Vanilla Cashew Ice Cream (Paleo/ Vegan/ Dairy Free/ Gluten Free/ Refined Sugar Free)

July is almost gone… Can you believe it? The summer seems to be flying by! In southern Ontario it has been a hot, dry summer! Third time this month we are in a heat warning! We are actually in a drought for the first time in an extremely long time, as well.

What does everyone need when it is hot outside? You guessed it…. Ice Cream!!! I’ve made most of my ice creams with coconut milk, such as strawberry, chocolate, vanilla.

Vanilla Cashew

I love coconut, but some people don’t. My daughter is included in those people. Recently I was making an ice cream cake for my granddaughter’s birthday. Since my daughter would be there, I decided to try my hand at making cashew ice cream. I use cashews for many other things, such as cashew milk, cashew cream, and cashew cream cheese. Why not ice cream? Oh my, So delicious!

Vanilla Cashew Ice Cream

Vanilla Cashew Ice Cream (Paleo/ Vegan/ Dairy Free/ Gluten Free/ Refined Sugar Free)

3 c. raw cashews

1/2 c. dates-pitted

2 tsp. vanilla (I use mine)

1 1/2 c. water

1/4 c. maple syrup (optional- if you want it sweeter)

Soak cashews in 3 cups of water four at least four hours, up to overnight.  Then drain cashews. Add cashews, dates, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of water to high powered blender.

Vanilla Cashew Ice Cream

Blend until smooth. Add a little more water if needed to blend to a smooth consistency. Check the taste to see if your ice cream is sweet enough for you. I like it as is, but some people may want to add the maple syrup for added sweetness. Add now and mix thoroughly, if adding.

Put mixture into freezer safe container, into the freezer, and stir every 30 minutes until desired texture. For the leftovers, let sit out 10-15 minutes before serving so it softens slightly.

Shared On: Allergy Free Thursdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays,Sunday Food and Fitness.

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14 Comments

  1. My oldest daughter doesn’t like coconut, either, but she LOVES cashews. 🙂 I’ll have to keep this in mind for her. Thanks for sharing with us at Allergy Free Thursdays, Sandi!

  2. I use cashews a lot, but haven’t tried making my own cream cheese yet. That’s a fun idea!

    Your daughter doesn’t like coconut?! Poor thing ;p
    This ice cream sounds super delicious. Perfect for cooling off during hot summer days. And the texture looks so good! My ice cream doesn’t look that good – I’ll have to try this recipe.
    Oh and I know what you mean about the heat! I was in Southwestern Ontario last week and I felt like I was walking around in a sauna. *whew*
    Thanks for sharing at Healthy Vegan Fridays, Sandi. I’m pinning & sharing. Have a great week!

    1. Thanks Kimmy! Yes, I am using cashews for everything these days! It’s my dairy alternative!! We still have the sauna going here in southern Ontario. No end in site. Bring on the ice cream!!

  3. This is just what I’ve been looking for! My son is allergic to dairy and soy and despises coconut. Thank you. Is there anything you would recommend substituting for the dates? He is allergic to them. We usually use rice malt syrup but I wondered if it would change the consistency too much.