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6.28.18

Paleo and Vegan Salted Caramel Ice Cream

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Vegan Egg Free

This salted caramel ice cream is easy to make, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, healthy, and so incredibly tasty!  A simple vegan salted caramel made from dates is swirled into a cashew-coconut based homemade ice cream that’s creamy right out of the freezer.  Add it to your list of must-try healthy ice cream recipes ASAP!

This salted caramel ice cream is easy to make, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, healthy, and so incredibly tasty!  A simple vegan salted caramel made from dates is swirled into a cashew-coconut based homemade ice cream that's creamy right out of the freezer.  Add it to your list of must-try healthy ice cream recipes ASAP!

After making my strawberry cheesecake ice cream recently, I KNEW I had to test out another cashew/coconut ice cream base.

This time, I wanted the cashews to only serve the purpose of texture and not actually mimic cheesecake, though.   I had my heart set on a specific flavor, and luckily, an Instagram poll showed that you all are very into it too – salted caramel, of course!

So, here we go with the story behind this insanely tasty paleo and vegan salted caramel ice cream – recipe at the finale 🙂

For about 2 minutes I contemplated whether I wanted to create the salted caramel by blending dates, or by cooking coconut milk to a syrup.  And THEN I remembered this – dates are awesome in ice cream, period.

The reason for this is that they just don’t freeze!  Or rather, date caramel doesn’t freeze.  I haven’t actually tried to freeze whole dates (and probably won’t ever attempt to) so I can only speak for the caramel/puree.  It’s a healthy homemade ice cream maker’s dream – seriously.

Side note – I actually discovered this odd no-freeze phenomenon after making my caramel turtle candies and sticking the leftover caramel in the freezer.  It never froze – so funny!

This salted caramel ice cream is easy to make, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, healthy, and so incredibly tasty!  A simple vegan salted caramel made from dates is swirled into a cashew-coconut based homemade ice cream that's creamy right out of the freezer.  Add it to your list of must-try healthy ice cream recipes ASAP!

Anyway, any of you who’ve made your own coconut milk ice cream know that it can turn rock solid in the freezer and require, like, 45 minutes on the countertop to thaw out.  Not for the impulsive at heart!

Since the date caramel is so helpful in the way of giving us the opportunity to be impulsive with our ice cream devouring, I decided to not only use it to swirl into the ice cream, but also to sweeten the base itself.

Between the date caramel and pure maple syrup, the base might just be my favorite I’ve made yet!   Although my date-sweetened vanilla bean MIGHT just be the winner there – it’s pretty amazing.  And now I’m off topic. Back to the caramel!

The caramel itself is super easy to prepare – you use softened medjool dates blended up with either non-dairy milk (I used almond) or water along with vanilla extract and sea salt and BOOM!  You get the deliciousness you see below.

I have both a Vitamix blender and a Kitchnaid Food Processor, and I prefer using the food processor to puree the caramel and the blender to puree the ice cream base.

This seems to work for the appliances I have, although you can likely use either/or for both and be just fine.

Since you’ll need some of the caramel to add into the ice cream base, make sure you make it first!  Once both are prepped, you’ll need to churn your ice cream base (without the caramel) using an ice cream maker.

If you don’t have one yet, now’s the time to pull the trigger!  They’re relatively inexpensive and open up a whole world of frozen desserts – my kid are obsessed with ours!  In fact, my daughter Emily is trying to get me to help her make ice cream right now…

I think we’re ready to start – who’s with me?!  Let’s get those dates soaked and make the creamiest dreamiest salted caramel ice cream ever – go time!

Paleo and Vegan Salted Caramel Ice Cream 

This salted caramel ice cream is easy to make, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, healthy, and so incredibly tasty!  A simple vegan salted caramel made from dates is swirled into a cashew-coconut based homemade ice cream that's creamy right out of the freezer.  Add it to your list of must-try healthy ice cream recipes ASAP!

