I don’t know who decided to stir tender bites of chocolate chip cookie dough into rich vanilla ice cream, but I’d like to shake their hand. Whoever they are. Wherever they are. I need to meet this person. There’s something about that creamy vanilla base with the chewy chunks of cookie dough that make it a safe bet in almost any situation. How can you go wrong? Answer: you just can’t. I recently shared my recipe for a healthy cookie dough that’s paleo and vegan, making it safe to eat by the spoonful (On the couch. In pajamas) and knew I just had to turn it into a paleo cookie dough ice cream. But there were a couple prerequisites to this recipe: The paleo cookie dough ice cream recipe that came out of this dreamlike state, envisioning myself with a pint of the stuff balanced on my belly, was way beyond what I was expecting. The tender cookie dough bites! The creamy vanilla base! The tender little chocolate pieces swirled in there! Ugh, I just can’t get enough. The most surprising part of the whole thing is that this vegan cookie dough ice cream recipe is actually quite easy to make. You simply stir together the healthy cookie dough recipe, scoop it out into little teaspoon-sized balls, blend a few things together in your blender, then freeze. Tumble in the little chilled cookie dough balls, and you’re set. Healthy summer dessert perfection. You’ll love this paleo cookie dough ice cream recipe, because no one would know it’s dairy-free or refined-sugar-free! The base is oh so creamy and rich, perfectly sweetened, and positively loaded with those highly sought-after cookie dough chunks. You might have to hide it from the kids to get any yourself, though… fair warning.
Variations
Stir in regular chocolate chips instead of the chocolate swirl mixture for a chunkier ice cream. Skip the chocolate swirl altogether if you prefer a super traditional chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.
I’m allergic to nuts. Can I skip the cashews?
You can, but it won’t be as creamy or delicious. If you’re allergic, though, substituting coconut cream (the white part of a can of coconut milk) should work fine!
Can I skip the bourbon?
You can, but the ice cream won’t stay as soft and creamy after freezing for a while. It’s a very small amount and really helps deepen the flavor, too!
Where can I find dairy-free chocolate chips?
I can find Enjoy Life chocolate chips at my local Sprouts and Whole Foods. Sometimes even a well-stocked standard grocery store!
Help! My ice cream didn’t reach that “soft serve” texture after freezing in the ice cream maker.
Almost certainly, your ice cream maker bowl was not cold enough. Make sure you freeze it at least 12 hours, preferably 24, in a freezer that’s not overly full. Make sure your ice cream mixture is very cold before churning, too.
