Creamy Vegan Peach Ice Cream

Summer desserts don’t get much better than homemade ice cream. There’s something about making your own that just feels right, especially when peaches are in season and you can grab them fresh from the farmers market. But traditional ice cream recipes can be a hassle with all that custard-making and constant stirring.

That’s why I love this vegan peach ice cream. It uses coconut milk instead of heavy cream, which means no eggs to temper and no complicated steps. Just blend everything together, freeze it, and you’re done. Plus, it’s naturally dairy-free, so everyone at the table can enjoy it.

Want something creamy and sweet? This recipe delivers. Looking for a way to use up those perfectly ripe peaches sitting on your counter? Same. Honestly, once you try making ice cream this way, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with the complicated versions.

What Kind of Peaches Should I Use?

Fresh, ripe yellow peaches are your best bet for this recipe, and you’ll know they’re ready when they give slightly to gentle pressure and smell sweet at the stem end. If fresh peaches aren’t in season, frozen peaches work just as well and actually make the process even easier since you can skip the chilling step for the coconut milk. White peaches can also be used if that’s what you have on hand, though they tend to be a bit sweeter and more floral in flavor. Just make sure your peaches are ripe – underripe peaches won’t blend as smoothly and can taste a bit tart for ice cream.

Options for Substitutions

This simple vegan ice cream is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk is really important here – it’s what gives the ice cream its creamy texture. You can try cashew cream as an alternative (blend 1 cup soaked cashews with ½ cup water until smooth), but I’d stick with coconut milk for the best results.
• Fresh peaches: No fresh peaches? Frozen peaches work great too – just use about 3 cups and skip chilling the coconut milk. You can also swap peaches for other stone fruits like nectarines, plums, or apricots.
• Maple syrup: The recipe gives you two sweetener options already, but you can also use agave nectar or coconut sugar dissolved in a bit of warm water. If using dates, make sure to blend them really well so you don’t end up with chunks.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla paste or the seeds from one vanilla bean work perfectly if you want a more intense vanilla flavor. Almond extract (use half the amount) adds a nice twist too.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest mistake when making vegan peach ice cream is using underripe peaches, which will leave your ice cream tasting bland and lacking that sweet peachy flavor – wait until your peaches are soft to the touch and smell fragrant before using them.

Another common error is forgetting to chill your coconut milk overnight, which can result in a thinner, less creamy texture since the cold coconut cream needs to be thick and separated from the liquid.

Don’t skip freezing your ice cream maker bowl for the full 12 hours, as a partially frozen bowl won’t churn the mixture properly and you’ll end up with a soupy consistency instead of smooth ice cream.

Finally, resist the urge to serve the ice cream immediately after churning – giving it that extra 30 minutes in the freezer helps it firm up to the perfect scoopable texture.

What to Serve With Peach Ice Cream?

This peach ice cream is perfect on its own, but I love serving it with warm fruit cobbler or crisp for a seriously good dessert. You can also crumble some graham crackers or vanilla wafers on top for a nice crunch, or drizzle it with a bit of extra maple syrup if you’re feeling fancy. Fresh berries like blueberries or raspberries make a great topping too, and they add a nice pop of color to your bowl. If you want to go all out, serve it alongside a slice of pound cake or between two oatmeal cookies for an ice cream sandwich situation.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your peach ice cream in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 weeks. I like to press a piece of parchment paper directly on the surface before sealing to prevent ice crystals from forming on top.

Scoop: Homemade ice cream gets pretty hard in the freezer, so let it sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes before scooping. This makes it so much easier to serve and gives you that perfect creamy texture again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 800-960
• Protein: 7-10 g
• Fat: 40-48 g
• Carbohydrates: 115-135 g

Ingredients

• 14 oz full-fat coconut milk
• 4 large peaches (pitted and sliced into 1-inch wedges)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Step 1: Prepare the Ice Cream Base

• 4 large peaches, pitted and sliced
• 14 oz full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Pit and slice the peaches into 1-inch wedges, then add them to a blender along with the full-fat coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla essence, lemon juice, and sea salt.

Blend until completely smooth, about 1-2 minutes.

The lemon juice brightens the peach flavor while the salt enhances sweetness—I always include salt in frozen desserts because it makes the flavors pop without tasting salty.

Step 2: Chill the Base and Prepare Equipment

• blended peach mixture from Step 1

Pour the blended peach mixture into a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

While the base chills, remove your ice cream maker’s bowl from the freezer about 15 minutes before churning (or follow your machine’s specific instructions).

A well-chilled base churns more efficiently and creates a smoother, creamier texture.

Step 3: Churn the Ice Cream

• chilled peach mixture from Step 2

Transfer the chilled peach base to your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions, typically 25-30 minutes.

The mixture should reach a soft-serve consistency when done.

I find that stopping the churn when it’s still slightly soft gives you the best texture when frozen further, rather than over-churning it.

Step 4: Freeze and Serve

• churned ice cream from Step 3

Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.

For easier scooping, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.

The result is a creamy, dairy-free peach ice cream with bright flavor and a smooth, luxurious texture.

Creamy Vegan Peach Ice Cream

Delicious Creamy Vegan Peach Ice Cream recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 880 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 14 oz full-fat coconut milk
• 4 large peaches (pitted and sliced into 1-inch wedges)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

 

• Pit and slice the peaches into 1-inch wedges, then add them to a blender along with the full-fat coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla essence, lemon juice, and sea salt. Blend until completely smooth, about 1-2 minutes. The lemon juice brightens the peach flavor while the salt enhances sweetness—I always include salt in frozen desserts because it makes the flavors pop without tasting salty.
• Pour the blended peach mixture into a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. While the base chills, remove your ice cream maker's bowl from the freezer about 15 minutes before churning (or follow your machine's specific instructions). A well-chilled base churns more efficiently and creates a smoother, creamier texture.
• Transfer the chilled peach base to your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions, typically 25-30 minutes. The mixture should reach a soft-serve consistency when done. I find that stopping the churn when it's still slightly soft gives you the best texture when frozen further, rather than over-churning it.
• Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm. For easier scooping, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving. The result is a creamy, dairy-free peach ice cream with bright flavor and a smooth, luxurious texture.