Almond Joy Ice Cream

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This homemade Almond Joy Ice Cream recipe is inspired by the candy bar. The classic combination of almonds, chocolate, and coconut in an Almond Joy candy bar is one of my favorites! So, of course, I had to find a way to make it a little healthier, and I think I’ve cracked the code with this almond joy ice cream. It’s dairy-free, packed with yummy goodies, and perfect for the summer!

This Almond Joy ice cream recipe is full of natural goodness. It’s sweetened by the bananas and filled with wholesome ingredients. It’s an easy recipe to make, and you won’t even miss the dairy! It’s perfect for when you’re craving something sweet.  

“Made this for the first time today and it turned out delicious! It was simple and basically fool proof. Thanks for sharing a healthy ice cream recipe.” – Nasrin 

Recipe at a glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: No-cook
Dietary Info: Vegan, Gluten-free, Paleo, Dairy free
Key Flavor: Banana, Coconut, Chocolate
Skill Level: Easy, Beginner

Summary

• Dairy-Free and Vegan: By using bananas, coconut cream, and vegan chocolate chips, this recipe still has an ice cream-like consistency without animal products.
• Refined Sugar-Free: Bananas add natural sweetness and a splash of maple syrup keeps the sugar down making this a feel good ice cream! 
• Quick Prep & Easy: It takes only 10 minutes to prep this ice cream. You can enjoy it right away or allow it to firm up in the freezer. 
• Simple Ingredients: With just a handful of simple ingredients, this recipe is easy to make and requires minimal preparation.

Ingredients to Make Almond Joy Ice Cream

• Bananas: Frozen bananas serve as the base of the ice cream, providing creaminess and sweetness without the need for dairy. 
• Coconut cream: Adds richness and enhances the coconut flavor of the ice cream. It helps to blend the frozen bananas.
• Maple syrup: A natural sweetener that is vegan-friendly and has a subtle caramel-like flavor. 
• Almond extract: Gives this ice cream a burst of almond flavor.
• Coconut flakes: Use unsweetened coconut flakes to cut down the sugar and add texture and flavor to the ice cream.
• Almonds: Unsalted almonds add crunch and nuttiness to the ice cream, just like Almond Joy candy bars. 
• Chocolate Chips: Use vegan chocolate chips if you want to keep the recipe dairy-free. The chips add bursts of chocolatey goodness. 

Popular Substitutions & Additions

• Milk substitute: Instead of coconut cream, you can use plant-based milk. It works best if the milk is very cold, so the mixture stays solid and not liquified when blended.
• Sweetener: If you don’t have maple syrup, you can use honey or agave syrup, or you can skip the sweetener altogether.
• Mix-ins: Use your preference when adding mix-ins. It’s ok to use more or less of the coconut flakes, almonds, and chocolate chips.
• Toppings: You can add a chocolate sauce when serving the ice cream for extra chocolatey goodness!

How to Make Almond Joy Ice Cream

You won’t believe how easy this almond joy ice cream recipe is. There’s no special equipment necessary, no fancy ingredients required, or no new techniques to learn.

Start by blending 3 chopped frozen bananas. They will go from sliced to crumbled. Once you notice that consistency, add the top hardened portion from a coconut milk can. You can alternatively use plant-based milk. Just make sure it’s very cold milk when you add to the food processor/blender.

You’ll also want to add maple syrup and almond extract if you have some. It really brightens the flavor and gives it that unique almond taste. You can skip that part or use vanilla extract as well.

Once you blend banana with the liquid ingredients, add in the almond joy candy bar mix-ins. That includes coconut flakes, chopped almonds and chocolate chips. You can fold those in or pulse them in the blender.

And just like that, you’ve got almond joy ice cream. The consistency at this point will be like a yogurt soft serve and you can definitely enjoy it as is.

But for best results, transfer to a freezer-safe container and allow it to become firm, which will take about 3-4 hours.

Feel free to add more chocolate chips. Actually, please add more chocolate chips on top 🙂

After a few hours, the entire container will be frozen, and you’ll need to wait a few minutes before you can scoop it at all.

I use a loaf pan to store mine and you can easily scoop 12 large scoops into waffle cones, so it’s great for 6 servings. Serve it in a bowl or in ice cream cones and enjoy your homemade efforts in making this delicious, easy, healthy almond joy ice cream.

“Made this for my family and they are absolutely in love! I substituted maple syrup with coconut condensed milk and it was just perfect. This definitely is one of our summer time favorite desserts.” – Lessly

Tips for Making the Best Almond Joy Ice Cream

• Make sure to cut the bananas before freezing them. This makes it much easier for the blender or food processor to break down and churn the bananas quickly before they turn into a smoothie.
• Give it time to churn. At first, it may seem like there’s not enough liquid to process the bananas, and you may be tempted to add more coconut milk. But be patient and allow the machine time to slowly churn the bananas with the little liquid you added. You don’t want to add too much liquid, or the consistency won’t be right.
• Freeze the ice cream container before adding ice cream to it. It’s hard to remember, but if you can do this for 24 hours before you add the ice cream mix to it (maybe the same time you freeze the bananas!), it will really help improve the consistency.
• Work quickly to transfer the ice cream. Try to scoop it from the food processor bowl to the ice cream container as quickly as possible. That’s because fast freezing help minimize ice crystals.

How to Store Almond Joy Ice Cream

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer. 

How Long Will Almond Joy Ice Cream Last in the Freezer?

The ice cream will last up to 7 days in the freezer. 

How to Unthaw Homemade Almond Joy Ice Cream

Since the ice cream is homemade, the consistency of the ice cream will be hard when first removed from the freezer. To make it scoopable, make sure to let it thaw for 5-10 minutes before scooping.

For more desserts:

• Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
• Avocado Ice Cream
• Cappuccino Nice Cream
• Avocado Chocolate Mousse
• Vegan Lemon Pudding
• 3-Ingredient Chia Pudding
• Apple Bread Pudding

You can make this homemade almond joy ice cream recipe with only 7 ingredients. It requires no churning or special equipment, and is bursting with almond joy flavor. It’s a vegan, gluten-free and also paleo-friendly easy-to-make dessert. So I find that it’s a very healthy ice cream recipe that suits lots of different dietary restrictions. Think of it like a super frozen smoothie – in a waffle cone! Happy National Ice Cream Month!

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Almond Joy Ice Cream recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!