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    Home » Paleo » Vegan Chocolate Walnut Fudge Ice Cream

    Published: Mar 20, 2014 · Modified: Jun 7, 2021 by Lisa Johnson

    Vegan Chocolate Walnut Fudge Ice Cream

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    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please visit my disclosure page.

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    chocolate walnut ice cream in a turquoise bowl sitting on a turquoise and white checkered napkin with title graphic across the top.

    This homemade Vegan Chocolate Walnut Fudge Ice Cream recipe is amazing! It is a healthier version of everyone's favorite guilty pleasure made with coconut milk, cocoa, and a delicious fudge swirl!

    chocolate walnut ice cream in a turquoise bowl sitting on a turquoise and white checkered napkin.

    What makes this ice cream healthier?

    My brain was still in Paleo mode, so I did not use traditional sugar in this recipe. Instead, I decided to give raw coconut nectar a try. It has a low glycemic index, non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free. Coconut Nectar has a deep, barely sweet flavor. If you like super sweet ice cream, stick to honey or maple syrup.

    Dark chocolate contain antioxidants that help protect the brain, so I used cocoa powder in the ice cream and dark chocolate chips in the ganache/fudge swirl.

    Walnuts are high in Vitamin E, which helps reduce memory loss. So I guess we could call this ice cream "brain food", and it should be eaten daily!

    How to make Vegan Chocolate Walnut Fudge Ice Cream:

    Start by whipping the coconut milk until it is light and fluffy.

    Coconut milk whipped in a glass bowl.

    Add the sweetener and cocoa powder, and beat until well combined.

    Cocoa powder added to the coconut cream.

    Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Pour chilled mixture into the freezer bowl of an ice cream maker.

    Chocolate mixture churning in a white ice cream maker.

    Process according to the manufacturer's instructions (about 15 minutes) until mixture thickens. Pour the chopped walnuts in, and continue processing until walnuts are fully incorporated.

    Chopped walnuts added to the nearly frozen chocolate ice cream.

    Pour into a freezer safe container, and freeze for one hour.

    To make the ganache/fudge swirl, heat chocolate chips, coconut milk, and butter in the microwave in 15 second increments until smooth and melted.

    Melted chocolate ganache in small white bowl.

    Remove ice cream from the freezer and stir together.

    Frozen chocolate ice cream in a square plastic freezer container.

    Drizzle the ganache/fudge over the ice cream.

    Four stripes of chocolate ganache on top of the ice cream in the plastic container.

    Swirl fudge with a spoon or knife.

    Chocolate ganache swirled into the chocolate ice cream.

    Return to the freezer for 1 hour for "soft serve", or 2+ hours for "hard serve" ice cream. The longer this ice cream is in the freezer, the harder it will get. You may need to leave on the counter to soften before serving.

    Vegan Chocolate Walnut Fudge Ice Cream in a small turquoise bowl sitting on a turquoise and white checkered napkin.

    More Aries meal recipes:

    • Spinach Artichoke Dip
    • Rosemary and Panko Crusted Salmon
    • Matcha Pancakes with Pomegranate Acai Syrup

    Tools used to create this recipe:

    • Ice Cream Maker - this is the new version, mine is almost 20 years old.
    • Freezer Container
    • Coconut Milk
    • Coconut Nectar
    • Walnuts

    You can see the rest of my favorite kitchen tools and gadgets here in my Amazon Affiliate Page. I earn a small commission when you purchase through my links, at no cost to you, so I can keep bringing you more delicious recipes!

    More delicious ice cream recipes:

    • Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream
    • Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
    • Pistachio Ice Cream
    • Tiramisu Ice Cream
    • Limoncello Tiramisu Ice Cream

    If you love this recipe, please rate it five stars and help me share on facebook and to help other readers in our community!

    Enjoy!!

    chocolate walnut ice cream in a turquoise bowl sitting on a turquoise and white checkered napkin

    Vegan Chocolate Walnut Fudge Ice Cream

    This homemade Vegan Chocolate Walnut Fudge Ice Cream recipe is a healthier version of everyone's favorite guilty pleasure!
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    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: dairy-free ice cream with coconut milk
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Chilling Time: 4 hours
    Servings: 10 Servings
    Calories: 288kcal
    Author: Lisa Johnson

    Equipment

    • Ice Cream Maker

    Ingredients

    For the Ice Cream

    • 27 ounces full-fat coconut milk Two 13.5 ounce cans - shake before opening
    • 0.5 cup coconut nectar or maple syrup
    • 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder I used Ghirardelli
    • 0.5 cup chopped walnuts

    For the Fudge Swirl

    • .33 cup vegan chocolate chips
    • 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk can
    • 1 tablespoon non-dairy butter or coconut oil
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    Instructions

    • Beat the coconut milk with a mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
    • Add the coconut nectar, cocoa powder and beat until well combined.
    • Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
    • Pour mixture into the freezer bowl of an ice cream maker, and process as per manufacturer's directions, about 15 minutes for soft serve consistency.
    • Pour the chopped walnuts into the machine and continue processing until incorporated.
    • Pour ice cream into a freezer safe bowl and freeze for 1 hour.
    • Heat the chocolate chips, coconut milk and butter in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir to combine. Continue heating in 15 second increments until melted and smooth. Set aside.
    • Remove the ice cream from freezer and stir. Drizzle the chocolate ganache/fudge over the top of the ice cream. Gently swirl with a spoon or knife.
    • Return to the freezer to set, about an hour for soft ice cream or 2 to 3 hours for hard serve ice cream.

