This no churn avocado ice cream has a rich and creamy dark chocolate base swirled with fudgy bites of brownie. I know, sounds super decadent, but everything is naturally sweetened and made with simple, healthy ingredients. Vegan, gluten free and ready to eat in under an hour, this brownie batter ice cream is perfect if you’re in the mood for a secretly healthy dessert!
I have been wanting to make to make some sort of healthyish ice cream for a while now. I had some ideas swirling around in my head… one for a recipe with avocados, another with bananas, dates, etc. Well in the end I decided to pretty much just combine all those ideas. That was a good call because this No Churn Brownie Batter Avocado Ice Cream is one of my all time favorites!
I know it seems like a lot, but it’s super simple to make. The brownie bites are no bake and only three ingredients. Everything is made in a food processor or high speed blender so pretty minimal clean up too.
Why I Love This No Churn Avocado Ice Cream:
- It’s loaded with whole, healthy ingredients, but tastes just like store bought vegan ice cream. (Better in my opinion)
- You don’t need an ice cream maker and it’s ready to eat in under an hour
- It’s vegan, nut free, gluten free and naturally sweetened so everyone can enjoy!
What You’ll Need to make Brownie Batter Avocado Ice Cream
Dates: Since they ’re naturally sweet and chewy, dates make for the perfect base for our brownies. They can be pretty hard, so I like to soak my dates for a few minutes in boiling water to soften them.
Oats: Instead of all purpose flour, I opted to blitz some rolled oats into oat flour before adding the other ingredients. This way, the brownies are safe to eat raw and naturally gluten free! If you have packaged oat flour on hand, feel free to use that. (3/4 cup oats = 1/2 cup oat flour)
Dark Cocoa Powder: This adds richness to both the brownies and the chocolate ice cream base without adding extra sugar. I highly recommend using a dark cocoa powder, preferably dutch process, for an extra rich, deep chocolate flavor.
Avocado: True to its name, this brownie batter avocado ice cream calls for a whole avocado. no need to freeze it, just throw it in the food processor and blend it up with the other ingredients. You won’t really be able to taste any avocado flavor, it just makes the ice cream creamy and adds healthy fats.
Frozen Bananas: To make the ice cream even creamier and add a touch of sweetness, I like to use frozen bananas. These do need to be frozen before hand, ideally overnight. I like to keep a bag of peeled, whole peeled bananas in my freezer for ice cream and smoothies. The riper the better!
Coconut Cream: I’m able to find these little cans of just coconut cream, but if you can’t, just scrape off the solid white part from a can of coconut milk. This is easiest done when the coconut milk has been refrigerated for a couple hours.
Maple Syrup: Just to add a little more sweetness. I like to just a couple tablespoons of maple syrup so it doesn’t overpower the dark chocolate flavor, however, if you would like your ice cream on the sweeter side, use the full amount listed.
Tips for Success
- It’s important that you use a food processor or a high speed blender such as a Vitamix. This ensures that the bananas blend completely without leaving any chunks.
- Since this avocado ice cream is made with lots of whole ingredients, the texture will not remain like ice cream when frozen for long periods of time. It’s best eaten within an hour of freezing. If you do store it in the freezer for longer than a few hours, let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes or so before serving. I also like to just pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften it.
- Make sure you have all the ingredients ready to go before you make this recipe. You’ll need ripe frozen bananas on hand and a can of coconut milk in the fridge (if you can’t find canned coconut cream).
More Healthy Dessert Recipes to Try:
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No Churn Brownie Batter Avocado Ice Cream
Creamy chocolate ice cream made with bananas, avocado and coconyt cream swirled with bites of fudgy brownie. Vegan, naturally sweetened and made in under half an hour.
Ingredients
For the brownie bits
- 1 cup packed dates
- 3/4 cup oats
- 5 tbsp dark cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp dairy free chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the ice cream base
- 2 large frozen bananas
- 1 large avocado, pit and peel removed
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup*
Instructions
- To make the brownie bits, place the dates in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until softened.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add oats and pulse until a fine flour forms. Add in soaked dates, cocoa powder salt. Blend until a loose dough forms. Add in chocolate chips and pulse once more.
- Press the dough into a small, shallow conatiner lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer to harden while you make the ice cream base.
- Wipe out the bowl of the food processor and add the remaining ingredients. Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Remove the brownies from the freezer and chop into bite size pieces. Fold into the ice cream base and pour into a loaf pan or resealable container. Return to the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.**
Notes
* I like to add only 2 tbsp of maple syrup, but if you would like your ice cream a little sweet add an extra tablespoon or two.
** If you freeze the ice cream for more than 1 hour, let it sit on the counter for about ten minutes or so before serving for the best consistency. Alternatively, place in the microwave for 30 seconds to thaw slightly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 398Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 210mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 8gSugar: 49gProtein: 5g
All nutritional info is an estimation
