This homemade Vegan Lavender Ice Cream is easy to make, rich and creamy. This dairy-free lavender ice cream combines a few simple ingredients. With a flavor that's downright delicious! and made with just 4 ingredients. Perfect scoops for ice cream cones. No ice cream maker? No problem. This recipe includes churn and no-churn methods.
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Growing up in Hotlanta, summers always meant bowls of ice cream on the porch. This vegan lavender ice cream is now in heavy rotation at our house. It took a few tries, but we finally got the right method of infusing the lavender. We tried cold infusion but the flavor was too subtle and heat infusion curdled the cream. Then, we tried adding lavender powder to our vegan custard mixture, but that was too strong. And finally figured it out with a low heat infusion and now it's always in our freezer.
Craving more cold sweet treats? Try our easy to make vegan butter pecan ice cream, vanilla ice cream and watermelon mint popsicles.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love It
- Key Ingredients And Substitutions
- How to Make Homemade Lavender Extract
- Vegan Lavender Ice Cream Flavor Variations: Lemon, Blueberry & Matcha
- Equipment Options (With & Without an Ice Cream Maker)
- Expert Tips - Double Batching
- Step By Step Instructions
- Storing Instructions
- What To Serve With Ice Cream
- More Vegan Ice Cream Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- Comments
Why You'll Love It
- Light floral flavor - from infusing the milk with dried lavender and lavender extract.
- No dairy, no eggs, no coconut - perfect for anyone with food allergies.
- Easy methods - churn or no churn options both will work.
Key Ingredients And Substitutions
- Vegan Heavy Cream - forms the creamy base, giving the ice cream its rich texture. We like Country Crock but Silk and Trader Joe's alternatives will work too.
- Lavender - is the star ingredient and flavors the ice cream.
- Lavender Extract - enhances the flavor profile. We made our lavender extract but you can also buy it; we like Kate Natural extract.
- Powdered Sugar - sweetens the ice cream and lessens ice crystals.
- Sweetened Condensed Oat Milk - adds richness and sweetness while keeping the mixture creamy.
📝 Detailed ingredients, measurements, and instructions are provided at the end of this post in the printable recipe card. This recipe has not been tested with substitutions or variations not listed.
💬Trying a substitution? Let us know in the comments. We'd love to hear how it turns out.
What Lavender Should You Use?
Only use Culinary Grade Lavender - (Specifically Lavandula angustifolia). Avoid non culinary-grade or ornamental varieties (like Lavandula stoechas) , which can taste bitter not recommended for ingestion and may be mildly toxic when consumed in large quantities.
Using Fresh Lavender? Dried is preferred but fresh can be used in a 2:1 ratio if it's clean, pesticide free and culinary-grade.
Remember that fresh lavender doesn't stay deep purple when it's dried or made into extract because the natural color fades away as the flowers lose moisture and get broken down, so naturally it's more muted without the addition of colors or dyes.
Resource
How to Make Homemade Lavender Extract
Vegan Lavender Ice Cream Flavor Variations: Lemon, Blueberry & Matcha
Lavender is potent, so start small, and taste as you go. Here are some of our favorite combos:
- 🍋 Lavender Lemon Ice Cream (Bright & Citrusy) - lemon's bright citrus flavor pairs really well with the subtle floral notes of lavender. Add ½ teaspoons of lemon extract and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to your base.
- 🫐 Blueberry Lavender Ice Cream (Fruity & Floral) - blueberry fruity sweetness is a natural complement to lavender. Swirl in ½ cup blueberry compote or jam just before freezing, for a ripple effect.
- 🍵 Matcha Lavender Ice Cream (Earthy & Aromatic) - the umami notes of matcha contrast beautifully with lavender. Whisk in 1 teaspoon matcha powder into the custard base before freezing.
- Other creative pairings - Ube, Earl Grey and vegan honey.
Equipment Options (With & Without an Ice Cream Maker)
Ice Cream Machine
This is not an affiliate, paid or sponsored post.
We tested in two types of machines:
Cuisinart - 2 quart with insulated freezer bowl.
Whynter - 2 quart automatic ice cream maker with built-in compressor. (It's an investment but totally worth it in our opinion; especially if you're an ice cream lover like us. We got ours on Amazon in October for $230.) With a machine with a build-in compressor you don't have to struggle with the bowl hogging up freezer space, or forgetting to have it in the freezer beforehand.
