Equipment
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 500 g coconut cream, chilled overnight, solid cream only
- 320 g sweetened condensed coconut milk
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 2 g flaky sea salt, crushed
Mix-ins and Topping
- 100 g shredded sweetened coconut, divided
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 444 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 65 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 62 g
- Sodium
- 181 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 125 mg
- Calcium
- 181 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 17 mg
- Phosphorus
- 27 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 10 mcg
- Water
- 20 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place a large mixing bowl and the beaters of your hand mixer in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes. A cold environment helps the coconut cream whip properly.
Open the chilled cans of coconut cream. Carefully scoop out only the hardened, opaque cream into your cold mixing bowl, leaving the translucent coconut water behind.
Whip the solid coconut cream using the hand mixer on medium-high speed until it becomes fluffy and forms soft peaks, about 3 minutes.
Add the sweetened condensed coconut milk, vanilla extract, flaky sea salt, and half of the shredded sweetened coconut. Gently fold everything together using a silicone spatula until just combined, being careful not to deflate the whipped cream.
Transfer the mixture into a loaf pan, smoothing the top with your spatula. Sprinkle the remaining shredded coconut evenly across the surface to resemble fresh snow.
Wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap and freeze at -18°C/0°F for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight, until firm.
Chef's Notes
- For the most reliable whipping, use premium coconut cream containing at least 20 percent fat. Avoid brands with thickeners like guar gum, which can sometimes prevent the cream from separating properly in the can.
- Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping, as dairy-free bases tend to freeze harder than traditional dairy.
- To enhance the winter holiday theme, add a pinch of edible silver glitter or large white sugar pearls alongside the shredded coconut on top just before freezing.
Storage
Freezer: 1 month — Keep tightly wrapped with plastic wrap touching the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals.
Troubleshooting
Coconut cream did not whip and stayed runny
Cause: The cream was not chilled long enough, the ambient temperature was too warm, or liquid coconut water was accidentally included
Fix: Cannot be whipped further once warm. Proceed with the recipe; the final result will freeze into a denser, less airy ice cream but will still taste delicious
Prevention: Chill cans for a full 24 hours in the coldest part of your refrigerator and ensure absolutely no liquid gets into the bowl
Ice cream is extremely hard and difficult to scoop
Cause: Dairy-free and plant-based milks freeze harder than traditional dairy heavy cream
Fix: Let the loaf pan sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to soften
Prevention: Include a tablespoon of neutral alcohol like vodka if permitted, which lowers the freezing point
Cultural Context
No-churn ice creams became popular as an accessible alternative to traditional custard-based recipes requiring specialized machinery. By utilizing whipped coconut cream and condensed coconut milk, this variation offers a fully plant-based, luxurious dessert that mimics the snowy aesthetic of a traditional Northern Hemisphere Christmas.
