This easy dairy-free, paleo and vegan espresso chocolate chip ice cream has the perfect balance of coffee flavor and dark chocolate chips. The ingredients are quickly blended and then churned for a rich, creamy and healthy frozen dessert!
Coffee. I’m certainly a big fan. The idea of it, the reality of it. Coffee is life. Or maybe it just feels that way sometimes, particularly right around 8am every. dang. day. And, for me (maybe you, too) coffee is more than just motivation to cross things off my to-do list, more than a computer companion.
It also happens to be flipping delicious. Yes, I’m one of those people who really LOVES the flavor of coffee, (and not just in my coffee), and I know I’m probably not alone. Especially if you happened to stumble across this recipe for espresso chocolate chip ice cream. I think it’s fair to say you’re probably a big coffee fan, too.
And we don’t have to talk about our love for ice cream now too – do we?! It should go without saying – we all scream for ice cream louder than we scream for, um, almost any other dessert. Especially if the ice cream happens to contain chocolate in chip, chunk fudge, or cookie form.
Do you guys remember my no-churn chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream I posted? After making it (soooo good!) I remember thinking that as much as I love a good no-churn ice cream, I need to start making use of my ice cream maker. The one I purchased over 2 years ago and used all of 3 times? Maybe 4, I don’t know.
What I do know is that it’s utterly pathetic, and possibly illegal, to only use an ice cream maker that resides in your home as many times as I’ve used mine. So, I’m setting a goal for the summer to use it at least twice per month. Let’s see if I can make that happen! Time # 1 is right now. Let’s talk a little bit more about the actual ice cream.
I wanted to make a super simple vegan and paleo ice cream that had a little something special to it. I thought about making vanilla bean with cherries, and actually I still really want to try that out – I just kept putting off buying the vanilla beans!
What I did happen to have on hand, that sadly also doesn’t get enough love, is espresso powder. I always have it on hand since it’s great for baking, to add a little “mocha” flavor to muffins and cookies. It also seemed like the perfect little something to spice up a simple ice cream recipe. The chocolate chunks were a no-brainer – it’s nearly impossible for me to NOT add chocolate to ice cream!
And so, the espresso chocolate chip ice cream was born, or rather churned, to be accurate. For a truly paleo dark chocolate, I recommend using the homemade chocolate chunk recipe from Bakerita. However, you can use any dark chocolate you want – chips, chunks, your favorite bar chopped up.
You can also adjust the level of “coffee-ness” in your ice cream too simply by tasting while it’s still in the blender. I wound up with 2 Tbsp, but you could probably go up to 3 for a richer espresso flavor. I decided to add just a bit of almond butter to the recipe too, which is totally optional but adds a little to the flavor and texture. But enough talking about the ice cream – let’s make it! In about 30 minutes you’ll already be digging in if you start now. Let’s go!
Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream {Paleo & Vegan}
Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream {Paleo & Vegan}
Ingredients
- 2 14 oz can coconut milk full fat
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2-3 Tbsp espresso powder depending on the flavor you want (I went with 3)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp smooth almond butter optional
- 1/2-2/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate**
Instructions
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Put all ingredients EXCEPT for the chocolate in a blender and blend until thick and frothy.
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Pour mixture into your ice cream maker and churn for 20-30 minutes according to machine directions, adding the chocolate chips toward the end. Mine was done after 20 minutes of churning and I added the chocolate for the last 3 minutes or so.
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Serve immediately for soft serve consistency or freeze in a loaf pan, tightly covered with parchment paper and plastic wrap* for 2 more hours until desired consistency is reached. Once completely frozen, you will need to remove the ice cream from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving to soften it up.
Recipe Notes
*I make sure my parchment paper is in contact with the surface of the ice cream before wrapping with plastic to help eliminate any ice crystals from forming on the top.
**For a completely paleo dark chocolate, you can make your own with this recipe from Bakerita
Nutrition
What I Used to Make My Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream:
Want more Paleo & Vegan dessert recipes? Try one of these!
No-Churn Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Fudgy Triple Chocolate Brownies
No-Churn Almond Butter Fudge Chunk Ice Cream
Chocolate Chip Cookie Vanilla Cheesecake
Tell Me!
If you have an ice cream maker, how often do you use it?
