Creamy, fruity, sweet, and fresh, this dairy-free strawberry ice cream is a perfect mimic of the traditional! Made with full-fat coconut milk, ripe strawberries, sugar, and vanilla extract, it's an easy and approachable recipe for homemade ice cream.
Blend it smooth or leave it chunky if you like. And don't worry, vanilla extract makes the coconut flavor indetectable!
Dairy-Free Strawberry Ice Cream is especially perfect in spring, when fresh strawberries are sweet, juicy, and easy to find. It's delicious on its own, with toppings, or served alongside simple spring and summer desserts like cake, brownies, or cookies.
If you're serving this as part of a dessert spread, this recipe pairs well with my simple dairy-free cakes and dairy-free brownies.
How to make it (with photos)
This homemade strawberry ice cream is a dream to whip up! Just a handful of ingredients (as little as 4) and only two steps after freezing the churning bowl.
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
This recipe needs the following 4-6 ingredients to make dairy-free strawberry ice cream.
Canned Full Fat Coconut Milk + Coconut Cream
Full fat coconut milk and coconut cream give this dairy-free ice cream its creamy base. For the can of full fat coconut milk, you will use the full can (solid and liquid parts).
For the extra cup of coconut cream, use only the solid part of a can of refrigerated full fat coconut milk. You can also use a can labeled coconut cream (contains more cream than full fat coconut milk), and you will still only use the solid part.
A good quality coconut milk brand should clearly separate between the solid cream and liquid coconut water. I recommend Savoy brand or Thai Kitchen brands as they produce consistently good quality coconut milk and coconut cream.
Refrigerate the cans of coconut milk and coconut cream for 24 hours before using so they separate properly.
Strawberries
Frozen Strawberries: Use ripe, in-season strawberries. The sweeter and more flavorful your berries, the better your ice cream will taste. Cut the green tops off beforehand.
Frozen Strawberries: Thaw and drain them first to avoid excess water. Frozen strawberries are picked when perfectly ripe, and generally make a nice sweet strawberry ice cream.
Sugar
Since strawberries have a delicate flavor, I recommend white sugar for this recipe (it has a neutral flavor). If you're feeling adventurous, experiment with swapping some of the sugar for brown sugar, honey, or agave syrup.
If vegan, use organic sugar or vegan-friendly sugar.
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract gives this recipe a smoother flavor and masks the coconut flavor. With this addition, the subtle coconut flavor is indetectable.
A pinch of salt (optional)
Leave the salt out entirely or add just a pinch to bring out the flavors. Use no more than ⅛ teaspoon or the salt may prevent proper churning and freezing.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Learn how to make dairy-free strawberry ice cream in 3 easy steps.
- Prep: Refrigerate the coconut milk and coconut cream for 24 hours beforehand. Freeze the ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours beforehand (48 hours is even better).
- Blend: In order, add all ingredients to a blender. Blend at high speed until smooth. If you prefer chunky strawberry ice cream, blend without strawberries first, then add them in and pulse until you have your desired chunk size.
- Churn: Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and allow to churn for 20-30 minutes, until it is the consistency of a thick soft serve. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer to solidify more. Before scooping, allow to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Expert Tips
Make amazing dairy-free strawberry ice cream on the first try with these expert tips.
Taste before freezing.
Strawberries can vary in sweetness, so I recommend tasting the strawberry ice cream mixture before churning. Add a little more sugar if needed.
Let thaw for 5-10 minutes before scooping.
Homemade ice cream with few ingredients can be a little harder to scoop straight out of the freezer. Allow it to soften for 5-10 minutes at room temperature for optimum scoopability and softness.
You can also add a tablespoon of honey to the blended ice cream base to keep it a little softer after freezing.
Recipe FAQs
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this dairy-free strawberry ice cream recipe. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments at the end of this post and I'll answer within two business days.
Store homemade strawberry ice cream in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. However, the taste and texture are best in the first two weeks (it can get icier or show slight flavor changes after that).
Yes! For best texture with frozen strawberries, thaw and drain first before adding them to the blender.
I'm happy to say that yes, you can make this recipe without an ice cream maker! I didn't freeze my ice cream bowl long enough for one trial, and simply poured the ice cream mixture from the blender into a loaf pan and froze it. The texture was a little icier (like a sorbet-ice-cream hybrid) but it was still delicious and my family approved ✅
Just like dairy ice cream, dairy-free ice cream can go bad. Homemade ice cream lacks preservatives and stabilizers, and this can cause some coconut milk separation or potential spoilage over time. It can also get freezer burned, pick up odors from other foods in the freezer, or potentially spoil if exposed to repeated freeze-thaw cycles. It's best to eat it within a month.
More homemade strawberry desserts
Looking for more strawberry recipes? Try these fresh, spring favorites:
- Gluten-Free Strawberry Muffins - soft, bakery-style muffins made with fresh strawberries and pantry ingredients
- Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake - a tender sweet cake wth a jammy strawberry rhubarb layer
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble - a classic dessert with a sweet and tart filling and a crisp topping
- Chocolate Dipped Strawberries - an easy no-bake treat that feels indulgent
- Strawberry Basil Smoothie - bright and refreshing with herbs and frozen berries
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📖 Recipe
Dairy-Free Strawberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 can full fat coconut milk , refrigerated beforehand
- 1 cup solid coconut cream , refrigerated beforehand
- 2 rounded cups fresh strawberries with tops cut off
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sugar
Instructions
- Prep: Refrigerate the coconut milk and coconut cream for 24 hours beforehand. Freeze the ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours beforehand (48 hours is even better).
- Blend: In order, add all ingredients to a blender. Blend at high speed until smooth. If you prefer chunky strawberry ice cream, blend without strawberries first, then add them in and pulse until you have your desired chunk size.
- Churn: Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and allow to churn for 20-30 minutes, until it is the consistency of a thick soft serve. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer to solidify more. Before scooping, allow to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Gloria says
This is really creamy and tastes exactly like the strawberry ice cream I used to buy from our local creamery. So glad to have a dairy-free replacement! I used fresh store bought strawberries that were ripening faster than I could eat them.