No-Churn Method
Pour ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer-friendly container, cover until solid, which is about 6 hours or overnight.
Expert Tips - Double Batching
Please note: for 4 or 6 quart machines, you can double or triple the vegan ice cream custard recipe. This recipe uses a machine that is 2 quarts you'll need to make two separate batches so your machine doesn't overflow or become unable to mix the mixture if you make a larger batch.
Step By Step Instructions
Prepare
If using a machine with insulated bowl make sure to freeze the bowl at least 48 hours before, for best results. It must be completely frozen in order for the ice cream to set up.
Milk Infusion
STEP 1. Steep
Add milk and lavender to pot. Place pot on stove and turn on to medium heat. Warm for 8 minutes. Be very careful to not let cream burn; stirring frequently and watching heat. Remove from heat. Should see steam from milk. Place lid on pot and let lavender steep for 25 minutes.
STEP 2. Prepare the Ice Cream Base
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed. Combine the vegan heavy cream, powdered sugar and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Because this is a no-egg, non-dairy, recipe you will not need to heat the custard ice cream base.
STEP 3.
Add the entire container of sweetened condensed oat milk and lavender extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.
STEP 4. Add Color - Optional
Add in a few drops of purple food dye to achieve a light purple color like lavender if desired.
STEP 5. Churn or Freeze
Machine with insulated bowl:
Place vegan custard in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. To help the mixture thicken. Follow your machine directions, but in general you will pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl. Turn on the ice cream machine and let it mix until the ice cream has thickened. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture.
Compressors like the Whynter:
Immediately pour the mixture into the ice cream maker. Turn unit on, set mode to ice cream, then start it. It will churn for one hour.
No-Churn Method:
Pour ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer-friendly container, covered until solid which is at least 6 hours or overnight.
STEP 6. Freeze to Set
With a silicone spatula scoop the churned ice cream mixture into a 2 quart freezer-safe container with a lid. Press a piece of parchment paper onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Cover with lid. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight, until firm.
Storing Instructions
To Freeze. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
What To Serve With Ice Cream
- Top with fresh blueberries.
- Scoop in a waffle cone
- Scooped onto a slice of vegan pound cake
- Topped with candied lemon zest
- Top with homemade Vegan Whipped Cream or Chantilly Cream
More Vegan Ice Cream Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Lavender Ice Cream
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Print Recipe Leave A Review Pin RecipeIngredients
- 16.9 ounces (500g) Vegan Heavy Whipping Cream
- 11.25 ounces (320g) Sweetened Condensed Oat Milk - one can
- ¼ cup (30g) Powdered sugar
- 3 Teaspoon Lavender Extract
Instructions
Prepare
- If using a machine with an insulated bowl make sure to freeze the bowl at least 48 hours before, for best results. It must be completely frozen in order for the ice cream to set up.
Milk Infusion
- Steep - Add milk and lavender to pot. Place pot on stove and turn on to medium heat. Warm for 8 minutes. Be very careful to not let cream burn; stirring frequently and watching heat. Remove from heat. Should see steam from milk. Place lid on pot and let lavender steep for 25 minutes.
Prepare the Ice Cream Base
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed. Combine the vegan heavy cream, powdered sugar and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Because this is a no-egg, non-dairy, recipe you will not need to heat the custard ice cream base.
- Add the entire container of sweetened condensed oat milk and lavender extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add Color - Optional. Add in a few drops of purple food dye to achieve a light purple color like lavender if desired.
Churn or Freeze
- Machine with insulated bowl:Place vegan custard in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight to help the mixture thicken. Follow your machine directions, but in general you will pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl. Turn on the ice cream machine and let it mix until the ice cream has thickened. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture.
- Compressors like the Whynter:Immediately pour the mixture into the ice cream maker. Turn unit on, set mode to ice cream then start it. It will churn for one hour.
- No-Churn Method:Pour ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer-friendly container, covered until solid; about 6 hours or overnight.
Freeze to Set
- With a silicone spatula scoop the churned ice cream mixture into a 2 quart freezer-safe container with a lid. Press a piece of parchment paper onto the surface to prevent ice crystals. Cover with lid. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight, until firm.
Notes
Storing Instructions
To Freeze. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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