUT-FREE OPTION: If you can't do coconut, my only other suggestion would be to try a high fat quality almond milk, which the only brand that doesn't fill with all fillers and is truly just almonds and water, is the Elmhurst brand or the Malk brand. They are more creamy than traditional almond milks. Please note this is not as creamy as the coconut version though and will harden more, so will need some thawing before serving.
Are you using yams or sweet potatoes?
I’ve tried both, either will work.
Sounds amazing. And if all of your other recipes that I have tried are anything to go by, it will be to die for. Quick question re your microwaving … I assume you use a small amount of water in the bottom of the container (as I do) to cook the sweet potato in the microwave, but am guessing this doesn’t create anywhere near the level of moisture from steaming/boiling and why you don’t recommend that. Can’t wait to try this …
Hi Louisa! Thank you so much. Actually, I just wrap the whole potato with skin on inside plastic wrap, it keeps it super moist that way and easyto peel the skin off afterwards. 🙂
Hi! Can’t wait to try this.. I tend to prefer full fat coconut milk and I’m wondering if you think that would somehow alter this in a negative way?? Other than it being much higher in fat 😉 but I’m not so worried about that… Maybe even doing half full fat and half light? Did you choose the lite solely so it would be lower in overall fat? Thank you!
Hi Janelle, I chose the lite because the lite has no coconut taste and I cannot stand the taste of coconut in my ice cream. There is a ton of fat in this from the cocoa butter in the chocolate chips, so I didn’t choose the lite milk for low-fat purposes. It is very rich and creamy, so if you want to do some high fat coconut milk, I would definitely suggest just doing half full and half lite, or otherwise it may actually get TOO creamy and taste too strong of coconut. Let me know when you try it 🙂
OH MY. I had no idea sweet potatoes could taste soooooooo good! And that is not to imply that you can taste the sweet potatoes in this recipe, because you can’t. At all. It is just wonderful chocolatey goodness. Thick, rich, wonderful. We love this stuff at our house.
Did I mention I had NO IDEA sweet potatoes could taste so good?
Haha! Sooo happy to hear you loved it so much Jamie!! It’s amazing they are undetectable, huh?! Thank you so much for the feedback!
I must say…. THANK YOU!!! This is the best non-dairy ice cream I have ever eaten!! It out shines any commercial ice cream I have had! Hubby and son even liked it! Please keep up with these great creations!
Yay yay! So very happy to hear that Arlene, what incredible feedback! So thrilled it was such a hit! Thank you for leaving feedback, I really love hearing it!
This recipe was very easy to follow and the taste was very delicious! Way better than store bought vegan ice cream. Thanks! I plan on making this again… and again….
Thank you so much for this FANTASTIC recipe. I only had full fat coconut milk on hand so I used 1 cup full fat coconut milk and 1 cup full fat oat milk and the result was amazing!!!! The texture was so creamy with basically just a quick stir every 30 min. Store bought vegan ice creams are very expensive and often full of additives. Being able to make this delicious ice cream with ingredients I always have on hand is a win for me!
This is so delicious!! Thank you for an easy, fantastic vegan & nut free ice cream! I made this for the first time this week and am so enjoying it – it will become a regular in my freezer 🙂
Yay! So happy to hear you loved it Amanda, thank you so much for the feedback!
We really loved this ice cream. It tastes just like regular chocolate ice cream from the store..no, actually better. We loved it and it will become a regular this summer. I added some walnut pieces and chocolate chips. Heaven.
I’m so happy you all loved this ice cream Estee, thank you so much for the feedback!!
Chocolate ice cream is by far one of my absolutely favorite desserts ever and I’m also a big fan of sweet potatoes so of course this recipe was a must try….
Result: I’m amazedd once again! Oh boy was this delicious!!! 4 people enjoyed this one afternoon and couldn’t stop for first portion haha, it was all gone so no need to worry about the crystallization woops 😀 The texture was really good and the taste wasn’t overly sweet but creamy and just perfect! One family requested that I make this again in the summer and I’ll do so really happily 😉
Wonderful Milla! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback! I’m so happy this was such a hit with everybody! Yay!
Tovolo now has smaller versions of ice cream containers available.
They will be great to for portion control.
http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Mini-Sweet-Treats-Tubs/dp/B00JRXQ6CC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1456580813&sr=8-3&keywords=tovolo+ice+cream+containers
Thank you for the great recipe – I am making it for my Aunt who had to switch to a non-dairy diet.
Oh, that is so wonderful to know, thank you for sharing!
Has anyone tried using cacao? if so how many tablespoons?
