Dairy free cookies and cream ice cream

Some recipes just make summer feel right, and this dairy-free cookies and cream ice cream is one of them. It's creamy, sweet, packed with cookie crumbles, and nobody at my table can tell it's dairy-free at all.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like This Ice Cream
• Ingredients for This Dairy-Free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
• Dairy-Free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
• How to Make Dairy-Free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
• Storage Tips for This Ice Cream
• Tips and Ways to Change Up This Recipe
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipes You May Like
• A Sweet Ending

I started making dairy-free treats a few years back when one of Alex's friends came over for a sleepover and couldn't have regular milk. I didn't want him to feel left out, so I started testing dairy-free desserts in my own kitchen. This ice cream turned out to be one of the biggest wins, right up there with my chewy chocolate chip cookies, which now always sit on our dessert table too.

Sarah asks for this ice cream almost every time it's warm out, and honestly, I don't blame her. It tastes rich and cold and just plain good, and it comes together with ingredients I can actually pronounce.

Why You Will Like This Ice Cream

This recipe earns its spot in our freezer rotation for a bunch of reasons.

• It's completely dairy-free, so anyone with a dairy allergy or intolerance can enjoy it too
• The base comes together in the blender, no stovetop cooking needed
• It tastes just as creamy and rich as regular ice cream
• Crushed cookies give it that classic cookies and cream crunch in every bite
• It's a fun one to make with kids, since the cookie crushing part is basically a game
• It keeps well in the freezer, so you can make a batch and enjoy it all week

Ingredients for This Dairy-Free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Here's what you'll need. Nothing fancy, just simple stuff that works.

• 3 cups unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage, original or vanilla (I use a pea milk beverage, but a good oat milk works too)
• ⅔ to ¾ cup sugar (see my note below on which amount to pick)
• ½ cup neutral oil, like canola
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla flavoring or paste
• 1/16 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (this helps keep the texture smooth instead of icy)
• 20 dairy-free chocolate sandwich cookies, roughly chopped

A quick note on sugar: ⅔ cup tastes plenty sweet to us, but ¾ cup gives it that extra sweetness and helps keep ice crystals from forming. Either way works, so pick based on your family's taste.

For the cookies, check labels carefully. A lot of sandwich cookies contain milk or are made on shared lines with dairy, so read closely if anyone in your house has a real allergy.

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How to Make Dairy-Free Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

This whole process happens in your blender and ice cream maker, so there's no fussing over a hot pot. Here's how I do it.

Blend the Base

Pour about half of your milk beverage into the blender, then add the sugar. Blend for about a minute, until the sugar fully dissolves.

With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil through the lid opening. Keep your hand near the opening while you do this, since it can splatter a little. Let it blend for another minute so everything comes together smooth.

Add the rest of your milk beverage, the vanilla, and the salt. Blend for about 15 seconds, then add the xanthan gum and blend for one more minute.

Chill and Churn

Place the whole blender jar in your refrigerator and let it chill for at least 2 hours. This step matters more than people think. A cold base churns into a much creamier ice cream.

Once it's chilled, give the mixture a quick 10 second blend to loosen it back up. Then pour it into your ice cream maker and process according to your machine's directions.

Freeze and Serve

Once the churning is done, stir in your chopped cookies right in the machine or fold them in by hand. Pack everything into a freezer-safe container.

For soft serve texture, freeze for about 2 hours. If you want it scoopable and firm, give it 4 hours or more. Either way, it's worth the wait.

Storage Tips for This Ice Cream

Homemade ice cream doesn't have the stabilizers that store-bought versions have, so a few storage habits go a long way.

Keep it in an airtight, freezer-safe container, and press a piece of parchment or wax paper right against the surface before sealing the lid. This helps keep ice crystals away.

It stays good in the freezer for about 2 weeks, though ours never lasts that long around here. If it gets too hard to scoop, just let it sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Tips and Ways to Change Up This Recipe

Over the many batches I've made, I've picked up a few things worth sharing.

• Don't skip the chill time before churning. I tried rushing it once and ended up with icy, grainy ice cream instead of smooth scoops
• If your ice cream maker bowl needs freezing ahead of time, plan for that the night before
• Swap the sandwich cookies for a dairy-free chocolate cookie you make yourself, like these top allergen-free cookies, if store-bought options are hard to find
• Want it extra decadent? Swirl in a spoonful of stabilized whipped cream right before freezing
• Have leftover cookies from another recipe, like my peanut butter cookies? Crumble those in instead for a fun twist
• Isn't it nice when a treat everyone can enjoy doesn't feel like a compromise at all?

Frequently Asked Questions

What dairy-free milk works best for this ice cream?

I like an unsweetened pea milk beverage because it churns up thick and creamy, similar to whole milk. Oat milk is a solid second choice. I'd stay away from thinner options like rice milk, since the ice cream ends up icier.

Can I make this without an ice cream maker?

You can, though the texture takes a bit more work. Pour the chilled base into a shallow dish, freeze it, and stir every 30 minutes with a fork for about 3 hours to break up ice crystals. It won't be quite as smooth, but it still tastes good.

How do I keep dairy-free ice cream from turning icy?

The xanthan gum in this recipe does most of the heavy lifting here, along with a full chill time before churning. Pressing parchment paper against the surface before storing also helps a lot once it's in the freezer.

How long does this ice cream last in the freezer?

It stays fresh for about 2 weeks in an airtight container. After that, it's still safe to eat, but the texture starts getting a little firmer and less creamy.

Recipes You May Like

• Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies: perfect crumbled into ice cream or served alongside a scoop
• Fudgy Buckeye Brownies with Creamy Peanut Butter Filling: a rich, chocolatey pairing for a bowl of this ice cream
• Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp Delight: warm crisp with a cold scoop on top is one of our favorite summer combos

A Sweet Ending

This dairy-free cookies and cream ice cream has become one of those recipes I keep coming back to, especially now that summer is here and everyone wants something cold after dinner. It's simple, it's creamy, and it means nobody has to sit out from dessert.

Give it a try this week, and let me know how it turns out for your family. And if you make it, save this one to Pinterest so you can find it again next time the craving hits.