Making my own ice cream has never been something I was too excited about. Actually, I should say that after my very first experience with ice cream making, I felt it was better left to the pros.
My grandma (and probably my mom and a couple of my well-intentioned aunts) all thought it would be really fun to make ice cream the old fashioned way and the kids would get to do all the work. Fun, right?
Photo courtesy of Mom
That's my cousin doing the churning while I freeze my ass off sit on the ice cream machine to hold it still. See how much fun we're having? Yeah, me neither. I'm sure you can probably understand how when I received a fancy, electric ice cream maker as a gift in my twenties, though I gave it the good college try, I could never really get into making my own ice cream. My bum would get cold every time I thought about it.
Then last summer happened. My first summer as a vegan and as a blogger and every vegan blogger and their mother began to do posts for vegan ice cream recipes. I would eat my store-bought ice cream while staring at other blogger's homemade ice cream and wonder to myself "Should I give it a try?"
Fast forward to a month ago when Chris and I each received a jar of Peanut Butter & Co.'s Dark Chocolate Dreams in our Vida Vegan Con swag bag. I knew that if left in the cabinet, both jars would be devoured in a matter of days by myself and my step-daughter, making us both sick to our stomachs in the process (I know this by experience.* Peanut Butter & Co.- you are both my best friend and my worst enemy!). I also know myself well enough that if there is something in the pantry that is to be used in a recipe, I won't touch it, so I knew if I created a recipe using this incredible concoction, I wouldn't touch it.
I came up with a great number of wonderful ideas, but the idea for ice cream was the one I could not leave alone. I took advantage of an old Amazon gift card and ordered myself an ice cream maker. Once the machine arrived, I wasted no time getting this dreamy recipe started. The result was far better than I had imagined. Rich and creamy peanut butter ice cream with dark chocolate undertones. There are times while eating this ice cream that I couldn't tell whether it was more peanut buttery or more chocolatey. I didn't let this quandary stop me however, from enjoying each and every bite or from whipping up a new batch when Chris, Sophia and I had gone through the first batch in two days. The best part? My butt never froze once.
Ingredients
- 1 can (about1 3/4 cups) full fat quality coconut milk (organic when possible)
- 1 cup almond milk
- 3/4 cup Peanut Butter & Co.'s Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter (or you can try regular creamy peanut butter, mixed with some cocoa powder- mix to taste. Note: I have not tested this method)
- 1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until fully combined. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 or more hours, until completely chilled.
- Once the mixture is chilled. Pour it into your ice cream maker, according to your machine's instructions. Let it churn for about 20-30 minutes or when your machine is done. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for another 2-3 hours or overnight. If you leave it longer than a few hours, you may have to let it thaw for 5-10 minutes before you serve it. Enjoy!
What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?
*In my defense, it was the wrong time of the month so all bets were off when it came to peanut butter.
Photography by Chris Miller
Emily - It Comes Naturally
Wow. I've been enjoying banana soft-serve lately, but my hubby doesn't like bananas. He does however, LOVE peanut butter. Gotta give this a go - on his behalf, of course! BTW - fab photo of you and your cousin!
keepinitkind
Thank you, Emily! I think you and your hubby will enjoy this one! 🙂
Marlene @ Jade and Fern
Oh man. This looks incredible. And I love the story of the frozen butt. Parents come up with the worst ideas sometimes. 😉
keepinitkind
Thanks, Marlene! And yes- parents are so funny sometimes. 🙂
Caitlin
yay! you made your own ice cream! what a great way to utilize pb&co's awesome flavors!
keepinitkind
Finally, right?! Thanks for the inspiration, though- without drooling all over your wonderful ice cream creations, I likely never would've bought the machine!
Nicole
I still have a jar of Dark Chocolate Dreams left from my VVC swag bag too and it's been taunting me from my cupboard! But I knew that if I took the seal off I would eat the entire container (not in one sitting, mind you). This is the perfect way to use it up! Thanks for the recipe.
keepinitkind
Once you break the seal, it's all over. 😉 Seriously, though- I can't think of a better way to use it! 🙂 Thank you!
Andrea
Sounds like the perfect way to use the chocolate peanut butter! My problem is I've gotten so used to making ice cream in the Vitamix I've totally neglected our ice cream maker. I'll have to try a blender version!
keepinitkind
Huh- I'd never thought to use the vitamix to make ice cream. How do you do it? Thanks for stopping by, Andrea! 🙂
Chocolate-Covered Katie
It looks so incredibly delicious. And your photos are beautiful :).
keepinitkind
Thank you, Katie! That is a huge compliment coming from you! 🙂
Suzanne
Tis the season for ice cream! I love Peanut Butter and Co- I think the Dark Chocolate Dreams is their best flavour!
keepinitkind
Thanks, Suzanne! I think you're probably right about that- it is their best. That and the Cinnamon raisin... 🙂
Cadry
That picture of you as a kid helping in the ice cream making process is so stinkin' funny! You and your cousin look bored out of your minds.
My dad has always loved ice cream, and so I distinctly remember when I was a kid that Santa gave him an ice cream maker for Christmas. All kinds of things had to be purchased to make a batch of it - rock salt and various ingredients - and as a kid I thought the results didn't live up to the hype. My dad must have felt the same way, because we never made a batch of homemade ice cream ever again!
