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.
How would you adjust the recipe to use powered cocoa instead of chips?
This recipe will not work without the chips because they provide the fat needed to make it creamy. I have this other chocolate ice cream if you don’t want to use chips: https://thevegan8.com/mocha-ice-cream/
Simple to make and A-MAZING!! The bonus is seeing the jaws drop when you tell guests it’s made with sweet potatoes! A new go-to. Thank you!!
This is excellent. The flavor reminds me of a fudge-sicle Creamy smooth texture, having the sweet potato ingredient, it must be good for you. Easy way to get your veggies without knowing.
Absolutely delicious and another hit recipe! Husband loves it and we will be making it again, only doubling the recipe. Thanks Brandy!
I so much loved this ice cream! More important my 97 yo sweet mama loved it too! Her appetite has not been all that great lately, but she loved every scoop of this and for several days in a row. Tomorrow I’m going to make your Vegan Peanut Butter Sweet Potato Ice Cream. I love all your recipes. Thank you.
Awww this was so sweet to hear, Ricky, thank you so much for sharing!!
I haven’t tried to make this yet but im super excited to. How long will this last in the freezer ?
I’d say a week! Homemade ice cream starts to get really icy and bland after a few days!
Has any one tried this with cashew milk?
Has anyone tried this with dark cocoa powder?
Has anyone tried this with pumpkin purée ?
Would love a recipe with these ingredients
Hi! The recipe is only 4 ingredients and if you want to change 3 of them, it’s not going to turn out the same, haha. I’m assuming you want to use cocoa powder in place of the chocolate chips and that will not work at all. It is the fat from the cocoa butter in the chocolate chips that make it creamy. Without fat, you are going to have a hard block of ice. Also, pumpkin is more watery than sweet potato, which would also make it icy. I have a chocolate pumpkin cake on my site if you want something using pumpkin and chocolate.
This ice cream was easy to make and it was delicious.
I love your blog and have enjoyed it since before 2014 (!)(I’m old!) This comment is just to alert you that some coding misfire has this chocolate ice cream recipe appearing in the “main dishes” tab. Once you click through, the code indicates it’s “home/desserts”. Perhaps this seemed like something you should know because I’m the wife of a programmer. 😎 Cheers! Keep doing what you do.
Thank you for letting me know!
How much dark cocoa powder do you recommend in place of the chocolate chips?
Thank you in advance
I don’t. It will not work without the chocolate chips. They have cocoa butter in them which is what makes the ice cream rich and creamy and thick. If you don’t want to use chocolate chip, try my other chocolate ice cream recipe here: https://thevegan8.com/mocha-ice-cream/
It’s actually my favorite one!
I’ve made this a couple times and it’s amazing. I personally prefer to use white sweet potato, as I found with the orange kind there’s a slight sweet potato flavor, not so with the white. Tonight I’m making them into popsicles!
Awesome!!
Can i use full fat tinned coconut milk as i don’t have access the the lite version?
This turned out fabulous!!
I made the peanut butter recipe as well and put one scoop of each together and now mine and fiancés new favorite! He has food allergies including dairy and I have felt so guilty my kids and I wanting ice cream runs and he’s not able to enjoy so I found this and truly better than regular ice cream!
So happy to hear that Kerstin!
My store did not have Thai Lite coconut milk. Online, there’s the organic Lite coconut milk, unsweetened in the blue can. Is that the one I want? My husband is a big ice cream guy and he’s going to be SO happy when he gets to eat this (me, too) Thank you.
What brand is it that you found online? As long as the ingredients are just coconut, water and gum and no other additives, then it should be fine.
Wow Brandi, this one is a game changer..Due to hubby’s work we live abroad and our ice cream maker stayed at home so imagine my joy when I found the ice cream recipe without the machine. It is so lush and delish, we could eat it within the hour..might add some boozy raisins next time, thanks!
woohoo Alex!
Hi Brandi,
I made this ice cream for non vegan guests and they absolutely Loved it! Even asked for the recipe, which is a complement to you and all your Yummy recipes! Thank you so much for Sharing all your recipes with everyone.
I just got a Ninja Creami. How would I modify this recipe to use in that machine? Thanks!!
Hi Danielle! I have no idea, as I am not familiar with that machine at all. Maybe the manual has ice cream instructions that could help?
