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Vegan Butterscotch Ice Cream Recipe

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3.8 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Sara
  • Total Time: 12 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This luscious Vegan Butterscotch Ice Cream combines creamy cashews and rich coconut milk with the deep, caramel-like flavor of coconut sugar and molasses for a dairy-free treat that’s smooth, indulgent, and perfect for any occasion. Enhanced by a hint of espresso, this homemade ice cream churns to soft serve perfection and then firms up in the freezer to deliver a satisfying scoop every time.

Ingredients

Cashew Base

  • 1 1/2 cups (230g) raw, unsalted cashews
  • 1 13.6 oz can lite coconut milk (recommend Thai Kitchen brand)
  • 1 tablespoon (20g) regular molasses (not blackstrap)
  • 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (140g) coconut sugar
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) vanilla extract
  • 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon fine salt

Flavoring

  • 1/2-1 teaspoon ground espresso (Illy brand recommended)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Ice Cream Maker Bowl: Ensure your ice cream maker bowl has been in the freezer for 1-2 days and is completely solid to enable proper churning.
  2. Soak Cashews (if necessary): If you don’t have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, soak the cashews in hot water for 8-12 hours to soften them and prevent a gritty texture. Drain and rinse before proceeding.
  3. Blend Ingredients: Combine cashews, lite coconut milk, molasses, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and salt into a blender. Blend thoroughly until the mixture is completely smooth with no nut pieces remaining.
  4. Churn the Ice Cream: Pour your blended base into the ice cream maker and churn for about 20-25 minutes until it reaches a soft serve consistency. During the last minute of churning, add the ground espresso to evenly distribute the flavor.
  5. Freeze to Firm Up: Transfer the ice cream to a ceramic or lined metal loaf pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze for 2-3 hours until solid enough to scoop. If frozen overnight, allow about 5 minutes at room temperature before scooping to soften.
  6. No Ice Cream Maker Alternative: For those without an ice cream maker, pour the blended mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze. Stir vigorously every 30 minutes to prevent ice crystal formation until it firms, roughly 2 hours total. When fully frozen, let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or microwave for 15 seconds before serving to soften.

Notes

  • Use coconut sugar specifically to achieve the authentic butterscotch flavor; white sugar won’t yield the same result.
  • The fine salt and molasses are essential to enhancing the butterscotch notes, so do not omit them.
  • If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, soaking cashews is optional; otherwise, soaking prevents grittiness.
  • The Thai Kitchen brand of lite coconut milk is preferred for optimal creaminess; avoid the Polar brand.
  • Adding espresso in the final minutes of churning allows for even dispersion and subtle flavor enhancement.
  • No ice cream maker? Regular stirring during freezing helps reduce ice crystals but texture won’t be as creamy as churned.
  • Prep Time: 12 hours
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Blending
  • Cuisine: Vegan

Find it online: https://saraflavors.com/vegan-butterscotch-ice-cream-recipe/