The Ultimate Vegan Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream: Creamy, Refreshing, and Coconut-Free

Prepare to be amazed by this incredible **vegan mint choc chip ice cream**! It’s everything you dream of in a classic ice cream: unbelievably smooth, wonderfully creamy, packed with a vibrant, refreshing peppermint flavor, and generously studded with delightful chocolate shards. What truly sets this recipe apart is its ingenious plant-based base. Unlike many vegan ice creams that rely heavily on coconut, this recipe offers a unique, coconut-free experience, making it perfect for those who dislike the taste of coconut or are looking for a more neutral flavor profile.

The secret to its luscious, dairy-free creaminess lies in a clever combination of humble oats and cashews. This innovative approach not only delivers an exceptional texture but also ensures the refreshing mint and rich chocolate flavors shine without any competition. This easy-to-follow recipe will guide you through creating a truly unforgettable frozen treat right in your own kitchen, proving that making homemade **dairy-free mint ice cream** can be both simple and spectacularly delicious.

This fantastic **vegan mint choc chip ice cream** recipe builds upon the foundation of my highly popular vegan vanilla ice cream. That groundbreaking recipe introduced the brilliant concept of using a base of cooked oats and cashews, ingeniously replacing traditional coconut milk. This choice is deliberate and impactful, as it provides a wonderfully neutral canvas for any flavor you wish to introduce. Without the strong, tropical notes of coconut, the true essence of your chosen flavors – in this case, invigorating mint – can truly flourish and take center stage, creating a purer, more authentic taste experience.

Moreover, this oat and cashew base is incredibly versatile. It serves as an excellent starting point for countless creative ice cream flavors, allowing you to experiment and customize to your heart’s content. This particular adaptation for **mint choc chip** is a testament to its flexibility and delicious potential. Mint choc chip has always been a beloved classic, and this vegan rendition rises to the occasion beautifully. It boasts a perfectly smooth, decadent texture, an invigorating burst of fresh mint, and an abundance of rich, dark chocolate pieces that perfectly complement the cool, creamy base. It truly is a remarkable homemade **plant-based mint chocolate** dessert that rivals any traditional dairy ice cream.

What Essential Ingredients Do I Need To Make This Creamy Vegan Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream?

Crafting the perfect **no coconut ice cream** requires a few key components, each playing a vital role in achieving that desirable smooth and creamy texture, vibrant flavor, and satisfying chocolatey crunch. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:

Cashews: Unroasted cashews are absolutely crucial for the incredible creaminess of this **dairy-free mint ice cream**. When properly soaked and blended, they transform into a rich, smooth cream that forms the backbone of our ice cream base. For optimal blending, cashews need to be softened. You have two convenient options: a quick soak in boiling water for about an hour, or a more leisurely overnight soak in cold water. Both methods yield perfectly soft cashews ready for blending, ensuring a silky-smooth finish without any grainy texture.

Porridge Oats (Rolled Oats): Regular rolled porridge oats or quick-cooking oats work equally well here. These humble grains are the secret ingredient that truly elevates the texture of this **oat-based ice cream**, providing body and creaminess without any coconut. You’ll gently simmer them with a portion of the plant milk until they are wonderfully soft, before blending them into the base. This step helps create a thick, custardy consistency that is essential for a scoopable, creamy frozen dessert.

Plant Milk: For the most neutral flavor and a naturally creamy texture that allows the mint to shine, unsweetened soy milk is highly recommended. Brands like Alpro Unsweetened Soya milk are excellent choices. While soy milk is preferred, you can certainly experiment with other unsweetened non-dairy milks such as almond, oat, or cashew milk. Just be mindful that the specific flavor of your chosen milk will subtly influence the overall taste of your finished **homemade vegan ice cream**.

Caster Sugar (Granulated is fine too): White caster sugar (or granulated sugar) is my go-to sweetener for this recipe because of its neutral flavor profile. This ensures that the refreshing peppermint is the undisputed star of the show. While you could substitute with liquid sweeteners like maple syrup or agave, be aware that these will impart their own distinct flavor to the ice cream, altering the classic mint taste. It’s also important not to significantly reduce the sugar content, as sugar is vital for both the sweetness and the final texture of the ice cream. It acts as an anti-freeze, preventing the ice cream from becoming too icy and ensuring it remains wonderfully creamy. *A note on vegan sugar: In the UK, most white sugar (excluding royal icing sugar) is vegan-friendly. However, in the US, some white sugars are processed using bone char, making them non-vegan. To be safe, consider purchasing organic sugar or checking the brand for clarification. Sugar derived from sugar beets is typically vegan, while cane sugar may vary.*