I have a Creami. You can just fill the pint container up to the line with the liquid ice cream base after blending it, then freeze the container until firm. When you place it in the Creami to blend (after giving it a few minutes to thaw), you should end up with a nice smooth texture.
Thank you Rebecca. Unfortunately and sadly, I gave my Cuisinart Ice Cream maker to
Goodwill. I appreciate that you shared that we can use the Ninja Creami as I’m quite new with that appliance, too.
I used my Ninja Creami for this today and am curious what setting others have used. I just used the lite setting, scraped it down, and then did re-spin. It worked, but the machine sounded a little different. I’m worried it was struggling a bit.
Brandi!
You never stop surprising me🥰I will never buy ice cream again. This is sooo good! 🙏❤️🥰Thank you precious❤️
Very nice recipe chef 👍👌👏.. I am going for the second batch 😋.,unfortunately there was nothing left for me 😊. Thank you for your effort 🌹🌞😎
So so easy but literally tastes like gelato! 🤤
Yay!!
My husband loved it – I made some mocha by adding instant coffee crystals ! My daughter and I thought it was too much/ too rich, too sweet, even
too chocolaty – I never thought I’d say that lol.
Added quite a bit of almond milk and mixed and refroze it, will put it in the Ninja Creami tomorrow and respin it and give another try. It was amazingly smooth and creamy!
Glad he loved it! Haha, you are definitely the first to say that lol!
My vegan sister and I love the taste and texture of this, but we learned the hard way that it has to go directly into the ice cream maker once blended (no chilling it in the refrigerator first, if you want it to be liquid enough to pour and churn)!
I made 1 1/2 times the recipe given, since the sweet potato I baked in the microwave produced almost twice the amount and weight of mashed sweet potato called for and I would have had to open the second can of coconut milk anyway to get 2 full cups. I used all of 1 can of thinner coconut milk from Aldi and all but 1/3 cup of the can of Thai Kitchen full-fat coconut milk, and used the food processor on ‘Puree’ because we don’t have a blender.
The delicious flavor and texture was one very pleasant surprise (no fibrous sweet potato blobs or blobs of melted chocolate chunks). But another surprise was that when I refrigerated the blended/pureed mixture overnight (as we’ve been doing with all our homemade ice cream, sherbet, and sorbet recipes) the formerly liquid mixture had pretty much set into a very, very thick custard before I tried to pour it into the spinning freezer insert of our machine. Since it was pretty much already the consistency of ice cream and too thick for the machine to churn properly, we ended up just scooping and packing the mixture directly into the insulated freezer containers. It would probably be less dense if we’d been able to add some air into the mixture in the ice cream maker, but we missed that opportunity, and licking the residue off the ice cream maker parts and mixing bowl proved to my sister and me that it was darn good stuff anyway.
When we make this again (and we WILL!), we’ll know to put it straight from the food processor into the ice cream maker!
WOW!
Made this today, it taste just like chocolate ice cream. it is mooth , creamy and
heavenly.
I’ve been a vegan for 4 years. Giving up meat, not a big deal, didn’t really like it anyway, dairy was a little harder, but I muscled through, but I still missed ice cream. This is just perfect.
I have your cookbook, Vegan 8. Girlfriends are coming for the weekend, their eating vegan, just don’t know it yet. I’ve made several things from your cook book, Queso, Spinach Artichoke Dip and Blueberry Muffins. Haven’t tried the muffins yet, but the other 2 are great.
The ice cream will be dessert after the vegan lasagna I made for dinner.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Diane B
B/CS, Tx
Oh this is amazing to hear Diane, thank you so much for the lovely feedback!
This is so good. I have made it twice now. I used Malk both times for the milk and Lily’s stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips. The first time I used my ice cream maker. It works perfectly when freshly made, but as expected, is basically hard as a rock after that. Still yummy though once it thaws out a little. The second time I poured it into my popsicle molds. Perfect little fudgesicles. I had some left over, so I put it in my ice cube tray and plan to try making it into a milkshake.
That is such a great idea Ashley, so glad you love it!
This ice cream is amazing! It is so creamy and smooth! I used dairy-free dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet, so it’s not quite as sweet, but still delicious! And I love that, because of the sweet potato, it’s healthier. Thank you for a great recipe!
Yay, really happy to hear that Coby!!