Dairy-Free Fruit Ice Cream

by Lindsay Cotter Published: Aug 11, 2023

Dairy-Free Egg-Free Gluten-Free Grain-Free Nightshade-Free Vegan

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This Fresh Fruit Ice Cream is sweet, creamy, and refreshing. It comes together with just five simple ingredients and zero churning. Easy to make, it’s gluten-free, refined sugar-free, with a dairy-free friendly option. Mix and match different flavors and add-ins to find your new favorite treat!

Vegan ice cream on top of a sugar cone against a white background.

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

Ice cream is one of our favorite desserts and brings back fond memories of childhood. Plus, it’s the perfect way to cool off when the weather gets HOT!

However, traditional ice cream isn’t exactly the best for you as it’s often full of sugar and additives. And don’t even get us started on the dairy-free stuff.

So, unwilling to miss out, we decided to just make our own. This homemade fresh fruit ice cream is:

Made with just a handful of simple, real food ingredients.
Gluten-free, paleo, egg-free, and dairy-free-friendly options.
Made with a prep time of 15 minutes absolutely zero churning.
Easy to customize with different flavors and mix-ins.

Three ice cream scoops filled with scoops of homemade vegan ice cream.

Tips for Success

This fresh fruit ice cream recipe is virtually failproof, but there are a few extra steps that will guarantee you have success!

Use a Chilled Bowl and Don’t Overwhip. Chill a large mixing bowl in the freezer before making your ice cream. Then, whip the cream just until the tips begin to curl. Continuing to mix will result in a runny, deflated fruit ice cream.
Avoid Overmixing. You’ll want to work gently to just fold the ingredients into the cream until they’re well combined, being careful not to deflate the cream.
Adjust the Sweetness. Add a little bit of sweetener at a time, and taste the ice cream as you mix, using more or less than what is listed to satisfy your tastebuds.
Allow enough Chilling Time. This is crucial to fruit ice cream that holds its shape! You’ll need at least four hours, but we recommend letting it chill overnight.

Best Fruit to Use for Ice Cream

Pretty much anything goes when it comes to making no-churn fruit ice cream. However, when creating the base, you’ll want to choose fruits that are naturally very sweet and free from lots of big seeds. Otherwise, your ice cream is likely to turn out bland and a little chunky! Also, for the creamiest texture, be sure to include frozen banana.

Some of our favorite options include:

Bananas
Mango
Pineapple
Strawberries
Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

fruit Ice Cream Ingredients

For this recipe, we kept the ingredient list short and sweet, creating a fruity, tropical fruit flavor to help beat the heat.

Metal measuring cups filled with coconut milk, maple syrup, etc for ice cream.

Banana – Use ripe bananas that are soft and spotty but not mushy. This helps create a sweet base. Fresh or frozen varieties can be used.
Additional Fruit – Add extra flavor with additional fruit like peaches, mango, or pitted dates. Unless you want a banana flavor! In that case, just add more bananas.
Heavy Whipping Cream – This is the secret to creating a smooth, creamy texture just like the real deal.

Ingredient Swap: Canned coconut cream can be substituted to make this fruit ice cream recipe dairy-free. (See the recipe card below for details.)

Natural Sweetener – Use any type of sweetener you like best such as honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar, and adjust the amount used to suit your taste.
Vanilla Extract – Don’t skip this! Pure vanilla helps enhance the rest of the ingredients.

Optional Mix-Ins

If you’re a mix-in person, feel free to get creative with all your favorite options! Some ideas to get you started include:

Chopped Nuts
Dye-Free Sprinkles
Ground Cinnamon
Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Swirl
Blueberries
Chopped Strawberries

How to Make No-Churn Fruit Ice Cream

If you’ve ever made homemade ice cream with an ice cream maker or even by hand, you already know it can be a bit of a challenge. But not anymore! This real fruit ice cream takes all the hard work out of your favorite dessert.

Prepare. Line a loaf pan or freezer container with parchment paper, and transfer it to the freezer to chill while you make the ice cream.
Blend. Add the banana to a high-powered blender or food processor, and pulse until smooth. Then, add the remaining fruit, and blend again.

Whole frozen peaches and bananas in a food processor.

Frozen peaches and bananas blended in a food processor until smooth.

Whip the Cream. Add the heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer (Or, use a large bowl and a hand mixer), and whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
Fold. Gently fold the fruit blend, sweetener, and vanilla extract into the whipped cream. Stir in any extra mix-ins.

Overhead view of fluffy coconut milk in a metal mixing bowl.

Swirls of fruit puree being stirred into fluffy whipped coconut milk.

Freeze. Pour the batter into the chilled prepared pan, and place a piece of wax paper on top. This helps avoid freezer burn! Transfer it to the freezer until solid.
Serve. Allow your ice cream to stand at room temperature to soften and enjoy!

A metal ice cream scoop in a bread pan of no churn ice cream.