Xanthan Gum (Optional but Recommended): Many commercial ice creams include a stabilizer, such as guar gum, to prevent ingredients from separating and to maintain a consistently smooth, creamy texture. As guar gum can sometimes be harder to source, xanthan gum is an excellent and readily available alternative found in most supermarkets. It performs the same function beautifully, helping to prevent ice crystals from forming and improving the scoopability of your **creamy vegan ice cream**. If you can’t get hold of it, you can omit it, but the texture will be slightly less stable.

Vodka (Optional): Adding a small amount of alcohol, like vodka, is a clever trick to help prevent your ice cream from freezing rock-solid. Alcohol lowers the freezing point of the mixture, resulting in a slightly softer, more scoopable consistency straight from the freezer. While it will still be quite firm, the vodka aids in creating a smoother mouthfeel. If you prefer to omit it, the ice cream will simply be a bit harder and might require a longer softening time before serving.

Peppermint Extract: This is where the magic mint flavor comes from! Since peppermint extract is the dominant flavoring, using a high-quality extract will make a noticeable difference in the final taste. Nielsen-Massey is a fantastic choice if available. Adjust the amount to your personal preference – some enjoy a subtle hint of mint, while others prefer a bolder, more intense flavor.

Salt: A small pinch of salt is a culinary secret weapon. It doesn’t make the ice cream salty but rather enhances and brightens all the other flavors, particularly the sweetness of the sugar and the freshness of the mint, creating a perfectly balanced taste experience.

Green Food Colouring (Optional): For that classic, instantly recognizable mint choc chip appearance, a few drops of green food coloring are usually added. This is purely for aesthetics and doesn’t contribute to the flavor. If you prefer a more natural approach or don’t mind a white **vegan mint choc chip ice cream**, you can easily omit it. The taste will remain equally delicious!

Chocolate: For the signature “choc chip” element, I love making this ice cream stracciatella-style. This involves drizzling melted chocolate into the ice cream during the final stages of churning. As the hot chocolate hits the cold, churning ice cream, it instantly solidifies and breaks into irregular, delightful shards of various sizes, offering a unique textural contrast. Alternatively, you can simply mix in your favorite chopped vegan dark or milk chocolate or chocolate chips towards the end of the churning process. It’s crucial not to use overly dark chocolate, as cold temperatures mute sweetness, making very dark chocolate taste bitter when frozen. Choose a chocolate with a sweetness level that you enjoy eating directly.

How To Make Perfectly Creamy Vegan Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream:

(For precise measurements and detailed step-by-step instructions, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this page.)

Prepare Your Ice Cream Maker: Before you begin any ingredient preparation, ensure the bowl of your ice cream maker has been thoroughly frozen. This is a critical step for successful homemade ice cream. Most bowls require at least 11-24 hours in the freezer to be completely solid and ready for churning.

Soak the Cashews: To achieve that wonderfully smooth texture, your cashews must be fully softened. Place the unroasted cashews in a bowl and cover them with ample boiling water, allowing them to soak for a minimum of one hour. Alternatively, for a hands-off approach, cover them with cold water and let them soak overnight. Proper soaking is key to a grit-free ice cream base.

Cook the Oats: In a medium saucepan, combine the porridge oats with half of the unsweetened non-dairy milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the oats from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue until the oats are very soft and the mixture has thickened. This creates a creamy base that replaces traditional dairy.

Blend the Cashews: Once soaked, drain the cashews very well. Transfer them to a high-speed blender along with the remaining half of the non-dairy milk. Blend on high until the mixture is exceptionally smooth and creamy, with no visible cashew pieces. This may take a few minutes, so be patient and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.

Combine and Blend All Base Ingredients: Add the cooked oat mixture to the blender with the cashew cream. Now, incorporate the caster sugar, peppermint extract (start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste), xanthan gum (if using), salt, and vodka (if using). Blend again until the entire mixture is utterly smooth, velvety, and homogenous. There should be no discernable oat or cashew particles. This step is crucial for an ultra-creamy **vegan mint choc chip ice cream**.

