4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream

Last Tuesday the air conditioning in our building quit again, and Alex walked into the kitchen asking for something cold. I had four things on hand, and that is how this 4 ingredient chocolate ice cream was born.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like This 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream
• Simple Ingredients For This 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream
• 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream
• How To Make 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream At Home
• Storing And Softening Your Ice Cream
• My Tips And Variations For 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream
• Questions I Get About 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream
• Recipes You May Like
• Conclusion

Honestly? I did not expect much from it. Two cans of coconut cream, a pile of dates, cocoa powder and a splash of coconut milk did not sound like dessert to me.

Then I tasted it straight off the spatula and stopped talking for a second.

I learned to make real ice cream with my mom when I was fifteen, standing over a churn that took forever and made a mess of the counter. This version skips all of that. No machine, no eggs, no cooking, no candy thermometer.

So what makes this 4 ingredient chocolate ice cream work? Whipped coconut cream gives it air and body. Soft Medjool dates bring sweetness plus a soft caramel note. Cocoa powder does the rest.

There is no dairy, no eggs and no added sugar in the whole thing. Sarah has a friend who cannot have milk, and this is the dessert I make when she comes over.

If frozen treats are your thing, you might also like my dairy free cookies and cream ice cream, which uses the same chilled coconut cream trick. My kids argue over the last scoop of that one too.

Why You Will Like This 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream

• Only four ingredients, and you probably recognize every one of them
• Fifteen minutes of actual work, then the freezer takes over
• No ice cream maker and no special equipment beyond a mixer and a food processor
• Deep chocolate taste with a soft caramel background from the dates
• Creamy and scoopable instead of hard and icy
• Naturally dairy free, egg free and sweetened only with fruit

Simple Ingredients For This 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream

• 2 cans (13.5 oz / 400 ml each) coconut cream, refrigerated at least 8 hours or overnight
• 2 ½ cups (397 g) pitted Medjool dates
• ¾ cup (51 g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
• ½ cup (4 fl oz / 118 ml) coconut milk

A few notes from my own testing.

Buy coconut cream, not light coconut milk. The fat is what makes this creamy, and low fat cans will give you a block of ice.

Medjool dates are softer and more caramel like than other kinds. Deglet Noor dates work if you soak them a little longer.

Dutch process cocoa gives the darkest color and the smoothest taste. Natural cocoa works fine, though the result is lighter and a bit sharper.

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How To Make 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream At Home

Chill The Coconut Cream First

Put both cans in the fridge overnight, or for at least 8 hours. The thick cream separates from the watery liquid underneath.

Skip this step and nothing whips. I found that out the hard way on my first try, and we ended up drinking chocolate soup with straws.

Soften The Dates

Place the dates in a large bowl. Pour in enough hot water to cover them completely.

Let them sit about 10 minutes, until they feel soft and mushy when you press one.

Reserve ½ cup of the soaking water, then drain the dates.

Blend The Date Paste

Add the drained dates to a food processor. Pulse a few times to break them up.

Pour in ¼ cup of the reserved soaking water and process until smooth. Add more liquid a spoonful at a time if the paste looks thick.

Set it aside and let it cool completely. Warm date paste will curdle your coconut cream, and there is no fixing it once that happens.

Whip The Coconut Cream

Scoop the firm cream off the top of each chilled can. Leave the watery part behind, or save it for smoothies.

Add the cream to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium high for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Is it not whipping? Add a tablespoon or two of that reserved coconut liquid to loosen it up.

Mix In The Cocoa And Dates

Add the cocoa powder, cooled date paste and coconut milk to the bowl. Whip again until the mixture looks thick, smooth and glossy.

Scrape down the sides once or twice. Cocoa likes to hide in the corners.

Freeze Until Firm

Pour everything into a freezer safe container. A 9 x 5 inch loaf pan is what I use.

Smooth the top, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and freeze 4 to 6 hours until firm.

Let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping. That short rest makes a real difference in texture.

Storing And Softening Your Ice Cream

Keep leftovers in an airtight, freezer safe container. Glass or metal containers hold up better than thin plastic.

Press a piece of parchment right onto the surface before you put the lid on. That small habit keeps ice crystals from forming on top.

This keeps well for about 2 weeks in the freezer. After that it stays safe, though the texture turns firmer and less creamy.

Never microwave it to soften. Set the container on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes instead, and the edges will scoop first.

The chocolate taste actually deepens on day two. Donald swears the second day batch is better, and I think he is right.

My Tips And Variations For 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream

Here is the thing I wish someone had told me. Temperature matters more than technique in this recipe.

• Cold cream, cool date paste, everything else at room temperature. Follow that and you will not have a curdled bowl.
• Sift the cocoa powder if yours has lumps. Lumps do not break down once the mixture is thick.
• Want a fudgier bite? Stir in 2 tablespoons of melted dark chocolate at the end.
• Add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder for a deeper chocolate taste. Nobody will guess why it tastes better.
• Fold in chopped toasted almonds or a handful of mini chocolate chips before freezing.
• A pinch of flaky salt on top of each scoop sounds fussy, but it works.

Alex likes his with a spoonful of peanut butter swirled through. Sarah wants sprinkles and nothing else, which is very much her.

When I want something warm instead, I make my double chocolate spoon cake and serve a scoop of this on the side.

Questions I Get About 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream

How Do You Make Chocolate Ice Cream Without An Ice Cream Maker?

You whip air into the base before freezing, which is exactly what a machine does mechanically. Whipped coconut cream holds that air well, so the mixture freezes soft instead of solid. Pouring it into a shallow loaf pan helps too, since it freezes faster and more evenly than a deep container.

Why Is My Coconut Milk Ice Cream Icy?

Almost always because there was not enough fat in the base. Light coconut milk or the watery liquid from the can will freeze into ice crystals. Use full fat coconut cream and leave the thin liquid behind. Whipping the cream properly also matters, since air pockets keep the texture soft.

Can I Use Regular Dates Instead Of Medjool Dates?

Yes, and I have done it. Deglet Noor dates are drier, so soak them in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes rather than 10. You may also need an extra spoonful of soaking liquid to get a smooth paste. The sweetness is slightly milder, so taste and add a few more dates if you want.

How Long Does Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Last In The Freezer?

About 2 weeks at its best. It stays perfectly safe longer than that, but the texture gets grainy as ice crystals build up. Parchment pressed onto the surface plus a tight lid buys you extra time. Mine has never lasted more than five days anyway.

Recipes You May Like

• Chocolate Fudge Pie for when you want that same deep chocolate hit in a slice you can share.
• Fudgy Buckeye Brownies With Creamy Peanut Butter Filling because chocolate and peanut butter belong together, and these travel well.
• Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies That Melt In Your Mouth which make the best base for an ice cream sandwich with this recipe.

Conclusion

So here is the short version. Chill your coconut cream overnight, soak and blend the dates, whip everything together with cocoa powder, then freeze for a few hours.

That is the whole method behind this 4 ingredient chocolate ice cream, and it works every single time now that I know the temperature rules.

I love this one because it feels like a treat without a long shopping list or a machine taking up counter space. In a Manhattan kitchen, that matters.

Give it a try this week and tell me how it turns out for you. Pin it to save for the next hot afternoon, and let me know in the comments if your kids fight over the last scoop like mine do.