Vegan Cookie Dough Nice Cream
This Vegan Cookie Dough Nice Cream is a healthy twist on ice cream made with frozen bananas and chunks of edible cookie dough in every bite. Dairy-free, no ice cream maker needed, and ready in minutes!
For more vegan ice cream recipes, try my vegan fudgesicles or 3-ingredient chocolate ice cream!
Quick Look: Vegan Cookie Dough Nice Cream
- Ready In: 10 minutes
- Servings: 4 servings
- Calories: ~397 per serving
- Key Ingredients: Bananas, cashew butter, non-dairy milk, vanilla extract
- Dietary Info: Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free
- Texture: Smooth and creamy, with chunks of cookie dough
- Perfect for: A better-for-you ice cream or refreshing summer dessert
Whoever invented cookie dough ice cream knew what they were doing. Chunks of cookie dough mixed into creamy vanilla ice cream? YUM. It was my favorite ice cream flavor growing up, so I had to create a better-for-you version.
You might find it hard to believe this version is made from frozen bananas… yes, bananas! Then it gets topped with chunks of vegan cookie dough. If you’re a cookie dough lover, you’ll also love my Healthy Edible Cookie Dough and Cookie Dough Stuffed Dates.
Featured Comment
Yum! This is so quick and easy and my non-vegan husband likes it and said it’s a keeper! Thanks Megan!
– Chris
No ice cream maker needed. No dairy, eggs, refined sugars, or gluten. Ready in minutes. Let’s do this!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy texture: A thick and creamy texture, without any dairy!
- Easy to make: Just blend all the ingredients together. No ice cream maker needed.
- Naturally sweetened: Ripe bananas add the perfect amount of natural sweetness without any refined sugars.
- Simple ingredients: Made with wholesome ingredients that are vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this vegan cookie dough nice cream.
- Frozen Sliced Bananas: The riper your bananas are, the better. I recommend slicing the bananas before freezing so it’s easier to blend.
- Cashew Butter: Adds creaminess and a cookie dough flavor.
- Non-Dairy Milk: Just a drop to help it all blend.
- Vanilla Extract: For that classic cookie flavor.
- Almond Flour: The base for the edible cookie dough balls.
- Maple Syrup: Naturally sweetens the dough without refined sugar.
- Mini Vegan Chocolate Chips: Measure with your heart!
Scroll down to the recipe card to get the full recipe with measurements!
How to Make Vegan Cookie Dough Nice Cream (Step-by-Step)
This vegan cookie dough ice cream is so easy to make. Ready in just 10 minutes!
- Step 1: Mix together the almond flour, cashew butter, maple syrup, mini chocolate chips, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Roll into small balls and place in the freezer.
- Step 2: Add frozen banana slices, cashew butter, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until creamy and smooth. It should have a soft serve consistency. Add 2-3 tablespoons of non-dairy milk if needed to help it blend.
- Step 3: Scoop the ice cream into bowls. Top with the edible cookie dough balls and more mini chocolate chips.
- Step 4: Dig in and enjoy!
Megan’s Tips
- Use ripe bananas. The riper your bananas are before freezing, the sweeter your nice cream will be, and the less banana flavor it will have.
- Slice bananas before freezing. Makes blending so much easier.
- No cashew butter? Sub with almond butter or peanut butter. Use tahini for a nut-free version.
- Make it extra thick. Only add extra non-dairy milk if needed.
- More cookie dough, please! Double the edible cookie dough recipe and freeze extras for the next time you make nice cream. You can even add it to a batch of my chocolate nice cream for a fun twist!
FAQs
Nice cream is a plant-based alternative to traditional ice cream made by blending frozen bananas until smooth and creamy. I guess it’s called “nice cream” because it’s nicer to you than regular ice cream (lol). When frozen bananas are blended, they create a soft-serve-like texture with natural sweetness. No dairy, no added sugar, and no actual cream. Win-win!
Personally, I don’t think so. The cookie dough flavor is much stronger than the banana flavor.
Yes, you can swap the almond flour for oat flour in the edible cookie dough balls. Do not use regular flour, as it’s not safe to eat uncooked. Almond flour and oat flour are made from ground almonds and oats, so they’re safe to eat raw in no-bake recipes like this.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ★★★★★ star rating below. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
Vegan Cookie Dough Nice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
Nice Cream
- 4 frozen ripe bananas, sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons cashew butter
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vegan mini chocolate chips, for sprinkling on top
Edible Cookie Dough Balls
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons cashew butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vegan mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough balls: In a small bowl, mix together the almond flour, cashew butter, maple syrup, mini chocolate chips, and vanilla extract until a cookie dough consistency forms. Roll into small balls, then pop in the freezer while you make the ice cream.
- Blend the ice cream: Add frozen banana slices, cashew butter, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until creamy and smooth. It should have a soft serve consistency. Add 2-3 tablespoons of non-dairy milk if needed to help it blend.
- Mix in the cookie dough balls: Scoop the ice cream into bowls and top with cookie dough balls and more chocolate chips. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use ripe bananas. The riper they are before freezing, the sweeter your nice cream will be and the less banana taste.
- Slice bananas before freezing. Makes blending so much easier.
- No cashew butter? Sub with almond or peanut butter. Tahini works too for a nut-free version!
- Make it extra thick. Only add extra non-dairy milk if needed.
- More cookie dough, please! Double the edible cookie dough recipe and freeze extras for the next time you make nice cream. You can even add it to a batch of my chocolate nice cream for a fun twist!
Yumbola!
Is the 8g of protein just the icecream or does it include the cookie dough balls.
Thanks!
It includes the cookie dough balls 🙂 enjoy!
What could I substitute the almond flour with? We have nut allergy and we cannot use coconut nor almond flour.
You can use oat flour, though you might want to use a little less since oat flour is more absorbent than almond flour, but it should work fine. Keep me posted!
We make this recipe on repeat in the summer! The edible cookie dough balls remind me of the chunks in the cookie dough ice cream I used to eat as a kid, only these are much healthier!
This was delicious! The flavor of the cashew butter in the nice cream was so good. Loved it! And the cookie dough, as well. #happyholidays
I really enjoyed these. Just the right amount of everything. #happyholidays
So happy to hear that 🙂
Yum! This is so quick and easy and my non-vegan husband likes it and said it’s a keeper! Thanks Megan!
Yay I’m so happy you both loved it!! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
#happyholidays great ice cream replacement! I couldn’t even tell this was purely bananas. All recipes are so easy to make in a pinch.
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this “nice” cream 🙂 thank you Daniele!
Best ICE CREAM EVER AND HEALTHY
Amazing, so glad you love it!
This was SO GOOD and healthy I saw this on Instagram so I knew I had to try this. Next time you should make healthy mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Aw yay I’m so happy you enjoyed it! You must have read my mind because I did make a healthy mint chocolate chip version – it is in my e-cookbook, Sweets From Plants. Hope you give it a try!