Now, I’m not a huge St. Patty’s day fan, but I AM a huge ice cream fan. So I thought I could make this holiday worth my while by creating a Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. I might start looking forward to this holiday every year now that THIS ice cream is involved. This frozen goodness is ever so creamy, naturally sweetened (only with dates), and next-level minty! It such a tasty dessert to have in your freezer, for St. Patty’s or just during those hot Summer months.

This dairy free mint ice cream hits the spot big time. My Picky Husband gave it the two thumbs up. It’s so yummy even on these chilly days we’ve been having! I used actual mint leaves to produce the green colour of the ice cream. But you don’t need to add it as it does add a natural mint flavour on top of the peppermint flavour (from the extract). So if the green colour isn’t that important to you, you can leave out the mint leaves and just do straight peppermint (this is my favourite brand). If mint chip was a childhood favourite growing up, then this vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream won’t disappoint. It has the right colour, right texture and right sweetness to let your mind wander down memory lane.
how to make ice cream more creamy?
How do you make homemade chocolate chip ice cream creamy? It’s not crazy hard. Two things are important. Cashews and coconut cream. If you have those ingredients your ice cream is going to be creamy goodness. Cashews, coconut milk and coconut cream make up the majority of this dairy free mint ice cream and they take the creaminess to the next level. The texture and consistency mimic that of dairy ice cream. It is naturally sweetened with dates, which is such a bonus. Most store-bought vegan ice creams are still loaded with a ton of sugar. You can almost call this vegan frozen dessert a healthy food. Almost.


here are a few reasons why I love this vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream, so listen up!
- I’ve said it before but the fact that this dairy free mint ice cream is naturally sweetened just amazes me. The dates don’t leave any chunks if you have a high-speed blender. They simply add a lovely sweetness. There is some chocolate added in at the end to this, but if you wanted to skip that and stick with the mint base, then this ice cream would remain completely naturally sweetened.
- This recipe is one of those vegan frozen desserts that are actually quite easy to make. The hard part is the waiting time. This is why it’s nice to make this recipe ahead of time and then you will have it waiting for you in the freezer at a moment’s notice. Patience is key here. Remove it from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes so that it is soft and extra velvety when you dive in.
- It’s super fun to make festive desserts. I feel like St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday I don’t really care about but it was still a blast to experiment in the kitchen. The end result was this delicious green dessert that you can really eat at any time of the year. Growing up, my two favourite types of ice cream were mint chocolate chip and chocolate. I did go through a bubble gum phase, but didn’t we all? So now I get to enjoy a vegan and homemade alternative and I couldn’t be more happy to have this recipe in my back pocket.
Craving more vegan frozen desserts? Why not try a gluten free + dairy free + vegan ice cream sandwich?!

Are you a going outer for St. Patty’s? Or are you a sit at home with a bowl full of this homemade chocolate chip ice cream kind of person? You know I’ll be going with the latter. Neither is wrong, but both should involve this vegan frozen dessert. It’s green, creamy, and minty fresh. A big bowl of this on March 17th will have you feeling extra festive.
vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight, or in a pot of hot water for 30 minutes)
- 1 can full fat coconut milk (400mL) (I used Thai Kitchen brand)
- 1 cup coconut cream (coconut cream can come from another can. Simply set the liquid aside for a smoothie later)
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 7 medjool dates (soft and gooey, pits removed)
- 1/4-1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (optional- just adds the green colouring to the ice cream but does add a minty flavour on top of the peppermint extract)
- 1/2 dark chocolate bar (~50g) (shaved or chopped into chunks)
Instructions
- Soak your cashews overnight so that water completely covers them. If you are short on time boil water and then add the water to a bowl with the cashews and let sit for at least 30 minutes to soften.
- Once your cashews are soft, drain the water. Add the cashews, 1 can of coconut milk plus 1 cup of just coconut cream, peppermint extract, dates and the mint leaves (if using) to a high-speed blender.
- Blend until smooth. Taste test, see if you want it to be sweeter or more pepperminty.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and pour the mixture into the pan. Freeze for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, remove from the freezer. Break apart the ice cream, and re-blend it. Pour back into the loaf pan. At this point add in the chocolate. I liked the texture better of shaved chocolate but chopped chocolate works nicely here too. So it’s your choice on what state you want the chocolate in. Place back in the freezer for 2 hours. Then enjoy.
- If saving for another day, place ice cream in a sealed container or cover with a plastic wrap, or beeswax paper. Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before enjoying to let thaw.
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Can I just jump into your pictures and sample a scoop or two? I figure no one would be able to stop at one scoop!