    Notes

    For non-vegan, substitute honey for the coconut nectar or maple syrup.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3.8mg
    « Rosemary and Panko Crusted Salmon
    Matcha Pancakes with Pomegranate Acai Syrup »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says

      March 20, 2014 at 7:32 pm

      Wow! This ice cream is gorgeous - such beautiful pictures Lisa! Pinned 🙂

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 20, 2014 at 10:01 pm

        Thank you so much Chelsea! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Becca from It's Yummi! says

      March 20, 2014 at 8:49 pm

      I'm allergic to every single form of coconut, so of course I'm having a great big pity party right now! This looks TO DIE FOR (which is exactly what would happen to me if I tried to eat it with the coconut products in it!) 😉

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 20, 2014 at 10:04 pm

        Oh wow Becca, I would be in a world of hurt if I could not eat coconut! I can't have dairy, so it's my only option. 😉

        Reply
    3. Cindy Eikenberg says

      March 21, 2014 at 5:20 am

      Lisa, this looks amazing and how much am I loving the Aries meal? A lot! 🙂 Pinning!

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 21, 2014 at 10:42 am

        Hehe, thank you Cindy!! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Raia says

      March 21, 2014 at 8:59 am

      This sounds AMAZING! I'm pinning it to my ice cream board to try later!

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 21, 2014 at 10:42 am

        Thank you so much Raia. 🙂

        Reply
    5. katerina says

      March 21, 2014 at 11:20 am

      Yummyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.This is a fantastic recipe.
      can we do this recipe without using an ice-cream machine?
      As a Greek Orthodox we fasten for 40 days before Easter and
      this recipe is perfect .

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 21, 2014 at 7:23 pm

        Katerina, I have heard that you can freeze and stir each hour until it reaches the consistency that you would like. I have never tried it, so I don't know exactly how it turns out. Good luck! 🙂

        Reply
        • katerina says

          March 23, 2014 at 4:18 pm

          Thanks i will try it and let you know.

          Reply
          • Lisa Johnson says

            March 23, 2014 at 5:32 pm

            Thank you Katerina. 🙂

            Reply
    6. Gloria // Simply Gloria says

      March 24, 2014 at 3:02 pm

      We have the same ice cream makers! Love your pics... especially the one with the cocoa powder in the bowl, great shot! I'm all about this chocolaty ice cream with the vegan action!

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 25, 2014 at 12:09 am

        Thank you Gloria!! I think the ice cream maker will be getting a workout this year. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Allie | Baking a Moment says

      March 24, 2014 at 5:52 pm

      I'm gearing up to start making ice cream recipes now too, Lisa! This one sounds delicious and healthy to boot! Beautiful! 😉

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 25, 2014 at 12:10 am

        Thank you so much Allie! I'm trying to find some kind of balance with all of the pizzas and cupcakes. 😉

        Reply
    8. Ronda Waters @ the.refurbished.life says

      March 29, 2014 at 8:08 pm

      This looks amazing, Lisa! My daughter is vegan and I'm paleo, so we'll be giving this a try for sure! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 31, 2014 at 4:35 pm

        Wow, I'm glad I covered both bases Ronda. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!

        Reply
    9. Gina says

      April 03, 2014 at 6:38 pm

      Oh good heavens Lisa - YUM-O!!! I can eat this nearly guilt free.

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        April 04, 2014 at 11:09 am

        Thank you so much Gina! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Julie says

      August 11, 2014 at 8:27 am

      Your "clean-eating" desserts are so inspiring! Pinning!

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        August 13, 2014 at 2:03 pm

        Thank you so much Julie!! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling says

      August 12, 2014 at 2:01 pm

      This looks AMAZING! I love how you are always introducing me to new healthier ingredients and ideas!

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        August 13, 2014 at 1:43 pm

        Thank you so much Cathy. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says

      August 12, 2014 at 7:39 pm

      Mmmm - thank goodness Phoenix has warmer weather longer than most places! I can't wait to try this, Lisa!! Pinning!

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        August 13, 2014 at 1:38 pm

        Thanks Jamie! Phoenix is sounding better and better by the day! 😉

        Reply

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