Chill Thoroughly: Pour the blended ice cream base into a clean bowl, cover it tightly, and refrigerate until it is completely chilled. This is a vital step for achieving the best possible texture during churning. Ideally, let it chill overnight, but it should be cold for at least four hours. A colder base churns more efficiently and results in a smoother ice cream.

Churn the Ice Cream: Once the base is thoroughly chilled, add a few drops of green food coloring if you desire that classic mint green hue. Give it a good whisk to ensure even distribution. Pour the mixture into your pre-frozen ice cream maker bowl and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Churn until the mixture reaches a soft-serve consistency, typically about 20-30 minutes, depending on your machine.

Prepare the Chocolate Stracciatella: While the ice cream is churning, melt the chopped vegan chocolate gently. Once melted, carefully pour it into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle, or a ziploc bag with a tiny corner snipped off.

Add the Chocolate: In the last few minutes of churning, while the ice cream is still soft and pliable, slowly and steadily drizzle the melted chocolate into the churning mixture in a thin stream. As the warm chocolate hits the cold, swirling ice cream, it will instantly solidify and break into irregular, delicious shards. Try to avoid directing the stream directly onto the beaters, as this can cause the chocolate to clump too much. This method creates the beautiful stracciatella effect.

Final Freeze: Once the ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency and the chocolate has been incorporated, transfer it to a freezer-safe container with an airtight lid. Smooth the top and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until it is firm enough to scoop. For the best texture, press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container to prevent ice crystals from forming on top.

Top Tips for the Best Vegan Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream:

Achieving the perfect scoop of homemade **vegan mint choc chip ice cream** is a delightful process, and these tips will help ensure your success:

Precision in Measurements: As with all my recipes, I cannot stress enough the importance of using metric measurements with a digital kitchen scale rather than relying on cup conversions. Cups are notoriously inaccurate and can lead to inconsistent results, especially in baking and ice cream making where ratios are key. Using a scale guarantees far better, more consistent outcomes and often results in less mess!

Allow Softening Time: This **creamy vegan ice cream** will be quite firm straight out of the freezer, which is normal for homemade versions, especially those without high amounts of commercial stabilizers. To enjoy its best, most scoopable texture, remember to take it out of the freezer at least 15-20 minutes before you plan to serve it. This allows it to soften slightly, making it much easier to scoop and enhancing its creamy mouthfeel.

The Power of a Good Blender: For the smoothest possible ice cream base, free from any grit from the cashews or oats, ideally, you’ll want to use a high-powered blender (such as a Vitamix or Froothie). These blenders create an incredibly fine, silky-smooth mixture. While you can certainly make this recipe with a regular blender, it might take a bit longer to achieve the desired smoothness, and the final texture may not be quite as flawlessly creamy.

Chocolate Your Way: Don’t feel limited to the stracciatella method for adding chocolate, especially if you’re short on time or prefer a different style. You can simply add some roughly chopped vegan chocolate or your favorite vegan chocolate chips to the ice cream machine during the last five minutes of churning. This will evenly distribute chunks of chocolate throughout the ice cream. For an even more decadent twist, this **vegan mint choc chip ice cream** would also pair wonderfully with the rich chocolate fudge swirl from my popular vegan coffee ice cream recipe. Imagine mint chocolate with a luscious fudge ribbon – simply divine!

Proper Storage for Freshness: To keep your **homemade vegan ice cream** at its best, store it in an airtight freezer-safe container. To prevent the formation of ice crystals on the surface, which can make the ice cream icy, press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface before securing the lid. This creates a barrier against air, maintaining its creamy texture for longer. Enjoy within 1-2 weeks for optimal freshness.

Explore More Vegan Ice Cream Recipes:

• Classic Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream
• Indulgent Vegan Coffee Ice Cream with Chocolate Swirl
• Delicious Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream
• Rich and Creamy Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
• Dreamy Vegan Peanut Butter and Cookies Ice Cream
• Irresistible Vegan Biscoff Ice Cream
• Fun Vegan Chunky Monkey Ice Cream
• Refreshing Vegan Chocolate Coconut Sorbet

If you tried this amazing vegan mint choc chip ice cream recipe, I would love to hear how it turned out! Please take a moment to rate it, leave a comment below, or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and use the hashtag #domesticgothess. Your feedback is truly appreciated!

All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. If you wish to share this recipe, please do so by utilizing the provided share buttons. Please do not screenshot, repost the full recipe, or reproduce the content in its entirety. Instead, kindly include a link directly to this post for the complete recipe. Thank you for respecting intellectual property.