The ease of making homemade ice cream has certainly been perfected in the past twenty years. I have an ice cream maker on my wish list as well. Who knows? My birthday is next month (just like someone else I know)!
Anyway, what a brilliant idea to include that chocolate peanut butter in your ice cream! I may jump on your idea and use it in popsicle form!
Side note: how do you store your chocolate peanut butter once it's opened? I've been refrigerating it, but it does weird things to the texture.
keepinitkind
Thanks, Cadry! And yes- that pic is too funny. I have another one of my younger cousin trying to churn it but the machine is bigger than he is. He looks like he's going to cry or fall asleep. It's pretty hilarious. 🙂 It was so complicated with very little payoff.
I store it in the cupboard. Whenever I store peanut butter in the fridge, it gets weird so I usually just leave it in the cupboard. You know what they say, though- When life gives you weird peanut butter, make ice cream or popsicles! 😉
Shannon R
I don't know, I just opened a jar last night and um, there might not be enough left in the jar to make this recipe. Foiled again PB&Co, foiled again. Now I have to buy another jar. *sigh*
PS: I feel kind of sick.
keepinitkind
Hahaha! I have totally been there! 🙂
Annie
Great photo! Classic. I'm hit or miss on ice cream - not ready to throw in the towel yet, and it's pretty much impossible to pass up a double chocolate version...
keepinitkind
Thank you! A girl after my own heart- double chocolate anything is okay in my book! 🙂
Liz
I realize that the proceeding comment is so completely unrelated to this post that I should consider NOT making it, but, omg, Kristy. I CAN'T with those dimples!! A-dorable. 🙂 Could you BE any cuter? I say nay. LOL
keepinitkind
Hahaha! Thank you, Liz! It's actually only one dimple- it runs in my family. But the answer is is no, I could not be any cuter. 😉 You are so sweet, my friend!
Hannah
As much as you don't look like you're having fun in that photo, it makes me think of Almanzo and his siblings in Farmer Boy and that makes me SO HAPPY. As does anything peanut butter and dessert and delicious. Win!
keepinitkind
Thank you, Hannah- that's a great reference! 🙂
Emma
I still haven't made my own vegan ice cream yet either and it's been 4 years since I made the move.. I already have an ice cream maker too.
Chocolate and peanut butter together are already fabulous, make it into ice cream and it just gets better!
keepinitkind
Truer words have never been spoken. 🙂
Mary Ellen
This looks wonderful! I'm going to try this for the 4th!
keepinitkind
Thank you! Enjoy!
Richa
we used to make a lot of kulfi (creamy popsicles) back then. it doesnt need all the churning. plus there were always the neighboorhood kulfi cart(indian version of ice cream truck) which would come by at the same time. The kulfi guy would give the smallest size kulfi to our dog. even if we did not hear him coming, our dog would alert us anytime he was within a 2 block radius. now i know why he would bribe her:)
i need some dark chocolate ice cream in my life this weekend. it is finally getting hot.
keepinitkind
I'm happy to hear that it's getting warm up there! You should take a break from unpacking to have a little ice cream. 🙂
Anna {Herbivore Triathlete}
You are so right about there being all kinds of vegan ice cream popping up all over the blogosphere!
But your dark chocolate peanut butter version has me wishing for an ice cream maker more than ever before!
I agree with Annie, that photo, classic!
keepinitkind
Thank you, Anna!
Heather
OMG I am addicted to PB & Company Peanut Butter- The White Chocolate version, ugh so GOOD. I cannot leave a container at my desk any longer at work, when it comes to their peanut butter (any flavor) I have zero self control!
Tell me, how did you get your ice cream to not freeze solid as a rock? I am still working on my homemade vegan ice cream and it just freezes so solid after being in the freezer? Did this happen to you at all?
keepinitkind
PB & Co. is just the bomb. And I don't like using the word "bomb" to describe things so you know it must be an extreme case for me to be doing so.
THe ice cream gets a little hard but I just leave it out for 5-10 minutes and it's fine- totally scoopable. 🙂
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Well I think you definitely made the right call about trying to make ice cream again. I've had that peanut butter though, and I'm surprised you had enough left to make peanut butter from. That stuff is ridiculously good! But I'm sure it was worth it, I don't see how ice cream could get any better 🙂
keepinitkind
That stuff is just plain ridiculous! I just had a piece of toast with that on it, topped with fresh cherries. Ree-diculous. Thank you for stopping by, Gabby! 🙂
Bex @ Vegan Sparkles
haha, ohhhh, bless, you poor children!!! 🙂
I'm so happy to see you've made up with ice-cream making, though! Isn't it just the BEST??!! Soooo easy to turn all of your fave smoothie recipes into ice-cream too - like your Red Velvet Cake smoothie! DO IT!! xxx
keepinitkind
Bex- I think you're right! I need to make that happen! Thanks for the reminder! I hope you're well! xoxo
Rachel
Thank you for bringing "ice cream" that's worth eating back into my life. This was amazing! I can't wait to try your marbly fudge next.
keepinitkind
I am so happy that you liked it, Rachel! Thank you! 🙂
Deb
Mmmm thinking of giving it a try, I like coffee type ice creams.....