The Creamiest Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream- Refined Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free

This is one of our absolute favourite homemade treats — a creamy, dreamy vanilla ice cream made with only a handful of wholesome ingredients. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and free from refined sugars — and honestly, no one ever notices it’s “healthy.” We serve it to friends, our kids devour it, and it’s a go-to weekend treat after yoga practice.

Ingredients (Makes approx. 1 litre)

• 1 cup cashews 
• 1 cup water
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk (chilled overnight, use only the thick part)
• 3–4 tbsp coconut oil
• ½ cup raw honey (more if a sweeter tooth)
• 1 vanilla bean (scraped)
• pinch of salt

Whip iIt Up:

Blend cashews and water: In a high-speed blender, blend the cashews and water for about 1 minute until completely smooth and creamy. The mixture should become lukewarm.

Add the rest of the ingredients: Add the thick part of the chilled coconut milk, coconut oil, honey*, and vanilla bean. Blend for another 20–30 seconds, just until everything is combined.

Freeze it up: Pour the mixture into your ice cream machine and churn for 30–60 minutes, depending on your machine. You can eat it right away as soft serve or freeze it for 1–2 hours for a firmer scoop.

*You can substitute honey with maple syrup or dates. The colour will change slightly. To get a white vanilla ice cream, honey is the best choice. Taste the ice cream mixture, it should be a little sweeter than you like it, as when it freezes the sweet tastes goes slightly. 

Why We Avoid Dairy

Most dairy products available today are not what they used to be. As Dr. Mark Hyman says, the dairy we find in supermarkets is often full of hormones and antibiotics, and the cows are fed a diet far from their natural one. It’s also highly processed and pasteurised — and for many, it’s inflammatory and difficult to digest.

To quote Dr. Hyman:

“Dairy is nature’s perfect food — but only if you’re a calf.”

Modern dairy is essentially water, sugar (lactose), and inflammatory proteins, often with traces of pus from infected udders. Not exactly what we want in our bodies, or in our kids’ bodies. So we make our own alternatives that taste amazing and actually nourish us.

Why We Choose Natural Sweeteners

We avoid refined sugar whenever we can. Instead, we use natural sweeteners like raw honey, dates, and maple syrup. These aren’t “health foods” you should eat in unlimited amounts — they’re still sugars — but they’re far less processed, and they contain additional nutrients:

Dates – rich in fibre, potassium, and iron. A great option for athletes and growing kids.

Raw honey – packed with enzymes and antioxidants, and if it’s local, it may even help with seasonal allergies.

Maple syrup – contains small amounts of zinc and manganese. Still sugar, but at least it’s not stripped and bleached.

A Family Favourite

This ice cream has become one of our go-to desserts — we sometimes serve it with our gluten-free protein wafflesafter yoga practice on our Complete Unity Yoga Mats. Our kids love it, and our friends are always surprised it doesn’t contain dairy, refined sugar, or any artificial ingredients.

It’s clean, it’s creamy, and it’s made with love.