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Vegan peanut butter ice cream made with coconut milk, natural peanut butter and molasses. A pinch of flaky salt on top makes this naturally sweetened vegan ice cream addicting.
Vegan peanut butter ice cream:
This is going to sound like an apology, andย I really donโt mean it that way, but here goes: this ice cream is vegan. And sweetened entirely with molasses. Yes, super sweet, rich almost slightly bitter molasses: the best thing in my naturally-sweetened pantry!
Iโve been re-thinking sugar in my life lately sinceย I have a babe that wants to eat everything Iโm eating. While I could hide ice cream, candy, and dessert and indulge on the couch during her nap time, something tells me thatโs not right. Truthfully, I am trying to reign in my own sugar consumption at the same time.
Iโm consuming more honey, maple syrup, molasses, and agave than ever before, so Iโm pretty sureย this is not a diet improvement. But, if Camille has a little lick of this ice cream while sheโs on my hip, I wonโt flip out over it because molasses has iron. And that is my justification for everything in life: vitamins, haha.
Vegan peanut butter ice cream ingredients:
- coconut cream: You need the big 15.5 ounce can of coconut cream. Two smaller cans of coconut cream will work, too! Just donโt buy coconut milk, itโs not the same. Coconut cream is truly only the fat skimmed from the surface of coconut milk. It makes the creamiest ice cream ever!
- peanut butter: Try to find natural peanut butter that only has the ingredient โpeanuts.โ A bit of salt is okay, but just try to avoid added sugars and oils.
- molasses: Listen up, this is very important: do not buy blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses tastes like ham, and you will not like it. Yes, it has more iron, but itโs also not good, hah! Buy regular molasses, the kind you would use for old fashionedย chewy molasses cookies.
- salt
- vanilla extract
- roasted peanuts:
- ice cream cones: also very optional, because many have sugar in them.
This vegan peanut butter ice cream tastes like the inside of a Reeseโs peanut butter cup (marry me already, will you?), and itโs loads easier than making a traditional ice cream custard base.
Ice cream should be simple to make (can I get an Amen?).
How to make vegan peanut butter ice cream:
- Combine: This vegan ice cream comes together on the stovetop first. We have to combine everything over heat so that it melts together. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut cream, peanut butter, molasses, salt and vanilla extract.
- Stir: Now, stir this mixture together over medium heat until itโs homogenous. Thatโs it! Youโre doing making your ice cream!
- Freeze: ย Itโs time to freeze your ice cream. Follow your ice cream makerโs instruction manual for this. After churning, itโs best to freeze for 1-2 hours before scooping and eating.
More info about coconut cream:
Coconut cream is not the same as full-fat coconut milk, but if all you can find is a little can of coconut cream, use it plus 3/4 of a can of full-fat coconut milk. Or, use two small cans. I buy the 15-ounce cans of coconut cream at Trader Joeโs (itโs the one with the brown label, and itโs the same thing I use for making the coconut cream for my first birthday cake frosting).ย
This is the cheap ice cream maker that I use. Iโve had it for years, and it works great!
Before serving, drizzle on a little extra molasses, a sprinkling of salt and peanuts (if you like).
You may also like my plain vanilla coconut milk ice cream recipe.
Vegan Peanut Butter Ice Cream
This homemade vegan peanut butter ice cream is so easy to make with pantry staples.
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can coconut cream
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (no sugar or salt added)
- 1/3 cup molasses (not blackstrap), plus extra for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus extra for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- roasted peanuts, for serving
- ice cream cones, for serving
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the coconut cream, peanut butter, molasses and salt. Turn the heat to medium low, and cook while stirring occasionally until everything melts together smoothly.
- Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla.
- Cover and chill the mixture entirely, at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Pour into the bowl of your ice cream maker (follow the manufacturer's directions), and churn until it has the consistency of soft serve. It only takes about 15 minutes in my model.
- Scrape the mixture into a freezer-safe container, and freeze for about 30 minutes before serving. If serving much later, let it thaw on the counter for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Scoop ice cream, drizzle with molasses, sprinkle with salt and peanuts.
Notes
coconut cream: You need the big 15.5 ounce can of coconut cream. Two smaller cans of coconut cream will work, too! Just don't buy coconut milk, it's not the same. Coconut cream is truly only the fat skimmed from the surface of coconut milk. It makes the creamiest ice cream ever!
peanut butter: Try to find natural peanut butter that only has the ingredient 'peanuts.' A bit of salt is okay, but just try to avoid added sugars and oils.
molasses: Listen up, this is very important: do not buy blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses tastes like ham, and you will not like it. Yes, it has more iron, but it's also not good, hah! Buy regular molasses, the kind you would use for old fashionedย chewy molasses cookies.
ice cream cones: very optional, because many have sugar in them.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 668Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 435mgCarbohydrates: 92gFiber: 2gSugar: 84gProtein: 8g















The fact that I have all these ingredients on hand and an ice cream maker that has been used once, makes me think it is only appropriate to make this ice cream! This looks so incredible, peanut butter and molasses is such a wonderful combo! Pinned xx
The inside of a peanut butter cup?!!? OMG! This looks (and sounds) amazing!
This ice cream looks so delicious. I love eating ice cream <3 This recipe with salted peanut butter is interesting. I will try to prepare it asap. I prefer the small Italian gelateria or homemade ice cream. Can't wait, summer 2016 will be HOT :*
Is it possible to make this recipe without an ice cream maker?
Sounds delish! But does it taste like coconut? Hubby hates that taste.
Well, I made this ice cream recipe yesterday, and I gotta say that, while it was as simple as ice cream gets, the taste was not for me or mine.
Like the inside of a peanut butter cup? Hardly. We found the molasses to be overwhelming, and finally I tried salvaging it by adding in more peanut butter (stirring it in like a ribbon of peanutty goodness), but there was no saving this one.
I guess itโs my fault, as I was drawn to the recipe due to its oddness (molasses ice cream?), and you get points for originality. But it looks like Iโll be eating this one alone, as no one in my household could get past their first bite.
In sum, thanks for the effort, but with so many ice cream flavors on the interwebs, I canโt see myself making this one again.