Hi Jenise, cacao will not work. The recipe is based off of using chocolate chips which has a lot of cocoa butter in it, which is the fat needed to help make the ice cream smooth and creamy, and of course is the sweetener as well. One reader tried to use cacao and it was a block of ice. It will not have the results without them.
Hi Brandi!!
Thank u so much for ur awesome recipes!!! Love love them.. Hubby and i are not even vegetarians, leave alone vegan. But we are slowly making the transitions. Albeit it is very hard as we find it really hard to feel full without meat, cheese or excess carbs! But we are getting there.. Baby steps :p
So besides that, i have a very very crucial and of utmost importance to ask u!!! WHERE DID YOU GET THE ICE CREAM CONE CUPS?! Pleaseeeeee tell me!! <3
Much love,
Elly
Hi Elly, I’m so sorry I somehow missed this comment! So happy to hear you are loving the recipes, thank you! I actually got those ice cream cones at a store called Anthropologie, but I just checked online and it says they are no longer available. I bought them many months ago 🙁 Maybe amazon will have them or they will be in stock again next year!
Ok, I found some on Amazon, they are slightly different, as they don’t have the colored trims, but they look really similar. Here is the link! http://amzn.to/1WdigA8
I made this last week with the kids and OMG Brandi! It’s amazing! My son HATES sweet potatoes, and my husband is an ice cream snob, and they both loved it also! I love how easy it is, good for you ingredients, and fudge-creamy like in consistency! The chocolate flavor is right on and I can’t even taste the sweet potatoes! This will definitely be a staple ice cream in our freezer. Thanks Brandi!
Yay! So very happy to read this feedback Anjali! So happy that everybody loved it so much! My hubby hates sweet potatoes too and he had NO clue! I personally love sweet potatoes, but I sure as heck don’t want to taste them in ice cream, so that was crucial for me as well. Thanks so much for letting me know how it all turned out!
I LOVE this ice cream recipe, but mine did get extremely hard in the freezer. Any tips? Does the container make a difference?
Hi Rhonda! So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, I’ve noted that if you let it completely freeze, you will need to let it thaw maybe 15 mins before eating. 🙂 However, I use the ice cream container I’ve linked above that is specifically insulated and it actually keeps mine much softer than just a regular container. This doesn’t contain any fake ingredients, gums or oils like commercial ice creams, so it will freeze a bit different but becomes super creamy after you let it thaw a few minutes. You didn’t sub any ingredients did you? Hope that helps 🙂
Thank you for your response. I did substitute Organic Raw Cacoa Powder for the chocolate chips. Do you think that would made a big difference? Also, I used a glass bowl. I need to get one of the ice cream containers.
Oh my gosh, yes! The chocolate chips have a ton more fat in them than cocoa powder which helps tremendously with it’s creaminess. You won’t get near the same texture result with cocoa powder, the flavor will of course be a lot less sweet too. If you try it again as the recipe, I promise you’ll notice a big difference! ?
This recipe blew my mind! It’s so simple, and truly tastes exactly like dairy chocolate ice cream!! I didn’t have any light coconut milk on hand, so I just went with the full fat that I had and it worked fine, but I’ll definitely be trying it again with the light coconut milk. I don’t have an ice cream machine, so I blended the mixture in my vitamix, then poured it into a glass mixing bowl and mixed it every 30 mins with a hand mixer for about 5 cycles. This worked really well! I had been deprived of homemade ice cream thus far because I thought the ice cream machine was essential!!
All of your recipes I have tried have been wonderful and they are so creative! I consider you a whole foods vegan genius! (: Your site has become my go-to any time I want to make something! There are many vegan blogs I enjoy looking at from time to time, but only yours in 100% in line with my nutritional goals, no modifications necessary! Thank you so much!!
Wow April, I am so happy to read this feedback! I just got your other 2 feedbacks on the cream cheese and toffee cake and I have to tell you, you made my day with your wonderful comments! Your words are so thoughtful and thank you for taking the time to write them out to me. You are so incredibly kind and I am beyond thrilled that you are enjoying my recipes so much. Thank you!!
OH MY GAWD! you are da bomb!! When I saw this recipe come through, my first thought was, what? sweet potato?? But I knew I had to try it because of the success with your other recipes. I finally made it today and it is in the freezer as we speak. My taste testing before it went into the freezer, um let’s say I could have kept tasting it. With only 4 ingredients, how can you not make it?? THANK YOU for helping me feed my family with all your amazing recipes.
Thank you so much Tami for the amazing feedback! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much!! I really appreciate you making my recipes and you taking the time to provide feedback.
