Doing a Whole30 this month? You rock. But QUICK! LOOK AWAY! THERE’S NOTHING TO SEE HERE! Everyone else: time to make this amazing dairy-free, paleo vanilla ice cream + chocolate ganache!

An overhead shot of a scoop of healthy, paleo dairy-free Vanilla Ice Cream and Ganache

Really—this post ain’t for you…or at least, not right now. Go check out my Whole30 recaps, or better yet, go make yourself some Cracklin’ Chicken or Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Eggs. Come back in September—this ice cream’ll still be here.

Still with me—and looking for a cool, dairy-free treat to beat the heat? Then follow along as I crack open my copy of Kelly Brozyna’s Dairy-Free Ice Cream and whip up some vanilla ice cream with chocolate ganache!

An overhead shot of a scoop of Kelly Brozyna’s Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream topped with chocolate ganache and topped with toasted nuts.

Ever since a review copy arrived in the mail, I’ve been eyeing the vanilla ice cream. You’d think I’d make a beeline for the chocolate ice cream recipes in Kelly’s beautiful new book, but NOPE. Know why?

A person is flipping through a copy of Kelly Brozyna’s Dairy-Free Ice Cream cookbook

’Cause of this little guy.

A young Asian boy is sitting cross-legged on a kitchen counter.

As soon as he spied me dragging my long-neglected ice cream maker out of the garage, my six-year-old vanilla ice cream fanatic knew what was up. And he wasn’t shy about pointing out precisely which recipe he wanted me to make.

A mother is showing Kelly Brozyna’s Dairy-Free Ice Cream cookbook to her son.

Vanilla packs a huge wallop, and is anything but boring. According to Cook’s Illustrated, vanilla’s a “flavor potentiator” that not only increases our perception of sweetness, but also our ability to taste other ingredients that accompany it—like nuts, fruit, coffee, and chocolate.

But as much as I share Lil-O’s love of vanilla, there’s no way I was going to let someone who can’t even tie his own shoes keep me from my beloved dark chocolate.

The compromise? Ganache, baby. GANACHE.

An overhead shot of dairy-free, paleo chocolate ganache.

As Kelly points out, ganache (a.k.a. fancy chocolate sauce) can be made dairy-free, too; just substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream. Drizzle some ganache over a scoop (or three) of Kelly’s rich, dairy-free vanilla ice cream, add a sprinkle of toasted slivered almonds, and you’re all set for one of the best frozen treats you’ve had since going Paleo.

Someone spooning some paleo Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream topped with chocolate Ganache and toasted almonds

Who’s ready to scream for some ice cream?

Time to make some paleo vanilla ice cream!

Makes 1 to 1½ Quarts of Ice Cream and 1 cup of Ganache

Ingredients for ice cream:

Ingredients for ganache:

  • ⅔ cup canned full-fat coconut milk
  • 3 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped

(Plus, as an extra topping, I grabbed some toasted slivered almonds from my pantry.)

Here’s What You Do:

Grab your dates and put ‘em in a blender

An overhead shot of Medjool dates in a measuring cup to make paleo vanilla ice cream.

…after removing the pits, of course.

A young boy is pitting Medjool dates to make paleo and Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream

An overhead shot of pitted Medjool dates in an open blender.

Pour in the coconut milk…

Pouring coconut milk into a blender to make dairy-free paleo vanilla ice cream

…and purée until smooth.

A mother and son are blending the ingredients to make paleo, Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream

Add the almond milk…

Pouring almond milk into a blender to make Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream

…vanilla extract…

Adding a spoonful of vanilla extract to add to a blender filled with ingredients to make paleo and dairy-free vanilla ice cream

…and thickener. (Pour the bloomed gelatin mixture into the blender last, just before puréeing the ice cream mixture.)

Pouring bloomed gelatin into the blender to make Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Ganache

Blend until smooth.

A woman is blending the base for paleo and Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream

An overhead shot of paleo vanilla ice cream before it is frozen

Freeze for about an hour or refrigerate until cold.

Placing a blender filled with the dairy-free vanilla ice cream into the fridge.

Pour into the ice cream machine and churn per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Pouring the chilled paleo and Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream into the ice cream maker.

In the meantime, grab your chopped dark chocolate and make the ganache.

Cutting up dark chocolate into shard to make paleo chocolate ganache.

In a small saucepan, warm the coconut milk over medium heat until it begins to simmer.

Pouring coconut milk into a small saucepan to warm it up to make paleo chocolate ganache.

Place the chocolate in a bowl, pour the hot coconut milk over it, and let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Pouring warmed coconut milk onto dark chocolate shards to melt it for paleo ganache.

Whisk as the heat of the coconut milk melts the chocolate. Continue whisking until the milk and chocolate are well combined. (You can store the ganache covered at room temperature for up to a week.)

Someone stirring the paleo chocolate ganache until smooth.

Once the ice cream’s ready…

Dairy-Free and paleo Vanilla Ice Cream being pulled out of the ice cream machine.

…you can stick it in the freezer to firm up a bit, or just scoop it out…

Scooping paleo and Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream with an ice cream scooper.

Placing a scoop of paleo and Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream in a clear dish.

A shot of a scoop of paleo and Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream in front of a dirty ice cream scoop.

An overhead shot of a scoop of paleo and Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream in a clear glass with a spoon.

…spoon on some ganache…

A spoonful of paleo chocolate ganache

Drizzling paleo chocolate ganache on a scoop of Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream

…top it with some slivered almonds…

A hand is adding toasted almonds to the top of a scoop of Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream with chocolate Ganache

A side shot of a scoop of healthy Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream topped with chocolate ganache and toasted almonds.

…and go to town!

A smiling boy has a bowl of Dairy-Free Vanilla Ice Cream topped with chocolate ganache.


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Ganache

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Chilling time1 hour
Servings 4 people
This amazing dairy-free, paleo vanilla ice cream and chocolate ganache recipe is perfect for summer treats when you want something delicious and healthy!

Ingredients  

Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream

Chocolate Ganache

Additional topping

  • ¼ cup toasted almond slivers optional
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Instructions 

Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream

  • Place the dates and coconut milk into a blender and puree until smooth.
  • Add the almond milk, vanilla, and bloomed gelatin (if using). Blend until smooth.
  • Chill in the freezer for at least an hour or in the fridge until cold.
  • Pour into the ice cream machine and churn per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Chocolate Ganache

  • In a small saucepan, warm the coconut milk over medium heat until it begins to simmer.
  • Place the chocolate in a bowl, pour the hot coconut milk over it, and let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Whisk as the heat of the coconut milk melts the chocolate. Continue whisking until the milk and chocolate are well combined. (You can store the ganache covered at room temperature for up to a week.)

How to serve the dessert

  • Scoop the ice cream and top with melted ganache and toasted almonds. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 42g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 18g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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2 Comments

  1. Hi! I’d really love to try this recipe! It looks Devine. My only issue is that I do not own an ice cream maker. Is it possible to make this without one? Thankyou