Avocado Ice Cream

Surprise everyone with an utterly creamy, stupendously delicious ice cream made from ripe avocados!

Avocados are a staple in my house. I enjoy them in salads, smoothies, puddings, sandwiches, and, of course, as guacamole. The first time I tried avocado ice cream, I was surprised by how delicious it tasted. I expected it to be creamy since the flesh of avocados is naturally velvety smooth. The maple syrup gives it a nice, rich flavor that keeps it from being overly sweet.

The key to making the perfect avocado dessert is to use ripe avocados. Remove any brown spots from the flesh. I like this recipe because it utilizes another ingredient I always have on hand—plain Greek yogurt. I highly recommend using the full-fat version for the richness it provides. However, you can use low-fat (2%) Greek yogurt and still produce a delicious dessert.

Many people think of ice cream as an indulgent treat. Using avocados provides healthy fats that are good for the body. Now, in case you’re wondering what type of avocado to use, steer clear of those giant ones at the grocery store. You want the small, dark green, bumpy-skinned Hass avocados when making ice cream. The consistency turns out better as those larger avocados tend to have a higher water content.

As far as the other ingredients go, lime juice is crucial because you need a bit of acid to help prevent browning of the avocado, not to mention brightening the flavor. Lemon juice will also work. If you don’t have a churning machine, you can whip the heavy cream separately and then fold it into the other blended ingredients. That will help you achieve the creamy ice cream texture you desire. And, if you want to take this ice cream to the next level, mix in some chopped dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips. Blend in a few mint leaves for a mint chocolate chip version. Can you say, YUM?!

Make it dairy-free!

Whether you are dairy-free or vegan, you can still enjoy the richness of avocado ice cream with two simple substitutions. Firstly, use full-fat coconut milk or coconut heavy cream as a replacement for the dairy-based heavy cream in this recipe. Next, you can use any plant-based Greek yogurt (I used a coconut version) and get delicious results.

I make one other swap in this recipe, which is to eliminate the sugar. There are multiple ways to do this, including increasing the maple syrup or adding honey, agave nectar, ripe bananas, date paste, monk fruit, allulose, or stevia. Coconut sugar is another option, but it requires a bit more effort as it doesn’t dissolve as easily as regular sugar. I add a small ripe banana in place of the sugar, and it provides the level of sweetness I enjoy when combined with the maple syrup.

How do I store leftovers?

Once made, store the avocado ice cream in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Homemade ice cream is often too hard to scoop right away. Remove it from the freezer 10 minutes before serving to allow the ice cream to soften a little, making it easier to scoop.

Serving suggestions

Avocado ice cream can be a delicious part of any meal, and I love how its green color stands out after enjoying other colorful foods. It makes for the perfect dessert after a festive meal of Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs, Fresh Corn And Mango Salad, and Jack-O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers. It’s equally refreshing after a hearty bowl of Cowboy Chili, Mulligan Stew, or Beef-Cabbage Soup. If you’re anything like me, you enjoy a bowl of ice cream as part of a late-night snack. And, since a bit of crunch goes so well with ice cream, I recommend adding a few Pineapple Cookies or my favorite Almond Flour Sugar Cookies.