Almond Joy Ice Cream

5 from 50 votes

Almond Joy Ice Cream is a vegan recipe that's made with a few simple ingredients in a blender or food processor. No churning or fancy ingredients necessary!

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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!

Two waffle cones with almond joy ice cream scoops on top
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Table of Contents

  1. Recipe at a glance
  2. Ingredients to Make Almond Joy Ice Cream
  3. Popular Substitutions & Additions
  4. How to Make Almond Joy Ice Cream
  5. Tips for Making the Best Almond Joy Ice Cream
  6. How to Store Almond Joy Ice Cream
  7. For more desserts:
  8. Almond Joy Ice Cream Recipe

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. 
  • 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.

Collage showing blender with bananas, and then blended bananas with coconut cream, maple syrup and almond extract

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.

Collage showing blender after ingredients blended and after adding mix-ins

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.

Final outcome of the blended ingredients in a food processor

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

Ice cream transferred to a pan before freezing

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

Added chocolate chocolate chips and smoothing out 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.

After freezing ice cream, scoop being removed

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.
Almond Joy Ice cream getting scooped into cones

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.

How can I make my ice cream scoop more easily?

Let your ice cream sit out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping. If it’s still hard, dip your ice cream scoop in hot water before using it. This should make the scooping easier.

My ice cream isn’t creamy; it’s icy. What did I do wrong?

This usually happens if the ice cream mixture freezes too quickly or if there isn’t enough fat content. Ensure your bananas are ripe (they should have brown spots) for higher sugar content, which helps prevent iciness. Adding a bit more coconut cream can also improve creaminess.

Can I make this ice cream without a blender or food processor?

It’s challenging to achieve the smooth texture without a blender or food processor since the frozen bananas need to be thoroughly blended. If you don’t have these, consider borrowing one or using a strong hand mixer with patience.

For more desserts:

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!

Close up of the finished almond joy ice cream in waffle cone

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!

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Almond Joy Ice Cream

Almond Joy Ice Cream is a vegan recipe that's made with a few simple ingredients in a blender or food processor. No churning or fancy ingredients necessary!
5 from 50 votes
Servings 6 servings
Course Dessert
Calories 295
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 3 large bananas sliced and frozen
  • ½ cup coconut cream or plant-based milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/4 cup unsalted almonds roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Add bananas to a blender or food processor. Blend until crumbly. Add coconut cream or plant-based milk, maple syrup and almond extract, scraping down the sides of the blender as necessary.
  • Add coconut flakes, almonds, and chocolate chips, and fold in until they're well incorporated.
  • Pour into a freezer-friendly airtight container, and freeze for 3-4 hours until the mixture is solid. Allow the ice cream to thaw for 5-10 minutes before scooping and serving.

Notes

Recipe: This vegan almond joy ice cream is adopted from the Beaming Baker
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer. The ice cream will last up to 7 days in the freezer.
Thawing Instructions: The consistency will be hard when first removed from the freezer. Make sure to let it thaw for 5-10 minutes before scooping.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
  • Instead of coconut cream, you can use plant-based milk, like I did in the video. It works best if the milk is very cold so the mixture stays relatively solid and not liquified when blended.
  • Instead of maple syrup, you can use honey or agave syrup, or even skip the sweetener all together.
  • Feel free to adjust the mix-ins to use more or less of the coconut flakes, almonds and chocolate chips.
Equipment: I use the Kitchen Aid 7-Cup Food processor to make the ice cream. It has a high and low pulse speed so you can make the ice cream super smooth and then you can pulse in the mix-ins if you want to. You can also use a blender to make the recipe.
* Please note the nutrition label does not include any toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Sodium: 5mg, Potassium: 372mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 38IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 49mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Dessert

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. 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.

    Where do I submit my picture? Would like to enter for the $100 gift card raffle!

    1. That’s amazing! Glad to hear it works with condensed milk too. Please join my FB group (called “Feel Good Foodies: A Community!”) and post your photos there – I can’t wait to see it!

  2. Wow, amazing recipe!
    This icecream is so delicious and what a game changer it will be this summer!
    Looking forward to have people over so I can make it again for dessert. I think its a fun, creative and different option to satisfy all your sweet cravings!
    You must try this recipe if you already haven’t!

  3. 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. 🙂

  4. Delicious! I was a bit skeptical at first but after having made it and letting it freeze for several hours, it was super yummy. There is a definite banana flavor, which for whatever reason I wasn’t really expecting, but the addition of the coconut flakes and the chocolate chips really enhance the flavor. I would definitely make again.

  5. Came out great!! Didn’t have coconut cream available when I made it but still came out creamy and delightful. Will definitely make again.

  6. Omg! Where has this been all of my life?? I will absolutely be making this on a regular basis. Sooo delicious, easy to make, and much healthier than any other dessert. My only complaint is I can’t keep it in the freezer because I eat it too fast.

  7. I was a little skeptical about making ice cream out of just bananas and coconut cream. I was presently surprised at how creamy and delicious it was though! I can’t wait to make it again!!