Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (dairy free with sugar-free option)

Whole New Mom - https://wholenewmom.com

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: AIP, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, Vegan, whole30

Keyword: vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream

Servings: quarts approximately

Calories: 324kcal

Make this Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe at home and skip the ice cream parlor prices! Low Carb with AIP options.

4 cups coconut milk
1 cup low-carb sweetener
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-3 tablespoons MCT oil (optional - for creaminess. See Notes)
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 tablespoon arrowroot (optional thickener; use gelatin for non-vegan)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (optional; for coloring)
3/4 cup chocolate or carob chips (add more or less, to taste - use mint chocolate chips for a double-mint treat)

Place all ingredients (except chips) in blender (NOTE: if using gelatin, let it "bloom" in the coconut milk for a few minutes before you add the other ingredients).
Blend until smooth (if you do not have a high-powered blender [aka Vitamix] and you are using a granulated sweetener, you may wish to heat the milk and sweetener in a pan until the sweetener is dissolved).
Place in ice cream maker and process according to directions.
When ice cream is starting to solidify, add chips and allow maker to mix in chips thoroughly.
Scoop up and enjoy!

Milk: See Easiest Homemade Coconut Milk for a great homemade coconut milk option. Other milks will work as well as coconut milk, but for alternative milks, coconut and almond are among the better choices as they have more fat content and will have the resulting product be more creamy.

Sweeteners: I used a half and half combination of powdered xylitol and erythritol. You can use whatever you like to suit your dietary needs. Of course, with stevia extract, you will need a lot less (between 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon - see How to Use Stevia). You could also use 1 teaspoon liquid stevia (here’s how to make your own). I always find that combining alternative sweeteners results in the best flavor. You can also use honey or maple syrup for AIP.

Chocolate Chips: Here are my Homemade Chocolate / Carob Chips and my Homemade Mint Chocolate / Carob Chips. Here is a great sugar-free store-bought option for chocolate chips.

Thickener: You probably will be fine not using a thickener as long as you use the MCT oil. Otherwise, it is recommended, but not necessary Use arrowroot for a vegan option. Glucomannan would work as well, but the amount would have to be adjusted and I haven't tried it.

THM: This recipe qualifies as an "S" for those on the Trim Healthy Mama plan as long as you use gelatin if using a thickener.

Creaminess Ingredient Alternatives: Other oils will work as well but don't use an oil with a heavy flavor, such as regular olive oil.

Topping Idea: For an extra special Mint Chocolatey treat, top with the Chocolate Mint version of this Homemade Chocolate Shell.