Two scoops of fruit ice cream in a bread pan with an ice cream scoop.

Dairy-Free Option

The process to make this homemade fruit ice cream dairy-free is pretty identical to the original recipe with just a small twist.

Harden. Place coconut cream and a can of full-fat coconut milk in the back of the fridge to harden and solidify.

Note: You want to use cans of coconut cream and milk, not liquid milk alternatives! Otherwise, they won’t harden and solidify, and your ice cream will be soup.

Skim. Remove the thickened top portion from each can, and discard the watery portion.
Whip. Add the cream to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, and whip until it is creamy and smooth.
Mix. Add the fruit blend, sweetener, and vanilla, and mix until well combined.
Freezer. Transfer the mixture to the freezer, and stir about every 25 minutes until it is firm enough to eat.
Soften. Allow the ice cream to soften a bit before serving, and enjoy.

Serving Suggestions and Topping Ideas

Of course, this fruit ice cream is delectable when enjoyed on its own with a spoon, but you can never go wrong with extra toppings, right?

Some of our favorites include dark chocolate syrup, whipped cream or coconut whip, sprinkles, chopped nuts, coconut, and cherries!

Then, serve it in a bowl, stuffed into a gluten-free cake or waffle cone, with waffles, stuffed between gluten-free cookies, with brownies, as part of a banana split, or any other way your heart desires!

Scoops of no churn fruit ice cream and cones in a metal bread pan.

More of Our Favorite

Gluten-Free Summertime Treats

Looking for more recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth when the weather is warm? Try out the gluten-free desserts below!

Common Questions

What is real fruit ice cream?

A lot of times when you hear real fruit ice cream, the term is being used to talk about New Zealand style ice cream. That’s not exactly what this recipe is, but it draws inspiration from the idea of using real fruit instead of chemicals and preservatives to create a cold, creamy sweet treat!

How long does fruit ice cream last in the freezer?

This real fruit ice cream recipe can be stored in the freezer for up to one month.

What is the best way to store this ice cream?

For the best results, transfer your ice cream to an airtight container, cover it with wax paper, and put the lid on. This helps keep it fresh while preventing freezer burn.

Fruit Ice Cream (Dairy-Free Option)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

Author: Lindsay Cotter
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes to 12 hours
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Learn how to make fresh fruit ice cream with just five ingredients and no churning for a sweet, cold treat that’s refined sugar-free and easy to make!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 large or 2 small (about 125 to 150g) ripe bananas, fresh or frozen
1 to 1 ½ cups (180 g) fresh fruit such as peaches, mango, banana, or soaked pitted dates (equivalent to 1 cup pureed fruit)
2 cups heavy whipping cream (see notes for dairy free option)
⅓ cup to ½ cup honey, maple syrup or agave nectar (adjust for desired sweetness)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Mix-Ins:

Chopped Nuts
Sprinkles
Ground cinnamon

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Line a 9×5 or 2-quart freezer container with parchment paper. Place in the freezer while making the ice cream.
Place the frozen banana in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the fresh fruit and blend until smooth and combined. Set aside.
Place the heavy whipping cream into a stand mixer bowl or a large bowl (use an electric hand mixer). Whip the cream on medium-high until stiff peaks occur (the tips will curl), be careful not to over whip.
Gently fold the fruit blend, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract into the whipped cream. Taste and adjust to desired sweetness. Stir in optional mix-ins of choice.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then place a piece of wax paper on top to avoid freezer burn/ice. Freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
Keep in the freezer until ready to serve. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and let stand at room temp for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Prep Tip – It’s best to whip the cream in a chilled bowl.

Substitutes – Canned peaches or mango (in juice) or frozen and partially thawed fruit may be substituted for fresh fruit. Texture and sweetness of the ice cream will vary depending on type of fruit used.

Dairy Free Version – Place 1 can coconut cream and 1 can full fat coconut milk in the fridge to harden/solidify for 12-24 hours. When ready to make the ice cream, remove the thickened coconut cream (top portion) of each can into the bowl of a stand mixer and discard the coconut water portion (about 1 ¾ cup to 2 cup solid portion). In a stand mixer or a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, whip the thickened coconut cream until creamy and smooth. Then add fruit puree, honey or maple syrup and vanilla. Mix until fully combined. Taste and adjust to desired sweetness. Put in the freezer and stir about every 25 minutes, until firm enough to eat. Before serving, especially if ice cream has been in the freezer for 8 or more hours, get it out to soften about 15 minutes before eating.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 4 to 12 hours
Category: dessert
Method: no bake
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: ¾ cup (2 small scoops)
Calories: 206
Sugar: 14.3 g
Sodium: 12.8 mg
Fat: 14.6 g
Saturated Fat: 9.2 g
Carbohydrates: 18.2 g
Fiber: 1.1 g
Protein: 1.6 g
Cholesterol: 45.2 mg

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