Honey Sage Ice Cream (dairy free)

This dairy-free honey sage ice cream is made with coconut milk and avocado to ensure it’s both luscious and creamy! Earthy sage and floral honey yield an unexpectedly delicious combination that pairs well with berry and stone fruit desserts. Or, enjoy it with the included sunflower oat crumble and fresh berries.

Sage always gets the reputation for being a savory herb but it is absolutely magical in desserts if you know how to use it! An abundance of earthy sage in the garden and a big jar of local wildflower honey led to the creation of this dairy-free ice cream. Since dairy-free ice cream can sometimes lack the richness of its dairy counterpart, I used a combination of full fat coconut milk, coconut cream, AND the flesh of an avocado to ensure it is extra luscious. That’s right! An avocado! Not only does it impart a light sage-y green color, it makes the ice cream super creamy and rich.

Why I Love this Dairy-Free Honey Sage Ice Cream

• The pairing of earthy sage and floral honey is so incredibly delicious!
• It pairs really well with summer berries and stone fruits, especially blackberries and blueberries!
• Prep is super easy, as long as you have the patience for the steeping and chilling times.
• It’s dairy-free which means it’s easier on my digestive system, huzzah!

Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions

The ice cream base is made up of a combination of full fat coconut milk (from the can), coconut cream, and the flesh of an avocado. If you can’t find the small can of coconut cream called for in the recipe, you can buy a larger can and measure out 10 tablespoons. Or, buy a second can of coconut milk, chill it overnight, then scoop out the coconut cream that settles at the top.

Honey keeps this ice cream from being fully vegan. If you’re vegan and would like to try the recipe, I recommend substituting an equal amount of maple syrup (which will yield a more autumnal flavor profile) or agave syrup (which won’t add flavor, just sweetness).

Serving Suggestions and Ideas

While this dairy-free ice cream is delicious on its own, here are some ways you can elevate it even further:

• I included a quick sunflower oat crumble and fresh berries in the recipe to serve alongside the ice cream which is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it.
• This flavors in this ice cream pair really well with blackberry and blueberry desserts like blackberry cobbler, blackberry pie, or blueberry crumble. Or, try it with my plum blueberry pie.
• Serve grilled stone fruits like peaches and plums with a big scoop of this ice cream for an easy summer dessert.
• Make a sundae: add a couple of scoops of this ice cream to a dish, crumble some simple shortbread cookies over the top, then drizzle over some blackberry syrup.

Honey Sage Ice Cream (dairy free)

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• Author: Courtney West
• Total Time: 9 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 1 quart 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This dairy free honey sage ice cream is made with coconut milk and avocado to ensure it’s both luscious and creamy! Earthy sage and floral honey yield an unexpectedly delicious combination that pairs well with berry and stone fruit desserts. Or, enjoy it with the included sunflower oat crumble and fresh berries. 

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

for the ice cream:

• 1 13.5–ounce can full fat coconut milk
• 1 5.4–ounce can coconut cream
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 10–12 leaves fresh sage
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 medium avocado
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

for the sunflower oat crumble & serving:

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 3 teaspoons maple syrup
• fresh berries, such as blueberries or blackberries

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Instructions

Make the ice cream base first. Combine the coconut milk, coconut cream, and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Whisk together until smooth, then heat over medium. Once it starts to simmer, add the sage, cover the pan, and turn off the heat. Allow the sage to steep in the coconut milk mixture for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the sage. Make sure to squeeze out any liquid from the sage into the coconut mixture. Add the sage infused coconut mixture to a blender along with the honey, vanilla, the flesh from the avocado, and the lemon juice. Blend until very smooth. Chill the ice cream base in the fridge for a minimum of 3-4 hours.

Once the ice cream based has been chilled, add it to your ice cream maker and process it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I use the ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen-Aid and it typically takes around 15-20 minutes to churn it into a soft serve consistency. When the ice cream maker is done, scoop the ice cream into a glass or ceramic dish, cover it, and place it in the freezer for an additional 2-4 hours to firm up.

If you’d like to make the sunflower oat crumble to serve with your ice cream, heat the coconut oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the oats, sunflower seeds, and salt to the pan. Stir about every minute until the oats and seeds begin to turn golden brown. Add the maple syrup and stir for about another minute or two until the crumble begins to clump together. Remove the crumble from the heat, spoon it onto a plate, and allow it to cool and harden.

Whenever you’re ready to serve the ice cream, allow it to sit out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to scoop. Serve topped with the sunflower oat crumble and berries if you like. Or, serve a scoop on top of any berry or stone fruit dessert such as blackberry pie or blueberry crumble. 

Notes

• This process will take most of a day from start to finish to include steeping, chilling, and freezing time. If you start it after breakfast you can have ice cream after dinner!
• If you can’t find coconut cream on its own, buy a second can of coconut milk, chill it the night before, then scoop out the solid cream the next morning to incorporate into the recipe. Or, buy a can of coconut cream and measure out 10 tablespoons to use in the recipe. 
• I used small/medium sage leaves so if yours are rather large, you’ll only need 6-8 leaves. 

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Chilling Time: 7-9 hours