Finally trying it! I have been gone all summer and havent had a chance to make it. Im finding out I have issues with dairy and I’m so excited to try this. Off to go make it! I’ll update soon 🙂
Oh, I can’t wait to hear, thank you Kyler!
My daughter is allergic to dairy, wheat, soy, and banana so there are very few deserts and even fewer GOOD deserts that we get to have. This one was allergy friendly AND good!!! Thank you for taking the time to make it and blog it for us!!! Loved seeing her chocolatey face after enjoying this ice cream 🙂 🙂
Aww I’m so happy to hear this Jaime! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback and I’m so happy your daughter loved it as well!!
Do you think I could use homemade coconut milk for this? I make mine with unsweetened shredded coconut, because the canned one is extremely expensive where I live!
Yes, I think that would work just fine! I use the low-fat here in this recipe, so a homemade one should be just fine, as long as it’s not the overly creamy fat kind. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi Brandi,
Just wondering if it is necessary to use light coconut milk?
Thanks
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn! I have only tried this with coconut milk. Coconut milk has some fat in it, which is necessary to help it be creamy. You are welcome to try a cashew milk or soy milk instead, but I’m unsure of how it will freeze up. I wouldn’t recommend the thinner, less fat milks like almond, rice or oat. Definitely don’t use all fat coconut milk because then it will be TOO creamy. Let me know how it turns out, thank you!
This is AMAZING!!!!! We loved it! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
I’m thrilled, thank you so much for the feedback Kim!!
I tried this last night and it is delicious! Thanks so much 🙂 How can I adapt this to make different flavours? X
Wonderful Laura, I’m so happy you loved this, thank you for the feedback! This recipe isn’t really adaptable because the chocolate chips are a crucial ingredient that make it creamy because of the cocoa butter, but don’t worry, I’m working on other flavors, so stay tuned!!
I always get aggravated when people rave over a recipe before they’ve tried it, but here it is, midnight and I, not having even bought the sweet potato yet, have to post: what a freaking GREAT idea! I’m trying so hard to eat real food, real healthy but real delicious, and this sounds amazing. Can’t wait to get up in the a.m. and run to the store to get that damned sweet potato!
Also, have to tell you how charming you are, responding to everyone with such positive and enthusiastic replies. What a lovely girl you are!
Haha sounds so awesome Anna! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! Thank you so much for such a kind compliment, I can’t tell you honestly how much it made me smile…that was so very sweet of you to say that 🙂
I wish I could post this in a HUGE font! I got to the store. Baked that tater. Made the ice cream. Poured it into my popsicle molds.
OH. MY. GOD.
THIS is what the word awesome was made to describe. No weird sweet potato undertones — just the chocolatiest, most delicious ice cream base ever. Honestly, I’ll never buy store bought again.
I did add a couple of ounces of soy milk (my can of coconut milk was light by two ounces) and a splash of Kahlua (it keeps it from forming crystals as it freezes).
Now I’m standing by my freezer, waiting for the magic to happen.
Thanks so much for such an inspired recipe. You’ve made a very, very good day even better!
Awww Anna I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback. I’m thrilled you loved it as much as we all do and so glad you had a tiny amount of soy milk to use since you were a wee bit short on the coconut milk, that definitely wouldn’t affect it. Thanks again for coming back and letting me know! 🙂
To Anna Hysterically Happy Anna!
7 years have gone by and I am reading your comment about this Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream… As I have been going through the comments, I found myself wondering how this recipe would fare as a Fudgsicle… So thank you for mentioning you used popsicle molds…that’s what I am going to do…(What a great tip about using a splash of Kahlua!…. I only have vodka in my cupboard so I’m thinking that will work as well….)
To Brandi
Thanks for posting this recipe.. Has to be good with all of these great comments…. I have been making an awesome fudgsicle for years using cauliflower and beans in the recipe so sweet potato sounds good to me. So on two fronts, I will make your chocolate ice cream as a fudgsicle and my fudgsicle as ice cream to change it up a bit….
The 4 ingredient chocolate ice cream with sweet potato as a base is AWESOME!
> I have not had a chocolaty ice cream dessert for years and years, and here it is, wonderful!
> I used my Vitamix, worked so fast and very creamy. Just in a Vitamix you have to put the coconut milk first, then the sweet potato.
> Thank you! The world is a better place because of you!
You are so kind Cindy, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback and kind words! I’m so glad you loved this ice cream! Good point on the Vitamix, I used my regular blender for this which is wider so it didn’t matter but with my Vitamix, the bottom is thinner, so that makes sense.
So glad you loved this, thanks again!