Paleo and Vegan Salted Caramel Ice Cream

This salted caramel ice cream is easy to make, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, healthy, and so incredibly tasty!  A simple vegan salted caramel made from dates is swirled into a cashew-coconut based homemade ice cream that's creamy right out of the freezer.  Add it to your list of must-try healthy ice cream recipes ASAP!
Author: Michele Rosen
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Paleo, Vegan
Servings: 14
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4.46 from 24 votes

Ingredients

Date caramel:

  • 12 medjool dates pitted and softened* (about 1 cup, packed)
  • 4-6 Tbsp dairy-fee milk unsweetened (or water - to thin the caramel)
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Ice Cream:

  • 1 3/4 cup raw cashews soaked for 2 hours***
  • 15 oz can organic coconut milk full fat - cream plus water
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup date caramel see instructions
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

First, Make the Caramel**

  1. Place the softened dates, 4 Tbsp almond milk or water, and vanilla in the food processor/blender and blend or process until very smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. If mixture if very thick, add the additional Tbsps milk or water to thin.

  2. Continue to process until the mixture resembles caramel, then stir in the salt. Place in the freezer until ready to use.

For the Ice Cream:

  1. Make sure the bowl for your ice cream maker has been in the back of the freezer for at least 2 days.
  2. In a high speed blender or food processor (I used my Vitamix for this step) blend the soaked cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, 1/4 cup of the prepared date caramel, and vanilla. Continue to blend until mixture looks like a smoothie. Once totally blended, you can chill in the fridge until ready to churn, or churn right from here.

  3. Add all of the ice cream mixture to the frozen bowl of the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturers directions until ice cream is at least soft-serve consistency. Mine took just 20 minutes of churning to get to this point (and I did not chill my mixture beforehand)

  4. Once churned, you’re ready to put it all together! Add half of the ice cream mixture to a (cold) small loaf pan or other freezer safe container.
  5. Using a spoon, dollop half the remaining date caramel over the ice cream and swirl in using the spoon or a knife.

  6. Add the rest of the ice cream over the top, then repeat the process with the remaining caramel. Smooth the top and cover tightly with plastic wrap before placing in the freezer. Freeze at least 3-4 hours before serving. You can also freeze overnight.

  7. Due to the dates, the ice cream should be scoop able and creamy right out of the freezer! If it hardens too much, thaw on the countertop for 10 minutes before scooping. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*To soften the dates, soak them in very hot water for 2 minutes, then drain

**I recommend making the caramel in a food processor for best results, however, a high speed blender can work as well, but may need more liquid.

***For a NUT FREE version, sub in 1 cup coconut cream, or the thick part only of a 15 oz can coconut milk, for the cashews.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal
Carbohydrates: 27g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 89mg
Potassium: 347mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 19g
Vitamin A: 35IU
Vitamin C: 0.4mg
Calcium: 33mg
Iron: 2.3mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @PaleoRunningMomma on Instagram and hashtag it #PaleoRunningMomma

Shop Products and Ingredients:

Want More Paleo and Vegan Ice Cream Recipes?  Try One Of These!

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (Date Sweetened)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough No-Churn Ice Cream

Chocolate No-Churn Ice Cream

“Butter” Pecan Ice Cream

Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you for supporting Paleo Running Momma!

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About Michele

More than a little into running and paleo recipes (yoga now too!) but I'm not here to rain on your grains (or anything else) so come along for the ride! I do a little too much of everything (except cleaning), and I enjoy laughing at myself. As long as I'm the one making the jokes, that is. Just kidding. So bring me your angst, your appetite and your frying pan and climb aboard!

Reader Interactions

Reader Reviews & Comments

  1. Natalie says

    June 28, 2018 at 6:03 am

    5 stars
    I love salted caramel! This ice cream looks delicious and perfect for the summer!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      June 30, 2018 at 8:33 pm

      I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  2. deb says

    June 28, 2018 at 11:27 am

    Is there anything you can’t do?! I just love everything about your site! And your chocolate chip cookies are the only ones I make now! Now off to get an ice cream maker…

    Reply
    • Michele says

      June 30, 2018 at 8:32 pm

      I’m so thrilled to hear you’re enjoying everything!

