Vegan Carrot Cake Ice Cream
This vegan carrot cake ice cream is basically your favorite springtime dessert in frozen form! With warming spices, a creamy coconut-cashew base, and a swirl of vegan cream cheese frosting, it’s the perfect treat for warmer days.
It’s a must-make recipe for Easter, Mother’s Day, or any spring weekend when you’re craving something sweet. It might just be my new favorite ice cream (and chances are it will become yours too!).
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WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Tastes just Like Carrot Cake – This ice cream tastes JUST like carrot cake! With a carrot base, cream cheese frosting, and graham cracker cookie, it has all the elements of the perfect cake…just in ice cream form.
Great for Entertaining – Serve this during Easter, Mother’s Day, or spring dinner parties for a crowd-pleaser that everyone will love, whether or not they’re vegan!
Perfect Texture – Cashews and coconut milk create the perfect creamy texture while still maintaining a neutral flavor which lets the carrots and spices shine.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (WITH SUBSTITUTIONS)
To make this dairy-free carrot cake ice cream, here’s what you’ll need:
Raw Cashews – When blended cashews add richness and creaminess without any dairy. Just make sure to soak them beforehand so they blend smoothly.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk – Canned coconut milk adds the classic creamy texture you expect from ice cream, while keeping it dairy-free.
Sugar – Of course we need some sugar for sweetness. Both for adding to the ice cream base and when sautéing the carrots.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla pairs well and enhances all the other flavors.
Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor overall.
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger – These warm spices give the ice cream its carrot cake-inspired flavor. They balance the sweetness and create depth.
Carrot – Lightly sautéed and blended into the base, carrots add natural sweetness, texture, and that classic carrot cake flavor.
Vegan Butter – Used to sauté the carrots, it adds richness and helps caramelize the natural sugars in the carrot for a more decadent flavor.
Vegan Cream Cheese – Paired with the powdered sugar, it creates the perfect cream cheese frosting chunks.
Powdered Sugar – Sweetens and thickens the cream cheese swirl.
Graham Crackers – Crushed and folded in at the end, they add a satisfying crunch and a hint of “cake” texture to complement the creamy base.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CARROT CAKE ICE CREAM
Here’s the step-by-step breakdown to make the ice cream. As always, the full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Soak the raw cashews in water for at least 4 hours or if you’re running short on time you can soak them in boiling water for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Once soaked, drain the cashews and add them to a blender with the full-fat coconut milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Blend until silky smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for the creamiest texture.
Step 3: In a sauté pan over medium heat, add vegan butter, shredded carrots, sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla extract. Sauté until the carrots are soft, lightly caramelized, and fragrant, about 5–8 minutes. Transfer the carrots to a bowl and place in the fridge to let cool for at least an hour.
Step 4: Blend together the ice cream base (which should have thickened in the fridge) and the sautéed carrots and pulse just a few times until the carrots are roughly blended, not totally smooth, so you still get little bits of texture throughout.
Step 5: Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions. Churn until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, usually 20-25 minutes, depending on your machine. Add the crushed graham crackers the last 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: While the ice cream is churning, make the frosting by mixing vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Store in the fridge while the ice cream churns.
Step 6: Transfer the churned ice cream to a container, layering in dollops of cream cheese frosting as you go. Swirl gently with a spoon.
Step 7: Freeze the ice cream for 2-3 hours or until it reaches the desired consistency.
STORAGE
Store the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. For best texture, use a container with a snug-fitting lid. You can also press a piece of parchment paper directly on top of the ice cream before sealing to help prevent freezer burn.
Before serving, make sure to let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes to soften for easier scooping. Since this is a dairy-free ice cream made with coconut milk, it may freeze a bit firmer than traditional ice cream, but it softens up great!
FAVORITE ICE CREAM EQUIPMENT
OTHER ICE CREAM RECIPES
Want to try other ice cream recipes? Try one of these!
FAQ
Vegan Carrot Cake Ice Cream
Ingredients
Cashew Coconut Base
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Sautéed Carrots
- 2 tbsp vegan melted butter
- ¾ cup carrots, shredded
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
Add-Ins
- ½ cup graham crackers, crushed
Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)
- ½ cup vegan cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Soak the raw cashews in water for at least 4 hours or if you’re running short on time you can soak them in boiling water for 30 minutes.
- Drain the cashews and add to a blender with the coconut milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- In a sauté pan over medium heat, add vegan butter, shredded carrots, sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla extract. Sauté until the carrots are soft and lightly caramelized, about 5–8 minutes.
- Transfer the sautéed carrots to a bowl and place in the fridge to let cool for at least an hour.
- Blend together the ice cream base (which should have thickened in the fridge) and the sautéed carrots and pulse just a few times until the carrots are roughly blended, not totally smooth, so you still get little bits of texture throughout.
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Churn until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, usually 20-25 minutes, depending on your machine. Add the crushed graham crackers the last 2-3 minutes.
- While the ice cream is churning, make the frosting by mixing vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add non-dairy milk to thin out the frosting as necessary. Store in the fridge while the ice cream churns.
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a container, layering in dollops of cream cheese frosting as you go. Swirl gently with a spoon.
- Freeze the ice cream for 2-3 hours or until it reaches the desired consistency. Enjoy!
