Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream (No-Churn)

by Steph Sunshine at StephSunshine.com

Yield 6 servings (about 3 cups or 720 mL)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 8 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Oatly Barista Edition oat milk (or full-fat)*
  • 3/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked and drained*
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. vegan granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons refined (odor-free) coconut oil, melted and cooled*
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch*
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • vanilla bean seeds from 1/4 of one vanilla bean
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Add Oatly, cashews, sugar, coconut oil, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla bean seeds to a blender and blend until the mixture is completely smooth and the oil has emulsified.
  2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium-low to medium heat, whisking constantly. As soon as you feel the mixture begin to thicken (it may be steaming or at a slow boil), remove it from the heat immediately.
  3. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then pour the entire mixture into silicone molds or a loaf pan. (Using smaller silicone molds will allow the ice cream to freeze more quickly and make it easier to remove later.) Let the mixture cool at room temperature until it's just warm to the touch, then transfer to the freezer and let it freeze until it's completely firm (3 to 4 hours or longer, depending on your freezer and mold).
  4. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it's soft enough to scoop. Then, either pop the ice cream out of the silicone molds or scoop it into the blender jar. Begin blending on low speed and gradually increase the speed to high, blending until it's soft and creamy. Spread it into a loaf pan, then return it to the freezer until it's frozen all the way through.
  5. To serve, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, until it can be scooped. Serve in a bowl, on a cone, topped with your favorite toppings, or over peach cobbler or apple crisp. Store in the freezer for 2 to 3 days with a piece of parchment paper on the surface of the ice cream to prevent freezer burn. For longer storage (up to 2 weeks), store in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper on the surface of the ice cream.

Notes & Hints

To use Oatly Original, add 1 additional teaspoon of refined coconut oil.

For instructions for other bases, including nut-free options, see the blog post section titled "Using Different Bases."

To soak cashews, place them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain.

Measure your cornstarch carefully and avoid cooking for too long; too much cornstarch or heating it for too long can result in a texture that's like frozen pudding.

To get the seeds out of the vanilla bean pod, use a paring knife to cut a slit down the center of the pod, then use a butter knife to scrape the seeds out.

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