This chocolate oreo ice cream is no churn, and rich with chunks of Oreos or any other chocolate sandwich cookie, made with 5 ingredients including sweet potato, making it a healthy chocolate ice cream that is dairy free, gluten free and refined sugar free.
Healthy no churn chocolate oreo ice cream is easy to make, high in protein, and has a surprising ingredient that adds nutrition and creaminess - sweet potatoes! Oreos might be too processed for you so feel free to use any chocolate sandwich cookies.
Regarding the sweet potato, I used canned organic, but you can also use a fresh baked potato. The entire 5-ingredient recipes is such an easy way to get a quick bowl of chocolate ice cream on the table. Just blend up the ingredients, freeze them into ice cubes and blend again. If you love this recipe, you might also love my no churn chocolate ice cream.
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Why This Recipe Works No Churn?
- Dates, coconut milk and sweet potato all help the texture remain creamy, not icy.
- Double blending or processing also helps inject at least some air, mimicking an ice cream maker somewhat.
Can I Use an Ice Cream Maker?
Yes, this no churn recipe actually can be made a bit faster in an ice cream maker with this recipe. Blend the ingredients, chill the mixture for 20 minutes in the refrigerator, then add it to an ice cream maker tub that has been chilled according to your machine's directions. I use this ice cream maker machine, it's budget friendly and works great.
Ingredients
Dates. I use medjool dates, soaked briefly in boiled water, and pitted. Maple syrup or sugar are not good swaps for this ice cream.
Milk. Full-fat canned coconut milk is necessary for this recipe to work. No, the ice cream does not taste like coconut.
Cocoa. A high quality cocoa powder is recommended to carry the ice cream's chocolate flavor.
Cashews. You can use unsalted, unroasted cashews soaked briefly to soften, or use cashew butter. Cashew butter is better than peanut butter for a neutral flavor.
Sweet Potato. I used an organic canned sweet potato puree, but you can also use fresh, just bake a sweet potato, remove the skin and blend with milk into a puree.
Oreos. Or any chocolate sandwich cookies. Whole Foods brand is more whole some and they even have a gluten free version.
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
About Canned Coconut Milk
Tip about canned coconut milk. Look for cans of shelf-stable, unrefrigerated cans of coconut milk. I prefer Whole Foods 365 brand, organic or Thai. Look for brands with no guar gum if possible. Try to avoid Goya and Trader Joes. You can often find Thai brand canned coconut milk on the international aisle, with Latin or Asian products. Open the can and if it is clumpy, set it in a pot of boiling water, instructions below.
Step 1: Open can and stir. If it looks solid on top or clumpy, sit the can in a pot of hot or boiling water and stir until creamy.
Step 2: It will take about 1-2 minutes but soon the milk in the can should look like this.
Step by Step Instructions
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Prep: Soak the dates and cashews in a pot of just-boiled water for 30 minutes. Pit the dates. Be sure the canned coconut milk has not separated which can happen if it gets cold. (see above how to melt it)
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a blender.
Step 2: Blend into a creamy liquid.
Step 3: Pour into ice cube tray and freeze about 4-6 hours but not overnight.
Step 4: Blend or food process the ice cubes for 20 seconds for a creamy result.
Step 5: Scoop and enjoy, or if it is too soft which will depend on the sweet potato puree and coconut milk brands, freeze in a loaf pan or ice cream container until scoopable.
Storage
Store the ice cream in containers or in a parchment-lined loaf pan covered with plastic or another sealed container. Keep frozen for up to a week - it won't go bad after that but will form ice crystals.
Long term storage: To keep it frozen longer, keep the ice cubes frozen and don't blend a second time until ready to eat.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Make sure your can of coconut milk is at room temperature and shaken so the liquid is not separated. If it is separated with the solid coconut at the top when you open it, sit the open can in a pot of just-boiled water or even as it boils and stir the coconut milk until it is creamy
- Make sure you soak your dates and cashews for at least 30 minutes so they soften and blend well into the ice cream.
- Taste-test the blended mixture to be sure it is sweet enough for you and add a little more sweetener if necessary.
- Use sweet potato puree, but if you want to use a fresh sweet potato, wash it, pierce the skin with a fork, wrap it in a paper towel and microwave for about 5-7 minutes. Scoop out the interior and blend with a few tablespoons of any milk until you have a puree.
FAQS
Yes, bake it and blend with a little milk to make a puree.
No, it will add too much liquid and the dates are needed to keep the ice cream from freezing.
Yes, but if you use peanut butter, the ice cream will have a distinct peanut flavor - only cashews provide the creamy texture without the flavor of nuts.
Yes, once you have blended up all the ingredients, pour the mixture into the ice cream maker tub - be sure the tub was put in the freezer overnight.
Yes to all provided you make sure the cookies you add are dairy free, vegan and gluten free.
Other Healthy Ice Creams
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream (no churn)
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- ice cube trays
Ingredients
- 4 dates, soaked and pitted
- 1 can full fat coconut milk room temperature, not separated
- ¼ cup cashews, soaked* or cashew butter
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup sweet potato canned or fresh
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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Instructions
Prep
- Submerge dates and cashews in just boiled water for 30 minutes. Drain, rinse, pit the dates.
Make Ice Cream
- Blend up all ingredients in a blender until creamy.4 dates, soaked and pitted, 1 can full fat coconut milk, ¼ cup cashews, soaked*, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ¼ cup sweet potato, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the mixture to ice cube trays and freeze until solid, about 4-6 hours or overnight.**
- Blend or use a food process to blend up the ice cubes for about 20 seconds.
- Pour the now creamy mixture into a container, stir in oreos, and freeze until scoopable.
Dee Dine
I hope you love this easy no churn oreo cookie ice cream.