It has been SO hot lately and honestly I’m just trying to survive. I mean the kind of heat where you open the fridge just to stand in front of it for a moment and pretend that counts as cooling down. The kind of heat where going for a run feels genuinely unhinged and yet somehow we still do it, because that’s just who we are. But what’s waiting for us when we get home? Ice cream. Immediately. Non-negotiable.
The problem is that finding good vegan ice cream around here is either a mission or a financial commitment we didn’t sign up for. Some fancy organic grocery stores carry it, but the selection is limited and the price per scoop is frankly offensive. As for vegan options at actual ice cream shops — it’s getting better, slowly, but we’re not quite in a world yet where you can walk up to any gelateria and have more than one sad sorbet option to choose from. We’re getting there. We’re just not there yet.
So I started making my own, and honestly, I’m not even mad about it anymore. It takes about ten minutes of active effort, uses ingredients I already have in the kitchen, and tastes genuinely better than most of the store-bought versions I’ve tried. The only real catch is that you need a freezer and a bit of patience, because this ice cream needs several hours to set. But believe me, it’s worth it.
The other catch is that I don’t own an ice cream maker. I know, I know. It’s on the list. But in the meantime I’ve been figuring out how to make creamy, scoopable ice cream without one, and the secret is mostly in the ingredients. Bananas are the key. When frozen and blended, they create a naturally creamy base that doesn’t require churning to achieve a decent texture. The soy skyr adds protein and a slight tanginess that rounds everything out, and the peanut butter brings that rich, nutty depth that makes this feel indulgent rather than like a health project.
The dates provide natural sweetness without any refined sugar, and because they blend down completely, you don’t notice them at all — they just make everything taste a little more caramely and complex. The chopped chocolate and peanuts stirred in at the end give you little pockets of crunch and richness throughout, which makes each bite more interesting.
One thing to know before you make this: it will freeze quite hard, harder than commercial ice cream, because there’s no churning involved to incorporate air. So you do need to let it sit on the counter for ten to twenty minutes before you try to scoop it. I know that sounds annoying when you want ice cream right now, but it’s genuinely worth the wait, and after the first time you’ll just remember to take it out before you need it. It’ll become part of the routine.
This recipe is also super easy to improvise and adapt. Swap the peanut butter for almond butter or tahini. Add a teaspoon of vanilla or a pinch of sea salt. Throw in some frozen mango or raspberry for a refreshing, fruity version. Use whatever chocolate you have – dark, milky, white. Add a handful of oats or granola for extra texture. The base is flexible enough to take almost anything, and since you’re blending it anyway, any additions you make early will get incorporated seamlessly.
If you’ve been on the fence about making your own ice cream because you assumed it was complicated or required special equipment, this one is for you. Blender, freezer, done. That’s it. Happy summer!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Blend it all up: Add the 400 grams soy skyr yogurt, 100 grams peanut butter, 2 ripe or overripe bananas, and 6 dates to a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Pour into container: Pour the mixture into a tupperware container or any freezer-safe container.
- Mix in the good stuff: Stir in the 50 grams chopped chocolate and 40 grams chopped peanuts so they’re evenly distributed throughout.
- Freeze: Freeze until solid, at least 4-6 hours.
- Thaw slightly, then enjoy: Let it sit out for 10-20 minutes before scooping, since it freezes quite hard without an ice cream maker churning in air. It’s worth the wait, I promise.