What’s Inside: This dairy-free chocolate custard ice cream uses coconut milk and coconut cream. The end result is silky, satisfying homemade ice cream. It’s also paleo-friendly!
REAL ICE CREAM ahead! Paleo Double Chocolate Custard Ice Cream to be exact. I’m tired of the so-called “healthy” dairy-free ice creams out there that are loaded with so much garbage and sugar… anyone else?! Homemade ice cream is well worth the effort and tastes 10x better than any pint you’ll find at the store, especially when you have a favorite recipe made with simple ingredients that you can customize.
Some homemade dairy-free and paleo ice cream can leave you wanting… more. A creamier, thicker texture… a bit more flavor, and less icicles. And, store-bought tends to be loaded with unnecessary additives, stabilizers, and too much sugar. So what’s a gal to do when that craving strikes and the sun is out? That’s why I had to make it for myself and share it with YOU.
Eating dairy-free or Paleo does not mean you have to sacrifice your favorites, it just means you have to find new ways to make them. The added bonus is nourishing your body with better-quality ingredients, so you can literally have your ice cream and eat it, too.
I was craving some legit CUSTARD-BASED ice cream, which uses egg yolk to add that silky smooth texture. So I had myself a testing session and am so excited about the results. This recipe has the traditional (well, almost… minus the dairy) custard-base with pasture-raised egg yolks and full-fat coconut milk & coconut cream in place of half & half (which does require some patience… but guys, did you see that photo??)
Look at how creamy, dreamy, and decadent the result is! It’s worth the extra steps in my book.
Crank up the tunes, get whisking, and have fun. I’ll show you how.
As mentioned, making custard ice cream has a few more prep steps. You’ll need:
Custard ice cream calls for half & half… we’re making our own “half & half” in this recipe using full-fat coconut milk & coconut cream (promise, you won’t taste the coconut if that concerns you). Full-fat coconut milk is what makes this dairy-free and paleo, it’s also a healthy fat source.
Opt for a BPA-free can that’s organic, with no gums added, like this organic coconut milk.
The sweetener you use is totally up to you. I’d always recommend a natural sweetener, you can try:
YOLKS! Let’s talk about it.
I love to use Vital Farms brand because of how they care for their hens. I sat in on a brunch with this brand and learned ALL ABOUT the feed they use as well as their standards and techniques for caretaking. I even got to see live footage of the hens’ living space and honestly, I was kind of jealous hahaha. Vital Farms eggs are also food sensitivity or Autoimmune disease- friendly, in my opinion. Since the feed is so clean and has the least amount of soy, these eggs never bother me. Also, the yolk is literally the color of sunshine! And, regardless of what brand you select… the yolk color matters. Go for vibrancy.
No matter what, make sure you use the freshest eggs possible so you have the highest quality custard possible!
*For my egg-free folks, I haven’t forgotten about you! My personal preference is eggs on occasion, as AIP taught me that too much don’t sit well with me! That said, for this recipe, there are no substitutions for the egg. There are many fabulous egg-free dairy-free ice creams out there, here is a vanilla one to take a stab at: AIP Vanilla Ice Cream (Paleo, Dairy-free, Egg-free)
CACAO and chocolate… I’m a stone-cold chocoholic. For reals. I used 100% dark chocolate and cacao powder, sweeten it yourself (more control). Here's a cacao brand I love >>
Lastly… mix-ins, your call! I used sliced almonds and cacao nibs but you can use anything you’d like towards the end of mixing. I like the added crunch because this stuff is so RICH (#NotaComplaint), it breaks it up a bit. Maybe you even add a Paleo, AIP waffle… and by maybe, I mean you absolutely DO. Grab that recipe here: Paleo Tigernut Waffles (AIP-friendly, Egg-free, Vegan)
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Hope you enjoy!
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Use #foodbymars to tag your FBM inspired creations! I’d love to see!
**Alison
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22 comments
This is very best dairy free ice cream I’ve ever made. I need a vanilla recipe. Do you have one, or should I just omit both the cocoa and chocolate? Thanks!
Amazing! So happy you enjoyed it and I agree, it’s so tasty. I haven’t tried vanilla with the egg like this, you could try omitting those and checking texture along the way. I do have an AIP vanilla ice cream recipe on the blog you can search though!
so this goes in an ice cream maker? just double checking. I just got one by the pioneer woman and am not sure it’s the right type? do you know?
Correct! Need an ice cream machine.
Can I use cacao butter plus extra cocoa powder instead of the chocolate chips?
You can just omit the chocolate chips.
Hello. I don’t have any dark chocolate or chips. Will that missing cup of yumminess mess things up too much? I can add more cacao powder or maybe steal a few of my son’s small protein bars to cut up from his ski stash. Thoughts or suggestions, please? Thanks so much. 😀
I’d say if you’re going to go through the trouble of making it, wait until you have the chocolate chips! I want you to enjoy it fully 😉
I have been making only no-churn ice cream all this time, but your post might push me over the edge to finally invest on one. This chocolate ice cream looks so delicious and creamy. 🙂
if quarantine doesn’t make us all invest in a machine, nothing will HAHA
This is our favorite ice cream recipe! It’s so chocolatey and has the perfect texture!
you’re the best!! so glad you love it!
I love all of the tips for making this ice cream come out smooth and creamy! So delicious!
THANKS, GIRL!
I love custard ice cream. It just taste so much more rich than the regular kind. My girls are going to devour this paleo double chocolate ice cream.
totally agree, it has something extra special!
Could I use a kitchenaid ice cream attachment making this recipe?
That should work!
Just an FYI that I saw this in the recipe index under AIP, and not just Paleo. On AIP, we can’t have cacao, but only carob, so I wouldn’t want anyone new on AIP to be confused and think it’s OK. Can’t wait to try this once I reintroduce cacao! Holy cannoli, it looks amazing, as do the rest of your recipes! Wonderful site!!!
Hey Tracy, thanks for your concern, however, I double-checked everything and it’s never been categorized or tagged as AIP so I’m assuming there was some lazy loading between the “all” category and “AIP” when you searched my index. Can’t wait for you to try it eventually either!
Pretty impressive!! I have to say that while I don’t follow a strict diet with these items in my cupboard regularly, the pictures say a 1000 words and sounds amazing, worth checking out! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much, Melissa!