Vegan & Dairy Free Ice Cream, Gelato & Milkshakes
Gone are the days where being vegan or lactose intolerant meant giving up ice cream.
Vegan, dairy-free ice cream is becoming more popular every day, and you can make it from the comfort of your own home using the Ninja CREAMi. Experiment with different plant-based ingredients and milk substitutions to create delicious frozen desserts, without the dairy.
Vegan & Dairy Free Recipes
From familiar favourites to something a little different, get the inside scoop on our favourite recipes to suit specific dietary needs like dairy free or vegan.
FAQs
Vegan ice cream can be made of a variety of plant-based milk alternatives, including soya, oat, almond and coconut milk.
Depending on the ingredients, you may be able to taste the coconut, almond or other milk alternatives – however stronger flavours like chocolate, fruit and caramel will usually be the star of the show.
A vegan diet does not include any animal products at all – so while vegan ice cream will not be made using dairy, such as milk and cream, it will also exclude eggs, honey, gelatin and even some additives which are processed using animal products.
The secret to creamy vegan treats is to make the thickest base possible – coconut milk tends to be richer than other plant-based drinks, but make sure you don’t use the low-fat version! You can also add thickeners such as cashew cream, coconut cream, or even avocado for an indulgent texture.
Intolerant to lactose? Easily transform ice cream recipes into dairy-free alternatives by swapping unsweetened oat milk for milk (1:1), unsweetened coconut cream for double cream (1:1), and vegan cream cheese for cream cheese (1:1).
Dairy-free ice cream can be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than dairy-based ice creams, however they can still contain plenty of sugar, whether it’s from fruit or extra toppings. If you don’t want a heavy treat, some lighter options include zesty fruit sorbet, or ‘nice creams’ made entirely from frozen fruit such as bananas. Desserts should be eaten in moderation, as part of a balanced diet.
Spice up your dessert with a handful of vegan sweets, vegan biscuits or nuts – perfect for adding texture and crunch! Crush up and sprinkle on top for a sumptuous sundae, or run the Ninja CREAMi ‘Mix-Ins’ program to evenly distribute them throughout your tub for a delicious surprise in every bite!
A rise in popularity for plant-based treats means dairy-free and vegan sweets and biscuits are now more readily available in UK shops, from well-known brands to supermarket-own ranges – including gelatin-free marshmallows and gummy sweets, vegan speculoos cookies, dairy-free dark chocolate chunks and so much more. Get experimenting to find your favourite!