      Reply
  3. Amy says

    June 28, 2018 at 1:35 pm

    I am so going to make this! Love your blog/recipes!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      June 30, 2018 at 8:32 pm

      Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Amanda Miller says

    June 29, 2018 at 1:45 pm

    Mine turned out to textutred from the cashews. I’m certain it was a blending issue. I’ll try the all coconut milk version next. The “caramel” sauce is delicious!!!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      June 30, 2018 at 8:31 pm

      Yes that’s a blending issue, when I used my food processor sometimes it doesn’t fully blend them, the vitamix does a better job 🙂

      Reply
  5. Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says

    June 30, 2018 at 1:03 pm

    Yes I LOVE using dates in the ice cream base since it keeps it creamy! I’ve tried that before, but never made a salted caramel ice cream…one of my all-time favorite flavors!! YAY 🙂

    Reply
  6. Claudette says

    July 25, 2018 at 7:41 pm

    5 stars
    Hello Michelle,
    I have made the Paleo Salted Caramel Ice Cream with coconut cream only – twice …and it turned out so good… creamy and just enough salty and caramel like… Impressive what dates can be used for… thanks for this wonderful recipe… I have tried so many variation ( with bananas) but nothing compare to your recipe… I plan to come back to try other recipes…

    Reply
  7. Sarah says

    August 8, 2018 at 4:19 pm

    5 stars
    This was easy to make and SO GOOD! Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Diana says

    March 8, 2019 at 2:48 am

    Unfortunately i cannot have dates (or dried fruit), i’d love to try this. is there anything you recommend to replace the dates? coconut sugar?

    Reply
  9. Kendle says

    May 25, 2019 at 11:38 am

    Hey! Do you think cashew butter could replace the soaked cashews, and if so, would you suggest about half the amount?

    Reply
    • C says

      July 20, 2019 at 4:04 pm

      I’m looking for the answer to this too! I don’t have a good enough blender to get my soaked cashews creamy. Using cashew butter would be great!

      Reply
  10. Traci says

    July 8, 2019 at 7:34 pm

    How do I avoid “grainy” ice cream? I use full-fat coconut milk; however, it doesn’t have any guar gum, simply coconut and water. The flavor is outstanding, but the consistency wasn’t great.

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      August 28, 2020 at 10:27 am

      I know this is an old comment, but I like to thoroughly blend gum-free coconut milk with an egg yolk or two to emulsify it. That’ll help with the separation and graininess. And, if you want to heat it on the stove till the egg yolks “cook,” you totally can!

      Reply
  11. Marisa says

    September 18, 2019 at 2:33 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my worrrrd!! This was so delish, and tasted better than the dairy/sugar version! Everything I’ve made from this website has been phenomenal! Thank you!!

    Reply
  12. vex 3 says

    September 20, 2019 at 2:44 am

    The vegan ice cream dish you shared was delicious. The tea tastes great. I really love this ice cream.

    Reply
  13. Brianna Santos says

    July 17, 2020 at 8:39 pm

    Mine came out rock hard. The flavor is good but I have to leave it out for almost 2 hours to be able to scoop it.

    Reply
  14. Akshita says

    August 2, 2020 at 9:24 am

    Hey! Can I make this without an ice cream maker?

    Reply
  15. Sheena E. says

    August 12, 2020 at 6:09 pm

    5 stars
    This is such an incredible recipe. Thank you! We snuck a tsp of bourbon into the date caramel. Shhhhhhh…

    Reply
  16. Karin says

    January 11, 2021 at 1:06 am

    1 star
    Directions unclear in a few places. Do we drain the cashews first? How long do we soak the dates? The dates never did come fully to a texture and flavor that seemed right and I’m unclear what I may have done wrong. The cashews I think might have needed soaking overnight because the texture wasn’t even close. Unless the water they were soaked in was supposed to go in…? I know it was paleo but it wasn’t sweet at all. I won’t make again.

    Reply

Trackbacks

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  2. Cherry Crisp Paleo, Vegan, GF – Kulinerz.asia | Tips & Tutorial Resep Masakan & Kue Nusantara Indonesia – Asia says:
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Hi! I’m so happy you stopped by! My name is Michele and I’m a Paleo eater and recipe creator, runner, mom of 3, and the gal behind Paleo Running Momma! Over here you’ll find real-food, clean eating family favorites that you’ll be excited to share with your loved ones. I hope you stay awhile, eat, savor, and enjoy!

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