Vegan Olive Oil Ice Cream
This vegan olive oil ice cream is luxuriously creamy, with notes of fruity extra virgin olive oil and real vanilla bean flecks. You only need a handful of ingredients and it’s so simple to make!
One of the most popular recipes on P&H is for a super decadent vegan Salted Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Ice Cream that I made a few years ago. I had no clue how that recipe would go over—extra virgin olive oil in ice cream? Was that too out there? But back when Aaron and I were living in San Francisco, we had tried the most perfectly bitter and sweet chocolate ice cream, sprinkled with flaky sea salt and topped with extra virgin olive oil. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
As someone who basically lives for ice cream, this dessert was life-changingly good. When we moved back to Boston, I decided to make my own version. I went all out and used extra virgin olive oil in the ice cream, as well as for the topping. It was the best ice cream I had ever made.
Realizing that not everyone loves chocolate ice cream, this summer I tried my hand at making a new spin: Vanilla Bean Olive Oil Ice Cream. It’s classic, but with a twist, which essentially describes all of my favorite things in life. And much like my original Chocolate Olive Oil Ice Cream, this non-dairy ice cream recipe is simple and all about the ingredients and the method I’ve detailed below.
The full-fat coconut milk base produces a luxuriously creamy texture, with notes of fruity extra virgin olive oil and real vanilla bean flecks sprinkled throughout. It’s lightly sweetened with a combination of coconut sugar and coconut nectar, both of which have the benefit of being lower glycemic in addition to tasting great (think brown sugar with a hint of caramel).
I couldn’t resist topping my olive oil ice cream with a homemade coconut oil chocolate magic shell, but of course it’s equally dreamy enjoyed plain or with a small pour of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
Vegan Olive Oil Ice Cream
Vegan Olive Oil Ice Cream
Serves: about 1 quart
Prep Time: 6 hours
This vegan olive oil ice cream is luxuriously creamy, with notes of fruity extra virgin olive oil and real vanilla bean flecks. It's simple to make and only a handful of ingredients to boot!
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegan Servings: about 1 quart
Prep Time: 6 hours
This vegan olive oil ice cream is luxuriously creamy, with notes of fruity extra virgin olive oil and real vanilla bean flecks. It's simple to make and only a handful of ingredients to boot!
Instructions
- Add the coconut milk, coconut sugar, coconut nectar, and salt to a medium saucepan.
- Press the vanilla bean pod so it lies flat on a cutting board. Carefully slice down the entire length with a sharp knife and open. Use the back of your knife to scrape out the caviar-like seeds and add them to the saucepan. Whisk to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Let boil for 1 minute and continue to whisk constantly. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk in the olive oil and vodka and allow to cool on the counter for 45 minutes, then refrigerate until cold (about 1 hour).
- Once chilled, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions (about 20 minutes) until just frozen. The texture will resemble soft-serve.
- Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, laying parchment paper along the top to prevent ice crystals, and allow it to harden in the freezer for 3-4 hours, or until it reaches your desired consistency.
- To serve, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then scoop and serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil if you like.
Notes [2]
The small amount of vodka helps to keep the ice cream from becoming icy and rock hard once frozen. The flavor is not at all detectable in the finished ice cream.
This recipe is excellent served with Raw Chocolate Magic Shell.
Copyright © 2023 Amanda Maguire for Pickles & Honey