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I would love to try this but the espresso powder you listed is produced with some other products that may be an issue for some. The product is 100% coffee for those with celiac, it is produced in facility with wheat products.
I’m seeing the same problem with other brands listed on Amazon. If you know of a brand of either instant espresso powder or instant coffee that is allergy and celiac friendly that can be purchased online or in a grocery store, let us know 🙂
Can this be done without an ice cream maker?
You won’t get the same creaminess…if you do try it out, you can blend it in a blender and then stir every hour or so while freezing in a bowl to avoid the ice crystals. Essentially, you’ll be trying to do the ice cream maker’s job by hand 🙂
So… I think because my foodie friends have shared lots of ice cream recipes in the past year, I’ve had more reason to use the ice cream maker. Before that I didn’t use it very much, because it was much easier to just buy ice cream. Yet there is nothing like homemade icecream.
Yum! Coffee, chocolate and ice cream a winner by a mile. I’ve used glycerin to keep ice cream soft and prevent ice crystals but I’m not sure that fits into paleo, vegan or whole30? A few tablespoons of Vodka is also said to work but I’ve never used it. I have the same issue with my ice cream maker, but my 8 yr old grandson is coming for a visit soon so I’m getting it out for him.
I’ve seen vodka in many recipes but that takes out the kid friendly and paleo factor, haha. Haven’t tried glycerin though, interesting!
Hi Michele! This ice cream is delicious! Just what I needed when adjusting to eating paleo!! I’ve made it 3 times and it turned out perfect the first time. I currently have some churning and the coconut milk separated as it did last time. I didn’t do anything differently from the first time and I used the same brand of coconut milk. Any idea why the results are different?
Hi! That does happen sometimes, the solution I’ve found is to melt the mixture together in a saucepan, then chill to at least room temperature before churning. Coconut milk can be fussing and over blending just a little can make it separate, although it varies by brand and even by can. If it separates when blending, the saucepan trick works wonders!
This ice cream is absolutely amazing. I added some almond milk to The recipe and it’s the right consistency. Came out amazing the first time! Thanks for the recipe:)
That’s awesome, so happy you enjoyed!
Hi! I can’t find espresso powder. Would coffee work instead?
I would use instant coffee if you don’t have espresso powder
I used instant coffee and this recipe was yummy! Thank you for sharing it.
I didn’t have espresso on hand, so I used instant coffee. My husband and son LOVE it.
Yay! Happy you’re enjoying it 🙂
I have made this recipe three times now, and may I just say that it is fantastic! So easy to make, and incredibly creamy and flavorful. The first time that I made it, I used Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips which were OK. The last couple times I decided to grate a 3 oz. bar of chocolate by Chocolove (55-65% cocoa) and add that during the last few minutes of churning. Definitely a winner! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Hi! Any suggestions on keeping the ice cream from getting grainy? Otherwise, it taste good!
Hi! I haven’t made this recipe yet, but can this be made no-churn/without an ice cream maker, like the chocolate coconut milk ice cream recipe? Thanks!
Sorry, I forgot to ask, too, is it the guar gum in canned coconut milk and the tapioca starch that holds it together and stabilizes it? The coconut milk that I already have doesn’t have guar gum in it, so I’m wondering if that’s a crucial ingredient to make a successful product out of the recipe. Thanks again!
Bummer. I love all your recipes but felt i wasted two cans of coconut milk. I would love to see this one revamped with eggs in it to help the iciness. Really great flavor but the texture was not there for me.
I’ve made this several times and it’s AMAZING! But this afternoon I was in the mood for a little midday frozen coffee drink. Luckily I made a batch of this a few nights ago. I put about 3 scoops in the blender with a handful of ice, 1 cup of cold brew coffee, and a splash of almond milk. And voila! Venti Paleo Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino!
Can I make this without owning an ice cream maker?
I am going to make this for my region’s Project bc one of my states is a state that is known for ice cream I am excited to make this.
I would have gave it 5 stars but my milk curdled even if i blended it. I am not sure if it is just my milk or the recipe. Next time i make this I will use a different type of milk and see if it curdles. Overall it tasted Great!
Love this easy flexible recipe! Maybe it’s too easy, I can see myself eating too much! 😋 I’ve used coconut cream, coconut milk and evaporated milk in different combinations—they all work. I regularly use instant coffee granules, peanut butter and only 3T of maple sugar.